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Anna Samodolova poses for a photo at the 2025 Euro-Asia Economic Forum in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, on Sept. 23, 2025. (Xinhua)

XI'AN, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Anna Samodolova, a 27-year-old Russian entrepreneur, is resolute in her decision to stay in Xi'an and grow her business. She firmly believes that her venture in China is her top priority.

"Right now, my career in China is extremely important. Starting a business here has made me more independent and confident," she shared with Xinhua.

When she was a university student, Anna was amazed by news of China's rapid economic growth and its abundant entrepreneurial opportunities. This led her to choose Chinese as her second foreign language.

In 2019, she traveled to China for the first time, spending a semester studying Mandarin at Heilongjiang International University in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang. "From the airport to the city, everything was so clean and modern," Anna recalled. "It was completely different from what I had imagined."

Driven by her aspirations, Anna returned to China in 2022 to pursue a master's degree at Xi'an Jiaotong University in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. After graduating, she decided to launch her own consulting firm in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi, aiming to foster people-to-people exchanges between China and Russia.

"Xi'an is an international tourist hub and a key node in the Belt and Road Initiative. It's a place full of foreigners and opportunities," she explained.

Her first major project involved facilitating business talks between a Moscow-based ice cream producer and three Chinese companies.

"The Chinese companies were looking for localized flavors, while the Moscow producer was focused on cost considerations. In the end, no deal was reached," Anna said with regret. "But the experience taught me that I was too reserved in social settings and lacked some skills in language and etiquette."

To enhance her ability to serve her clients, Anna turned to online courses to study business Chinese and Chinese cultural norms.

In Aug. 2024, a Russian client approached her to help bring the Russian band GARAGE DAYZ to China for a performance. Although she had no prior experience with Xi'an's performance market, Anna dove into the task, scrambling to secure a venue, liaise with local event companies, and obtain the necessary performance permits.

"I even learned about stage lighting and sound systems, and personally tweaked the promotional posters," she said. "To find a more cost-effective local band, I reached out on social media and found the perfect partner." Thanks to her meticulous planning, GARAGE DAYZ successfully made their Asian debut in Xi'an in April 2025.

Having spent over three years in China, Anna is now fully integrated and has become more self-assured. This September, she participated in a young elites' dialogue at the 2025 Euro-Asia Economic Forum in Xi'an, where she spoke about how China's rapidly developing digital economy has propelled her personal growth. "In China, the rapid advancement of technologies like AI and mobile payments has made international cooperation much more convenient," she stated in her speech.

Living in the ancient capital of Xi'an, Anna has also developed a fondness for local cuisine and intangible cultural heritage. "I've danced since I was young, so I particularly love Chinese folk and classical dance," she shared. She also enjoys visiting scenic spots dressed in Hanfu, traditional Chinese attire. "I especially love the ancient Chinese bamboo hats. They feel uniquely Eastern."

As travel between Russia and China becomes more convenient, Anna's business ventures continue to grow. She is currently organizing "Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tours" for Russian tourists. "Right now, many Russians are very interested in TCM. I'm working with a TCM hospital in Xi'an to give them a firsthand experience of Chinese massage and acupuncture," Anna said.

"And of course, outside of work, I want to travel all across China. My top destination is Chengdu, where I hope to see the pandas." 
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China has signalled its refusal to yield to President Donald Trump's threat of a 100 per cent tariff, instead urging the US to seek resolution through negotiation rather than intimidation.

"Chinas stance is consistent," the Commerce Ministry declared in an online statement. "We do not want a tariff war but we are not afraid of one."

This marks Beijing's initial official response to Mr Trump's pledge to escalate import taxes by 1 November.

The threat was prompted by new Chinese restrictions on rare earth exports, materials vital for a wide array of consumer and military products.

The escalating tensions risk derailing a potential meeting between Mr Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, potentially ending a fragile trade war truce that saw tariffs briefly exceed 100 per cent in April.

Since taking office, Mr Trump has imposed import taxes on numerous trading partners to extract concessions, but China has consistently resisted, leveraging its economic power.

The Commerce Ministry, through an unnamed spokesperson, added: "Frequently resorting to the threat of high tariffs is not the correct way to get along with China."

open image in gallery The back and forth threatens to derail a possible meeting between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping and end a truce in a trade war in which new tariffs from both sides briefly topped 100 per cent in April ( Chinatopix )

The statement called for addressing any concerns through dialogue.

If the US side obstinately insists on its practice, China will be sure to resolutely take corresponding measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests, the post said.

In addition to the 100 per cent tariff, Trump threatened to impose export controls on what he called critical software, without specifying what that means.

Both sides accuse the other of violating the spirit of the truce by imposing new restrictions on trade.

Trump said in a social media post that China is becoming very hostile and that it is holding the world captive by restricting access to rare earth metals and magnets.

The Chinese Commerce Ministry post said the US has introduced several new restrictions in recent weeks, including expanding the number of Chinese companies subject to U.S. export controls.

On rare earths, the ministry said that export licenses would be granted for legitimate civilian uses, noting that the minerals also have military applications.

open image in gallery In addition to the 100 per cent tariff, Trump threatened to impose export controls on what he called critical software, without specifying what that means. ( Associated Press )

The new regulations include a requirement that foreign companies get Chinese government approval to export items that contain rare earths sourced from China, no matter where the products are manufactured.

China accounts for nearly 70 per cent of the worlds rare earths mining and controls roughly 90 per cent of their global processing. Access to the material is a key point of contention in trade talks between Washington and Beijing.

The critical minerals go into many products, from jet engines, radar systems and electric vehicles to consumer electronics including laptops and phones. Chinas export controls have hit European and other manufacturers, as well as American ones.

The Commerce Ministry statement said that the US is also ignoring Chinese concerns by going forward with new port fees on Chinese ships that take effect Tuesday. China announced Friday that it would impose port fees on American ships in response.
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South Korea summoned the Cambodian envoy to express concern after a Korean college student was kidnapped and brutally tortured to death in a case that threatened to spark a diplomatic row between the two countries.

Police in South Korea said on Sunday they planned to conduct a joint autopsy with Cambodian authorities on the 22-year-old student from North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea who was found dead in Cambodia in August after being lured by a fake job offer. He had entered the country on 17 July and died of cardiac arrest caused by torture two weeks later.

His family said they received a phone call from Cambodia a week after his departure, with the callers demanding a ransom of 50 million won ($38,500) and claiming the student had caused trouble and had been detained.

The incident, linked to an employment scam and organised crime, sparked outrage in South Korea and highlighted a rise in kidnappings targeting Korean nationals in the country.

On Friday, South Korean foreign minister Cho Hyun summoned the Cambodian ambassador, Khuon Phon Rattanak, to express concern over the brutal death of the student. He called on the Cambodian government to cooperate fully with South Korean authorities and to take stronger measures against such scams.

It was a rare diplomatic move, as Seoul seldom summons ambassadors from other nations.

open image in gallery Alleged nline scammers arrested by authorities sit in a classroom on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, July 18, 2025

The Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) said in a statement that South Korean police and the National Forensic Service are working with Cambodian authorities on the possibility of conducting a joint autopsy of the students remains.

Officials from the KNPA and the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency plan to travel to Cambodia once the schedule is finalised with local authorities, Yonhap reported.

The repatriation process will proceed after conducting an autopsy in accordance with intergovernmental procedures, said Ahn Jung-man, a senior official at the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency. We will focus on determining the exact cause of death and identifying those responsible for the crime.

The student left his home in Yecheon after telling his family he was travelling to Cambodia to attend an exhibition.

It was later revealed that he may have been lured by money mule recruiters in South Korea, who tricked him into selling his bank account for fraudulent activities and convinced him to travel abroad for a supposed job opportunity in information technology or related fields.

open image in gallery Computers, smartphones and other equipment seized during a raid on a scam centre in Cambodia's Kandal province ( AKP )

A week later, his family received a threatening phone call from a man speaking Korean with a Chinese-Korean accent. The caller demanded a ransom, according to the police.

The family immediately reported the incident to the South Korean Embassy in Cambodia and to local police, but the students location could not be traced. The caller cut off contact after four days.

On 8 August, the students body was discovered inside a black car near Bokor Mountain in Kampot Province, southern Cambodia  a region notorious for employment scams and forced labour in online fraud centres, often referred to as pig butchering scams, which frequently target foreigners, particularly South Koreans.

Cambodian authorities and the South Korean Embassy confirmed the cause of death as cardiac arrest resulting from severe torture.

The National Police Agency also said it will hold a meeting with its Cambodian counterpart later this month to discuss measures to prevent similar incidents.

The talks are scheduled for 23 October, and NPA Commissioner General Park Sung-joo is reportedly considering a visit to Cambodia to assess the situation on the ground and enhance cooperation with local authorities.

To prevent such incidents, the agency said it also plans to strengthen international coordination by conducting joint cross-border operations with organisations such as Interpol and deploying an additional 30 officers to oversee overseas investigations.
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The Talibans foreign minister faced questions on Afghan girls and women being banned from education and work as he sat down for a rare press conference in Delhi on Sunday, attended by women journalists.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, a UN-sanctioned leader and senior minister in the Talibans de facto regime in Afghanistan, claimed education of girls and women was not haram, or declared forbidden under laws governing Islam, and has been postponed until the next order of the countrys supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.

Afghanistan is the only country in the world where the government has banned girls and women from their basic rights, including being seen in public parks, gymnasiums, mosques, markets and salons.

The Talibans restrictions on women and girls and freedom of expression have drawn criticism from rights groups and foreign governments since the former insurgents resumed control of Afghanistan in 2021. Taliban officials have previously claimed they respected women's rights in accordance with their strict interpretation of Islamic law. But they have also tightened controls on womens access to public life, barring them from university and high school.

At present we have 10 million students attending schools and other educational institutes, of which, 2.8 million are women and girls. In religious seminaries, this educational opportunity is available all the way to the graduation level. There are certain limitations in specific parts, but that does not mean that we oppose education, Mr Muttaqi told a group of more than 50 journalists gathered at the embassy of Afghanistan in the heart of the Indian capital.

We have not declared it religiously 'haram', but it has been postponed until the second order, he said after being questioned on curbing the basic rights of nearly half of Afghanistans population. He also claimed that Afghanistan was witnessing peace and all necessary changes would be introduced with time.

Journalists were not allowed to counter the Taliban ministers claims.

In the past, videos shared on social media showed women students being chased by the Taliban governments vice and virtue personnel outside the gates of a prominent university as they demanded entry. Afghan women were also whipped by the Taliban for protesting for their right to education. Amnesty International said in a report that the lives of Afghan women and girls were being destroyed by a suffocating crackdown by the Taliban since they took power.

The controversial press conference was held just a day after massive outrage over the Talibans exclusion of women journalists from a male-only gathering for a press conference in Delhi on Friday.

Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi attends a press conference in New Delhi ( Reuters )

The women journalists, including this reporter for The Independent, who had gathered outside the Afghan embassy in Delhi on Friday, were stopped by security staff and Delhi police officials from attending the event despite multiple requests.

Mr Muttaqi said on Sunday the exclusion of women from the press conference was a technical issue and that their list for selected journalists was curated at a short notice.

The Talibans enforcement of Sharia rule in Afghanistan has been the main roadblock to their international recognition. Shortly after taking control of Kabul, they banned girls over sixth grade from attending schools and rolled out another ban on women from attending colleges and universities.
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Afghanistan and Pakistan traded heavy fire across their border after the Taliban said its forces launched retaliatory attacks on Islamabads multiple border posts, killing at least 58 troops and capturing 25 positions.

Pakistan said it closed its border crossings with Afghanistan on Sunday and gave a befitting response with gun and artillery fire to an unprovoked attack.

Afghanistans de facto Taliban rulers said the attack was in response to Pakistans continued violation of Afghanistans airspace and bombing of Kabul and a market inside its border on Thursday.

Afghanistans forces have captured 25 Pakistani Army posts, 58 soldiers have been killed, and 30 others wounded, said Taliban government's chief spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid.

"The situation on all official borders and de facto lines of Afghanistan is under complete control, and illegal activities have been largely prevented," Mr Mujahid told a press conference in Kabul.

There was no immediate confirmation from Pakistan about casualties.

A Taliban security personnel stands guard as Afghans deported from Pakistan arrive at a registration centre at Takhta Pul in Kandahar province ( AFP via Getty Images )

The Taliban fighters said they have captured three Pakistani border posts after launching attacks at the Durand Line in the Bahramcha district of Pakistan, hitting almost eight provinces late Saturday night.

Pakistani security officials claimed their army destroyed several military posts of Afghanistan, and they are they were responding "with full force.

Pakistans interior minister Mohsin Naqvi denounced Afghan attacks as unprovoked and said that their forces were responding with a stone for every brick and promised befitting reply like India.

Firing by Afghan forces on civilian population is a blatant violation of international laws. Pakistans brave forces have given a prompt and effective response that no provocation will be tolerated, he said in a post on X.

"Afghanistan is playing a game of fire and blood," he added.

Enayatullah Khwarizmi, spokesperson for Afghanistans ministry of defence, said its forces carried out successful retaliatory attacks against Pakistani soldiers in response to Islamabads attack repeated violations and air strikes on Afghan territory.

He said the operation had ended at midnight. However, reports suggested clashes continued on the border.

"If the opposing side again violates Afghanistan's territorial integrity, our armed forces are fully prepared to defend the nation's borders and will deliver a strong response," the Taliban defence ministry said.

Pakistani security officials said on Sunday that two main border crossings with Afghanistan, at Torkham and Chaman, were closed, while three smaller crossings at Kharlachi, Angoor Adda and Ghulam Khan, were also closed, in the wake of attacks.

It came as Afghanistans Taliban-run government last week accused Pakistan of violating its sovereign territory after two explosions were heard in Kabul city late on Thursday.

Pakistans defence ministry said Pakistan bombed a civilian market in the border province of Paktika, in Afghanistan's south-east. Pakistan did not claim responsibility for Thursdays attacks but blamed Afghanistan for harbouring fighters of the Pakistani Taliban.

However, the airstrikes had targeted the leader of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group in Kabul, according to a Pakistani security official. It is unclear if he survived.

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 AfghanTaliban.

The latest flare-up between rival Afghanistan and Pakistan coincided with Afghan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqis landmark week-long visit to India  his first since the Talibans return to power.

India remains a longstanding adversary of Islamabad, and the warming of ties between New Delhi and Kabul is likely to cause fresh tensions with Pakistan, which views closer IndiaAfghanistan relations as a strategic threat along its western border.

New Delhi announced plans to reopen its embassy in Kabul, which had been closed four years ago following the Taliban takeover
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Prince Andrew told Jeffrey Epstein we are in this together, the day after the infamous photograph of him with Virginia Giuffre emerged, according to reports.

The Duke of York also reportedly told his paedophile friend we'll play some more soon in the email dated 28 February 2011  three months after the date he told the BBC he had severed contact with the disgraced financier.

The message is reported to also cast doubt on another of the claims Andrew, 65, made in his infamous 2019 interview with Newsnight  that his meeting with Ms Giuffre didn't happen.

The duke has always strongly denied all accusations against him.

The Sun on Sunday reported Andrew contacted Epstein just hours after Ms Giuffre detailed allegations that she was flown out to London in March 2001 aged 17, where she said she and the duke ate, drank, went to Tramp nightclub and later had sex.

open image in gallery The message is reported to also cast doubt on another of the claims Andrew, 65, made in his infamous 2019 interview with Newsnight  that his meeting with Ms Giuffre didn't happen ( Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire )

A photo of the pair of them at the London townhouse of Epsteins then-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell  who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for recruiting and trafficking underage girls for Epstein  was published on 27 February 2011, showing Andrew with his arm around Ms Giuffres waist.

According to the newspaper, the 28 February email, sent from the dukes official email address with the automated signature HRH The Duke of York KG, read: Im just as concerned for you! Dont worry about me! It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it. Andrew also urged the predator to keep in close touch and told him: Well play some more soon!!!!

open image in gallery Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide on 10 August 2019 at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City ( Getty Images )

Ms Giuffre has also accused Andrew of sexually abusing her on Epsteins private island Little St James as a teenager, which the prince has unequivocally denied. In 2022, he agreed to settle her civil claim for an multi-million dollar sum, without admitting liability.

In his 2019 interview with the BBC, Andrew said he had severed all contact with Epstein after they were photographed meeting in Central Park in New York in early December 2010, when he claimed they decided to cut ties.

open image in gallery Ms Giuffre has also accused Andrew of sexually abusing her on Epsteins private island Little St James as a teenager, which the prince has unequivocally denied ( AP )

Speaking of the photograph of him and Ms Giuffre, he said: Oh it's definitely me, I mean that's a picture of me, it's not a picture of... I don't believe it's a picture of me in London because... when I go out in London, I wear a suit and a tie.

I am not one to, as it were, hug and public displays of affection are not something that I do. So that's the best explanation I can give you and I'm afraid to say that I don't believe that photograph was taken in the way that has been suggested.

Following the interview, the duke stepped back from his royal duties in 2019 over his links with Epstein.

The disgraced financier died by suicide on 10 August 2019 at a federal jail in New York City.
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Hosts of Ukrainian refugees say they are facing endless bureaucracy and horrendous support from the Home Office, with thousands stuck in limbo more than three years after Russias invasion of the country.

For Juliet Grover, the daughter of a Jewish refugee who escaped the Nazis, the decision to become a host was personal. She signed up to the Homes for Ukraine scheme as soon as the war began in February 2022, firmly believing that providing refuge to those in need was important.

Yet immediately she says she was struck by the difficulties facing host families, with little to zero information and advice given by the UK government.

open image in gallery Juliet Grover (far left) has hosted a number of Ukrainian refugees since the war started in 2022 ( Supplied )

The first people who came were a woman and her two young children who had applied for visas, she told The Independent. She was stuck in a refugee centre in Poland; it took us four months to get the visas sorted, it was horrendous.

I was on the phone every day going around in circles, I went to see MPs and the government but we were completely stonewalled. We managed to get a visa sorted for her and her daughter, but her sons visa was not issued, which meant they couldnt travel over for months.

In her desperation, she even drove to Sheffield from Wales to try and speak to someone at the Home Office, but was refused entry at the reception.

The mother Ms Grover helped, called Lena, was eventually able to come to the UK with her son and daughter, then aged four and five. Ms Grover spent hours registering them with schools, the GP, the local authorities and with national insurance.

Thankfully Im a housewife and I have the time to go through these things, but I didnt understand any of it. Id never had to go to the council or sort right to work codes; youve got no chance of speaking to a single person if you ask for help.

Among the many issues facing Ukrainian refugees is the lack of translating services available, which includes information papers to help their situation, which are often only provided in English.

open image in gallery The Grovers have become increasingly frustrated over the lack of support offered by the Home Office to assist refugees ( Supplied )

After Russian forces invaded eastern Ukraine more than three-and-a-half years ago, Lena packed a quick rucksack, grabbed her two children and fled from her home city in Dnipro.

Despite her previous employment working in a bank, she is now a cleaner while her husband, who joined her eight months later, works in a Lidl as he cannot work as an engineer in the UK.

They are strong, good people, Ms Grover said. Ive now been involved with helping 20 of them, and theres not one who hasnt got a job within a fortnight.

Last November, Lenas elderly parents also travelled to the UK and are now residing with Ms Grover. Despite being a retired doctor and teacher, they do not qualify for retirement here and they now regularly attend the jobcentre in search of menial work.

Ms Grover said: Im not allowed inside to sit with them, and they cant speak a word of English. They dont know the culture or language, theyre fish out of water and theyre completely lost, she said. Just last week, they were informed that their home had been destroyed by a Russian strike.

They are now among the 300,000 Ukrainians residing on temporary visas in the UK, with former home secretary Yvette Cooper announcing earlier this month that it could be extended by a further 24 months.

However, the process of renewing visas has been painful with only a 28-day window to complete the complicated process, and an eight-week waiting time, which places their jobs and accommodation at risk.

open image in gallery The UN estimates that nearly 7 million people have fled Ukraine since Putins invasion ( Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

We spent weeks trying to do it and when the visas were eventually renewed, Lena and her daughters came through but again her sons was missing. How does that happen? It just had gotten lost in the abyss, Ms Grover explained.

Many Ukrainians struggle to find accommodation in the private rented sector given that they need a deposit, while others struggle to find a UK guarantor and negotiate with landlords due to a language barrier.

Last year, a report by the British Red Cross found that breakdowns in hosting arrangements often occurred due to a lack of sufficient training and ongoing support for hosts, as well as cost-of-living pressures.

Luke Piper, head of immigration at The Work Rights Centre, said: Frustratingly, the experience of Lenas family absolutely rings true with what were seeing among our clients since the roll-out of the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme requiring Ukrainian people to apply to extend their stay. We are also seeing technical issues that make it difficult for Ukrainians to prove their right to work and their right to stay.

Whenever the government changes the visa rules or rolls out a new scheme, we receive a spike in calls from confused and panicked individuals trying to figure out what it means for them.

This ongoing uncertainty is taking a mental toll on many Ukrainian people in the UK and hindering their ability to progress their careers or put down roots. Some families have been in the UK for nearly four years now  this will become six with the visa extension. With no sign of war in Ukraine slowing down, its time ministers reconsidered routes to settlement for Ukrainians who have sought to rebuild their lives in Britain.

A government spokesperson said: We thank all the hosts and sponsors who have made an invaluable contribution to our Ukraine schemes. A range of guidance is available on the government website to support them, as well as through the voluntary and community sector, and through local authorities.

Government guidance for Ukrainians who intend to make an application for the extension scheme is available in Ukrainian and Russian.
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There are growing questions over the collapse of a case against two men accused of spying for Beijing, with the former chief of the Secret Intelligence Service saying he is unsure why the prosecution was dropped.

It comes amid allegations that the prime ministers team had access to multiple documents that proved China was a national security risk but supposedly chose not to hand them over to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) before the case was brought to a close.

And on the eve of Sir Keir Starmers trip to Egypt, where he will attend a Middle East peace summit chaired by Donald Trump, the White House has reportedly warned that the failure to prosecute the two alleged Chinese spies risks undermining the special relationship  and could threaten intelligence sharing between Britain and the US.

open image in gallery Christopher Berry, left, and Christopher Cash have both denied the spying allegations ( PA )

Speaking about the collapse of the trial, Sir John Sawers told Times Radio: "I don't think it's got anything to do with intelligence. I think these two people accused of spying in parliament were low-grade reporters of opinion in parliament. What they were doing, if the allegations are true, was certainly illegal.

And frankly, I'm a bit confused and unsure about why the prosecution was dropped. Of course, China poses an intelligence threat, a subversion threat here in the UK, as well as being an economic partner.

I think the government was slow in putting out a clear line on this. We heard one from Yvette Cooper at the end of last week. But I think the Americans will be equally perplexed as to why the prosecution was dropped when the case looked pretty clear, the former MI6 chief added.

It comes after two former top civil servants questioned the prime ministers explanation for the abandonment of the prosecution of Christopher Cash, 30, a former parliamentary researcher, and Christopher Berry, 33, a teacher.

open image in gallery Keir Starmer will attend a peace summit in Egypt on Monday ( PA Wire )

The prime minister has maintained the last Conservative administration had not designated China as a threat to national security, so 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.

Mark Sedwill, a predecessor to the PMs current national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, expressed confusion about why the trial fell apart because Beijing was of course a threat to the UK, while former cabinet secretary Simon Case said intelligence chiefs had publicly warned of the threat from China for years.

Former attorney general Dominic Grieve on Friday dismissed the governments claims as weird, telling The Independent: I can't see why the PM was not in a position to ask the Cabinet Office to provide the evidence.

Mr Cash and Mr Berry were charged by the CPS in April last year with spying under the Official Secrets Act 1911, when they were accused of collecting and communicating information which could be useful to an enemy. Both denied the charges.

White House sources told The Times that Mr Trump is increasingly concerned about the reliability of the UK after the charges were dropped, with a senior official saying: The United States has been warning allies about the Chinese threat to our combined national security since President Trump first came into office in 2017.

The US government exercises extreme caution in sharing information with foreign governments subject to adversarial coercion and influence. We are especially careful in jurisdictions where our adversaries can act with impunity.

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.

The Tories have accused the government of political interference in the trial, with shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel urging attorney general Richard Hermer, to come to parliament and account for what has happened.

The Sunday Times reported last week that in a meeting last month Mr Powell revealed the governments evidence would be based on the national security strategy, which was published in June and does not refer to Beijing as an enemy.

Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, said Mr Powell played no role in the collapse of a prosecution against the two alleged spies and has the PMs full confidence.
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The death toll from devastating landslides and floods across central and southeastern Mexico has surged to 37, authorities confirmed on Saturday.

The relentless rainfall has triggered widespread destruction, prompting thousands of soldiers to mobilise in a desperate effort to clear blocked roads and rescue those still missing nationwide.

Mexicos National Coordination of Civil Protection reported that the state of Hidalgo, north of Mexico City, has borne the brunt of the disaster, with 22 fatalities and power cut to 150 communities.

East of the capital, in Puebla, at least nine people have died, and over 16,000 homes have either been damaged or completely destroyed.

Further south, the Gulf coast state of Veracruz has recorded five deaths.

Here, the army and navy are actively engaged in rescuing residents from 42 communities left isolated by landslides and swollen rivers, with another 16,000 homes across 55 municipalities sustaining damage.

open image in gallery Neighbors gather around a damaged house after heavy rainfall in Poza Rica, Veracruz state, Mexico ( Associated Press/Felix Marquez )

Earlier, a child tragically lost their life in a landslide in the central state of Queretaro.

Across the country, the severe weather has led to extensive power outages, affecting more than 320,000 users, according to official figures.

Authorities have attributed the deadly downpours to Tropical Storm Priscilla, formerly a hurricane, and Tropical Storm Raymond, both off the western coast of Mexico.

Puebla state Governor Alejandro Armenta said at least nine people had died due to incidents such as landslides and another five had been reported missing. Authorities reported two more deaths in Veracruz state.

"We are working to support the population, open roads and restore electrical services," President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a post on X. She shared photos of emergency responders carrying supplies as they waded knee-deep in flooded streets.

open image in gallery People loot a supermarket damaged by heavy rainfall in Poza Rica, Veracruz state, Mexico ( Associated Press/Felix Marquez )

A video from the Navy showed an officer searching for stranded people as he advanced down a street neck-deep in water in Poza Rica, where heavy rains and the flooding of the Cazones river brought much of Veracruz town under water.

The ministry of defense said it had deployed over 5,400 personnel to help monitor, evacuate and clean up affected areas.
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Two people are dead after a plane crashed near an airport in Tarrant County, Texas, on Sunday.

Emergency crews found the victims after the plane crashed near Hicks Airfield around 1:30 p.m. local time, a Fort Worth Fire Department spokesperson confirmed to The New York Times. The plane struck a parking lot where 18-wheeler trailers and campers were being stored, causing a fire, the Times reports. A nearby commercial building was also reportedly set on fire.

Footage from CBS Texas showed fire crews battling flames at the scene as thick, dark smoke rose into the air shortly after the crash.

We thought we were responding to two separate incidents, the fire department spokesperson told the Times. Later on, we realized it was all part of the same one.

The Tarrant County Sheriffs Office told The Independent that there had been a plane crash, but provided no further details. The fire department confirmed to CBS Texas that the blaze is under control.

open image in gallery Firefighters work to battle the flames from a plane crash near Hicks Airfield in Tarrant County, Texas ( CBS Texas/Instagram )

Hicks Airfield is a private airport about 16 miles northwest of Fort Worth, Texas. Its located just off U.S. Route 287 Business, which was blocked in both directions near the site. Lois Kinman, a representative for Hicks Airfield, told the Times the plane was not based at the airport.

An unnamed witness told WFAA they were working at a nearby cafe when they heard a loud boom, and a customer ran inside asking them to call 911. When they ran outside, they saw that a plane appeared to have crashed into parked trucks.

Another witness, Lauren Anderson, told the Times she saw a giant black cloud of smoke that appeared to be 100 feet wide. Once crews responded and the smoke cleared, Anderson said it kind of looks like nothing happened.

There was probably about a 20-, 30-minute window where it was just nonstop emergency vehicles, she told the outlet.
NEW YORK, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- At least four people were killed and about 20 were injured in a deadly shooting early Sunday morning at a crowded bar in Beaufort County in the U.S. state of South Carolina, local authorities said Sunday.

The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office said that shortly before 1:00 a.m. (0500 GMT) Sunday, deputies were called to several reports of a shooting at Willie's Bar and Grill on St. Helena Island, Live 5 News reported.

Deputies learned that hundreds of people were at the scene when the shooting happened. Many victims and witnesses ran to nearby businesses and properties to find shelter from the gunshots.

Four victims were reportedly killed at the scene, and about 20 people were hurt during the shooting, with four of them in critical condition, according to the report.

The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office said on X that it has increased law enforcement presence on St. Helena. The office is asking the public to provide information about the incident. 
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A Texas burger chain, which shot to fame after naming itself after Donald Trump and offering a supersized helping of MAGA politics, has closed after ICE arrested its Lebanese owner.

Roland Beainy, of Trump Burger, which has outlets across the Lone Star State, was arrested by ICE earlier this year after reportedly overstaying his 2019 visa, which was set to expire in 2024.

His restaurants, which are entirely themed around the U.S. president and billed as a patriotic haven for burger lovers, now appear to have closed, including premises in Houston.

On Friday, 10 October, The Independent found the Google profile for the Trump Burger at Chimney Rock Road in Houston is listed as temporarily closed.

The Houston Business Journal reportedly visited the location twice this week during peak business hours but found the restaurant's neon sign off, with a "closed" sign on its locked front doors, and the small parking lot deserted.

open image in gallery Roland Beainy, the owner of Trump Burger, which has outlets across the Lone Star State, was arrested by ICE earlier this year after reportedly overstaying his 2019 visa, which was set to expire in 2024 ( AFP/Getty )

The journal suggested the chains future now hangs in the balance, due to the web of legal challenges relating to Beainys arrest.

According to local news outlet KHOU, an ICE spokesperson said Beainy doesn't have any immigration benefits that would prevent him from being arrested or removed from the country.

He was arrested on 16 May and placed into immigration proceedings. On 13 June, he was granted his request for a bond while he waits for the proceedings to unfold.

"Despite false claims to the contrary, Roland Mehrez Beainy does not have any immigration benefits that prevented his arrest or removal from the United States, ICE said in a statement.

open image in gallery According to local news outlet KHOU, an ICE spokesperson said Beainy doesn't have any immigration benefits that would prevent him from being arrested or removed from the country ( AFP/Getty )

"Beainy is a 28-year-old illegal alien from Lebanon who entered the United States in 2019 as a non-immigrant visitor, but he failed to depart by 12 February 2024, as required under the terms of his admission. ICE officers arrested him on 16 May 2025, and he was placed into immigration proceedings.

On 13 June, an immigration judge granted his request for bond while he undergoes his proceedings.

Alluding to Trump Burgers committed support for the U.S. president not being a legitimate matter of consideration for the agency, the ICE spokesperson added: "Under the current administration, ICE is committed to restoring integrity to our nations immigration system by holding all individuals accountable who illegally enter the country or overstay the terms of their admission. This is true regardless of what restaurant you own or political beliefs you might have."

The Independent attempted to contact Trump Burger for comment, but emails bounced back undelivered.
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Former Vice President Kamala Harris is back in front of the public  this time as a private citizen  as she promotes her 2024 campaign-memoir, 107 Days.

But as she returns to the public eye for the first sustained time since her defeat, the onetime standard-bearer of the Democrats is coming to terms with the fact that her party remains bitterly divided over the manner by which the Biden administration and her campaign treated the issue of the war in Gaza throughout 2024, and especially after she became the nominee.

Rather than the war in Gaza, in her memoir, Harris blames the Biden family for not realizing sooner that the president was not up to the task of running for re-election, and explains away her defeat as the result of taking on an insurmountable challenge.

Not everyone attending her tour agrees with that version of events, however, as proven in footage shared by left-leaning commentator Kaivan Shroff.

In the video from Harriss appearance in Chicago, the former vice president is seen clapping back at a heckler whod shouted a comment about her legacy. Nonvoters, she argued, had earned a legacy of Donald Trumps return to the presidency by refusing to support her campaign.

Im not president, and if you want to talk about legacy, lets talk about the legacy of mass deportations, of not voting, and Donald Trump, said a clearly incensed Harris in the clip.

open image in gallery Kamala Harris has released her latest memoir, 107 Days ( Getty )

Are you the same person that was telling people not to vote? she also asked the protester, according to Newsweek.

The crowd, which was made up entirely of Harriss supporters, cheered in response.

But the vice presidents quip to the heckler is likely to feed criticism from her detractors in the party, a group that has swelled in size since she lost the last election. Especially those who are fiercely critical of the Biden administrations response to the war in Gaza.

At another point in the evening in Chicago, Harris was interrupted by hecklers blaming her and Bidens stance on Gaza for her defeat to Trump. A similar episode played out in New York City, where Harris was repeatedly shouted over by protesters during an event in Times Square.

I understand your concern and how you feel  I think I do, she told one heckler, according to PBS. And the reality of it is where we are right now didnt have to be this way  in terms of the blank check that this president has given [Israel].

Writing in 107 Days, the former vice president laid the blame for those decisions on Biden, claiming that shed urged her former boss to show more public compassion for Palestinians. Campaign officials, meanwhile, disputed that there was ever daylight between the two politicians.

As she recovers politically from the defeat to Trump last year, many have questioned whether Harris will run again for public office. Earlier this year she said in a statement that she would not run for governor in California, her home state, in 2026.

open image in gallery Harris said she hadn't spoken with her former boss directly since news broke that he was beginning radiation therapy ( X - MSNBC's The Weekend )

Harris has not ruled out serving in other settings as her party gears up for the next presidential election cycle in 2028.

Though she hasnt indicated any clear interest in running, her name has been floated as a potential contender for the Democratic nomination. On Sunday, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly said in an interview that shed be an incredibly strong candidate in the next cycle.

In an interview with MSNBCs Eugene Daniels that aired Sunday, Harris said that she hadnt spoken with Biden since news broke that the former president was due to begin radiation therapy to treat prostate cancer, but told Daniels shed left him a message and called him a fighter.

However, should she make a run for president, many in her party will have questions over how the White House deflected criticism about his age, the issue Harris says ended up costing her the election.
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Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has a fresh bone to pick with Donald Trump after bucking him on the release of the Epstein files and fellow Republicans on the government shutdown  this time slamming the administrations execution of ICE raids, the policy central to the presidents MAGA campaign.

During an appearance on comedian Tim Dillons podcast, The Tim Dillon Show, Greene was unapologetic in critiquing Trumps ICE raids  some of which notably left nearly naked children zip-tied and separated from their parents earlier this month in Chicago.

The 51-year-old Georgia congresswoman said that while she supports having a secure border and strong immigration laws, there needs to be a smarter plan than just rounding up every single person and deporting them.

Specifically, Greene noted that much of the American labor force relies on immigrants, many of whom did not enter the country legally.

As a conservative, and as a business owner in the construction industry, and as a realist, I can say, we have to do something about labor, Greene told Dillon.

President Donald Trump has been calling Republicans, asking, 'Whats going on with Marjorie?' as he is perplexed by the congresswomans recent criticisms of the GOP ( Getty Images )

And it needs to be a smarter plan than just rounding up every single person and deporting them just like that, she continued. Im going to get pushback for that, but Im just living in reality from here on out. If anyones mad at me for saying the truth, then Im sorry.

Greene, one of Trumps most loyal allies, has recently taken strong public stances against her own party on a variety of issues, including the government shutdown, the release of documents related to the case against convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the war in Gaza and the Affordable Care Acts health insurance marketplace.

Her apparent drift away from MAGA has prompted the president to call at least two senior Republicans in recent months to inquire: Whats going on with Marjorie? according to an NBC News report.

Her comments on Dillons podcast come as House Speaker Mike Johnson said he told her Republicans were working around the clock to bring down healthcare prices  after she criticized her own party over the rising costs.

I had a thoughtful conversation with her on the phone the other night, Johnson told Fox News Sunday host Shannon Bream.

Johnson said Republicans were leading discussions on the shutdown and healthcare subsidies, and invited Greene to participate in those respective committees to learn of their apparent efforts.

Marjorie does not serve on those committees so I offered to have her come in the room and be a part of that discussion if indeed she wants to do that, he said.

Johnson claimed Republicans have hundreds of ideas literally on the table to make healthcare more affordable, but said Democrats refusing to vote to end the shutdown were preventing those plans from coming to fruition.

Greene took to X last week to vent her frustrations about the rising healthcare costs, writing, Im carving my own lane.

Im absolutely disgusted that health insurance premiums will DOUBLE if the tax credits expire this year, she continued. Not a single Republican in leadership talked to us about this or has given us a plan to help Americans deal with their health insurance premiums DOUBLING.

Meanwhile, Johnson brushed off Greenes outbursts last week, chalking them up to her not serving on the committees handling those issues, and saying, Shes probably not read that in on some of that, according to Politico.
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Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker vowed Sunday to use the power of state government to resist President Donald Trumps deployment of National Guard resources and federal law enforcement agents like ICE to Chicago, while Vice President JD Vance said the White House may escalate things even further.

Pritzker was on ABCs This Week, where he challenged Vance over a tidal wave of lies about the city of Chicago and other cities run by liberal mayors and leadership. He also responded once again to Trumps call for his arrest this past week.

As Ive said before, come and get me, said the governor.

Pritzkers comments come as the White House moved this past week to deploy National Guard troops to Illinois largest city using a provision of federal law that allows it to be activated without the consent of the governor. Though Guard troops in the city will not have direct law enforcement powers, they will be able to assist federal law enforcement operatives carrying out immigration enforcement and other activities which fall under the umbrella of crime prevention.

A federal judge then ruled on Thursday in favor of the state, temporarily blocking the deployment.

open image in gallery Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker denied that attacks against law enforcement were occurring in Chicago ( X - ABC's This Week )

The Trump administration argues that American cities like Chicago, Portland and Baltimore are lawless hellholes where law enforcement and citizens are attacked openly, a false perception fueled by right-wing media like Fox News.

None of his planned or existing federal takeovers of U.S. cities have been popular with the residents of the respective areas, especially Washington D.C. where the only vocal supporters of the crackdown have been Republican transplants working in Congress or the broader administration  or the media.

Also on Sunday, Vance warned on NBCs Meet the Press that the president was not ruling out invoking the Insurrection Act to crush dissent in liberal cities and other areas.

Are you seriously considering invoking the Insurrection Act? moderator Kristen Welker asked Vance.

He continued: The problem here is not the Insurrection Act or whether we actually invoke it or not. The problem is the fact that the entire media in this country, cheered on by a few far left lunatics, have made it OK to tee off on American law enforcement. We cannot accept that in the United States of America.

Pritzker responded in an interview following Vance on ABC, arguing that there was absolutely no legal justification for invoking a law allowing the president to federalize individual National Guard units and deploy military assets against U.S. citizens, which under the Constitution can only be used to address an insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination or conspiracy which prevents law enforcement from taking action normally or where a state government is unable, fails, or refuses to protect Americans rights.

"If the Constitution means anything, and I guess we all are questioning that right now, the Insurrection Act cannot be invoked, Pritzker told host George Stephanopolous. There has to be a rebellion.

open image in gallery JD Vance defended Trump's federalization of National Guard resources and warned that use of the Insurrection Act was on the table in dual interviews Sunday ( X - ABC's This Week )

They just want troops on the ground because they want to militarize especially blue cities in blue states, the governor added. He argued that Vance and Trump both were contradicting arguments in court made by DOJ attorneys claiming that the militarization of the Illinois Guard was necessary to protect ICE and its related facilities in the state.

He went on to note that Illinois was the 19th safest state in the United States.

Trump has flirted with invoking the legislation before, such as during the George Floyd protests in 2020 during his first term. The law hasnt actually been used to suppress political demonstrations in the United States since it was invoked by George H.W. Bush to call in the Guard to quell riots in Los Angeles in 1992.

In Washington D.C., his federalization of the Guard (and, briefly, D.C.s police force) led to a surge of arrests, with around 40 percent being for immigration-related offences. Over the course of the first three weeks of the White Houses deployment, nearly 1,700 arrests were carried out around the District of Columbia.

A federal judge blocked the administration from deploying troops to Chicago this past week, arguing that it would add fuel to the fire and unnecessarily escalate tensions between residents and law enforcement.

The judge wrote in her opinion that she had seen no credible evidence that there is a danger of a rebellion in the state of Illinois and derided the DOJs explanations as unreliable.

Vance, in a separate interview on ABCs This Week, clashed with Stephanopoulos over reporting that Tom Homan, the White House border czar, had allegedly accepted a $50,000 bribe from an FBI informant.

And heres, George, why fewer and fewer people watch your show, and why youre losing credibility, he said, before repeating his claim that he didnt know about a video purporting to show Homan accepting the bribe.

In the same interview, he repeatedly dodged questions about whether he agreed with Trumps call to jail Pritzker, before claiming that he certainly believed that the governors supposed failure to uphold his fundamental oath of office was criminal.

After attacking the shows ratings, he was cut off by Stephanopoulos, who ended the interview over Vances protestations: You did not answer the question. Thank you for your time.
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Saturday Night Live star Colin Jost was left squirming after he was inserted into archival footage of President Donald Trump and the deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein partying together  all thanks to artificial intelligence.

During this weeks episode, featuring SNL alum Amy Poehler as host, Weekend Update host Michael Che did not hold back from trying to make his co-host, Jost, uncomfortable.

OpenAI has updated its video-generating app Sora to allow users to create cameos of themselves in video. And theyre pretty realistic. I mean, I made this one before the show, Che says behind the anchor desk.

The well-known archival footage of a young Trump and Epstein laughing and talking during a party then starts to play  but with the insertion of Jost, whose likeness awkwardly dances around the two.

The AI-generated Jost dances around, laughing with Trump and Epstein, before the now-deceased financier turns around to face him.

open image in gallery During Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update host Michael Che made fun of his cohost Colin Jost by sharing an AI-generated video of him partying with President Donald Trump and the late Jeffrey Epstein ( Saturday Night Live/YouTube )

Once the clip concluded, Che began to taunt a visibly uncomfortable Jost, saying, Ha ha ha. You suck.

After shaking his head and peering out awkwardly into the crowd, Jost replies, Really excited for that to just be out there. The two comics then continued on with the Weekend Update portion of the show.

Meanwhile, the original footage, shot by NBC in 1992, shows Trump and Epstein talking during a party at Mar-a-Lago, Trumps Florida estate.

The men appear to be pointing and laughing as loud music blares over the speakers.

The footage was taken more than a decade before Epstein pleaded guilty to felony prostitution charges in Florida.

open image in gallery The original clip, which did not feature Jost, was taken in 1992 ( Saturday Night Live / YouTube )

While the president has long denied having a close relationship with Epstein, despite photographic evidence suggesting otherwise, last month, a bawdy letter he penned to Epstein featuring a hand-drawn figure of a naked woman was made public.

Trump has denied writing the letter to Epstein for his 50th birthday, calling it a fake thing, and has sued both The Wall Street Journal and its owner, Rupert Murdoch, for defamation, claiming the letter is nonexistent.

Now, the House is stalling on swearing in a newly-elected Democrat Congresswoman, Adelita Grijalva, who has promised to be the clinching signature on a petition to force a vote on a bill to release all the files related to the Epstein case  something Republican leaders and Trump do not want.
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A gathering of old high school classmates at a South Carolina bar turned deadly early Sunday morning after four people were killed and 20 more were wounded in a mass shooting.

The shooting unfolded around 1 a.m. on Sunday at Willies Bar and Grill on St. Helena Island, the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office said in a statement. The bars owner, Willie Terrell, told local outlet WJCL the venue was hosting an alumni party for graduates from Battery Creek High School. It was one of multiple alumni parties scheduled this weekend, he said.

Terrell described his bar as packed, and police said hundreds of people were nearby when gunshots rang out. The owner recounted a chaotic scene after hearing shots that sounded like machine gun fire.

It was just mayhem, a tragedy, outside, Terrell told WJCL. Its just unreal.

Beaufort County EMS transported several victims to local hospitals, including four people who were in critical condition. More victims have continued to show up at area hospitals seeking treatment for their injuries, according to the sheriffs office.

open image in gallery The owner of Willies Bar and Grill described the scene as mayhem ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

open image in gallery Police said hundreds of people were near the venue when the shooting started ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

A security officer was among those killed, Terrell told WJCL. Police have yet to release the victims names as they work to notify their families.

One of the security officers who passed away happens to be the son of my dad's best friend, Terrell said. He came and we spoke the night before...it was close, real close.

The sheriffs office said it is investigating persons of interest and urged anyone with information on the shooting to contact law enforcement.

This is a tragic and difficult incident for everyone, the sheriffs office said. We ask for your patience as we continue to investigate this incident. Our thoughts are with all of the victims and their loved ones.

The Beaufort County Sheriffs Office declined to provide additional details when contacted by The Independent.

open image in gallery A sticker on the door of the bar said no weapons were allowed on site. ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Representative Nancy Mace, whose district includes St. Helena Island, shared a statement asking for anyone with information on the shooting to contact the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office.

COMPLETELY HEARTBROKEN to learn about the devastating shooting in Beaufort County, she wrote on X. Our prayers are with the victims, their families, and everyone impacted by this horrific act of violence.

Senator Tim Scott also called the shooting heartbreaking.

Im lifting up in prayer the families who lost loved ones and those who were injured, he wrote on X. All of us in South Carolina will be holding those affected close in our hearts in the days ahead.
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Donald Trump leaned into fiction on Saturday evening as he blamed Joe Biden for events that happened while Trump was still president and angrily insisted that the FBI was in on a conspiracy to make his followers look bad on January 6, 2021.

The presidents allies in Congress have often been dinged by the press for erroneously attacking the Biden administration for events that transpired in 2020 and the start of 2021, such as Sen. Jim Banks  who just last week wrongly insisted that the 2020 U.S. Census was prepared by the Biden administration. Other Republicans, in their zeal to attack Democrats and support calls for a new census, have similarly forgotten who was president that year.

But now Trump himself is doing it. In a Truth Social post Saturday evening, he claimed in all-caps that the Biden FBI supposedly placed 274 agents into the crowd on January 6.

What a SCAM - DO SOMETHING!!! President DJT, the post concluded.

Obviously, the Biden FBI did not exist on January 6, nor did it exist in any of the weeks or months leading up to the attack on the Capitol, when dozens of police officers were injured responding to a violent mob numbering in the thousands as rioters stormed barricades, shattered windows, defaced the hallways of the Capitol complex and battled with law enforcement around the grounds.

open image in gallery Donald Trump became the latest Republican to forget who was president during his last administration on Saturday ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

The Biden FBI began to take shape later that month, after President Joe Biden was sworn in on January 20, 2021.

Donald Trump was president on January 6, and the FBI reported to him that day  as did the D.C. National Guard. Trump himself was among the slowest to respond to the attack on the Capitol; a breadth of reporting indicates that the Republican president was watching TV during the attack (after being told by Secret Service he could not attend in person).

Several hours elapsed between the time that violence broke out at the U.S. Capitol and the president released a statement urging his followers to depart peacefully.

The accusation that the FBI was involved in stirring up violence and disorder that day has been alleged for years by the presidents supporters, many of whom have long defended the presence of pro-Trump demonstrators at the Capitol to pressure Congress into overturning the 2020 election.

FBI officials and investigators with the bipartisan congressional January 6 investigation said there was no truth to those accusations, and Trumps own current FBI director, Kash Patel, has also refused to back up that conspiratorial claim.

Patel was forced to clarify the agencys position on its deployment of agents on January 6 in late September, the first time Trump used his Truth Social platform to amplify this conspiracy by writing that FBI agents were probably acting as Agitators and Insurrectionists in the crowd. The FBI director responded in an interview, saying that the deployment occurred after the riot began.

Patel told Fox News Digital: "Agents were sent into a crowd control mission after the riot was declared by Metro Police  something that goes against FBI standards.

"This was the failure of a corrupt leadership that lied to Congress and to the American people about what really happened."

He added: "Thanks to agents coming forward, we are now uncovering the truth. We are fully committed to transparency, and justice and accountability continues with this FBI."

open image in gallery FBI Director Kash Patel was forced to deny to Fox News that agents of his bureau were acting as instigators in the crowd on January 6 ( REUTERS )

But his explanation didnt satisfy Trump, who remains fixated on the alleged role of FBI agents in provoking his supporters to the violence many of them expressed their own intentions to carry out, on camera, in police bodycam footage recovered after the attack. On Truth Social last week, the president fumed that he wanted to know who each and every one of these so-called Agents are, and what they were up to on that now Historic Day.

In the days after coming to office in January, the president moved to commute the sentences of hundreds of participants in the attack  many of whom were convicted of violent offenses against members of law enforcement. He has at the same time portrayed his politican enemies as violent criminals, instigating crackdowns on cities including Washington D.C., Chicago and Memphis.

The DOJ separately confirmed last year that around two dozen persons who worked with the agency as confidential informants attended January 6, though most did not inform the agency beforehand and none were deployed by the bureau to the scene.

In the month before he was sworn into office for a second time, Trump insisted that members of Congress who participated in the bipartisan investigation into January 6 should be jailed, though he didnt both accusing them of committing a crime  merely standing up to him. In recent weeks his DOJ has, at his direction, begun prosecutions of his political enemies including New York states attorney general, Letitia James.
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The Trump administration is scrambling to rehire Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staffers that were let go as part of the presidents promise to cull the federal workforce in response to the government shutdown.

The firings on Friday were part of the more than 4,000 government jobs cut by the Trump administration, according to the Washington Post. Many of those let go were working to combat critical diseases, including measles and Ebola.

After the New York Times and other outlets reported on the firings of the CDC staff, a federal health official told the outlet that many of those laid off had been terminated in error, and would be brought back.

The official spoke to the Times anonymously.

Some of the CDC officials cut included the top two leaders of the federal measles response team, despite the nation grappling with a measles outbreak, the Times reports.

open image in gallery The CDC has been impacted in several ways since the start of the Trump administration. ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

The Times reports that cuts to the agency include:

 Staff working to counter an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

 A team that supports surveillance of infectious disease.

 Agency leaders who oversaw immunization and respiratory diseases.

 Some of the CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service, who are sent to the site of outbreaks and described as "disease detectives.

 Members of a team that compiles the agency's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, which documents the CDC's various recommendations and outbreak updates.

 At the agency's forecasting center, which helps to manage public health emergencies, the administration dissolved a division focused on technology and innovation.

This is going to be devastating to Americans and to the global community, Dr. Debra Houry, who previously served as the CDC's chief medical officer before resigning in protest of the administration's policies in August, told the outlet.

She said that the Trump administration was "dismantling public health."

When youre taking out the ability to respond to outbreaks like this, peoples lives are in jeopardy," she added.

Officials speaking to the Times said that some of the staff working on the MMWR publication were laid off "in error because of a misclassification" of their job codes and that those workers would be restored. The source reportedly also said that anyone working to combat measles or Ebola would be restored.

The number of workers being brought back could number in the hundreds, according to the outlet, though they did not specify when those individuals would return to work.

Trump and his Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy have treated the CDC with general derision since the president returned to office.

open image in gallery Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert F Kennedy, Jr. has made sweeping changes to the agency. ( AP )

After a gunman fired on the CDC's headquarters in Atlanta to express his opposition to the COVID-19 vaccine  a vaccine that Kennedy was vocally critical of before Trump gave him a position in his government  Trump said nothing in defense of the agency.

Since his instalment as the head of the DHS, Kennedy has fired the entire 17-member CDC vaccine advisory board and replaced them with people who are sympathetic to his views on vaccines. The same month as the shooting, Kennedy fired CDC Director Susan Monarez.

Monarez said she was fired because she refused to rubber stamp Kennedy's vaccine policies without first seeking scientific review of his ideas.

This also isnt the first time that a cut-happy Trump administration has fired individuals working on Ebola prevention. Back when Tesla CEO Elon Musk was still in the presidents good graces and helming the Department of Government Efficiency, he accidentally fired members of USAID who were working on Ebola aid and prevention projects.

After admitting the mistake, the team was reportedly rehired.

The Independent has contacted the White House and CDC for comment.
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Vice President JD Vance clashed with ABCs George Stephanopoulos on Sunday over a slow-burning scandal enveloping Tom Homan, the Trump administrations border czar.

On ABCs This Week, Stephanopoulos concluded an interview with the vice president by asking about reports from ProPublica and other news outlets indicating that FBI officials are in possession of a video in which Homan is seen accepting a $50,000 bribe from an FBI agent while offering to connect interested parties with lucrative federal contracts related to immigration enforcement.

The White House has denied that Homan accepted the cash, but Homan himself has not directly done so when commenting about the since-closed investigation.

Stephanopoulos repeatedly pressed the vice president on this point. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, denied that Homan took the money at a briefing in September.

I'm asking you, did he accept the $50,000 that was caught on the surveillance tape? Stephanopoulos pressed Vance. Did he accept that $50,000 or not?

open image in gallery JD Vance dodged questions about whether Tom Homan accepted $50,000 in cash from undercover FBI agents on Sunday ( X - ABC's This Week )

George, I don't know what you're talking about. Did he accept $50,000 for what? Vance responded.

Stephanopoulos pressed: He was recorded on an audiotape in September of 2024, an FBI surveillance tape, accepting $50,000 in cash. Did he keep that money?

Accepting $50,000 for doing what, George? I am not even sure I understand the question. Is it illegal to take a payment for doing services? The FBI has not prosecuted him.

Vance then lashed out at the anchor for repeatedly pressing him on whether Homan had accepted the money, causing Stephanopoulos to cut him off and end the interview.

And heres, George, why fewer and fewer people watch your show, and why youre losing credibility, Vance complained. because you're talking for now five minutes with the vice president of the United States about this story regarding Tom Homan, a story that I have read about, but I don't even know the video that you're talking about. Meanwhile, low-income women can't get food because the Democrats and Chuck Schumer have shut down the government.

The anchor cut in after more back-and-forth with his guest: I asked you whether Tom Homan accepted $50,000 as was heard on an audiotape recorded by the FBI in September 2024, and you did not answer the question. Thank you for your time.

ABC then cut to commercial over Vances protestations.

Homan told a NewsNation reporter that the allegations of taking a bribe were bull**** when asked about the story in September, and indirectly denied the reporting to Fox News: "I did nothing criminal. I did nothing illegal.

open image in gallery Tom Homan insisted he did nothing illegal when asked in September about allegedly being on tape accepting a $50,000 bribe from FBI agents ( AFP via Getty Images )

The White House press team has been much more acidic in its response to the reporting from ProPublica, Reuters, MSNBC and other outlets indicating that undercover agents handed Homan $50,000 cash, and videotaped it.

Mr. Homan never took the $50,000 that you are referring to, Karoline Leavitt told a reporter in September, adding that he did absolutely nothing wrong, and even the presidents Department of Justice, even Kash Patels FBI looked into this just to make sure  they had a number of different prosecutors and FBI agents who looked into this  they found zero evidence of illegal activity or criminal wrongdoing.

The White House and the president stand by Tom Homan 100 percent because he did absolutely nothing wrong, she added.

Homan operated a consultancy firm after serving as acting ICE director during Trumps first stint in the White House. According to a ProPublica investigation, at least half a dozen companies contracted a firm for which he worked as a consultant specifically due to a belief that Homans connection would grease the wheels and make obtaining contracts stemming from the Trump administrations immigration enforcement push that much easier.

Multiple news outlets confirmed that Homan was investigated by the FBI towards the end of the Biden administration, and MSNBC first reported that Homan was recorded by FBI agents advising them that he could help their respective companies win those government contracts, before taking $50,000 in cash.

Democrats in Congress have vowed to investigate the issue after the Department of Justice dropped the investigation upon Trump taking office in January.

Under the second Trump presidency, the Justice Department has pivoted towards targeting a growing list of the presidents political enemies after Trump ordered his attorney general to begin proseuctions of Democrats in an accidentally-public Truth Social post.
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Four-year-old Gus Lamonts grandmother watched him playing freely in a small sandpit near his South Australia two Saturdays ago.

Half an hour later, when she called him in for dinner, the blonde, wavey-haired boy had vanished.

Police have now scaled back the huge search operation for August, one of the largest the area has seen in recent years with hundreds of police officers, soldiers, sniffer dogs, drones and helicopters drafted in.

Two weeks later, August, also known as Gus, is still missing, and police have said it is unlikely he has survived.

The search for answers over Augusts disappearance from his familys sheep station 40km south of Yunta, nearly 300km north of Adelaide, continues. The Independent takes a look at everything we know about his disappearance.

The huge search effort after Augusts disappearance

Gus was last seen playing in the sand around 5pm on Saturday 27 September. He was wearing a grey sun hat, a cobalt blue t-shirt featuring a yellow Minion character, light grey long pants, and boots, police said.

Police cadets, State Emergency Service volunteers, an Aboriginal tracker and a community of family members have joined the search in the days since the disappearance.

Three days later, authorities found a shoe print around 500 metres from the property, which they said had a very similar pattern to the shoes Gus was wearing when he went missing.

open image in gallery ( SA Police )

But police also noted it could have been there for a week before it was found, and without any further footprints to go off, the trail went dead.

Superintendent Mark Syrus said police were hoping that Gus has crawled into a hole somewhere and hes just still hanging in there.

But the search was scaled back shortly afterwards on Friday 3 October.

Whilst we have all been hoping for a miracle, that miracle has not eventuated, and in the last 48 hours, despite the professional advice, it being unlikely that Gus would have survived, we have maintained and in fact increased the effort to try and locate him and bring him to his family, he said.

What are the theories behind his disappearance?

A host of theories have been proposed and then rejected.

Police have investigated the possibility that he simply wandered off, and became struck or trapped in the rugged terrain near his home.

Searchers have also looked for signs of an animal attack or an environmental danger, but no physical evidence, such as blood, remains, or animal tracks, have been seen.

open image in gallery Police investigating his disappearance found this footprint ( SA Police )

A criminologist, Xanthe Mallett, told Australian news site News.com.au that the signs of the case suggest a third party may have been involved.

Given hes so young, its very unlikely that he would have run away. Thats more a teenager kind of thing, she said.

The scale of the search and how detailed it was, and the drones and everything else, it does feel at this stage, sadly, that if they havent found something that its likely to be third-party involvement.

But police have not named anyone from the family or community as suspects behind his disappearance.

Reports have emerged in recent days of AI images being spread online concerning Augusts disappearance, including one circulating on Facebook which showed a boy with long blonde hair being held by a man getting into a car.

A number of other fake images of Gus were also spread online, including several claiming to show breakthroughs in the case, ABC reported.

A nation left in shock

The story of Augusts disappearance has gripped the nation, owing to the uncertainty and sheer shortage of clues for authorities to base their investigations on.

There has been an outpouring of public support and symbolic gestures from locals, particularly after the search was scaled back.

South Australians were asked to leave a light on in their homes overnight as the search wound down, a show of support for young August and his family.

Volunteers in the local community were heavily involved in the search effort, including former State Emergency Service personnel and others who know the land well.

But unfounded online theories that the family were involved in the disappearance, prompting outcry.

Fleur Tiver, a longtime family friend of the family, described the speculation as heartbreaking. She said: There is no way theyve harmed this child. The family would not have harmed this child even if the world was about to come to an end, which it really has now for them.
Trucks remain stalled at the Pakistan-Afghanistan Torkham border, amid cross-border clashes in northwest Pakistan's Torkham, Oct. 13, 2025. Pakistan and Afghanistan clashed in the border area from late Saturday to early Sunday. Pakistan condemned Afghan provocation in the two countries' border area and demanded that the Afghan government ensure its territory is not used by terrorist elements against Pakistan. Afghanistan said any violation of its soil by anyone will not go unanswered.(Str/Xinhua)

ISLAMABAD/KABUL, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan and Afghanistan clashed in the border area from late Saturday to early Sunday. Pakistan condemned Afghan provocation in the two countries' border area and demanded that the Afghan government ensure its territory is not used by terrorist elements against Pakistan. Afghanistan said any violation of its soil by anyone will not go unanswered.

Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army, said in a statement on Sunday that militants from the terrorist group of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan launched an unprovoked attack on Pakistan along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, and the security forces of Pakistan repelled the assault.

Twenty-three Pakistani soldiers and over 200 terrorists were killed in the clash, the ISPR said, adding that precision fires and strikes as well as physical raids were directed against Taliban camps and posts, terrorist training facilities and support networks operating from Afghan territory.

Multiple Taliban locations were destroyed along the border, and a total of 21 hostile positions on the Afghan side of the border were also briefly physically captured, it said.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday strongly condemned Afghanistan's provocations in the country's border area, noting that the Pakistan army gave a powerful response to Afghan aggression. The country's President Asif Ali Zardari also said in a statement that there will be no compromise on Pakistan's sovereignty.

Afghan government chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Sunday said that retaliatory operations launched on Saturday night along the border with Pakistan left 58 Pakistani soldiers dead and injured 30 others. A total of nine Afghan soldiers were also killed and 16 others were injured during the operations.

He warned that any violation of Afghanistan's soil by anyone will not go unanswered, and the Afghan government, as well Afghan people, would defend their country's sovereignty. "However, it prefers dialogue for the solution of any problems," Mujahid told reporters at a press conference in Kabul.

Media reports said earlier that Pakistan struck Afghanistan capital Kabul and Paktika province on Thursday night, targeting the alleged hideouts of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan group. But Pakistan's ISPR did not confirm the reports. 

This photo taken on Oct. 13, 2025 shows trucks stalled at the Pakistan-Afghanistan Torkham border, amid cross-border clashes in northwest Pakistan's Torkham. Pakistan and Afghanistan clashed in the border area from late Saturday to early Sunday. Pakistan condemned Afghan provocation in the two countries' border area and demanded that the Afghan government ensure its territory is not used by terrorist elements against Pakistan. Afghanistan said any violation of its soil by anyone will not go unanswered.

Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army, said in a statement on Sunday that militants from the terrorist group of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan launched an unprovoked attack on Pakistan along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, and the security forces of Pakistan repelled the assault.

Twenty-three Pakistani soldiers and over 200 terrorists were killed in the clash, the ISPR said, adding that precision fires and strikes as well as physical raids were directed against Taliban camps and posts, terrorist training facilities and support networks operating from Afghan territory. (Str/Xinhua)
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Estonia has taken the unusual step of temporarily closing a road vital for its citizens, which ordinarily passes through a segment of Russian territory.

The decision came after the interior minister reported the presence of Russian soldiers on the route, according to Estonia's public broadcaster.

The closure, implemented on Friday, was confirmed by Estonias Police and Border Guard Board.

In a statement, the board explained that the action was taken "after border guards observed a larger-than-usual unit moving on the territory of the Russian Federation."

This measure affects the Saatse Boot, a distinctive boot-shaped area of Russian land that extends into southeastern Estonia.

Typically, Estonian citizens and others are permitted to drive through this area without a permit, though stopping is strictly prohibited.

The Estonian border agency stated that the closure of the Saatse Boot was "necessary to ensure the safety of people in Estonia and to prevent possible incidents."

open image in gallery This measure affects the Saatse Boot, a distinctive boot-shaped area of Russian land that extends into southeastern Estonia ( Associated Press )

Estonian media reports indicated the Russian unit comprised approximately 10 men.

While Russian border patrols are a regular sight in the vicinity, their reported presence standing directly in the middle of the road used by Estonians is considered highly out of the ordinary.

Interior Minister Igor Taro was quoted as saying Saturday that the Russian soldiers had left the area again. He added that the situation was calm but that the road would remain closed at least until Tuesday.

There is no direct threat of war. This has been constantly confirmed by the Estonian Defense Forces.

The Saatse Boot incident has not changed the situation," he was quoted as saying by the daily newspaper Postimees, according to the public broadcaster EER.

open image in gallery While Russian border patrols are a regular sight in the vicinity, their reported presence standing directly in the middle of the road used by Estonians is considered highly out of the ordinary ( Associated Press )

Estonia has been on alert for Russian border incursions after three Russian fighter aircraft entered its airspace without permission last month and stayed there for 12 minutes.

A week earlier, Russian drones violated Polands airspace in the most serious cross-border incident involving a NATO member since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Other NATO countries on the bloc's eastern flank have reported similar incursions and drone crashes on their territory.
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Hundreds of thousands of people descended onto the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday where Donald Trumps top Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka Trump took to the stage, promising the hostages are coming home.

Families of some of the 48 hostages and captives still remaining in Gaza told The Independent they were holding their breath as a 72-hour deadline for Hamas to initiate the handover was underway.

At the massive rally there was also fury at Benjamin Netanyahu for failing to secure a deal sooner, with thousands interrupting Mr Witkoffs speech to boo the Israeli prime minister.

Under the ceasefire deal, first proposed by US president Donald Trump, Hamas militants have until Monday afternoon to begin the release of 20 living hostages and the remains of 28 others.

In exchange, nearly 2,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons will be released  and if the truce holds, the remains of Palestinians held by Israel will also be returned.

open image in gallery Jared Kushner addresses crowds in Tel Aviv on the eve of a hostage handover ( Bel Trew )

Mr Witkoff, Mr Kushner, and Ms Trump visited Israel and even an Israeli base in Gaza on Saturday, in an apparent show of force to shore up the deal. Mr Trump himself is expected to fly to Israel on Monday as the deadline expires, and some sources told The Independent he may even travel to southern Israel to welcome the released personally.

Addressing massive crowds in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, a visibly emotional Mr Witkoff said that he dreamed of this night  it has been a long journey. In front of him crowds chanted bring them home now, we want peace and thank you Trump, holding signs emblazoned with Mr Trumps face, with some calling for him to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

We are celebrating something extraordinary, a moment many thought was impossible miracles can happen, Mr Witkoff said of the deal, adding that the hostages are coming home.

He concluded by calling Mr Trump the greatest president the world has ever seen to an ecstatic eruption of cheers and applause.

open image in gallery Protesters in Tel Aviv welcoming a Trump-proposed peace deal, called for him to be given a Nobel Peace Prize next year ( Bel Trew / The Independent )

Joining him on stage, Ms Trump and Mr Kushner, who at one point looked tearful, said he would celebrate on Monday when phase one comes to its conclusion.

Israel launched an unprecedented bombardment and siege on Gaza in the aftermath of Hamass bloody 7 October 2023 attacks on southern Israel where, according to Israeli estimates, more than 1,100 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

In the two years since then, Palestinian health officials say that more than 67,000 people have been killed, including thousands of children. Swathes of Gaza have been razed to the ground; more than 90 per cent of the 2.3 million-strong population has been forced to flee their homes multiple times; and famine has unfolded, according to the UN-backed global hunger monitor.

On Saturday, as the weapons went silent, tens of thousands of Palestinians began the tentative journey to the heavily-destroyed north  only to find, in many areas, whole cities flattened into dust. Aid officials have told The Independent the humanitarian need is unprecedented, and nearly 1,000 trucks of food supplies, medicines, and other essential goods are needed every day.

All are waiting for news of whether the ceasefire holds  after Mr Trump announced a peace deal this week, heralding it as a momentous breakthrough that will bring lasting peace, hopefully an everlasting peace... in the Middle East.

open image in gallery A Palestinian man on the move in Gaza City on Saturday ( AP )

In the deal, alongside the exchange of hostages, captives and Palestinian detainees, aid will increase. Israeli forces also have withdrawn to the yellow line, which still leaves them with more than 50 per cent control of the devastated, besieged strip. The handover of hostages is expected to happen by midday Monday.

But in Israel, families of the hostages fear it will falter in the eleventh hour after going through several ceasefires that have collapsed. Many blame Mr Netanyahu, accusing him of prioritising the war going to satisfy his extreme-right coalition and so retain his political career.

When Mr Witkoff mentioned Mr Netanyahu, the crowds erupted into such loud boos he was forced to interrupt his speech and request they let him finish his sentence.

On the sidelines of the rallies is Rotem Cooper, the son of Amiram, 84, a hostage who died four months into his captivity in Gaza, spoke of the fury that 42 of the 251 hostages have died in captivity as deals were not reached in time.

Amiram was seized from Kibbutz Nir Oz alongside his wife Nurit, who was later released in a deal.

open image in gallery Steve Witkoff, left, and Jared Kushner, right, join Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet meeting on Thursday ( Prime Minister of Israel/X )

Mr Cooper, who is based in San Diego, spoke of families being on a rollercoaster of emotions and holding their breath.

My father was 84. He should have got out of there fairly quickly... Its not going to be over for us, as we want an investigation, he told The Independent.

This achievement, this agreement is not because of the Israeli prime minister. Its in spite of the Israeli prime minister. And the credit is to the US administration, especially to Trump.

The echoes of thanks and desperation that the deal not falter were repeated on the stage in Tel Aviv. Yael Sabraigo, niece of Lior Rudaeff, a 61-year-old volunteer medic whose body is being held by Hamas, implored Mr Trump please dont stop now.

Dont rest until [the] very very last hostage is back, she said echoing the desperation in the crowds. Thank you Trump, she added.

Additional reporting by Eilon Eisenberg
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An Israeli survivor of the Hamas attack on the Nova music festival on October 7 2023 has been found dead, two years after watching his girlfriend and friend be killed.

Roei Shalev, 30, wrote on social media "I just want this suffering to end. I'm alive, but inside everything is dead", and asked for forgiveness.

Concerned family members and friends launched a search for him, but his body was recovered hours later by emergency services inside a burning car.

Shalev had attended the music festival with his girlfriend Mapal Adam and his friend Hilly Solomon when Hamas terrorists crossed the border from Gaza and launched a violent attack which ultimately killed 1,200 people.

open image in gallery Roei Shalev attempted to shield his girlfriend Mapal Adam but she was killed by Hamas terrorists ( Instagram/@roeishalev )

The trio managed to escape by car but encountered a young woman covered in blood, who informed them that Hamas gunmen were behind her, so they decided to exit their vehicle and hide under two abandoned cars.

Mr Shalev attempted to shield his 26-year-old girlfriend from the bullets but she was killed alongside Miss Solomon, while he was shot twice in the back.

He lay under the car for the next seven hours, pretending to be dead until he was discovered by the Israeli army.

As a result of the attack, his mother took her own life a week later.

"In just one week, I lost three of the most important women to me in the world," Roei previously said.

"In the months that followed, I struggled to cope. Flashbacks and anxiety consumed me, and sleep became a distant memory."

open image in gallery He was shot twice in the back while trying to shield his girlfriend ( Instagram/@roeishalev )

Over the following two years, he has organised events to commemorate Miss Adam and Miss Solomon, and renamed his family bakery to Mapal Cafe in tribute to his one and only love.

On the second anniversary of his girlfriend's death, Roei wrote on Instagram: "Two years have passed since the most terrible day of my life... and of a whole country.

"The longing for you is only getting bigger, the pain does not pass with time. It is always there, everywhere, all the time. I'm full of pain this year, even more than last year.

He also addressed both her and Hilly, saying: "A huge apology that I couldn't keep you safe on this terrible day, you know I did everything, I did everything to keep you safe, my beloved.

"I preferred to die in agony and for you to survive it."

Three days after the anniversary, he posted on to his Instagram page to say he cant go on anymore, and that his suffering was eating me up inside.

Hamas terrorists killed more than 370 people at the Nova music festival, while another 251 were taken hostage from the event or from the surrounding area in southern Israel.

Israel responded by launching a major military offensive that has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

If you need to speak to someone, Samaritans are available 24/7 on 116 123 or by emailing jo@samaritans.org
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Donald Trump is en route to Israel and Egypt to oversee the critical hours of a Gaza ceasefire he helped broker, as relatives of hostages held their breath ahead of their expected release.

For the first time, Hamas militants have agreed to release all 48 remaining hostages  20 alive, 26 confirmed dead, and two whose lives were in serious danger with an unknown status. The deadline for Hamas to return the captives who have been held for two years expires at midday on Monday (0900 GMT).

Shortly afterwards, 1,700 Palestinians detained from Gaza since October 2023 and 250 more serving life sentences will be released from Israeli detention. The bodies of 360 Palestinians Israel is holding will also be returned.

Leaving to fly to Israel ahead of the planned releases, Mr Trump told reporters his trip would be: A very special event.

We're going to have an amazing time, he added: This is going to be a very special time. Everybody is very excited about this moment in time.

open image in gallery People in Tel Aviv hold placards with pictures of hostages who were kidnapped on 7 October 2023 ( Reuters )

Israeli spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said Israel was prepared and is ready for the release, adding that the living hostages will be released in one go to Red Cross vehicles, but warned against any sick displays by Hamas. during the handover.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described the expected return of the hostages as a historic event.

In a statement issued on Sunday evening, he said: Citizens of Israel, my brothers and sisters, this is an emotional evening, an evening of tears, an evening of joy. Because tomorrow, children will return to their border. This is a historic event.

But he also warned the campaign is not over.

There are still very great security challenges ahead of us, he said: Some of our enemies are trying to rebuild themselves to attack us again. And as we say  Were on it.

A lot is riding on the exchange: if it proceeds as planned, a fragile ceasefire will hold and hopefully progress to second phase of a long-term agreement. The truce so far has also allowed a limited Israeli military withdrawal and so the return of tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians.

On Sunday, Palestinian families continued the perilous journey north to what remains of their homes, after two years of slaughter, famine, and forced displacement. Others flocked to the additional much needed trucks of aid that have finally been permitted to enter.

Mr Trump has staked his desired reputation as a peacemaker president on this deal which he has heralded as a momentous breakthrough that will deliver everlasting peace in the Middle East. And so as the clock is ticking, he has scheduled a whirlwind visit to both Israel and Egypt to push it through after previous truces collapsed or stalled at the initial phase.

He is expected to land in Israel at 9.20am local time, where he will be welcomed by Mr Netanyahu, then address the Knesset, and meet the families of hostages. By lunchtime, he will fly to Egypt to attend a formal signing ceremony, joining British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.

In anticipation of his arrival, roads between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have been lined with US and Israeli flags, as well as towering posters thanking the US president .

Key details of the deal:

Hostage release:

Twenty living hostages will be handed over on Monday morning in one coordinated release. They will be transported by Red Cross vehicles to Israeli-controlled territory within Gaza, then transferred to Reim base in southern Israel for reunification with families and initial medical checks. The International Committee of the Red Cross will have ambulances on standby for hostages in critical condition. They will be transported to Sheba or Ichilov medical centres in Tel Aviv, or Beilinson in Petah Tikva. The bodies of deceased 28 hostages will be taken to the Abu Kabir forensic institute for identification before they will be released to family for burial.

Palestinian prisoner release:

250 prisoners serving life sentences will be released: 15 of them will be able to return to East Jerusalem and 100 to the West Bank, but 135 slated for deportation, according to Israeli media. A further 1,700 detainees from Gaza  including 22 minors under 18  who were arrested after 7 October 2023 will also be freed. Israel will release the remains of 360 deceased Palestinians currently in their custody at some point during this period. The largest Palestinian prisoners association told The Independent they had not yet received full confirmation of the exact release list or location.

open image in gallery Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Saturday ( Reuters )

In Hostage Square, a main rallying point in Tel Aviv, tension crackled. In the final hours before the deadline, rumours circulated that Hamas might release the hostages as early as Sunday. Hamas reportedly does not know the locations of all the deceased.

Ilan Dalal, father of Guy GilboaDalal, 22 who was taken by Hamas during during the 7 October raid on the Nova music festival, said on Sunday the family felt relief and fear.

Guy appeared haggard and thin alongside fellow captive Evyatar David, in a disturbing video released by Hamas in September.

Our nightmare is finally is coming to an end now. Tomorrow morning I'm going to hug my son for the first time after two years, Ilan said with visible emotion.

But I don't know what kind of son I'm going to get back. I hope that he wasnt so harmed that we cant easily rebuild his life. In the last video, Hamas published, we saw the despair in his eyes.

open image in gallery Palestinians rally around aid trucks in Khan Younis on Sunday ( AFP/Getty )

Ilan was speaking alongside Tal Shoham, 38, a former hostage who was taken from his family home in Kibbutz Beeri on 7 October and held in underground tunnels with Guy until his release earlier this year. Mr Shoham said he was struggling to block hope and excitement so I wont break apart if [the deal] doesnt happen.

But the days are going on, I almost sure that they will be home. I'm letting myself feel more and more from the happiness and joy of this process, he added.

There was also anxiety in the occupied West Bank where Palestinian families said they had been given no information about if and when their loved ones would be released. Palestinian officials told The Independent that they believe that most will be freed from Israels Ofer prison, located in the West Bank, but they were still getting the details.

Among those slated for release are 1,700 detainees, including 22 children, arrested from Gaza since 7 October 2023. The Independent investigated Israels mass arrests of Palestinians since it launched its unprecedented bombardment of Gaza in 2023, revealing evidence of torture leading to deaths in detention, arbitrary detention, and sexual violence  ill treatment Israel denies.

Israel will also free 250 prisoners serving life sentences who were detained before 7 October 2023. Israeli media has reported that 115 of them will be permitted to travel to East Jerusalem and the West Bank, but 135 who were convicted of murder are slated for deportation with no further details given.

open image in gallery US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff spoke at Hostages Square, flanked by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump on Saturday night ( Reuters )

Among those who will be deported is Hamdallah Sarma, 50, who was arrested in 1995 and sentenced to life for intentional homicide according to the Israeli ministry of justice.

Noama Sarma, his mother who is in her eighties, told said they have no further information about if or when he will be released and where he will be sent to.

I know nothing, no one called us, we heard some of them will be sent abroad, we don't know. But I am overjoyed to finally hopefully see him, she added.

Mr Trump has pinned a lot on this deal, and joined regional countries including Qatar, Egypt and Turkey to impose significant pressure on all sides of the conflict.

On Saturday, his top envoy Steve Witkoff, along with son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka Trump, travelled to Israel and joined rallies in Tel Aviv. There they were met by large crowds of supporters who unfurled a giant banner reading Nobel President Trump and chanted Thank you, Trump.

Visibly emotional, both Mr Witkoff and Mr Kushner pledged to see the deal through. Mr Witkoff said it proved that miracles can happen.

open image in gallery Palestinians have been returning to find their homes in ruins after two years of assaults by Israel ( AP )

At the rally there was no love for Mr Netanyahu who has been accused by many families of deliberately scuppering previous deals, and intensifying the ground offensives on Gaza to placate extreme-right war mongering members of his razor-thin coalition.

Crowds were booing Mr Netanyahu so loudly when he was mentioned by Mr Witkoff that the US envoy begged the gathering to let him finish his sentence.

When asked about the booing, Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said on Sunday that Mr Netanyahu has gotten us to this point.

This is why we are here today waiting for our hostages to return home through military, through diplomatic pressure. Prime Minister Netanyahu took risks and those risks led us to this point, she added.

Israel launched an unprecedented bombardment and siege on Gaza in the aftermath of Hamas 7 October attacks on southern Israel where, according to Israeli estimates, around 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

In the two years since then, Palestinian health officials say that more than 67,000 people have been killed, including thousands of children.

Swathes of Gaza have been razed to the ground, more than 90 per cent of the 2.3 million-strong population has been forced to flee their homes multiple times, and famine has unfolded, according to the UN-backed global hunger monitor.

On Monday, the UK will host a three-day conference on Gazas recovery and reconstruction, as Sir Keir Starmer promised the UK will play a leading role in the next stage of the peace process.

As the PM travelled to Egypt for the signing ceremony for the Gaza peace plan on Monday, he promised a 20m humanitarian aid package to deliver essential water, sanitation, and hygiene services to tens of thousands of civilians across Gaza.

The funding, delivered through Unicef, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), will help those facing famine, malnutrition and disease, UK officials said.

Sir Keir is expected to say on Monday the UK will support the next stage of talks to ensure the full implementation of the peace plan, so that people on both sides can rebuild their lives in safety and security.

Additional reporting by Rateb Qaissy
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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.
Drinks

The team behind Drury Buildings restaurant and bar is planning on opening a new microbrewery and pub in Smithfield, Dublin.

Ronan Rogerson, who also owns event bars business All Bar None and the Dublin Bar Academy, is one of the directors behind the proposed microbrewery, set to be called Smithfield Brewing Co. The site is located at Haymarket House, Arran Quay, with the Jameson whiskey visitor centre nearby.
Irish defence tech companies look to capitalise on EU plans to build a drone wall

Dual-use firms have ambitions to be part of the European defence supply chain

Gokhan Celik, founder of Clare-based drone business A-techSyn

Sean Pollock Sun 12 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Irish technology businesses are eyeing up opportunities arising from the EUs proposed drone wall  the plan that sets out to protect European skies from Russian threats, which will likely cost billions.
One-third of hospitality firms securing debt deals in small business rescue process go bust later anyway

Finding fuels fears that Scarp is too often used to stall but not prevent collapse  which results in third parties taking the hit

Chef Dylan McGrath in Kehoe's on South Anne Street. Photo: Frank McGrath

Sean Pollock Sun 12 Oct 2025 at 06:30

One in three hospitality businesses that secure often generous debt write-downs under the Small Companies Administrative Rescue Process (Scarp) end up going bust later anyway, an investigation by the Sunday Independent has established.
Partner Content

As artificial intelligence continues to transform business and society at breath-taking speed, innovative Irish companies are leading the way both in adoption of AI tools and in developing new AI-powered products and services.

In fact, Ireland has a unique opportunity to be a global frontrunner in ethical and human-centric AI adoption, as set out in the refreshed national strategy AI: Here for Good.

According to TechIreland, Ireland is home to a vibrant indigenous ecosystem of more than 4,500 technology start-ups. Our world-class universities offer cutting-edge programmes in the field, while at the same time, almost all leading AI multinationals have a presence here.

More than 300 businesses from multiple sectors across Ireland gathered recently for the recent TechIreland National AI Meet, which Enterprise Ireland has been supporting since its inaugural edition in 2023.

Attendees heard from thought leaders and panellists who addressed topics ranging from AI agents and manufacturing automation, to future skills needs.

Enterprise Irelands sponsorship reflects our new strategy to 2030, Delivering for Ireland, Leading Globally, which prioritises innovation, competitiveness and sustainable growth.

The TechIreland National AI Meet took place in Galway in September and was officially opened by junior minister Niamh Smyth.

Key speakers included senior executives from CeADAR, Udaras na Gaeltachta and Iarnrod Eireann, along with representatives from multinationals such as customer experience leader Genesys and tech start-ups such as Jentic.

The event is a key initiative that reflects Enterprise Irelands strategy to accelerate sustainable Irish exporting business as the primary driver of the economy. By connecting start-ups, scale-ups and global leaders, the event fosters innovation, competitiveness and collaboration.

In turn, that drives AI adoption, which helps Irish firms start, scale and lead globally.

On September 5, nationwide presentations were held under the TechIreland National AI Challenge. Enterprise Ireland, as a proud partner of the AI Challenge, also hosted several teams to pitch their solutions at the EI offices at East Point. The Challenge included pitch sessions and networking opportunities, providing a platform for emerging talent to showcase their work to peers, mentors and judges.

Over 80 people had completed a six-week programme of development, mentorship, and collaboration ahead of the Challenge. The winners, AIMA Opex, Launchloop and Success.co, were also announced at the Meet in Galway.

Along with Enterprise Ireland, the National AI Meet is also supported by IDA Ireland, InterTradeIreland, Data2Sustain, European Digital Innovation Hubs, and global AI leaders including Google and OpenAI.

It is co-sponsored by ITAG, Bank of Ireland, Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet and Code Institute. This extensive backing reinforces Irelands impressive standing in AI talent, research and innovation.

To foster growth and international competitiveness for our tech sector, Enterprise Ireland provides funding for innovation and digitalisation, access to research networks and support for technology adoption.

To find out how Enterprise Ireland is supporting Irelands tech sector, see Enterprise-Ireland.com/en/sectors/digital-tech.

Mariam Dadabhay is senior client advisor HR talent tech at Enterprise Ireland
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
MOSCOW, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- A Ukrainian drone struck a passenger bus in Gorlovka, Donetsk region of Ukraine, resulting in six civilians being injured, the city's mayor said on Sunday.

Ivan Prikhodko, mayor of Gorlovka, said on his Telegram channel that "a Ukrainian drone hit a bus in a residential district of Gorlovka" and that "the number of injured civilians has risen to six," Russia's state-owned RIA Novosti news agency reported.

Gorlovka is one of the most populated cities in the Donetsk region. 
What I spend on Christmas: I would imagine that my total will be about 2,000 and the majority of my budget will be on my own kids
Complaints included alleged assault, racial abuse and excessive force

More than 50 inmates alleged they were the victims of assault, ill-treatment, racial abuse or excessive force from prison officers last year.

There were a total of 55 Category A complaints  the most serious type recorded  made in 2024 to the Irish Prison Service (IPS). Of those, 34 prisoners claimed they were assaulted by a member of staff while 10 said they were the subject of ill-treatment in custody.
LATEST | Detectives investigating discovery of mans body (40) believe he was victim of violent assault

Body discovered at Rockview Terrace, Doneraile in Mallow in early hours of Sunday morning

(Niall Carson/PA)

Robin Schiller and Darragh Nolan Sun 12 Oct 2025 at 12:30

Detectives investigating the discovery of a man's body in Cork overnight believe the victim died following an assault.
Ireland remains one of the few developed countries that does not provide paid sick leave for self-employed workers, according to a new international study.

The analysis of 36 OECD countries found that Ireland is one of just six nations that exclude the self-employed from sickness benefits. Ireland introduced statutory paid sick leave in 2023 in addition to the existing sickness benefit scheme.
There has been condemnation over damage to a east Belfast street sign with Irish on it, as police confirmed an investigation has been launched into the hate-motivated incident.
VoteSmart: Take our test to find out whether Catherine Connolly or Heather Humphreys best aligns with your views
TD meets gardai over chief superintendents alleged five-star hotel stay during Joe Biden visit

Source says gardai of all ranks are shocked by the case

Joe Biden in Ballina, Co Mayo, on April 14, 2023. Photo: Getty

Ali Bracken Sun 12 Oct 2025 at 06:30

The garda anti-corruption unit has spoken to a politician over claims that a chief superintendent and his wife stayed at a high-end Dublin hotel for three nights during the visit of US president Joe Biden.
Entrepreneur Niall Mellon on his charity, Irelands housing crisis  and his feelings about Nama

The businessman and charity CEO has housed 250,000 people in South Africa

Niall Mellon: It's an enormous moment

Liam Collins Sun 12 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Niall Mellon has helped to provide housing for around 250,000 people in South Africa and he isnt short of suggestions for the Government to tackle our own housing crisis.
Hedgerows Ireland says practices are bad for local environment

Environmental campaigners in Tipperary last week held a small protest outside a Coolmore-owned farm to highlight their concerns about severe hedge-cutting practices on John Magnier-controlled land.

Hedgerows Ireland, which last month successfully overturned Coolmores planning permission to demolish an old farmyard on Parkville outside Clonmel, said it was alarmed at the hedge-cutting and tree-pruning activities it witnessed on the farm last week.
BEIJING, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Water Resources activated a Level-IV flood-control emergency response on Sunday for Shanxi, Henan and Shaanxi provinces.

The move was made to cope with the autumn flooding in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, as rainfall has caused tributaries of the middle reaches of the river to exceed warning levels, according to the ministry.

Based on current water conditions and rainfall forecasts, the Yellow River is projected to experience its first major flood of 2025, with peak flow around 6,000 cubic meters per second anticipated around Wednesday, it said.

The ministry called for scientific regulation of water projects and enhanced embankment patrols during the flood season. 
Colin Murphy: Alfred Nobel would be proud to see how his peace prize is inspiring Donald Trump

The US president may have missed out on the 2025 award, but next years could be a powerful incentive for further progress

President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Colin Murphy Sun 12 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Donald Trump was the ghost at the Nobel feast on Friday. The first questions in the press conference immediately after the announcement of this years Peace Prize were about the US president, not the Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who had actually won it.
Sarah Breen: Hollywood studios may be rushing to sign up AI actor Tilly Norwood, but heres she will never match the real thing

Until a collection of pixels can convince us they are in a relationship with Pamela Anderson or that theyre best friends with a donkey, genuine stars need not worry

Tilly Norwood has apparently created a scramble among Hollywood casting agents eager to sign her up

Sarah Breen Sun 12 Oct 2025 at 06:30

A few weeks ago I was almost caught out by a viral image that purported to show Donald Trump slurping a bowl of spaghetti during his trip to Windsor Castle.
Statutory notices have been served on the owner of two properties in Mallow and both properties have subsequently been listed on the Derelict Sites Register since the end of September.

The information was provided by a senior official with Cork County Council at a recent Kanturk-Mallow Municipal District meeting after Cllr Pat Hayes requested the local authority to asses a building on Fair Street (next to the old cinema).

Fianna Fail councillor Pat Hayes sought assurances that Cork County Council would write to the owners of the property on Fair Street after he expressed grave concerns that the building which is located in the middle of a town would collapse.

Fianna Fail councillor Pat Hayes said there is a serious crack down the middle of the building. As you look at the old cinema it is the one on the left. The problem is that if you look at it, there is a serious crack down the middle and it is bulging.

Cllr Hayes continued: I know it is in private ownership. I am not an engineer, but it certainly looks to be in real danger. I am just conscious of people walking down that street on a daily basis. It is in the middle of a town.

Party colleague, Cllr Gearoid Murphy who seconded the motion said: We are aware of the need to address dereliction and that is only one of many examples. It is definitely important to bring it to the attention of the executive.

Claire Barr, Municipal District Officer with Cork County Council said the building has been inspected and wasnt deemed to be dangerous. Cork County Council has assessed No. 7 and No. 8 Fair Street, Mallow within the context of the Derelict Sites Act 1990. Statutory notices have been served on the owner of the properties and both properties are listed on the Derelict Sites Register as of September 30 2025. This provides for levying of 7% of the market value on the owner from 2026.

Ms Barr said the local authority will continue to engage with the owner of the property. It should be noted that even though these properties have been deemed derelict and placed on the Derelict Sites Register, liability for maintenance of the properties remains the responsibility of the property owner.

Cork County Council will continue to engage with the owner, through the statutory processes available, to compel the owner to address the dereliction, she added.

Cllr Hayes thanked Ms Barr for the reply which he said was very clear and very positive
A Donegal TD, supported by the majority of government opposition TDs, is set to bring a landmark Dail motion calling for full accountability from the Government over the defective concrete blocks crisis.

Deputy Charles Ward said the motion, which will be heard on Wednesday, will expose state failures, broken promises and the abandonment of thousands of families to crumbling homes.

Deputy Ward has gained the united support of People Before Profit, Solidarity, the Green Party, Sinn Fein, the Social Democrats, the Labour Party, Independent Ireland, Aontu, and Independent TDs Catherine Connolly, Seamus Healy, Brian Stanley and Paul Gogarty.

The leader of the 100% Redress Party said he welcomes the united opposition support of his motion on the Defective Concrete Crisis.

This extraordinary show of unity demonstrates the scale of the national emergency and the rising demand for accountability.

"The motion shines a spotlight on a scandal that has destroyed homes, torn apart communities, and left families in despair while the State hides behind a scheme riddled with flaws and false promises, said Deputy Ward.

Deputy Ward said he was shocked by the lack of understanding among many TDs and Senators about what families are truly facing.

The reality is that families are living in unsafe homes, abandoned by a scheme that is unworkable, unfair, and unjust, said Deputy Ward.

The motion seeks answers and action on the failure of oversight that allowed defective blocks to devastate tens of thousands of homes, schools, and community facilities and the flawed redress scheme, which excludes families, downgrades engineering reports, and forces people into financial ruin.

It also calls for the government to address the absence of any statutory redress scheme for social and affordable housing affected by defective materials and the scientific failures underpinning IS 465, which ignores critical evidence and leaves families with unsafe standards.

Charles Ward.

The government will also be urged to respond to the the human cost; financial devastation, psychological trauma and intergenerational loss inflicted by State inaction.

Deputy Ward said that uniting opposition parties and independents ensures that the voices of affected families are amplified in the Dail and that government failures cannot be brushed aside.

This crisis is not only about broken blocks; it is about broken trust in the very foundations of our State.

"Families were promised protection but handed abandonment.

"This motion is about more than redress; it is about justice, dignity, and the right of every person to a safe home. We will stand together, we will fight together, and we will not stop until this betrayal is put right," said Deputy Ward.
The iconic Galway theatre company, Druid, has announced the appointment of Kerry woman Maureen Kennelly as the companys new Chief Executive Officer.

Ms Kennelly brings an impressive background in the arts and culture fields with her into this role, having previously worked within leadership in the Arts Council, Poetry Ireland, Kilkenny Arts Festival, and Mermaid Arts Centre.

Druid Theatre Company announced the news on social media on Thursday, saying they are delighted to announce Ms Kennellys appointment as CEO.

Maureen is an experienced and accomplished arts leader with a legacy of achievement across various roles and a deep knowledge of the cultural sector, the post said.

She has held leadership positions in several important arts organisations including Kilkenny Arts Festival, Mermaid Arts Centre, Poetry Ireland and the Arts Council.

A native of County Kerry, Maureen has longstanding and close connections with Galway that stem from her time as a student in University of Galway, as well as previous working associations with Druid and the Cuirt International Festival of Literature.

Welcoming Ms Kennelly stepping into the role, Druids Artistic Director, Garry Hynes said: I am thrilled that Maureen Kennelly will be joining Druid as our Chief Executive Officer and excited to be working with her.

I have known Maureen as a colleague in the arts world for many years and I am confident her experience, intelligence and integrity will play a vital role in leading Druid into the future.

Ms Kennelly will take up the role from October 14.

I am delighted and honoured to take on this role, she said.

Joining the company at this juncture is especially exciting as it marks 50 years of terrific theatre-making.

Since my first engagement with Druid several years ago, I have admired the company and rejoiced in their achievements.

Having previously studied, worked and lived in Galway, I look forward to being back in the city and to contributing to its remarkable arts scene.

On behalf of the Druid Board, its Chair Adrian ONeill said: This year Druid celebrated its proud record of 50 years of excellence in theatre production.

Inspired by that legacy of achievement, we now look to the future and are very pleased that Maureen will in the years ahead strategically lead the organisation to advance Druids vision of boldness, authenticity and respect for our community.
If theres one thing you can set your clock to in this world, its that West Kerry-based author Felicity Hayes-McCoy will always have a book out every single October, most notably around the October/November mark.

This was the fifth year in a row that this writer has spoken to Felicity about the release of one of her books, and the prolific ability with which she can write, craft, and hone these acclaimed and hugely popular books is something that I am always blown away by and commend her on.
As Fire Safety Week begins across Ireland, Meath residents are being urged to look out for vulnerable neighbours by asking three simple questions.

The campaign, which runs from October 13 to 19, comes amid figures showing that more than 60pc of fire fatalities in Ireland involve people aged 65 and over.

This years theme, Together Against Fire, focuses on community awareness and the role every Meath household can play in keeping older and more vulnerable people safe.

Chief Fire Officer Sheila Broderick said that simple checks can make all the difference.

Protecting older people from fire does not require complicated steps. Small actions can save lives, she said.

Community involvement is crucial by checking in on vulnerable members to ensure they are fire safe by asking these three simple questions - Do they have a minimum of two working smoke alarms? Are their escape routes clear? Have they got their chimney or flue cleaned?

As part of the initiative, Meath County Council Fire and Rescue Service is promoting its Home Fire Safety Check (HFSC) programme  a free service where trained personnel visit homes to assess fire risks, install smoke alarms, identify potential hazards, and help residents create escape plans.

The programme is particularly aimed at elderly people living alone or those with mobility challenges.

Throughout the week, fire stations across Meath will be distributing information and sharing safety advice on social media, highlighting key practices such as keeping flammable materials away from heat, never leaving cooking unattended, and ensuring electrical appliances are well maintained.

The Chief Fire Officer added: By working together, we can significantly reduce the risk of fire-related incidents and protect those most at risk.

Fire Safety Week 2025 is a call to action for everyone to play a part in creating a safer community.

Meanwhile, anyone wishing to participate in the Home Fire Safety Check (HFSC) programme, please contact Navan Fire Station on 046-9051058 or e-mail on communityfiresafety@meathcoco.ie.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Principal Mr Finn with sixth-year student Joe Galvin of Gorey Community School Wexford, which was among the 33 schools across Ireland presented with 63 awards as part of the Irish Heart Foundation's CPR 4 Schools programme.

Three schools in Wexford received a prestigious award from the Irish Heart Foundation after training students in the lifesaving skill of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Students from Gorey Community School, Bridgetown College and Our Lady of Lourdes Secondary School in New Ross each received a CPR 4 Schools award, which recognises teachers and students for their efforts in CPR training.

Caroline Kennedy, a teacher at Gorey Community School said the programme has increased awareness of health and safety issues among students. She said it has helped to foster a more responsible and proactive attitude towards community well-being.

I tell my students that this is the most important lesson they will ever learn.

Gorey Community School also received the Deirdre Staunton Memorial Award, which honours the legacy of a nationally respected CPR expert and Resuscitation Training Officer from Sligo University Hospital.

This award recognises a school that shows exceptional commitment to CPR education, continuing Deirdres mission of empowering people with these lifesaving skills.

The CPR 4 Schools programme trains students to perform CPR and respond in a cardiac emergency, how to use an AED (defibrillator) and respond when someone is choking. The training involves one-hour video led lessons, fully supported with kits and resources.

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, she said.

She further said schools and teachers are the core of the programmes, and the awards are able to recognise them for their dedication to the cause. 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, Brigid added.

The charity is now calling on all schools to sign up to help build a new generation of lifesavers. Brigid said 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.

The three Wexford schools were among 33 schools across Ireland presented with 63 awards as part of the CPR programme.
The fifth annual Swim in Pink took place once more at The Cove, in Greystones, on Sunday last week, where a huge crowd gathered to raise funds for the National Breast Cancer Research Institute.

Participants of every age took a dip in the Irish Sea decked out in pink hats, swimsuits and even pink wigs in another heart-warming display as participants cheered each other on as they rushed into the waters. The weather on the day was on their side and temperatures were nice and balmy  although thats easy to say standing on the sidelines.

The event began five years ago at Ladies Beach, near the Blackrock Beach Tower in Galway, as an initiative of the National Breast Cancer Research Institute. The organiser each year in Greystones is Lucianne Hughes, who has described it as an exciting day that always brings a wave of emotions for those taking part. Lucianne was unable to make the first Galway event, so took it upon herself to organise a local swim in Greystones instead and the numbers each year continue to grow.

The swim has won many awards and more than 5,000 swimmers have so far taken part, raising over 500,000 for valuable research.
The meeting provided an update on work to progress, and develop, the establishment of a pilot Catchment Community Forum for the River Slaney.

Community representatives from across County Wicklow joined fellow stakeholders at the Bunclody Golf and Fishing Club for an engaging information evening hosted by the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), which marked the development of the Slaney Catchment Community Forum.

The Slaney Catchment is part of a national pilot programme under Irelands Water Action Plan, and begins in the Wicklow Mountains, making County Wicklow the source of this vital source-to-sea system.

From its upland origins, the Slaney flows through Carlow and Wexford before reaching the sea at Wexford Harbour. Its health is essential to biodiversity, flood management, recreation, and the wellbeing of communities throughout the catchment. The forum aims to give Wicklow communities a stronger voice in shaping how we protect and enhance this shared water resource.

LAWPRO staff delivered presentations outlining the aims and structure of the pilot forum, the status of the water quality and pressures impacting on the river, community funding and supports from LAWPRO. Two community groups  Enniscorthy Tidy Towns and the Slaney River Trust  shared their experiences and ongoing efforts to improve water quality and biodiversity in the catchment.

The event saw representation from groups active within Wicklow and the wider catchment, such as the Slaney River Trust, tidy towns groups, farming organisations, and environmental networks. Their participation highlighted the countys role in protecting the headwaters of the Slaney and the surrounding habitats that influence water quality downstream.

LAWPRO south east regional coordinator Dr Fran Igoe, said: This initiative has come about in response to recommendations from community groups and representative bodies such as An Forum Uisce for greater public participation in the Water Action Plan. It is important that we get this right, as this is one of five pilots across the country aimed at developing a national strategy for public participation in Irelands efforts to protect and restore water quality.

A range of issues were raised and discussed during the meeting, including the need to better recognise the work of farmers in conserving water quality and the challenges facing the sector, water quality in certain villages and the need to upgrade the sewage networks, invasive species, deterioration in water quality along the Slaney itself all the way out to Ravens Point.

David Rafter, community water officer, explained the various funding options available for community groups with an interest in the river.

The creation of the Slaney Catchment Community Forum offers a new way for communities to engage with water management decisions, influence policy, and support local projects. Whether you're a hillwalker, landowner, nature enthusiast, or someone who values clean rivers and healthy ecosystems, this forum provides a platform to ensure your voice is heard.

LAWPRO senior community water officer Maggie Morrissey said: We encourage anyone with an interest in water quality on the River Slaney to get involved or nominate their community representative. LAWPRO will be on hand to provide support. Terms of reference will be agreed at the first meeting in November.

The Slaney Catchment Community Forum will run from November 2025 to January 2027, providing a space for local deliberation on water quality data, supporting community-led projects, and influencing catchment management plans.

Anyone interested in participating in the forum can contact David Rafter of LAWPRO at drafter@lawaters.ie.
Palestinians walk past the rubble of destroyed buildings after returning to Khan Younis, in southern Gaza Strip, on Oct. 12, 2025. The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas entered into effect on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

GAZA, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Indirect talks between Hamas and Israel, conducted through Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators, have reached their "final stage," with discussions centered on the list of prisoners to be released, Palestinian sources said on Sunday.

Under the recently reached ceasefire deal, Hamas will release 20 living hostages and 28 deceased hostages held in Gaza since the Israel-Hamas conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023. In exchange, Israel will free roughly 2,000 Palestinian detainees.

The two sides remain divided over the list of prisoners to be released. The Palestinian sources said that Hamas insists on including senior figures such as Fatah's leader Marwan Barghouti and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine's leader Ahmed Saadat, while Israel opposes their inclusion and prefers to release women, minors, and prisoners serving medium-term sentences.

A senior Hamas official, who preferred not to mention his name, told Xinhua that the movement has maintained intensive contacts with mediators over the past two days to expand the prisoner list and secure the release of the longest-serving detainees.

The official said the mediators "are working continuously to overcome the final obstacles" before the official announcement.

He affirmed that Hamas "is committed to implementing the agreement on the specified date, as part of a humanitarian framework supervised by international partners."

In a press statement, Hamas' Prisoners' Information Office said that "some complex issues remain unresolved," delaying the announcement of the final names, but confirmed that "ongoing efforts aim to ensure that the deal includes all categories, including women, children, and prisoners from Gaza."

On the Israeli side, government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said that Hamas is expected to release all 20 living hostages held in Gaza early Monday morning.

Speaking at a press briefing, Bedrosian said an international task force would be established to help locate the remains of hostages who died in captivity and whose bodies Hamas has been unable to find.

Israel's Channel 15 reported that the army has placed special units on alert inside the Gaza Strip in anticipation of any unexpected developments during the exchange process.

Israeli security officials have also decided to impose tight restrictions around areas believed to contain the bodies of Israeli captives killed during the conflict, to prevent any interference with ongoing efforts to locate and recover remains. 

A Palestinian child walks among the rubble of destroyed buildings after returning to Khan Younis, in southern Gaza Strip, on Oct. 12, 2025. The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas entered into effect on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

A Palestinian child stands among the rubble of destroyed buildings after returning to Khan Younis, in southern Gaza Strip, on Oct. 12, 2025. The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas entered into effect on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians walk past the rubble of destroyed buildings after returning to Khan Younis, in southern Gaza Strip, on Oct. 12, 2025. The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas entered into effect on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians sit among the rubble of destroyed buildings after returning to Khan Younis, in southern Gaza Strip, on Oct. 12, 2025. The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas entered into effect on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians walk past the rubble of destroyed buildings after returning to Khan Younis, in southern Gaza Strip, on Oct. 12, 2025. The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas entered into effect on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians walk past the rubble of destroyed buildings after returning to Khan Younis, in southern Gaza Strip, on Oct. 12, 2025. The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas entered into effect on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Palestinians walk past the rubble of destroyed buildings after returning to Khan Younis, in southern Gaza Strip, on Oct. 12, 2025. The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas entered into effect on Friday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
At a massive military parade attended by foreign leaders, North Korean leader 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 coming weeks.

The parade, which began in the rain on Friday night at Pyongyangs main square and marked the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers Party, highlighted Kims growing diplomatic footing and his relentless drive to build an arsenal. State media reported that the parade featured a new, yet-to-be-tested ICBM called the Hwasong-20, which it described as the countrys most powerful nuclear strategic weapon system.

Kim said in a speech that his military should continue to grow into an invincible entity that destroys all threats, but made no direct mention of the United States or South Korea.

He also praised the thousands of North Korean soldiers he sent to Russia to join its war against Ukraine, saying they displayed heroic fighting spirit and ideological and spiritual perfection in a battle for international justice and genuine peace.

Edited footage from North Korean state television showed what appeared to be tens of thousands of spectators packed into the brightly lit square, cheering and waving the national flag as columns of goose-stepping soldiers and missile-mounted vehicles rolled through the rain-soaked streets. The soldiers included troops Kim had sent to Russia, who marched under North Korean and Russian flags as state media hailed them as invincible warriors.

North Korea in recent years has flight-tested a variety of ICBMs that could potentially reach the US mainland, including missiles with built-in solid propellants that are easier to move and conceal and can be prepared for launch more quickly than the Norths previous liquid-fueled missiles.

The parade saw the debut of the massive Hwasong-20, with at least three of them wheeled out on 11-axle launcher trucks.

The new missiles existence was first revealed in recent weeks as North Korea tested a new solid-fuel rocket engine that it said was intended for future ICBMs. State media said the engine, built with carbon fiber, is more powerful than past models.

Kim has called for the development of multi-warhead systems that would improve the chances of penetrating missile defences, and some experts say the Hwasong-20 could be designed for that purpose.

Other weapons on display included shorter-range ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles, which the North previously described as capable of delivering nuclear strikes against targets in South Korea.

The parade also featured Kims newest tanks, artillery systems and drones, which have been a key focus of his efforts to expand his conventional military capabilities after he spent much of his early rule concentrating on nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

This week hosted a rare group of high-level foreign officials sent to Pyongyang to attend the anniversary celebrations, including Chinese Premier Li Qiang, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy head of Moscows Security Council, and Vietnamese Communist Party general secretary To Lam.
After 491 days of captivity, I break down like never before: Israeli hostage on the day he was freed to tragic news

Eli Sharabi on his treatment by Hamas and the moment he learnt his wife and daughters had been murdered in the October 7 attacks

Eli Sharabi being handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross by Hamas fighters in February 2025. Photo: Getty

Eli Sharabi Sun 12 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Friday night. Our captors try to keep us in the dark the whole time. Tomorrow is meant to be freedom day, but they keep repeating that its only a maybe, and inshallah, and who knows, and anything might change.
Israeli forces redeployedHostages to be released by Monday noonQuestions remain about Trump's planTrump expected to travel to Israel, Egypt

Thousands of Palestinians streamed north along the coast of Gaza on Saturday, trekking by foot, car, and cart back to their abandoned homes as a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas appeared to be holding.

"It is an indescribable feeling; praise be to God," said Nabila Basal as she travelled by foot with her daughter, who she said had suffered a head wound in the war. "We are very, very happy that the war has stopped, and the suffering has ended."
What Joe Biden did next  can a former US president do anything when the White House attacks?

Former chiefs of staff rarely talk about successors  but Trumps attacks on Biden are unrestrained

Joe Biden in retirement in Wilmington, Delaware. Photo: Getty

Yasmeen Abutaleb Washington Post Sun 12 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Since Donald Trump entered the White House nearly nine months ago, most Democrats have wanted Joe Biden to stay on the sidelines  and mostly, the former president has obliged.
Driverless semi-trailer rolls into Winnipeg intersection; bystanders rush to regain control

At first I thought it was one of those driverless trucks Ive been hearing about. Just wait to see who comes running to get it.



Where do you think he got his drivers license? pic.twitter.com/NwP5GCpI1Z  Chad Harrison  (@JeepguyTexas) October 11, 2025

( Image credit : X | @JeepguyTexas | Driverless semi-truck rolls in Winnipeg )

Picture of a Sikh man circulated, speculated to be the driver amid the investigation



( Image credit : X | @JeepguyTexas | Picture of a Sikh man circulated )

Viral video sparks social media outrage; netizens demand answers on drivers licensing



( Image credit : X | @JeepguyTexas | Runaway truck incident in Winnipeg leads to licensing probe )

In another shocking incident after Harjinder Singhs fatal accident in Florida, a semi-trailer was caught on camera where a truck was spotted rolling into a Winnipeg street without a driver. The runaway truck briefly disrupted traffic at an intersection, leaving bystanders stunned. The Canadian transport company responsible for the vehicle has confirmed that an internal investigation into the incident is underway. The video, which first surfaced on social media on October 8, has since gone viral, with netizens expressing outrage and concerns about how such drivers are licensed. Lets find out more.The video, first posted on Reddit on Wednesday, October 8, captured a dramatic moment at the intersection of Oak Point Highway and Eagle Drive in Winnipeg. In the now viral footage, a semi-truck without a driver can be seen slowly drifting into the intersection, reportsThe truck continues to roll forward, lightly bouncing as it moves before eventually coming to a stop on its own. Shortly after, a man is seen dashing from a nearby gas station toward the truck. He tries to open the cab door but is unsuccessful at first.On his second attempt, however, he manages to open the door, climbs into the cab, and takes control of the vehicle. He then carefully drives it away from the intersection, averting what could have been a dangerous situation.As the investigation is underway, social media users are buzzing after a photo of a Sikh man was shared online, with many claiming he was the driver involved in the runaway truck incident in Winnipeg.According to posts circulating on Reddit and other platforms, the Punjabi driver allegedly left his semi-truck in neutral while stopping at a nearby gas station. Minutes later, he reportedly returned to find the massive vehicle slowly rolling through the intersection of Highway 90 and Eagle Drive, with no one behind the wheel.However, the pictures of the Sikh man cannot be independently verified by, and they are completely based on social media buzz.This incident took place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and its prompting renewed calls for provinces and states to review the qualifications of truck drivers and the credibility of the training schools they attend.Concerns are growing over the rising number of incidents involving drivers who may lack proper training, struggle to read English, fail to follow road signs, or dont fully understand the rules of the road.On X (formerly called Twitter), he wrote, This is Winnipeg, Manitoba. Time for all provinces and states to examine the skills of the truck drivers and the legitimacy of where they were trained.There have been too many incidents around drivers who do not read English, obey signs and do not have proper knowledge.While another wrote, I hope he loses his licence. Chances are extremely good that he never actually qualified for that drivers licence.India. No doubt licensed in California. Just another one of the immigrants given unmerited CDL licenses, another added.
ICE director slams lax laws after illegal alien truck driver arrested

( Image credit : X | @BreannaMorello | Social Media Erupts as Illegal Immigrant Truck Driver with No Name Given License )

 JUST IN: ICE has ARRESTED an illegal alien semitruck driver from India in Oklahoma, his ID said "no name given" - and ICE Director Todd Lyons is FURIOUS



"It's REALLY scary. To see that on a license? 'No name given?!' And there's a 'REAL ID' in the star in the corner!"



"I pic.twitter.com/QvkJUrphAy  Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 11, 2025

Netizens react to no name given ID card of Oklahoma driver

( Image credit : X |@EricLDaugh | No Name Given Sparks Outrage and Questions Over Licensing Security )

What happened? An illegal immigrant with a suspicious CDL was arrested during a routine truck inspection

( Image credit : X | @BreannaMorello | Illegal Immigrant Truck Driver Arrested in Oklahoma )

In a shocking development that has ignited outrage on social media, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the arrest of an illegal alien operating a commercial 18-wheeler truck, exposing serious vulnerabilities in New Yorks commercial drivers license (CDL) system. Meanwhile, following this, social media posts revealed that the individual, allegedly identified as an Indian national, has been arrested by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in Oklahoma, who was reportedly driving a semi-truck with identification that bizarrely read no name given. Lets find out more.A social media post revealed that ICE has arrested an illegal alien semi-truck driver from India in Oklahoma whose commercial drivers license (CDL) shockingly listed his identity as no name given. ICE director Todd, in an interview with, expressed outrage over the discovery, calling it really scary" that such a license, with a REAL ID star in the corner, was issued.ICE arrests illegal alien truck driver operating 18-wheeler with suspicious no name given CDL; DHS uncovers alarming flawsI can't believe we're giving illegal aliens these driver's licenses, these sanctuary states, trying to make it 'welcome' for these people. And this is a CDL LICENSE, transporting hazardous goods and materials at times, he said, criticising sanctuary states for policies that prioritise inclusivity over public safety.The individual was reportedly transporting hazardous materials, raising further concern. Furious citizens and officials alike are calling for all federal funding to be pulled from states enabling such dangerous loopholes.As soon as the video surfaced on social media, it quickly went viral and sparked an online debate. One X (formerly called Twitter) user asked Grok, The Green Light Law puts no name given in the MIDDLE NAME field not the actual name why is ICE presenting it as fraud?To which another user replied, That's because they're trying to carry out the law, but they don't know the law themselves; otherwise, they would know that they're breaking the law.Its still not possible it give him a real ID. Hes illegal and shouldnt even be allowed to get a CDL. Its absolutely fraud, another added.While one user commented, The presence of a "Real ID" star, juxtaposed with missing information, points directly to the inadequate standardisation and enforcement across state lines for identity credentials.Whoever authorised that no-name-given identification ought to be arrested for treason.During a routine inspection at a truck weigh station on I-40 in Oklahoma on September 23, 2025, authorities uncovered a serious security lapse. The driver, identified as Anmol Anmol, an Indian national, was found to be in the U.S. illegally, according toA background check revealed he had entered the country unlawfully in 2023 and was later released by immigration authorities under the Biden administration. More alarmingly, Anmol was operating a commercial 18-wheeler using a New York-issued commercial drivers license that listed his name as No Name Given Anmol.The discovery has raised major concerns about public safety and flaws in the CDL vetting process.
Meghans message for International Day of the Girl

Return to fashion week and Europe

( Image credit : X/@favspopculture | Meghan Markel returned to Paris Fashion Week to attend Balenciaga show )

( Image credit : X/ @GrixMagazine | The Duchess of Sussex stunned in Pierpaolo Piccioli's debut Balenciaga presentation )

Growing online backlash against Meghan Markle

Meghan Markle just posted this on instagram only 6 days after she endorsed Balenciaga! Shes unhinged!#MeghanMarkleisToxic #MeghanIsTheProblem pic.twitter.com/CrUCKxVQdB  Stephanie Sidley (@StephanieSidley) October 11, 2025

Meghan Markle is a double minded wannabe and a fraud. You say you want to protect kids, but you align yourself with Balenciaga.



Ok Meghan and Harry. Go live that private life you both desperately wanted please. Weve all had enough. pic.twitter.com/wWCYgsPMhy  Sher (@TheFabBookLover) October 11, 2025

Meghan Markle just posted this on instagram only 6 days after she endorsed Balenciaga! Shes unhinged!#MeghanMarkleisToxic #MeghanIsTheProblem pic.twitter.com/CrUCKxVQdB  Stephanie Sidley (@StephanieSidley) October 11, 2025

Why Balenciaga remains controversial

( Image credit : X/@StephanieSidley | Balenciaga faced backlash over 2022 holiday campaign linking children with BDSM imagery and sensitive legal documents. )

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, is facing a fresh wave of online criticism after attending the Balenciaga show in Paris and then posting a heartfelt message for International Day of the Girl just days later. What might have otherwise been a celebratory moment has instead turned into a talking point on social media, where many are calling out what they see as a clash between her message and the brands history of controversy when it comes to children.On October 11, Meghan, 44, took to her Instagram account to share a message on International Day of the Girl. She wrote, "To all the girls  this world is yours. Do everything you can to protect your rights, use your voice, and support each other. We will do the same for you. Its your right and our responsibility. Go get em, girl! Happy International Day of the Girl.She paired the caption with a short video of her 4-year-old daughter, Princess Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsorand a sweet photo of the two together. The post was widely shared, with some praising her advocacy for young girls. But others felt the timing of the message, coming right after her fashion week appearance, was poorly received.The post followed Meghans, marking her return to both the runway circuit and Europe. She attended Balenciagas latest show during Paris Fashion Week, where she was photographed entering the venue alongside other high-profile guests.Her attendance made headlines not just because of the designers global influence, but also because Meghan has been known to make carefully curated public appearances. This one signalled a shift back toward high-fashion events, something she had distanced herself from after stepping back as a working royal.Despite turning heads in the fashion world with her sartorial choices, thealum's appearance quickly became controversial online, with many accusing her of supporting Balenciaga, a brand long shadowed by its controversial past.Meghans decision to attend the Balenciaga show and then post about protecting young girls has fuelled criticism online. Many users accused her of contradicting her own message by associating with a brand tied to such a controversy.Balenciaga remains a deeply polarising brand following its, when an ad campaign featured children holding teddy bears dressed in bondage-style accessories. Another campaign drew criticism for including legal documents tied to child exploitation cases as props.Though the company later apologised and restructured its creative and marketing teams, many critics say the brand has never fully regained their trust. Some celebrities have continued working with the fashion house, but the association remains sensitive, especially for public figures who speak on issues related to children and womens rights.
RAMALLAH, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh met former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Amman on Sunday to discuss postwar arrangements and efforts to consolidate the Gaza ceasefire, al-Sheikh said.

In a statement on X, al-Sheikh said the Palestinian leadership was prepared to work with U.S. President Donald Trump, Blair, and other international partners to strengthen the truce, facilitate humanitarian aid, secure the release of hostages and detainees, and advance Gaza's reconstruction.

He said the Palestinian side emphasized the need to end measures that undermine the Palestinian Authority, release withheld Palestinian tax revenues, and avoid actions that could jeopardize a two-state solution, calling these steps essential to achieving lasting peace based on international legitimacy.

A senior Hamas official earlier said Blair would not be welcome in any postwar role in Gaza, citing his involvement in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Under U.S. proposals, Blair would serve on an international supervisory body overseeing a temporary technocratic Palestinian committee responsible for managing Gaza's public services.

The Amman meeting took place ahead of the "Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit," scheduled for Monday in the Egyptian Red Sea resort. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Trump are expected to co-chair the gathering, which will bring together leaders from more than 20 countries to discuss efforts to consolidate the Gaza ceasefire and chart postwar arrangements aimed at stabilizing the region. 
ADDIS ABABA, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf on Sunday called for restraint and peaceful, consensual solutions to rising political tensions in Madagascar.

In a statement, Youssouf said he was following with "deep concern" recent political and security developments in the country, marked by army movements and public demonstrations in the capital, Antananarivo.

Welcoming the government's renewed commitment to dialogue, Youssouf urged all Malagasy stakeholders, both civilian and military, to exercise calm and restraint and prioritize peaceful approaches to resolving the situation.

He called on all Malagasy parties to act with responsibility and patriotism to safeguard unity, stability, and peace, in full respect of the constitution and established institutional frameworks.

The AUC chair also underscored the need to uphold the fundamental rights and freedoms of all citizens, recalling the principles set out in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance.

Youssouf reaffirmed the AU's solidarity with the people and government of Madagascar "in these difficult times," and expressed the bloc's readiness to support national and regional efforts aimed at restoring institutional normalcy and consolidating peace.

Last week, Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina appointed Ruphin Fortunat Dimbisoa Zafisambo as the country's new prime minister, a week after dissolving the government amid mass protests. Rajoelina said the new premier must be "capable of restoring order and regaining the people's trust," with a focus on improving living conditions and advancing key national priorities. 
An employee pours a glass of Cinder & Smoke bourbon at the Bard Distillery in Graham, Ky., March 9, 2025. The distillery had hoped to expand exports to Canada, but plans were upended by the trade conflict. Read more

American distillers have gotten a costly cold shoulder from Canada, where their exports plunged 85% earlier this year  topping broad declines in key international markets amid global trade tensions, a spirits industry group said last week.

Even a thaw in trade relations may not shake this hangover right away.

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Even though things have eased up, we still are not back on the shelf in Canada, said Kentucky craft distiller Tom Bard. Probably wont be for a good long while.

The majority of Canadian provinces continue to ban American spirits from shelves, though Canada removed its retaliatory tariff on the products weeks ago, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States said. Theres another nagging concern  that consumer reaction to the trade conflicts could curb the international thirst for American spirits in key markets.

Overall exports of American spirits fell 9% in the second quarter of 2025 compared to a year ago, the council said in its new report. Sharp declines occurred in other crucial markets  the European Union, United Kingdom, and Japan, it said. That comes on the heels of a banner year for U.S. spirits exports in 2024, the council said. Total first-quarter exports in 2025 edged up by 1% from a year ago.

In the ultracompetitive spirits world, the sudden drop-off is a dispiriting development for U.S. distillers.

Theres a growing concern that our international consumers are increasingly opting for domestically produced spirits or imports from countries other than the U.S., signaling a shift away from our great American spirits brands, Chris Swonger, the councils CEO, said last week in a release.

Canada remains the only key trading partner that retaliated against U.S. spirits in the latest rounds of trade conflicts spurred by President Donald Trumps tariff policies. The president maintains that open trade cost the U.S. millions of factory jobs and that tariffs are the path to American-made prosperity.

But American distilled spirits have been a high-profile target for retaliation.

Trumps first-term tariffs on European steel and aluminum spurred the EU to retaliate with a tariff that caused American whiskey exports to the EU to plunge, costing distillers more than $100 million in revenue from 2018 to 2021, the council has said. Once the tariff was suspended, EU sales rebounded for American distillers  until the latest tensions resurfaced in the first year of Trumps second term.

The Distilled Spirits Council is pressing for free-flowing trade for distilled spirits with zero-for-zero tariffs with key markets, saying it would give American distillers the certainty they need.

Global markets are increasingly vital for producers of American whiskey  which includes bourbon, Tennessee whiskey, and rye whiskey. The sector faces a supply-and-demand crunch in the U.S., where a sales slowdown is coinciding with massive stockpiles of whiskey, the council said.

With the slowdown in the U.S. market, its more important than ever for American distillers to have reliable access to international markets, Swonger said. Until these trade issues are fully resolved, many distillers are remaining on the sidelines, fearful that without a permanent return to zero-for-zero tariffs, they could once again face retaliatory tariffs. They simply dont want to risk jeopardizing the investments theyd need to make to reestablish their presence abroad.

The most dramatic quarterly drop off in exports occurred in Canada, where U.S. spirits exports fell below $10 million amid the 85% plunge in the April-through-June quarter, the report showed.

Elsewhere, exports of American spirits to the European Union  the U.S. industrys largest export market  fell 12% in the second quarter, the council said. Exports to the United Kingdom dropped 29%, and exports to Japan decreased 23%, it said.

The pain was felt across a range of spirits categories, with quarterly declines of 13% for American whiskey, 14% for vodka, 15% for cordials, and 12% for brandy, it said.

The declines were softened somewhat by surging sales to other countries  including Mexico, Australia, Brazil, Singapore, and South Korea, the council said.

Distilled spirits were exported from 43 states last year, with Tennessee and Kentucky ranking first and second, respectively, the report said. Texas was third, followed by Florida and Indiana.

Large and small producers alike are feeling the pinch from trade conflicts.

In August, Brown-Forman Corp. reported a 3% drop in first-quarter net sales, but company CEO Lawson Whiting said it is positioned for resilient results in the face of persistent headwinds. It posted double-digit net sales drops in Germany and the United Kingdom and a nearly 60% decline in Canada. Brown-Forman produces such brands as Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey and Woodford Reserve bourbon.

But large distillers possess the capital and market reach to ride out disruptions caused by trade disputes  built-in luxuries that most small producers dont have.

For Bard, the trade tensions abruptly halted his momentum in securing and expanding his foothold in Canada. He and his wife, Kim, own the Bard Distillery in western Kentucky. Their brands include Muhlenberg and Cinder & Smoke bourbons.

At the start of 2025, their products were sold in British Columbia and Alberta, and they were in talks to expand to other Canadian provinces. The plan was to ship more than 1,000 cases  mostly bourbon along with flavored whiskeys and cream liqueurs  north of the border this year, perhaps turning their Canadian business into 15% to 20% of overall sales in 2025.

It was an ambitious plan for a small distiller, but it evaporated amid the trade conflict and Canadian backlash to Trumps repeated comments that their country should be the 51st U.S. state.

The Bards havent been able to offset those losses in the U.S. Theyre in the early stages of trying to break into other countries, he said, but that takes time. In the meantime, theyve left two production jobs unfilled, mostly because of lost revenue from Canada, he said.

Reclaiming lost market share is never easy and hell have to start from square one, Tom Bard said.

I would say it will be next year and we will have to physically go up there and spend a lot of time trying to get back on the shelf, he said.
James Trovarello searches online Italian birth and death records from 1812 in the town of Rogliano in the Calabria region of southern Italy for a client, at his South Philadelphia home. Read more

If James Trovarello were to tell a story about South Philadelphia, it would stretch back far beyond the colorful characters who lend the neighborhood its authentic charms. It would span farther than even the waves of tempest-tossed Italian immigrants who first filled the neighborhood more than a century and a half ago. The tale Trovarello can tell begins with the distant descendants of those bygone South Philadelphians  the peasants, tradesmen, and swordsmen of centuries past, whose dramas played out in an Old World an ocean away from Ninth Street.

Trovarello is the South Philly genealogist. That unofficial appellation is one that Trovarello, 74, dignified and reserved, a fan of jazz and homemade Montepulciano dAbruzzo red wine, modestly shakes off. But it is a title that Trovarello has earned by meticulously researching the ancestries of hundreds of his fellow South Philadelphians over the last 35 years.

This is no mere ancestry.com operation hes running. A retired federal law enforcement agent and private investigator, who lives with his wife, Patricia, in Girard Estates, Trovarello reads and speaks Italian, can translate genealogical information in Latin, Spanish, and French, and has fueled his genealogy research with about 30 trips to Italy.

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Its a passion that has placed the Temple alum in a unique position around South Philly, a famously tight-knit locale where everybody prides themselves on knowing at least a few crumbs of everyone elses business, and where information reigns as its own kind of currency.

If Trovarello were the sort of man to entertain gossip, it would likely lean medieval. If he bumps into Good Guy Bobby at the Acme, sure, he could tell you whether Bobbys pop-pop was a neighborhood butcher or barber back in the day. But he may also be able to tell you if Bobbys great-great-great-great-great-grandfather was a marauding mercenary in the Kingdom of Naples in the 15th century.

On a recent day, Trovarello, tall and fit, with graying black hair and black reading glasses perched on his nose, pored over century-old ship manifests and birth, marriage, and death records in his living room. Italian classical music quietly played over the speakers, while he researched a South Philly clients old country ancestors.

I make the jump back across the pond for them, Trovarello said.

Knowing a deep history

The son and grandson of Italian immigrants, Trovarellos South Philly bona fides are unimpeachable (his son, Tony, is cofounder of the South Philly T-shirt shop South Fellini). Growing up around 11th and Wolf, Trovarello shined shoes at the old Bomb Bomb Bar. Everyone knew everyone.

Everyone in the immediate neighborhood was overwhelmingly Italian and Sicilian and our family knew all these people and we knew where they came from because we knew the dialect, he said. And we knew if they were a bricklayer back there, they were a bricklayer here. Its knowing a deep history.

His genealogy journey began around 1990, when some of his relatives, including his father, died, and he inherited family papers. Busy starting new lives in a new world, his parents and grandparents had never talked much about hard times in the old country, he said.

None of the family ever talked much about previous generations, he said. They didnt know anything about those people at all. They wanted to escape the difficult times, and come here  they wanted to forget Italy. That was an old world.

Back then, Trovarello set out with a modest genealogy goal: he wanted to learn his great-grandfathers name.

Saints, soldiers, and tears of blood

Digging into Philly Mormon Church genealogy microfiche archives  with missionaries who travel all over the world, the Mormon Church has long maintained vast birth, death, marriage, ship manifest, and land records from all over, even for nonchurch members  Trovarello began to reveal the more recent branches of his family tree. (His great-grandfather, Aldemario Trovarello, for example, drove a delivery cart back in Abruzzo.)

Seeking more, his research quickly took him on the first of many research trips across the pond to his familys hometown of Bucchianico, a small hill town overlooking the Adriatic Sea, where the priest at the local church gave him carte blanche to records dating back to the 1600s.

I literally went through everything they have, he said, adding that he was soon a regular visitor to the provincial archive in Chieti, where records were even more extensive.

Soon, a story of his family began to emerge: How his 14th great-grandfather, Claudio Trovarello, an abandoned child born in 1385 (the name Trovarello literally means foundling), grew to be a soldier of fortune who fought for dukes and counts.

He had 400 troops he paid and they did sieges and fought wars, he said.

Claudio Trovarellos sons earned their keep as swordsmiths and by training war horses. His ancestor Dominico Trovarello was shot to death by Napoleons troops during his armys invasion of Naples in 1799. Another ancestor, a young boy at the time, was said to have witnessed the miracle of a sainted statue crying tears of blood.

A tremendous feeling of pride

Enough of Trovarellos friends put him to work that he eventually created a business, ItalianFamilyResearch.com.

Anthony DeFino, 71, asked Trovarello to research his family tree after his father, retired South Philly judge Anthony DeFino, died in 2013. Trovarello traced the DeFino family tree back to 1750 in Southern Italy, where the family men worked as bricklayers and fishermen.

I wanted to do something for my family, DeFino said. To find out the struggles they went through and what happened to make us who we are.

After meeting Mario Gellman at a small South Jersey Italian gathering a few years ago, Trovarello uncovered a long-lost love story from the Gellman family tree: Back in the old country Gellmans great-grandmother Maria Francesca abandoned her family fortune to marry a peasant farmer named Leonardo.

In some ways you feel almost immortal when you realize that some part of that succession and linkage remains in perpetuity, said Gellman.

In true South Philly fashion, Trovarello even picks up new genealogy assignments at his weekly bocce games.

Someone told someone else in the bocce hall that I do this, and off that short conversation, I had like four new assignments, he said.

He works mostly from his basement desk surrounded by cresting mountains of Italian history and geography books, Latin dictionaries, and printouts of centuries-old records. That morning, after days of striking out, he had located the correct town of origin for a Montgomery County clients ancestors, who hailed from Faggiano, a small town in Southeast Italy.

Its detective work, he said.

He recently learned that his great-great-grandfather on his mothers side served in the Italian revolutionary army led by Giuseppe Garibaldi after uncovering a 1924 death notice in an Allentown newspaper.

Mostly, he learned that many of his ancestors  and the ancestors of his clients  shared the same hardscrabble immigration stories as countless others who came to make new lives in South Philadelphia with just a few bucks in their pockets. The types of stories that still help define the area, even if the newest arrivals set out from different ports.

It gives me a tremendous feeling of pride, he said.
Jair Merida, 5, at Northeast Philadelphia home on Wednesday. His father, Johny Merida Aguilar, was arrested by ICE in September and faces deportation to Bolivia. Read more

Every day at noon, no matter how busy he was at work, Johny Merida Aguilar left his construction job and hurried to Rhawnhurst School to feed his 5-year-old son, Jair.

The boy has brain cancer, in addition to autism and a severe eating disorder. He survives on PediaSure nutrition drink, delivered through a plastic syringe, and generally accepts food only from his father.

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Now that daily feeding routine has been halted, leaving doctors and family members concerned for the child.

Merida Aguilar, who has lived in the United States without permission for nearly 20 years, was arrested by ICE for an immigration violation during a traffic stop last month on Roosevelt Boulevard near Hunting Park Avenue as he drove from a Home Depot store. He is confined at an ICE detention center in central Pennsylvania and has been ordered deported to his native Bolivia.

Merida Aguilars subsequent request to stay in the U.S. to care for Jair, a U.S. citizen  and to continue as sole financial support for his wife and their two other citizen children  has been denied by ICE.

David ONeill, deputy director of the agencys Philadelphia field office, wrote to the familys attorney that after carefully reviewing the case, ICE concluded that granting discretionary relief is not sufficiently warranted.

Asked to explain the agencys reasoning more fully, a spokesperson said in a statement that deportation operations focus on enforcement that protects the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of our communities and the integrity of our immigration laws.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement makes custody and removal decisions on a case-by-case basis, following U.S. laws and Department of Homeland Security policies, the agency said, and its officers use their experience as law-enforcement professionals and in a way that best protects the communities we serve.

Jairs parents fear that their youngest child could die  in this country, if left without the care and income of his father, or in Bolivia, where the U.S. State Department warns that hospitals cannot handle serious conditions.

In a phone interview from the Moshannon Valley Processing Center, Merida Aguilar, 48, described his worry for his family and for his sons life.

Even if we wanted to go back to Bolivia, theres no hospital, the treatment is not adequate, he said.

Philadelphia immigration attorney John Vandenberg, who represents the family, filed for relief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, which issued a Sept. 30 order to temporarily block Merida Aguilars deportation. A year ago, Vandenberg said, his request for a stay of removal would have been approved.

For decades, under both Republican and Democratic administrations, undocumented families with gravely ill children were commonly granted deferred action. That put their immigration cases on hold while their sons and daughters underwent medical treatment.

Elected officials from both parties recognized that care in the American health system was crucial to saving lives, and that sending sick children to less-developed nations could seal their fate.

President Donald Trump upended that in August 2019, during his first term in office, telling families that deferred-action applications were no longer being accepted. The administration subsequently reversed itself after an uproar from medical professionals, community advocates, and elected officials. Applications can still be made now.

Merida Aguilars request to ICE was somewhat different, since he sought a stay of removal and release from detention, as opposed to deferred action.

What the family needs to survive, said his wife, Gimena Morales Antezana, is his freedom, for the sake of Jair and for daughter Melany, 13, and son Matias, 7.

Mercy, for Jair, she said in an interview at the familys Northeast Philadelphia home, so he can have his dad.

She has not told the youngest two children that their father is being held in detention, instead saying he is away for his job. The effects of his absence are evident, she said.

Straight-A student Matias has seen his grades drop. And Melany has had to take on roles beyond her age, including trying to get her youngest sibling to eat.

Helping is hard, the 13-year-old said. I miss my dad a lot. I wish that he could be here to help me.

Merida Aguilar and his wife were given permission to legally work in the U.S. under her 2024 claim for asylum, which could enable both to live here permanently if granted. The Trump administration, however, has made it increasingly difficult for people to succeed on those claims.

Morales Antezana, 49, had to stop working in 2020 to handle the nearly full-time demands of Jairs health, taking him to see specialists and undergo treatments and therapies at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, and at the same time care for Melany and Matias.

Jair completed his initial chemotherapy in August 2022, documents show, but the tumor grew back and he started oral chemotherapy in January 2024.

His autism has brought developmental delays, and his eating condition, called avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder, has left him dependent on PediaSure. He also suffers from scoliosis and from water on the brain that doctors have been unable to drain.

Malnutrition has been a constant battle.

Medical professionals and others who know the family wrote letters that Vandenberg shared with ICE, attesting to the fathers role in the familys welfare.

Jairs fathers daily support in feeding his son is integral to his overall health, wrote Cynthia Schmus, a neuro-oncology nurse practitioner at CHOP. Without nutrition he is at risk of significant medical decline.

Brenda Nogales Garcia, a HIAS Pennsylvania program manager who has worked with the family, wrote that Johny and his wife did everything they could to ensure he was getting enough food, but it was a difficult task. Jair did not want to eat, and they could not force food into him because he would throw it up.

Mariam Mahmud, a doctor with Peace Pediatrics Integrative Medicine in Doylestown, said she was concerned about the boys fate if the family must leave the U.S.

Jair will not be able to obtain effective medical care in Bolivia, she wrote.

The doctor cited a 2024 study in the Journal of Neuro-Oncology, which found an average survival time of 1.9 months for children with medulloblastoma at the Hospital del Nino in La Paz.

Jair has accepted less than 30% of his needed daily calories since his father has been detained, Mahmud wrote, and is at constant risk of hospitalization.

Vandenberg said Merida Aguilar has no criminal record in the U.S., and Bolivian authorities provided documentation showing he committed no offenses in that country.

But his efforts to stay here could be complicated by a previous deportation, when he gave a false name to federal immigration authorities while trying to enter the U.S. without permission.

In 2008, the Bolivian national provided a Mexican identification card with the name Juan Luna Gutierrez after being stopped by Customs and Border Protection as he attempted to cross the border east of San Diego.

Immigration officials took his fingerprints and sent him to Mexico, but Merida Aguilar secretly crossed back into the U.S. almost immediately.

Someone who reenters the U.S. after deportation can be charged with a felony, punishable by fines and prison time, but Merida Aguilar was never charged with that offense.

In the phone interview with The Inquirer, he said he came to the U.S. in hope of attaining a better life. His wife said the same, describing how they left Bolivia together to find jobs and send money home to their families.

Their son Jair was sick almost from the time he was born, they said. At one point the childs eating difficulties became so pronounced that he required a feeding tube.

Johny was the only one who could get him to eat, Morales Antezana said. Because of that, she said, her husband made sure to be home for breakfast and dinner, as well as going to Jairs school during the day.

He would entertain the boy with jokes and stories, she said, small distractions that made feeding easier.

I know in my heart if we are sent back, that is the end of our fight. We are going to have to let go of his hand, the childs mother said. Bolivia doesnt have the kind of cancer treatment he needs. We wont be able to keep fighting for his life.
Amphibious combat and light armored vehicles on display for visitors at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. Military vehicles will participate in a parade on Monday Oct. 13 that will lead to street closures in Center City. Read more

Commuters headed into Center City on Monday will be met with widespread road closures due to a parade marking the 250th anniversary of the Navys founding in Philadelphia.

The Navy and Marine Corps 250 Parade will start at 11 a.m. Monday and is scheduled to last until 2:30 p.m. The parade will include floats, balloons, marching bands, and military vehicles.

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The closures began for parade preparations on Sunday, when the outbound lanes of John F. Kennedy Boulevard were closed, between 20th and 30th Streets, from 1 to 6 p.m.

But most disruptions will occur Monday.

The parade is scheduled to begin on JFK Boulevard at 20th Street and head east to Juniper Street, travel south a block to Market Street, and head east again before ending on Market at Fifth Street.

Parking restrictions on nearby streets will begin at 2 a.m. in the blocks surrounding the parades start and end points and will end at 4 p.m. Parking restrictions along the parade route itself will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where and when to avoid driving Monday

Street closures will be phased in over the course of the day, beginning at 5 a.m. in the parade assembly area near JFK Boulevard and 20th Street.

At 8 a.m. closures will grow to include Arch Street near the assembly area and Arch, Chestnut, Third and Fourth Streets in Old City around the parade dispersal area.

Finally, at 10 a.m., the closures will cover the north-south street stretching between Arch and Chestnut along the entire parade route.

A complete list of the timings for the closures is available on the citys website.

What about SEPTA?

On the plus side, the parades starting location is a short walk from the 15th Street/City Hall SEPTA station that serves both the Broad Street and Market-Frankford Lines, as well as from Suburban and 30th Street Stations.

PATCO riders can get on the Broad Street Line after a short walk from the 12th/13th and Locust Street Station.

However, there will be some transit disruptions. The Market-Frankford Lines 5th Street/Independence Hall Station will be closed on Monday.

And 19 SEPTA bus routes will experience detours around their normal Center City routes. For details on those detours, visit the SEPTA website.
The Philadelphia Coast Guard headquarters is in the background, on Feb. 20, 2025. A police officer was injured on Saturday after a man drove through the headquarters' security barrier off of Columbia Boulevard. In the foreground, Philadelphia Fire Department Marine Unit 1 fireboat "Independence" is docked at the Coast Guard pier on the Delaware River. Read more

An officer was hit with a surveillance camera after a man trespassed beyond the security barrier at the Philadelphia Coast Guard headquarters on Columbus Boulevard.

Driving a white sedan, the man breached the 1 Washington Ave. facility barrier around 7 p.m. Saturday, entering the grounds and disabling multiple surveillance cameras and communication devices, said Police Sgt. Eric Gripp.

As the Philadelphia Police Marine Unit and Coast Guard personnel responded to the scene, the man struck a police officer in the face with a surveillance camera, leaving him with minor injuries, Gripp said.

A short struggle unfolded between the man and the emergency personnel. Authorities believe that he might have been under the influence of drugs. He was transported to an unnamed hospital for evaluation.

The incident is under investigation with South Detectives and the Philadelphia Police Department Homeland Security Unit.
Clashes between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and members of targeted communities continue to intensify as the Trump administration gleefully condones a dangerous mix of heavy-handed enforcement tactics and zero accountability.

Recent examples of intimidation, harassment, and excessive use of force by ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents have been piling up, ranging from a praying minister being shot in the head with a pepper ball to a woman allegedly taunted to do something before an officer opened fire.

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Americans who care about the rule of law  whether they support mass deportations or not  must speak out against the inhumane theater of cruelty put on by Donald Trumps secret police.

Yet, beyond the daily outrage of immigrants being disappeared off the street, or citizens detained without reason by jeering masked thugs, there is another insidious level to the administrations anti-immigrant efforts.

From the moment Trump came into office, he has shut down or obstructed the countrys legal immigration pathways. No shots have been fired in this cold war, but the long-term economic damage will leave most Americans worse off.

 READ MORE: Saudi Arabias repressive regime is nothing to laugh about | Luis F. Carrasco

Starting in January, the administration froze the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, leaving more than 100,000 highly vetted immigrants who had already been approved for resettlement stuck in limbo.

According to reports, the program will restart in 2026, but the cap will be lowered from the 125,000 set under President Joe Biden to 7,500. Not only that, but many of those limited slots will be reserved for white South Africans.

You have to give it to white supremacists in the administration; they are not subtle.

The refugee freeze may not be the largest cut to legal immigration, but it is the most significant, said David J. Bier, director of immigration studies at the libertarian Cato Institute.

All these people who would have been here with a path to permanent residence and citizenship  its just gone, he told me. Over the next four years, its basically the equivalent of half a million people who are going to be lost as a result of that decision.

Refugees are fleeing from persecution, have gone through extensive background checks, and likely waited for years for a chance to come to the U.S.  all of which is meaningless to an administration for whom a foreigner is just an illegal who hasnt overstayed their visa yet.

And, if and when Trump leaves office, the system itself will be damaged, atrophied after years of disuse and partner agencies that have moved on.

The administration has also ended all humanitarian parole initiatives launched during the Biden years, which allowed some immigrants who had a sponsor in the U.S. and who passed a background check to come to America for a period of two years to live and work lawfully.

International students, long a wellspring for high-skilled workers in the U.S. and a major revenue driver for colleges and universities, have also been targeted by the administration. As the new academic year began in August, the number of international students declined by almost 20% from 2024. Difficulties getting visas, fears of getting caught up in the wider immigration crackdown, or ending up in jail for saying the wrong thing played a part in the drop, according to reports.

These are no idle concerns. The best and brightest around the world can quickly find validation for their worries in what happened to Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, who was detained after leading pro-Palestinian protests, or Tufts doctoral candidate Rumeysa Ozturk, who spent six weeks in custody over an op-ed she wrote for her student newspaper.

 READ MORE: Trumps cronyism crosses borders as we bail out his Argentine buddy | Luis F. Carrasco

There are also travel bans targeting 19 countries and a proposal to charge a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas for skilled workers. Meanwhile, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services  the agency tasked with overseeing legal immigration, including legal permanent residence and citizenship applications  is being weaponized against the people its meant to serve.

The agency will now have armed special agents engaged in immigration enforcement, even as its backlog hits an all-time high and fee-paying applicants face worsening delays for USCIS services.

Its going to be some time before the full economic effects of mass deportation, plus legal immigration being throttled so aggressively, manifest themselves, but the math is clear. The consequences of Trumps legal immigration crackdown will not play out in the streets, but around peoples kitchen tables.

Its going to mean less economic growth for the United States, the Cato Institutes Bier said. Youre reducing business creation and entrepreneurship and innovation, which drives improvements in economic growth over the long term.

With less economic growth, it means lower living standards for the U.S. population, Bier added. Its a bleak picture.

Much as the reality of whos being targeted for deportation puts the lie to the administrations claims that they are focusing on criminal immigrants and the worst of the worst. So the gutting of legal immigration removes all doubt over what this is really about, or for whom its really for.

As I said, these folks are not subtle.
Democrat Mikie Sherrill responds to questions during the first general election gubernatorial debate with Republican opponent Jack Ciattarelli, Sept. 21, 2025, in Lawrenceville, N.J. Read more

National Democrats are pouring millions of dollars into the race for New Jersey governor, as party insiders fret over whether U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill can keep the state blue.

With less than a month until Election Day, most polls show only a single-digit lead in her race against Republican Jack Ciattarelli, in a contest that Democrats hope preserves the partys power in Trenton and sends a signal to Washington ahead of the 2026 midterms.

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Weve never doubted that this would be an incredibly challenging and competitive race, said Izzi Levy, a spokesperson for the Democratic Governors Association, which is spending upwards of $20 million to boost Sherrill in the race.

Nearly $47 million has been spent in total on both sides since the primary, with significant portions coming from the DGA and other national groups.

The Democratic National Committee announced in September it was doubling its $1.5 million investment in the race, making it the groups largest cash infusion in an off-year election and a much higher sum than is being dished out in Virginia, the only other state with a gubernatorial race this year.

Vice President Kamala Harris won both states by smaller-than-expected margins last year.

There is a lot of fear people have thats grounded in what happened last year, DNC vice chair Malcolm Kenyatta said. But Mikie is working her ass off from everything I can see.

In interviews with a dozen New Jersey insiders, candidates, and elected officials, there was some intraparty concern about whether she is reaching the voters she needs, particularly in lower-turnout urban areas, and delivering a message that will get people to the polls.

Im very scared. And Im extremely frustrated, said a Democratic candidate running for state Assembly who did not want to be quoted publicly criticizing the campaign of the partys nominee for governor. Where the hell is the energy I saw during the primary? Its not there.

Sherrills campaign says the candidate is well positioned to win in November. In a memo sent last week, campaign manager Alex Ball noted Sherrill was up 8 percentage points in a recent Fox News poll, has momentum in fundraising, and boasts a strong ground game.

Mikie Sherrill for Governor campaign is firing on all cylinders and ready to close strong on Nov. 4, she wrote.

The pendulum state

Democrats have a more than 850,000-voter registration edge in New Jersey, but the stakes for Democrats are extremely high after the state shifted right in the presidential election as Harris won the state by less than 6 percentage points, the narrowest margin for a Democrat since 2004.

The national party is looking to gubernatorial races here and in Virginia, and a state Supreme Court race in Pennsylvania, to act as bellwethers and build momentum ahead of the midterms.

New Jersey has always been a purple state, and I think right now its not surprising that all eyes are on us, to try to figure out just how purple states are getting or how much the political winds are changing headed into midterms, said Jackie Cornell, who was the state director for former President Barack Obamas 2012 campaign in New Jersey.

And for New Jersey Democrats who saw President Donald Trump win the nation as he narrowly lost their state, Sherrill is a potential shield against the White House.

I think even if she were up by 15 points, people would be nervous, Democratic strategist Anthony Campisi said. With Donald Trump in the White House, New Jerseys governor is really the last bulwark that New Jerseyans have against a MAGA agenda being inflicted upon them.  I think people will be sweating this until the polls close on Election Day. I know I am.

Historical winds are also a factor, any student of New Jersey political history will quickly tell you.

The state, though blue-leaning, is a pendulum. It tends to vote for a governor of the opposite party from who is in the White House. But its also a state that has not elected the same party into the governors mansion for three consecutive terms since the 1960s.

This year will test which of those trends is stronger. As Sherrill tries to run against Trump, Ciattarelli tries to run against Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, with some variations in between.

After eight years of Phil Murphy, theres a real fear voters will be tired of him and looking for a change, Campisi said. But he also said that he thinks Ciattarelli aligning so closely with Trump, an unpopular president, will help Sherrill.

Ciattarelli gave Trumps job performance an A during their final debate on Wednesday, while Sherrill gave the president an F. Sherrill gave Murphy a B as governor, while Ciattarelli gave him an F.

A September poll from Emerson College, which found the race deadlocked, showed both Murphy and Trump were unpopular. Only 35% of respondents approved of the governor, while 44% disapproved. The president had a 41% approval rating, but a 51% majority of voters disapproved of him less than a year into his second term.

An October poll paid for by the DGA and conducted by Public Policy Polling showed Sherrill up 6 points and Trump with 53% disapproval, but the polling memo did not include figures for Murphy.

No easy baskets in New Jersey

Ciattarelli and Sherrill are running very different campaigns, and that contrast has sparked some of the worries about whether Sherrill is reaching the voters she needs to win. Governor races in New Jersey tend to draw about 40% of registered voters, which means turnout becomes key.

Ciattarelli is out on the stump more, holding larger, Trump-style rallies, while Sherrill has done fewer events and favored more controlled gatherings. She also has her duties in Washington to balance.

She absolutely needs to be out there more, a longtime organizer in the state said.

The organizer and several other Democratic insiders said they think Sherrill, a former federal prosecutor and Navy pilot, is good in off-the-cuff interactions and wish they could see more of that. Its difficult to know how much on-the-ground campaigning she is doing because the campaign does not make her schedule public. Only some of her events are open to the media.

Her schedule looks to be ramping up, with Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and his wife, former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, campaigning with Sherrill on Saturday and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and DNC chair Ken Martin both expected to join her on the trail in the coming weeks. Sherrill had scheduled events in Passaic, Essex, Camden, and Gloucester Counties on Saturday.

Sherrills team has also touted its coordinated campaign, a joint effort between the campaign and state and local parties, which have collectively contacted 4.2 million voters, made 1.3 million phone calls, sent 2.5 million texts, and knocked on 409,000 doors. That puts Sherrill ahead of totals in 2021 and 2017 coordinated campaigns, Ball, the campaign director, said.

Sen. Cory Booker, who got to know Sherrill when she was an assistant U.S. attorney in New Jersey said he has heard the hand-wringing but is impressed with what he has seen in the data.

Ive got a lot more confidence, but lets be clear, this is New Jersey. You earn every vote, said Booker, a New Jersey Democrat and former presidential candidate. There are no easy baskets in New Jersey, especially at the governors level.

The campaign has also invested specifically in messaging in Black and Latino communities across the state  including Newark, Paterson, Atlantic City, Trenton, Plainfield, New Brunswick, Willingboro, and Vineland, according to last weeks memo.

Geographically, Democrats are particularly wary of Passaic County, home to Paterson and a large number of Latino voters, where Trump narrowly won in 2024 after losing by more than 14 percentage points to then-Democratic nominee Joe Biden there in 2020. In September, Change NJ, a pro-Ciattarelli super PAC, began targeting Passaic voters in campaign ads attacking Sherrill.

If I were Mikie, I would be worried about that because I dont think anyone understands what happened there, Cornell, the former Obama director, said.

Booker said he thinks many of those voters who gave Trump a chance have since turned on him, frustrated by aggressive immigration enforcement targeting noncriminals and prices that have not come down.

Theres a bitterness in those counties about Donald Trump. They dont believe him anymore, and they are really motivated to vote against Trump now, he said.

And some critics question whether the campaigns focus on tying Ciattarelli to Trump will be enough to get people to the polls, particularly independent voters. Sherrill has also focused on affordability, defending abortion rights, and effective leadership.

Katie Brennan, another Democratic candidate for state Assembly in Jersey City, noted the blue county presents a huge opportunity for Democrats. But with the lowest turnout of any county in the state, its a place that needs motivating.

We are a Democratic force, but we need attention in order to turn out, she said. I really hope to be a part of a new Democratic Party that is organizing people on the ground.

Many of the same insiders who expressed concerns about Sherrills campaign said they think she has a smart team that delivered for her in June, when she went on to win the primary by 14 percentage points.

The political class in Trenton was criticizing her approach then, Campisi said. She was sort of accused of being very low-key, not being as accessible, and what Ill say is that running for governor is a different race than running for state legislator or mayor.

This is a race thats fought with very large narratives, and its very unlikely that Mikie Sherrill herself will encounter most of the folks who will cast a ballot for her and, I think, ultimately elect her governor.

Data reporter Joe Yerardi and Politics and Government reporter Aliya Schneider contributed to this article.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Sherrills past legal experience. She served as an assistant U.S. attorney in New Jersey.
Adm. Daryl Caudle, chief of Navy operations, meets with with guests during the Navy Homecoming 250 Gala at the National Constitution Center on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. Read more

The Navys new top officer says he would follow orders to deploy naval assets anywhere, including U.S. cities  as long as the order was lawful.

When we get a demand signal for our troops to be deployed anywhere under a lawful order, it is my goal to provide those troops for the missions that the Secretary of War wants to actually utilize them for, said Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle.

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The admiral sat down for an interview with The Inquirer on Friday evening, one day after Navy ships sailed up the Delaware River, kicking off a week of events to celebrate the military branchs 250th anniversary in its birthplace.

The Trump appointee discussed the Navys past and future at a politically volatile moment both at home and at sea  with National Guard soldiers deployed to several U.S. cities, and flaring tensions in the Caribbean after the U.S. military destroyed four boats it claimed were smuggling drugs.

Caudle has served in the Navy for 40 years. He emphasized the Navys apolitical nature and essential role in U.S. defense, and encouraged people to enjoy the tours of Navy ships and other events scheduled over the next few days.

Philadelphias significance

The U.S. Navys predecessor, the Continental Navy, was formed in Philadelphia during an October 1775 meeting of the Second Continental Congress, made up of delegates from the 13 original colonies that would become the United States.

That was a big undertaking, Caudle said. He explained that the fledgling U.S. government commissioned six frigates to cut off British supply lines into Boston. Two months later, the Congress also founded the U.S. Marines in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia, along with Camden and the Willow Grove area, have held numerous Navy operations over the years, Caudle said. Philadelphia is also where many of the Navys propellers are made, and Caudle said hes reviewing the shipyard for opportunities to bring more shipbuilding jobs to the region.

Under President Donald Trumps orders, shipbuilding is a top priority, Caudle said.

Theres a campaign to get people to want to actually do those type of vocational jobs  pipe fitting, welding, electricians," Caudle said. Theres a need to develop that workforce and treat them right.

Stopping drug cartels

Since August theres been a massive buildup of U.S. Navy resources in the Caribbean. The U.S. military has struck four boats, killing 21 people.

The Trump administration says it was stopping drugs from entering the U.S. But the United Nations has condemned the strikes as an extrajudicial execution. The attacks have flared tensions with Venezuela ally Russia, and drawn criticism from legal experts; one recent report found that a boat was turning around to retreat before it was destroyed, killing 11 people.

The Navys top priority right now is defense of the homeland, Caudle said. That includes stanching the flow of drugs into the country, he said.

The Navy is working with Customs and Border Patrol and conducting patrols in the Gulf of America and the Eastern Pacific in and around San Diego and the Mexican border, and is engaged in efforts to stop drug trafficking, Caudle said.

So the maritime paths of that from those areas in South America into the United States is something that I think the president takes very seriously, and were putting naval combat power in to support those missions, he said.

A politically charged moment

Caudle emphasized that the Navy is an apolitical organization.

But critics argue the line has become blurred under the second Trump administration. The U.S. Marines, which are part of the Navy, were deployed to Los Angeles in June. A federal judge in September ruled that this violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts the use of military for domestic law enforcement.

Caudle attended Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths September speech to generals at Quantico, Va., which drew criticism for politically partisan comments Trump made there.

And, at an event in Norfolk, Va., last Sunday that was part of the Navys 250th anniversary celebration, Trump told a large crowd of military personnel that the U.S. has to take care of this little gnat thats on our shoulder called the Democrats, drawing bipartisan criticism.

 READ MORE: Troops request assistance at unprecedented rate as shutdown persists

On Friday, Caudle, who started in the Navy when Ronald Reagan was president, pushed back against the idea that the military has become politically partisan.

He said that the Navy expects to bring in 45,000 new recruits this year, about 10,000 more than in previous years. To him, thats a sign that politics isnt affecting the publics perception of the Navy.

The militarys goal is to stay apolitical to that, and to execute legal orders, Caudle said, and my job is to carry the policy of the president of the United States down and execute that.

Homecoming 250 brings the Navy to the public

The Homecoming 250 events give the public a rare chance to see Navy assets up close, with the USS Arlington, USS Lassen, USS Cooperstown, and USS Billings docked around Philadelphia and Camden. Tours of the ships are open to the public until Wednesday afternoon.

With sailors in uniform touring Philadelphia throughout the week, Caudle encouraged people to strike up a conversation.

Youll see they come from all walks of life, from every state of the Union, theyre of all genders and ethnicities, and when you meet them, you are going to find that the professionalism is world class, he said.

A variety of threats

Caudle said the Navy has clear orders from the Trump administration and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth  to watch Americas top competitor, China, and to deter any hostile activity. China is outpacing the U.S. in the construction of naval assets, he said.

Russia is another top concern, Caudle said, with its large nuclear weapons arsenal.

The Navy is also increasingly focused on working with other agencies to monitor threats from space and online, he added. He said military and commercial infrastructure is under attack every single day from malicious actors.
The west entrance to the Pennsylvania State Capitol at Third and State Streets in Harrisburg Aug. 26, 2025. Read more

Philadelphias only rape crisis center will continue offering some of its services  but with significantly reduced staff  as the state budget impasse has shaken up operations and spurred layoffs at the Philadelphia Center Against Sexual Violence. The center is known by the initials of its former name, Women Organized Against Rape: WOAR.

Gabriella Fontan, WOARs new executive director, said Saturday in an email to The Inquirer that services like crisis counseling, court and forensic rape exam accompaniment, and advocacy services, including WOARs Survivor Advocacy Program, would continue without interruption beyond Friday, which was the final day of work for many employees who had been notified earlier in the week that they would be laid off.

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Remaining staff members, interns, or volunteers will be available to work the centers 24-7 hotline, though after midnight and on weekends calls may be answered by other agencies serving survivors, such as NOVA Bucks and Delaware County Victim Assistance Center, Fontan said. Through Monday, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) will be working the hotline.

Counseling and therapy services, as well as prevention and education resources, will continue through Oct. 17, said Fontan, who was announced as WOARs new executive director roughly a week before layoffs took place.

WOAR, which was founded in 1971 as one of the first rape crisis centers in the United States, underwent rapid personnel changes last week after a majority of employees received notices Tuesday that they would be laid off, largely due to the state budget crisis.

Harrisburg lawmakers are more than three months late in passing a state budget, hurting WOAR and other rape crisis centers that receive money from the Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect (PCAR), which gets funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.

Joanne Strauss, president of WOARs board of directors, said Monday that the organizations ability to offer such services as crisis response, therapy, or advocacy would be severely impacted.

This devastating disruption leaves survivors without access to critical 24-7 hotline services, therapy and counseling, court and medical accompaniment, and advocacy, and it leaves the community without prevention education services, Strauss added.

It remains unclear how WOAR is able to maintain many of its programs without sufficient funding from the state, and Fontan did not immediately respond to a request for clarification Saturday. But the centers Instagram page indicates it has received community support for the hotline and encourages members of the public to keep donating.

But the fact that a majority of employees were laid off suggests services will be on the shoulders of only a handful of workers. Fontan did not indicate how many employees remain at WOAR.

Mariah Gallagher, a Philadelphia-based trauma therapist and owner of the Relational Realm therapy practice, said any disruptions to services are likely to have a ripple effect for survivors.

Across Pennsylvania, rape crisis centers support 27,000 people affected by sexual violence every year, center leaders, including Strauss from WOAR, wrote in the Pennsylvania Capital-Star last month, noting that the centers cant hold out much longer.

I think the impact is more than just We dont have a place to go right after the crisis, but more so we dont have access to all these, like, relational tools and these, like, healing tools, and these people who care about us, Gallagher said.

Crisis centers in crisis

In an effort to protect WOAR, the center has rolled out a Bridging The Gap Campaign to Save WOAR on social media, directing supporters to reach out to Philadelphias state representatives and senators, donate, and share the Instagram post about the campaign.

Pennsylvanias 48 rape crisis centers are in crisis! the center wrote on Instagram. WOAR is included in that number. What can you do to help?

Employees at WOAR are feeling the effects of their center being in jeopardy.

Isabelle Beatus, a former crisis and court advocate and WOAR employee who received a layoff notice Tuesday, said she and her colleagues were feeling the sadness on Friday as they wound down their responsibilities on their final day of work.

Theres so much sadness about how everything has kind of gone down, and just not being able to work as a team anymore, and just the lack of services, or even if were able to [work] at some level of operation with some services, its just not the same, Beatus said.

Beatus and other employees told The Inquirer last week that they were most concerned about the gap in services and continuity of care for survivors.

In addition to WOAR, survivors can access support from neighboring county organizations or programs at local colleges or universities. SECRET, Drexel Universitys sexual education group, is hosting an hours-long march from West Philly to City Hall on Friday to call for the restoration of funds to WOAR and other rape crisis centers.

The City of Philadelphia does not offer direct services for survivors but can serve as a bridge to services and provide information and resources and lists several resources for survivors on websites for the citys office of domestic violence strategies and office of the victim advocate, Sharon Gallagher, senior director of communications for the city managing directors office, said in a statement Friday.

The city has been in communication with WOAR and is concerned about their current situation, Gallagher said, noting that WOAR has updated the city on the services it intends to continue providing for the public.

We appreciate their efforts to ensure that services to sexual assault survivors maintain intact, to the best of their ability, Gallagher said.
Sun Yong (L), Chinese Ambassador to Guinea, presents the letters of credence to Guinean President Mamady Doumbouya, in Conakry, Guinea, Oct. 10, 2025. Guinea and China share a long-standing traditional friendship and their practical cooperation has strongly supported Guinea's nation-building and economic development, Guinean President Mamady Doumbouya said here on Friday. Doumbouya made the remarks when he received the letters of credence presented by the new Chinese Ambassador to Guinea Sun Yong. (Guinean Presidency/Handout via Xinhua)

CONAKRY, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Guinea and China share a long-standing traditional friendship and their practical cooperation has strongly supported Guinea's nation-building and economic development, Guinean President Mamady Doumbouya said here on Friday.

Doumbouya made the remarks when he received the letters of credence presented by the new Chinese Ambassador to Guinea Sun Yong.

Doumbouya said that Guinea will work with China to deliver even more fruitful results through high-level cooperation and further improve the well-being of both peoples.

For his part, Sun said that China will follow through on the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and elevate the traditional friendly relations with Guinea to a higher level so that the outcomes of the mutually beneficial cooperation will deliver more benefits to the two peoples.

Sun arrived in Guinea on Aug. 3 to take up his new post. 
Farmers, motorists, and onlookers are being urged to stay safe during the annual deer rutting season now at its peak.

Stags, which can weigh more than 158kg, compete for females by roaring and clashing antlers to dominate their rivals at this time of the year.

They can also run at high speeds, and are highly dangerous and unpredictable due to their hormone levels.

People flock to Killarney National Park, Phoenix Park in Dublin, Wicklow Mountains National Park, and other locations to watch the spectacle, which occurs over six weeks during October and November.

Visitors are advised to keep a safe distance from the animals for their own safety, remain alert to the risk of road traffic accidents, and avoid disturbing the deer.

The risk to motorists is highest during the rutting season, but a surge in the deer population over recent years has also led a rise in road accidents involving the animals.

Fine Gael senator Eileen Lynch recently told the Upper House that a massive increase in traffic accidents on the Macroom by-pass, opened two years ago, and on the N22 is a result of wild deer.

The deer have been displaced, and that is causing more of them to be on the road.

Almost every week, I get a call from a member of the public advising there has been an accident either on the bypass or east or west of it

Last week, I got a call from a member of the public whose car had been hit by a deer between Ballyvourney and Macroom, causing hundreds of euro worth of damage, she said.

Ms Lynch said she was aware that measures have been taken by agriculture minister Martin Heydon to introduce deer management units, which have been set up by farm relief services. There is one in Cork and another in Kerry.

Compensation scheme

She called on the minister to come to the House to clarify whether these units are working to their required level of efficiency, and to look at whether a compensation scheme can be put in place for those who have accidents because of these deer.

I know deer are not owned by anyone as such, but when we are not putting the correct management tools in place, and innocent people are having accidents as a result, we need to look to look at it, she said.

Ms Lynch said she is also aware of two new pilot schemes having been rolled out in Kerry.

One is for detection and alert, and the other is a deterrent which generates noise to prevent deer going on to the public roads.

Similar schemes have been implemented in the United States, she said, asking the minister to see if these could be implemented on a country-wide basis here.

Senator Sean Kyne (FG) said Ms Lynch had raised a serious concern regarding deer wandering on the Macroom by-pass since it opened.

I am not sure if there is deer fencing along the bypass, he said, pledging to raise the matter with Mr Heydon.

Replying to a Dail question from Malcolm Byrne (FF), the minister said the Department of Agriculture, Food, and Marine does not maintain records in relation to the number of deer in the State.
Nadja Lanas career as an artist has brought her to some interesting places, from the swingers club in Dusseldorf where she once made sketches, to the former church in Ballycotton, Co Cork, that is currently hosting her first solo exhibition in Ireland.

Lana was born in Haan, Germany in 1992. Her interest in art led her to study art history initially. Id always painted, she says, but after two years studying for a degree in art history I realised it was more than a hobby, I wanted it to be my profession. So I switched to studying Fine Arts at the Kunstakademie Dusseldorf.

I loved being in art college. Everyone has their own personality, and sometimes its hard to work together in a shared studio. But its helpful to talk to your tutors and other students about your work and develop your ideas.

One of her earliest influences was the Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dali. I still really like his work. I love how he creates such surreal dream worlds. But at the moment its a bit too dark for me. I really like Joseph Beuys as well. He didnt paint, as such, but I like the idea of his social work. I think Dali and Beuys are the two artists I admire the most.

At college, Lana experimented with sculpture for a time. I worked with latex a bit. Its a really interesting material for me because I love to paint flesh and skin. I may do more of that kind of work some time, but at the moment I prefer painting to sculpture.

Much of Lanas work is figurative in nature. I worked with live models a lot in college, she says. And I ask friends to pose for me as well. I was always pretty interested in the voyeuristic kind of view, where you watch something and you have the feeling that something or someone is looking back. I try to create a feeling of ambivalence in my paintings. I hope that the audience don't just say, oh, that's a lovely painting. I love it when they feel a bit torn.

That was why I went to a swingers club. I dont want to be involved in that kind of thing, but I asked if I could go along and make sketches, and they said okay. I did some really quick sketches, and I used them later in my work.

The multi-purpose entertainment venue, Sea Church in Ballycotton, Co Cork.

Lana graduated with a masters degree in Fine Arts in 2023. I worked as a waitress a lot when I was a student, but now I work full-time as an artist. Its possible to make a living as an artist in Germany, but its hard. At the moment I have three paintings showing in a group exhibition in Germany. Sometimes you might sell three paintings in a month, and then, for months and months, you might sell nothing.

Lane moved to Ireland because I just fell in love with the place, she says. I travelled around a bit. At first I really liked Galway, but then I realised it was maybe a bit too touristic for me. Then I visited Cork, and found this place to rent in Midleton. Its a big house, and I use one room as my studio, so its ideal.

Lana was delighted to be invited to exhibit at Sea Church, the former Church of Ireland church that opened as a music venue and restaurant in 2020. Her exhibition is the first of a planned series designed to offer local artists a place to showcase their work.

They knew Id never shown in Ireland before, and when they asked if I wanted to do the opening exhibition, I said yes, of course. I knew it would be lovely to see my paintings in the church. Theres a really big stained glass window, and its really exciting to hang my work on the walls around it. Im showing one painting I did for my graduation show in Germany, and three more that Ive done in Midleton. Im showing drawings and graphics as well.

Lana was impressed by the organisers decision to let artists keep all the sales from their work. Galleries in Germany take up to 50% in commission, but Sea Church takes none. Its a great deal.

Lana also sees the exhibition as an opportunity to make contacts in the Irish arts scene. Hopefully other artists who come to see it will get in touch, she says. I always love to exchange ideas. And now that I live in Ireland, I would love to show more work in exhibitions here.

Nadja Lanas solo exhibition at Sea Church in Ballycotton, Co Cork runs until November 30.

nadjalana.com

seachurch.ie

Palestine Postcard Project

Aisling Roche's piece in The Palestine Postcard Project

Eilis OConnell, Aisling Roche and John Noel Smith are among the Irish artists contributing work to the Palestine Postcard Project, which launches in Skibbereen on October 18. Conceived by Mich Maroney, Creative Director of SWERVE journal, the project features over 1,500 original postcard-sized artworks by more than 600 artists from all over the world.

Each postcard will be sold at a fixed price of 50, with all proceeds going to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) , which continues to provide critical support to the people of Palestine. All the postcards are signed on the reverse, ensuring they are bought on merit.

The international artists participating include the Danish sculptor Helle Helsner, the UK-based painter Michael Ajerman, and the American Obie Weathers, who has been on death row in Texas for the past 24 years.

The Palestine Postcard Project launches at Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre in Skibbereen, Co Cork on Saturday October 18 and runs until Saturday October 25.
I HAVE always had a very close relationship with my brothers daughter. She is the only girl of all the cousins and having had four boys myself, when she came along, I really bonded with her.

As she grew up, I always made sure to give my niece exciting days out for her birthday and special back-to-school days every September, right up until she went to college. When she went travelling, I gave her a significant sum of money, and even arranged for her to stay with an old friend of mine in Australia for a couple of weeks to get her settled over there.

She announced her engagement recently, and of course, I was thrilled. But a big blow came over the weekend. My brother has told us that she wants an intimate wedding, and they are keeping it small with just immediate family.

We are a big extended family, so I understand how numbers could get crazy. But I cant help feeling so hurt that she is not including me, I feel like all that investment I put into her growing up means nothing to her  when it meant so so much to me. To be honest, its a kick in the stomach, and Im very low and depressed about it.

Should I say it to her?

It really sounds like you have or had a beautiful relationship with your niece, and when all is said and done here, that should stay the same. I think you were excited at the time to see another girl come into the family, even though your family had been blessed with all boys up until then.

I do really like that dynamic between aunt and niece or uncle and nephew, there is something very homely about it. You gave her a few bob down through the years and a wad when she was heading over sea, but more importantly, you spent a lot of time with her on days out and so on. From your letter, I think you got as much out of your time together as she did, and that is brilliant.

Great news now that she has gotten engaged, and that she has found someone to spend the rest of her life with and you are naturally thrilled for her. I think you are so upset by not being invited to the wedding that you havent even told me whether you like the fiance or not, but Ill take it that things are OK in that department.

Now, the bad news came from your brother and not your niece. I wonder if she might have found it hard to tell you that they were only having a very small wedding and knew you might get upset?

I think she is right to have a small wedding. Why spend all that money on one day when they could put it towards a house? When there is a very big extended family, if you invite one you have to invite the whole lot.

I know that you were very good to her, but the rest of the family might not, and probably they all would be pissed off if you were invited and nobody else.

I really think you need to be the bigger person here. Its coming across like she owes you something, if you dont mind me saying. She owes you nothing.

Yes, you have been very good to her, and if she did only bring you, would it be because you gave her money? That might even make you feel worse, like you bought your way into her life or something like that.

I think you should be delighted for her and tell her so, and also tell her a small wedding is a great idea and make her feel good about that. She doesnt need other pressures now, like thinking that youre upset with her, and being kind, as you always have been, will make her and you feel better.

The fact that she is a happy-go-lucky young woman is part down to you, dont forget, and you should be proud of that. Ive often said that gigs I didnt get money for or the unpaid favour I did for people were far more rewarding than any money gig, there is something that goes off inside you that money cant buy, and I think this is the way you should look at this whole thing.

This is something that you shouldnt be getting depressed about, and if you are, there might be something else at play here, and you should speak to a professional. Yes, its OK to feel bad, but depression is a different thing altogether. But you shouldnt feel down about it either.

I bet you that your niece will do something special to mark your relationship, it might be a card to say thanks or something like that, and that will happen closer to the time.

Please dont feel for one second that all the money and time that you have spent has been a waste. Again, you really cant look at it like that, you were never looking for an auntie of the year award from the start and what you have gotten from it up until now has been far more than money could buy.

Just remember all the happy times you have had and remember, too, that there are more to come.

You ask should you say it to her, and my answer is a definite NO! At this moment in time, all this is on your side. You feel like all the investment you put into her means nothing to her; you dont know that. The word investment is a bit weird, too; shes not a car. I think you should take a step back and when you know whats really happening here, go and speak to her in the way Ive suggested.

She has done nothing wrong here, and you really dont know either whats going on in her new life, but to protect your relationship going forward, tread lightly, all is not as bad as it seems, and be happy for her and tell her that  shell be delighted.
Trains grinding to a halt, retailers unable to handle card payments and businesses forced to shut down en masse  the Iberian blackout during the spring was a timely reminder of how much we rely on a solid energy system and the devastating effects when things can go wrong.

As experts continue to sift through the fallout of Europes most significant blackout in more than two decades, at home, Irish experts say it shows how important it is to invest in our under-pressure energy grid to make it more resilient and to ensure it can handle it if and when things go wrong.

What happened in Spain was a technical failure and an engineering issue, said University College Cork senior lecturer in power systems engineering Dr Barry Hayes.

It was a set of very particular factors they hadnt seen before, and maybe werent fully prepared for.

Were spoilt in a way, were not used to power outages occurring very often. We rarely think about what goes into keeping the lights on.

CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB

In April, the large-scale outage paralysed cities and towns across Portugal and Spain.

The power failure that lasted more than eight hours saw some people trapped in lifts, while others had to trudge down multiple flights of stairs in the darkness with only their mobile phones for light.

Metros and trains ground to a halt, leaving people either sealed in carriages by electric doors for hours, or forced to jump down, pick their way over tracks, and walk to nearby towns.

Cyber attack ruled out as cause of blaclout

Initially, questions were asked to whether a cyber attack could be behind the blackout but authorities had ruled that out.

In a report from the European network of electricity transmission system operators  of which Irelands Eirgrid is a member  earlier this month, a cyber attack was again ruled out.

While it pointed to what contributed to the blackout, such as oscillations on the grid and the actions taken to try mitigate them, the exact root causes have yet to be determined.

It took 20 seconds to go from slightly elevated but stable voltage levels to dangerously high, Dr Hayes said.

And then it all collapsed. Thats how quick it was. And it could happen even faster.

Marcos Byrne, policy manager at Wind Energy Ireland, said a series of unfortunate events triggered the blackout and highlighted that Ireland is similarly vulnerable in that is relatively isolated from mainland Europe, with its renewable sources coming from solar and wind.

Weve both been really strong on renewables, Mr Byrne said. We can accept up to 75% renewables on the grid at any one time.

Our energy mix is about 35%-40% renewables and Spain is similar enough.

Its how weve done everything else. Building renewables is one thing, but to continue you need to be building supporting infrastructure alongside it.

He said that such supporting technology can help when there is instability on the grid, and make it more resilient such as developing more energy storage and flexibility to respond to unforeseen events.

But theres absolutely learnings from what happened in the Iberian case, he said. From the get-go, we may be on the right path, but were not there yet.

The next five years are very critical for our energy system, he said.

A lot of our infrastructure is decades old and we need to modernise how we operate the grid. We need to learn very quickly from recent storms too.

Dr Hayes said we have suffered from massive underinvestment in the grid in the past, but that is starting to turn around.

Running electrical grid at close to its limit

We have been running the grid close to its limits over recent years, he said. Margins at the moment are tighter than they have been in the past.

Weve been very tight before in a recent winter where if anything else had gone wrong wed have been in serious trouble.

"Weve been very tight before when two interconnectors tripped but we survived that. It shows theres a resilience there.

The importance for Ireland to avoid such an event cant be overstated.

In the wake of the Spanish incident, its main business lobby claimed the costs could exceed a billion euro from a blackout that lasted less than a day.

In the budget last week, ministers said 3.5bn would be invested in our national grid infrastructure, with energy minister Darragh OBrien saying it would help "future proof" our energy system for the ongoing transition to indigenous renewables, and the impacts of a changing climate, as we have seen during recent storms.

Conor Healy, chief executive of Cork Chamber, said reinforcing and enhancing Irelands electricity grid must be a national priority for our energy security, renewables goals and for our economic competitiveness.

The current grid lacks the capacity to integrate large volumes of new renewable generation or to meet rapidly increasing demand from housing, transport, and industry, Mr Healy said.

Strengthening grid infrastructure is essential not only to support decarbonisation, but also to attract and retain foreign direct investment and enable the increased delivery of housing.

Cork is earmarked for substantial population growth in the coming decades, and it is vital that we see significant investment in our grid to ensure the region has the capacity to support existing and future residential and commercial needs.

He added that Cork was uniquely placed to help drive the transformation as it will be home to the major energy project linking Irelands with France, the Celtic Interconnector, currently under construction.

Looking ahead, Dr Hayes said that while there are lessons that operators across Europe will learn from the Iberian event, it was very specific circumstances that caused it.

The thing is with every blackout that occurs is that its different, he said.

If it was something a grid operator couldve anticipated beforehand, it wouldnt have happened.

Its hard to draw a direct line between a specific set of circumstances with different demands.

But, he added, on the grid there were more concerted efforts underway to ensure it can meet the demands Ireland needs of it going forward.

A family eats a snack by candlelight during a blackout in Barcelona, Spain, on April 285. File picture: Emilio Morenatti/ AP

In a statement, Eirgrid said that the expert European panel was still working to determine the root causes of the Iberian blackout and establish recommendations to help prevent similar incidents in the future.

The recommendations from this final report may be of relevance to the operation of Irelands power system, and may in turn serve to enhance our comprehensive suite of measures deployed on an ongoing basis that are designed to safeguard the resilience of the Irish electricity grid, Eirgrid said.

We work closely with Government, the CRU (Commission for Regulation of Utilities), and other energy sector agencies to ensure national preparedness for the unlikely occurrence of power system emergencies of this nature  including undertaking regular training, blackstart tests, and multi-stakeholder exercises.

Additional reporting from Reuters
A Corkman who took part in a documentary on sepsis did it to keep his sisters memory alive for her children.

Tracey Corcoran, 37, was a devoted mother of two who put a smile on everyones face.

She lived with a rare form of rheumatoid arthritis and an autoimmune condition, adult-onset Stills disease (AOSD).

Her brother James recalls she also had two hip operations, powering through the recovery from both surgeries.

In May 2020, when she had pain over that weekend, we knew something was going wrong when she started complaining because she would have toughed out a lot of things, he said.

At first they thought it was to do with her illnesses but when her temperature climbed, she went to Southdoc.

By the early hours of Sunday morning, the family called an ambulance for her at home in Togher.

The paramedics thought it was maybe gastroenteritis but unfortunately it wasnt. We didnt have a clue about sepsis then, I couldnt have told you the first thing about it, he said.

Later, when I was searching online, there was hardly anything about it then in Ireland.

Treatment in intensive care unit at CUH

Tracey was taken to Cork University Hospital and treated in the intensive care unit (ICU).

We were not allowed into the hospital, we were confined to phone calls. We werent allowed up there until we knew things were going wrong, he said.

We were just speaking with the nurses every day at 11am and 5pm for any updates.

"Tracey was alone, and who knows what might have happened, would she have rallied with visitors?

Its hard, she was in ICU and there was nobody there with her. The isolation made it 10 times more difficult and I suppose its a hard chapter to close.

Over the next four weeks she seemed to improve at times. Then tragically on June 20, Tracey died in hospital, leaving her partner and children devastated.

She was a devoted mother first and foremost, she was her childrens biggest fan, James said.

Theres a hole in our heart and I dont think it will ever be filled. She was the type of person that kept our family together, she was the glue. And she put smiles on everyones faces.

Tracey Corcoran with her children Sophie and William; Ms Corcoran passed away from sepsis in 2020.

James now volunteers with the Cork-based Irish Sepsis Foundation and is its deputy chairman.

Awareness is key, he said.

Dont wait until sepsis comes to your first door before educating yourselves.

He called on people to learn the signs as early diagnosis can be crucial.

The last thing you want is to have a situation like my own and have sepsis come to your front door and not know any details about it.

Who know if we had known the signs, there may have been a different outcome.

Now were left scratching our heads, a would-have, could-have, should-have scenario.

James is one of the moving interviews featured in a new documentary, Sepsis: A Story of Loss, Love and Survival.

It is still a difficult time for us.

Traceys daughter Sophie is just 18 now and her son William is 16.

I suppose the reason we do these things is to have a lasting legacy for her kids to remember her by, James said.

Hopefully the documentary will be picked up by national stations, and Ill be a part of that.

More importantly my sister will be a part of it, and her son and daughter will have something to remember her by.

Documentary director Kim Wyse had her own frightening brush with sepsis when she was 23 weeks pregnant in 2016.

A frantic rush to hospital and a four-week stay for treatment came after an abscess in her stomach caused by Crohns disease burst, she recalled.

There was a lot going on, she said.

I was so ill. I was in ICU for some time and we were told to expect labour to be imminent. They said if that happened there was not much they could do except make the baby comfortable.

Kim Wyse, a sepsis survivor, is the first-time producer and writer of a documentary highlighting the negative impacts of sepsis on patients and their families in Ireland. Picture: Moya Nolan

Her daughter was eventually born at 34 weeks old after successful treatment for sepsis and its consequences.

I wasnt familiar then with the signs of sepsis, but I know now I had decreased urine output, tachycardia, and high temperature, Ms Wyse said.

She added: I collapsed at home that morning when the abscess burst, I was brought by ambulance to hospital. My team there were so on the ball.

They immediately tested for sepsis.

I was just very lucky.

She stayed in Tallaght hospital for almost a month, leaving her husband and three older children at home.

It was really difficult to deal with, I didnt really know at first what was going on, she said.

I do remember two doctors at my bedside and one saying to the other we dont need another Savita Halappanavar'. I remember thinking to myself Im in trouble.

Death of Savita Halappanavar

Ms Halappanavar died in 2012 having gone to Galway hospital experiencing a miscarriage. She was denied an abortion, with severe sepsis recorded as the cause of her death.

Ms Wyse said she was delirious at the time, but that comment stood out.

I knew more about that name than I did about sepsis, she said.

The impact of those traumatic weeks lingered for many years.

Sepsis can be tragic but even for survivors and their families it is difficult, she said.

I know with my own family there was a domino effect. I had sepsis but it affected my children, my husband, my parents and siblings. It is traumatic looking at your loved one with tubes and wires, critically ill.

She added: I was out of it for most of my time in the ICU but they werent. It affected them terrible. We had no supports.

Her children were 12, eight, and two at the time.

Even afterwards, the sepsis really really affected me, she said.

Long-term effects of sepsis

I was tired all the time, I had to walk with a walking frame. I was diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety, depression. I left home as one person and came back as another.

Kim is also now a volunteer for the Irish Sepsis Foundation, which is supporting the documentary.

Ive often had people say to me you had sepsis, why do you want to work around people who had sepsis? but its very simple, she said.

Its about saving other families from going through what mine did.

Her hope now is the documentary will be picked up for wider distribution so the eight stories can be shared with a bigger audience.

This is a one-off but I would love to think someone (a broadcaster) might pick it up, she said.

I think this is worthwhile, were trying to educate the public on the signs and symptoms of sepsis.

The documentary screens for the first time on October 23 at the Odeon Cinema in Point Square, Dublin. Free tickets are available through the Irish Sepsis Foundation on Eventbrite.

The foundation said the stories in the documentary are a reminder sepsis can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time.

The most recent HSE sepsis report shows 15,722 cases in 2023 including septic shock.

There were 260 pregnancy-related cases of sepsis and none of these women died. Some 2,891 children were admitted to hospitals with sepsis.
A man aged in his 40s has been charged in relation to a stabbing incident in which a man was taken to hospital after he suffered a slash wound to one of his calves.

Romeo Bruma, who is a native of Romania, appeared before a special sitting of Mallow District Court in Co Cork on Sunday.
Afghanistan has said it killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in overnight border operations, in response to what it called repeated violations of its territory and airspace.

Earlier in the week, Afghan authorities accused Pakistan of bombing the capital Kabul and a market in the countrys east. Pakistan did not claim responsibility for that assault.

The Taliban governments chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said Afghan forces have captured 25 Pakistani army posts, 58 soldiers have been killed, and 30 others have been injured.

He told a press conference in Kabul on Sunday: The situation on all official borders and de facto lines of Afghanistan is under complete control, and illegal activities have been largely prevented. There was no immediate confirmation from Pakistan about casualties.

The Taliban governments defence ministry said earlier its forces had conducted retaliatory and successful operations along the border.

It added: If the opposing side again violates Afghanistans territorial integrity, our armed forces are fully prepared to defend the nations borders and will deliver a strong response.

Afghan refugees sit on a truck loaded with their belongings as they wait for the border crossing point to open (AP)

The Torkham border crossing, one of two main trade routes between the two countries, did not open on Sunday at its usual time of 8am. The crossing at Chaman was also closed.

Pakistan accuses Afghan authorities of harbouring members of the banned group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. Islamabad says the group carries out deadly attacks inside Pakistan, but Kabul denies the charge, saying it does not allow its territory to be used against other countries.

Before the Afghan claim of casualties, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the Saturday night assault and said the countrys army not only gave a befitting reply to Afghanistans provocations, but also destroyed several of their posts, forcing them to retreat.

Qatars foreign ministry expressed concern over the escalations and the potential repercussions for the security and stability of the region. It urged both sides to prioritise dialogue, diplomacy and restraint.

A senior Pakistani security official said Afghan forces opened fire in several north-western border areas in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the districts of Chitral, Bajaur, Mohmand, Angoor Adda and Kurram.

The official also said troops responded with heavy weaponry near Tirah in Khyber district and across the frontier in Afghanistans Nangarhar province.

A second Pakistani security official said at least one person was killed and another injured when a mortar shell fired from the Afghan side landed in Tiri village, Kurram district.

The two countries share a 1,622-mile border known as the Durand Line, but Afghanistan has never recognised it.
An attempted coup is under way in the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, the countrys president has said, a day after members of an elite army unit were seen joining youth-led protests against the government.

Madagascar has been shaken by three weeks of the most significant unrest seen for years, with protests led by a group calling itself Gen Z Madagascar. The United Nations has said the demonstrations have left 22 people dead and dozens injured, though the government has disputed this number.
YAOUNDE, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Cameroonian President Paul Biya cast his ballot Sunday at noon at the Government Primary School Bastos polling station in the capital, Yaounde, as voting continued nationwide.

Speaking to reporters after voting, Biya said he was satisfied with how the election was proceeding in the country. "People need to show proof of maturity and it will be a good thing if there are no injuries or fighting," Biya said.

Biya's main rival and former spokesperson, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, voted in the northern town of Garoua. "We hope that everything unfolds peacefully. People need to stay and count the votes when voting ends," Tchiroma said.

Joshua Osih of the opposition Social Democratic Front also cast his ballot at Lycee Joss polling station in the country's economic capital, Douala.

Voting was also underway in the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions, where separatists had vowed to disrupt the vote. Since 2017, separatists have been fighting to create an independent state in the regions.

According to the national electoral body, Elections Cameroon, a total of 8,010,464 people were registered to vote. Polls are scheduled to close at 6:00 p.m. local time. 
( The Times of Israel )  As we wait anxiously to see whether the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas will take hold and become permanentending the massacres in Gaza and bringing the hostages homewe find ourselves in the midst of Sukkot, the festival of fragile dwellings [or Feast of the Tabernacles].

During Sukkot, we leave the comfort of our sturdy homes and step into a dirat araitemporary huts, vulnerable to wind, rain, and uncertainty. The Sukkah reminds us that life itself is precarious, and that our humanity depends on recognizing the fragility of others as well as our own. After two years of relentless bloodshed and grief, that lesson feels painfully urgent.

Just days ago, on Rosh Hashanah [the Jewish New Year], we read two Torah stories that echo that same truth. On the first day, Hagar and Ishmael are cast away from their home and left to die in the desert. On the second, Abraham lifts the knife over his son Isaac, ready to slaughter him at Gods command.

These stories are meant to disturb usfilling us with fear, abandonment, and moral dilemma. We breathe a sigh of relief as both end in rescue: Hagars son is saved when she finds a well of water; Isaac is spared when a voice halts Abrahams hand. Yet the deeper question remains: what truly saves these two children?

The text offers a startling clue. These are the only two places in the entire Bible where we hear of a messenger of the Lord from heaven.

Hagar, powerless as her child slips toward death, suddenly hears that voice:

from heaven, and said: What troubles you, Hagar?  Come, lift up the boy Genesis 21:17 And the messenger of God called to Hagar, and said: What troubles you, Hagar?  Come, lift up the boy).

This voice rekindles her courage. Strengthened, she searches again and finds a well she had not seen beforesaving her son.

Abraham too is interrupted by a voice from heaven:

from heaven, and said: Abraham, Abraham! Do not lay your hand on the boy! Genesis 22:1112 And the messenger of the Lord called to him, and said: Abraham, Abraham! Do not lay your hand on the boy!).

At that moment, Abraham disobeys the divine order that brought him there, and instead chooses the voice that insists on life.

Why this extraordinary phrasefrom heaven?

Traditional commentaries read it literally, as a heavenly angel descending to intervene. Yet, not only is that a legendary explanation, it is troubling: Why does God not act directly to save the children?

But a deeper reading sees the voice from heaven not as a supernatural being, but as the awakening of an inner moral voicewhat today we call conscience. This dramatic moment marks a turning point, in which an individual experiences an internal summons, reorients their course of action, and chooses to preserve life rather than to destroy it.

And today, after so much bloodshed and devastation, that is the voice we most need to hear. It is no coincidence that we read these stories on Rosh Hashanah, as we pray for life in the year ahead. They demand of us what Hagar and Abraham each discovered: listen to the cry of conscience, and choose life. Refuse to let children starve. Refuse to kill them.

This call is not abstract. Each of us must ask: Do I keep the machinery runningthe machinery that rains bombs on homes, that shatters families, that buries children under rubble? Do I stay silent while my hands finance, justify, or enable a brutal occupation? The voice from heaven demands that we stop. That we refuse to be another cog in the machinery of siege and subjugation.



Shalom Koboshvili, Feast of the Tabernacles [Sukkot]. Public Domain. Via Wikimedia Commons.

The voice that halted Abrahams hand and rekindled Hagars courage still speaks. The question is whether we, surrounded by so much nationalism and jingoism, will hear it.
Roy Eidelson

Note: This essay is adapted from the authors August address at the American Psychological Association annual convention and from a webinar he presented in early September. The webinar includes many visual depictions of the topics discussed here.

( Counterpunch )  Welcome everyone. Im Roy Eidelson, president of the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence  Division 48 of the American Psychological Association (APA). Thank you all for being here. At the outset, I want to emphasize that I am speaking only for myself, and that Ill be sharing my own perspective and opinions on the issues Ill be discussing. I am not speaking on behalf of Division 48 or any other individual or group.

We meet today amid an alarming constellation of global trends, including the burgeoning repression of human rights, escalating threats to vulnerable groups, and the rise of authoritarian leaders who seemingly take pleasure in the pain, cruelty, and humiliation they inflict on those they deem to be lesser, disposable, and exploitable for political and financial gain.

Almost 60 years ago, one of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jrs final speeches, just months before his assassination, was at the APA convention in 1967. In part, he told the assembled psychologists this: On some positions cowardice asks the question, Is it safe?! Expediency asks the question, Is it politic? Vanity asks the question, Is it popular? But conscience must ask the question, Is it right?! And there comes a time when one must take a stand that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular. But one must take it because it is right. Two years earlier, in 1965, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel was among those who marched arm-in-arm with Dr. King from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, advocating for voting rights for Black Americans. Back then, Heschel reminded us that, in a free society, few are guilty, but all are responsible.

In my view, we cannot take righteous stands or honor our responsibilities to others  as citizens and as psychologists in this country  if we look away from the devastation unfolding in so many critical areas where psychological principles, research, ethics, and practice apply. Consider these examples:

+ The heartless offensive against the right to healthcare, including cuts to Medicaid, misinformation about vaccines, and the defunding of medical research. + The racism-fueled attacks on the principles and policies of diversity, equity, and inclusion, which will subvert progress toward greater opportunity for marginalized and disadvantaged groups. + The implementation of a cruel and brutal program of mass deportations, one that traumatizes immigrants while tearing apart families and futures. + The reckless, greed-driven, let-it-all-burn onslaught on the environment, denying climate change, accelerating pollution, and abandoning conservation. + The pursuit of restrictions on voting rights, that will deprive millions of the opportunity to fully participate in elections central to the preservation of democracy itself. + The contemptible assault on the LGBTQ community, especially transgender individuals by denying them appropriate medical treatment and the right to live their lives fully and authentically. + The imposition of draconian restrictions on reproductive rights, including the further curtailing of access to abortion, contraception, and relevant educational resources. + The tyrannical assault on our education system and on support for the free inquiry and independent scholarship that are foundational to our institutions of higher learning. + Crackdowns against students and faculty who non-violently exercise their free speech rights in an effort to defend vulnerable communities here and around the world. + The strangling of funding for scientific research, the gold standard for advancing knowledge as a means to alleviate suffering and improve the quality of life for millions. + The authoritarian discrediting of judges, intimidation of law firms, non-compliance with court orders, and targeting of political adversaries, all undermining our legal system. + The autocratic offensive against the press and media that will deprive people of access to valuable independent reporting and educational programming. + Oppressive attacks on the welfare of workers  including instituting mass layoffs, denying them the benefits of unionization, and subjecting them to unfair labor practices. + The disruption of trust and cooperation with international allies and institutions, thereby threatening crucial treaties, blocking access to humanitarian aid, and encouraging heightened militarism and lawlessness around the globe.

The sources of distress and injustice Ive highlighted demonstrate the breadth and depth of the current onslaught against values and priorities that psychologists  and certainly peace psychologists  hold dear. So, when I say we must not look away, I mean we must not look away from the carnage; from the victims; from the perpetrators; from the lies that cause the victims to become victims and enable the perpetrators to continue being perpetrators; from the sources of impunity; and from the greed and self-interest that propel so much of whats wrong today.

+++

Anyone who has not been looking away for the past 23 months will realize that all of these markers have been part of Israels assault on the Palestinian people in Gaza, ever since the Hamas-led attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023, when almost 1,200 civilians and soldiers were killed and 250 were taken hostage. No account of what I say here today can legitimately claim that I failed to acknowledge or condemn the atrocities committed that day, or that I chose to minimize the horrors and the deep and lasting fear and trauma they have caused so many. I acknowledge them, I condemn them, and I do not minimize them.

But I do not pretend that the Palestinian people havent suffered under a dehumanizing system of apartheid and an immiserating unlawful occupation for decades. It was shortly after the 1967 Six-Day War that Amos Oz  the distinguished Israeli author and intellectual  wrote, Even an enlightened and humane and liberal occupation is an occupation. I fear for the quality of the seeds we sow in the near future in the hearts of the occupied. More than that, I fear for the seed that is being sown in the heart of the occupiers. And the first signs are already recognizable now.

I also do not avoid the term genocide in describing Israels unconscionable response to October 7th. Far more authoritatively, neither do an overwhelming and steadily increasing number of distinguished genocide scholars and human rights groups, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Doctors Without Borders, and BTselem, among many others. One of these scholars is Israeli-American historian Omer Bartov. This past summer, he wrote in a New York Times op-ed, My inescapable conclusion has become that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people.

So, as tragic and nightmarish violence overtakes so many regions of the world today  from Sudan to Ukraine to Myanmar to Kashmir and well beyond  some may sincerely ask why, as a peace psychologist, I choose to bring heightened attention to Israel and Palestine in particular. I want to offer five specific reasons. But before doing so, Ill note that, because of some unique and deeply disturbing dynamics, which Ill describe shortly, in my opinion it is Israel and Palestine that confront the American Psychological Association with both its greatest challenge and its most significant moral test today.

Now, my five reasons. First, consider that the United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund, UNICEF, has called Gaza the most dangerous place in the world to be a child. More than 17,000 children  1,000 under the age of one year  have been killed there over the past 23 months of unrelenting assault by the so-called Israel Defense Forces. From bullets, from bombs, from disease, and from being starved to death.

If I took only ten seconds to name each of these children, it would take me two full days, 48 hours. And even then, most of us  including me  would only know their names. Not who they were. Not what they liked. Not who they loved and who loved them. And not who or what they dreamed of becoming. So lets remember what James Baldwin, the renowned critic of race relations in this country, wrote almost a half-century ago: The children are always ours, every single one of them, all over the globe; and I am beginning to suspect that whoever is incapable of recognizing this may be incapable of morality.

My second reason. Because as a Jew Ive been taught that to save a single life is to save an entire world. Of course, Israel didnt build this core tenet of the Jewish faith into its high-tech Lavender and Wheres Daddy AI systems, designed to track targets and then bomb them after theyve entered their homes, wiping out entire families. And that tenet is just as obviously lost on the IDF soldiers who have reportedly gunned down desperate parents at under-supplied and overwhelmed emergency food distribution sites in Gaza.

In contrast, someone who does understand this principle is Palestinian poet Rasha Abdulhadi. She has written, Wherever you are, whatever sand you can throw on the gears of genocide, do it now. If its a handful, throw it. If its a fingernail full, scrape it out and throw. Get in the way however you can. The elimination of the Palestinian people is not inevitable. We can refuse with our every breath and action. We must. And theres this, from Jewish Israeli historian Yuval Harari: Judaism never faced a catastrophe like we are dealing with right now, which is a spiritual catastrophe for Judaism itself. Because what is happening right now in Israel could basically, I think, destroy, void 2,000 years of Jewish thinking and culture and existence.

My third reason. Because in important ways, what has happened and is happening in Gaza  and the West Bank  is a microcosm of so much thats profoundly wrong today. Thats why its central to movements for social justice and liberation around the world. Francesca Albanese, the courageous UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, has described this better than I can, writing, Palestine is a mirror held up to the worlds moral and political failures. And so has American political activist, professor, and authorAngela Davis, who has said, We deposit our dreams in Palestine.

My fourth reason. Because this country, the United States, and both of its major political parties have been so thoroughly and calamitously complicit in the genocide. How? By providing political and diplomatic cover in vetoing any number of UN Security Council ceasefire resolutions. And by providing Israel with billions of dollars of munitions  despite compelling evidence that these weapons are being used indiscriminately against civilians in violation of U.S. and international law. It is bitterly ironic that the weaponry used by Israel includes U.S. Apache and Blackhawk helicopters  named after Indigenous peoples that were subjected to genocide in this country. Meanwhile, the U.S. mainstream media doesnt deserve a free pass  it certainly bears significant responsibility as well.

And my fifth reason. Because as psychologists most of us have core commitments to providing healthcare or education, or both. And Israels assault on Gaza has specifically and intentionally destroyed these essential elements for a societys survival. As psychologists, we should be horrified by the deliberate destruction of Gazas healthcare facilities and the targeting of healthcare personnel. And as psychologists we should be similarly distraught over the systematic destruction of Gazas educational institutions. Nearly all of them have been damaged or destroyed  including all 12 universities  and hundreds of Palestinian educators and scholars have been killed.

I want to pause here for a moment to say that Ive learned so much from the courage of individuals like Mahmoud Kahlil, Rumeysa Ozturk, and Mohsen Mahdawi. And from groups like Jewish Voice for Peace, If Not Now, Breaking the Silence, and Psychologists for Justice in Palestine, among others, that have refused to be silent about this genocide despite the risks they face. I am committed to speaking out too. As someone blessed with many privileges, at this rather ripe age Im still trying to learn how not to waste them.

+++

So, then what happens when you speak publicly about the painful truth of genocide in Gaza? What happens when you mention, for example, a May 2025 poll of Israeli Jews  not American Jews  showing that 82% said they support the forced expulsion of all Palestinians from Gaza? Or a poll from this past July showing that 79% of Israeli Jews  again, not American Jews  said theyre not even somewhat troubled by reports of famine and suffering in Gaza? At the same time, I want to recognize, with appreciation, that there is a beleaguered community of Israeli Jews who, for months and months, have desperately but futilely pushed for a permanent ceasefire.

Well, when you share disturbing figures like those I just mentioned Israels staunchest defenders immediately kick their seemingly insatiable Antisemitism Outrage Machine into high gear. It appears to have one primary purpose: to misrepresent legitimate criticism of Israel and expressions of support for Palestinian lives as antisemitic, and to punish those who refuse to be silent. In small ways, Ive come to know this first-hand. Tragically, in doing so Israels defenders downplay and distract us from the very serious threat posed by real antisemitism which, according to the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism, is discrimination, prejudice, hostility or violence against Jews as Jews. That definition has been endorsed by over 300 scholars of Holocaust history, Jewish studies, and Middle East studies.

But many individuals and groups focused on defending Israel are seemingly more concerned about phrases that make some Jewish students uncomfortable on campus than they are about the IDFs indiscriminate assault that has left so many children in Gaza maimed, lifeless, or orphaned. To be clear, I do not believe students should be harassed on campus because theyre Jewish. That is antisemitism, period. And it does happen  but not nearly to the extent some would like us to believe. Worthy of note, Jewbelong, the same advocacy group responsible for those Jewish Students Deserve to Be Safe on Campus billboards and lawn signs across parts of the country, also continues to falsely claim that babies were beheaded on October 7th an inflaming fabrication that was completely debunked almost two years ago.

So, with a new school year underway here in the United States, bear this in mind: the most dangerous and powerful engines spreading antisemitism today are not anti-genocide protesters on college campuses. No, they are the White Christian Nationalists, the neo-Nazis, and the government of Israel itself, which insists that its horrific actions in Gaza are being undertaken on behalf of all Jews around the world. To which I join many other Jews in saying, Not in Our Name.

In fact, according to recent polling, a representative sample of American Jews recognizes that antisemitism is a greater threat from the political right than the political left. A majority of American Jews also describe Donald Trump himself as antisemitic. Perhaps they remember when Trump described some of the white supremacists marching through Charlottesville, Virginia chanting Jews will not replace us as, in his words, very fine people. Most American Jews also oppose the Trump Administrations duplicitous agenda in which universities are threatened with defunding and protesters with abduction in the guise of fighting antisemitism. They realize that these actions are more likely to increase rather than decrease antisemitism.

Theres one exception to this pattern: the highly observant subgroup of Orthodox Jews in the United States. Unlike the vast majority of American Jews, they alone are enthusiastic about Trump and his policies. So, of course, Trump has nominated an ultra-Orthodox Jew, Yehuda Kaploun  who raised millions of dollars for his re-election campaign  to be the next special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism around the world.

As starvation and death have spread every day in Gaza, it seems Israel advocacy groups like the Anti-Defamation League and AIPAC, doxing groups like Canary Mission and Betar US, and far too many craven and self-serving politicians have simply ramped up their claims of antisemitism in order to defend Israel and punish those who criticize its genocidal assault. Even more troubling, in my opinion two groups comprised of fellow psychologists  the Association of Jewish Psychologists and Psychologists Against Antisemitism  seem to be following their lead. And despite any claims otherwise, these two psychology groups do not represent the diverse American Jewish community  or the equally diverse community of Jewish psychologists. I wish APA leaders could understand this. In fact, as far back as 18 months ago, polling showed that more American Jews supported a permanent ceasefire in Gaza than opposed one. But I believe neither of these two psychology groups has publicly expressed similar support for a ceasefire, at any point. Is it unreasonable to ask why?

Indeed, one of these two psychology groups  the Association of Jewish Psychologists  issued what I personally consider a stunning statement after the October 7th attacks. It seemingly criticized the APA for opposing the collective punishment of the Palestinian people. This groups board of directors wrote that it was terribly naive for the APA to assert that there can be no justification for cutting off access to basic necessities, such as electricity, food, and medicine. To the best of my knowledge, this group has never issued a public retraction or apology for that stance. I believe its well past time that they do both. Instead, this same group is now trying to obtain a seat on the APAs governing Council of Representatives.

In sharp contrast, this past July, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, representing more than 1.5 million Jews in the United States, stated: Denying basic humanitarian aid crosses a moral line. Blocking food, water, medicine, and power  especially for children  is indefensible. Meanwhile, in a recent radio interview, Israels Heritage Minister said, The government is racing ahead for Gaza to be wiped outAll Gaza will be Jewish and he added, Theres no hunger in GazaBut we dont need to be concerned with hunger in the Strip. Let the world worry about it.

The other psychology group  Psychologists Against Antisemitism  has accused the APA of systemic and virulent antisemitism, apparently because some APA members and divisions including Division 48  have expressed concern and outrage over the horrors unfolding in Palestine. In a newspaper article, one of the leading voices in that psychology group outrageously described the APA this way: Several [APA] divisions have specialized in the kind of hot Jew-hatred that once prevailed at German and at other European universities in the Nazi era. Reportedly, another member of this psychology group recently made the preposterous suggestion that wearing a keffiyeh is comparable to someone dressing in the white hood of the Ku Klux Klan.

It was also disturbing to me to learn that members of this same psychology group have reportedly encouraged the Trump Administrations so-called antisemitism task force to target the APA. As relevant background, the head of that task force is Leo Terrell. Terrell has compared the Black Lives Matter movement to ISIS and has complained about anti-white and anti-Christian bias on college campuses.

At this point, I believe the absurdity of the wholesale and reckless antisemitism charges against pro-Palestinian advocates  and the APA  has reached Alice-in-Wonderland heights. After all, it was Alice who once asked Humpty Dumpty how he could make words mean so many different things. To which he replied, When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to meanneither more nor less. Humpty Dumpty is long gone. But I think his tactics describe rather well the way in which the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism  discredited by many scholars and civil rights organizations  is now being used to suppress criticism of Israel.

Decades ago, George Orwell also had a few things to say that are relevant here, including this: The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between ones real and ones declared aims, one turns as it were instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish spurting out ink. Recall too, the so-called Ministry of Truths motto in Orwells classic novel 1984: Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past. That may be why those who insist on weaponizing antisemitism promote a narrative of Israels perpetual victimhood, as it destroys Palestines history in real-time.

For anyone, anywhere, who has somehow achieved some measure of personal peace with what has unfolded in Gaza, or who cries Antisemitism! in response to claims of genocide, I encourage you to consider what Omar El Akkad has written in his book titled One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, published earlier this year. Ill quote these sentences in full:

There is no terrible thing coming for you in some distant future, but know that a terrible thing is happening to you now. You are being asked to kill off a part of you that would otherwise scream in opposition to injustice. You are being asked to dismantle the machinery of a functioning conscience. Who cares if diplomatic expediency prefers you shrug away the sight of dismembered children? Who cares if great distance from the bloodstained middle allows obliviousness. Forget pity, forget even the dead if you must, but at least fight against the theft of your soul.

I strongly believe that APAs leadership should not allow itself to be bullied and intimidated into submission by those who seemingly, in my opinion, want everyone to look past what has become the first ever live-streamed genocide. Only time will tell what path APA leaders will take. But if they were to ask me, Id recommend an immediate and overdue  public statement that communicates four things, none of which should be controversial for an organization committed to human rights and human welfare.

First, that the APA rejects the accusations of systemic and virulent antisemitism within APA and its divisions. Second, that the APA affirms that neither criticism of Israel nor support for Palestinian rights is intrinsically antisemitic. Third, that the APA strongly opposes efforts aimed at silencing or punishing pro-Palestinian advocacy, within the APA and beyond. And fourth, that the APA condemns racism in all its forms, including discrimination, prejudice, hostility, or violence toward Jews, Muslims, Arabs, and Palestinians as Jews, Muslims, Arabs, and Palestinians.

+++

The APAs own history offers reasons for both hope and skepticism as to whether it will now rise to the occasion. As some of you may know, roughly 20 years ago I was among the so-called dissident psychologists. Back then, many of us resigned as APA members. Recalling that period now, following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the U.S. government led by George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld, among others  unleashed the so-called War on Terror. It was propelled by vengeance, with utter disdain for human dignity and international law. In short order, a central component became the abuse and torture of thousands of Muslim men and boys in U.S. custody.

The APAs leadership faced a key decision point back then  as it does now. The organization could have joined other human rights-focused groups by strenuously and publicly opposing the way this war was being prosecuted, especiallygiven the fundamental do no harm principle of our profession. But that was the proverbial road not taken. Instead, APAs leaders seemingly embraced the War on Terror as an opportunity to expand the roles and lift the stature of psychologists at a time of national crisis. As a result, it took years of dissident activism within our profession before APA leaders finally took meaningful steps to oppose the involvement of psychologists in abusive and sometimes torturous U.S. war-on-terror detention and interrogation operations.

During those many years, in all of our efforts, we dissidents knew that the odds of victory were consistently tilted in the APAs favor. We were volunteers with very limited resources compared to the deep pockets and staffing available to the APA and its powerful allies, the Department of Defense and the intelligence community. We also lacked the enormous megaphone available to the APAs leaders. So we struggled to garner the professions and the publics attention and engagement in our efforts to move the needle when it came to changing what we believed were the APAs ethically bankrupt policies. At the same time, we realized that our only chance to eventually bring reform and accountability to the APA was to constantly maintain the pressure for change, as best we could.

For years, when they responded at all, the responses we received from APA leaders and representatives of the military-intelligence establishment were typically hostile, harsh, sometimes threatening, and all too often aimed at discrediting us. One past president of the APA described us as opportunistic commentators masquerading as scholars. A former Guantanamo psychologist wrote that we were clowns who have never looked in the whites of a terrorists eyes. And another past president seemingly compared us to the Dementors of Harry Potter fame  frightening cloaked figures who feed on human happiness. We also faced ethics complaints, a defamation lawsuit, and efforts to keep our scholarly publications out of APA journals. But we persisted because we knew the stakes were high, not only for the victims of abuse and torture but also for the future of the profession of psychology. And we ultimately succeeded, to a significant degree. I believe there are some important lessons from that era that are still worth remembering today, for everyone.

Back then, in my opinion, APA leaders chose expediency, opportunism, and misrepresentations of fact over ethical action. And the consequences were tragic. A full generation has passed since those earliest days after 9/11, and I think the APA has made significant progress on multiple fronts in the intervening years. But in certain ways, the core problem seemingly persists: even now, I believe the APAs leadership is too quick to prioritize what seems politically safe and expedient, and to therefore look away when whats needed is for the voice of the worlds largest organization of psychologists to be at the forefront in what has truly become an existential struggle for human rights, civil rights, and democratic principles in this country and beyond.

Time does not allow me to go into detail in offering examples of what I consider to be the APAs current shortcomings in this context  despite the many brilliant, dedicated, and ethically-driven psychologists and graduate students among its members, including some who are thankfully here today. But instead Ill just note several things briefly.

For me, the APAs press releases too often seem to reflect a troubling disconnect from whats actually happening in the world. As of last month, these were the three most recent press releases I could find: In a competitive world, mean leaders look smart; Killer whales, kind gestures: Orcas offer food to humans in the wild; and Cool is cool wherever you are.

I also find it distressing that voluntary donations to the APAs affiliated Psychology PAC regularly go to politicians whose goals and ambitions seem to me to be inconsistent with the APAs mission of advancing human welfare.

And, I find it discouraging that just over a year ago, nearly a third of APAs Council of Representatives voted against a ceasefire statement in Gaza. As I recall, one Council member recommended that the vote be postponed for another six months. And when the resolution passed, of course it was condemned by some as antisemitic. Meanwhile, APAs leadership has done precious little to follow-up on that call for a ceasefire in meaningful ways.

As one more example, at the annual convention this past August, APAs governing Council couldnt even muster the two-thirds vote necessary to add an item  titled Reaffirming APAs Commitment to Human Rights and Free Speech  to the agenda. What was wrong with the statement? Well, it drew attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. And it expressed opposition to bigotry in all its forms, including anti-Muslim hatred and anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism. And it expressed support for non-violent advocacy directed towards safeguarding human life. Draw your own conclusions about why nearly 40% of Council members didnt even want to take the chance that this statement might be voted on and approved.

I realize that the APA is far from unique in falling short, in my view, in honoring its core humanitarian commitments when confronted by political, economic, or reputational pressures from the powers-that-be. The network of professional associations and other civil society organizations all have an essential role to play. Collectively, we give these groups power, privileges, and the public trust. In exchange, we count on them to stand up and assertively oppose government overreach, corruption, and misconduct that serve the interests of the few at the expense of the many. When these groups abandon these responsibilities, their betrayal can have dire consequences, for almost everyone. History leaves no doubt about that.

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When I was preparing this talk, I made a commitment to myself, and to everyone here, that I would do my best to speak the truth and conclude on a hopeful note. I believe Ive done the first part, so that leaves the second. The two are actually closely related. Because, as author and activist Rebecca Solnit has explained, we can be hopeful and heartbroken at the same time. Shes also written that too often we think of hope as smiles and sunshine, when its fury in the face of danger and oppression, and pressing on in the storm.

In recent years, scholars who study tyranny have offered us a variety of warnings and guidance that we shouldnt ignore, including these: Do not obey in advance, Do not make compromises, Be outraged, Believe in truth, and Be as courageous as you can be. Ive printed that last one  Be as courageous as you can be  in large letters and its taped to a bookshelf in my home. Among the books nearby are Crimes of Obedience, A Peoples History of the United States, The Fire Next Time, Decolonial Psychology, The Nazi Doctors, If I Must Die, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza, Rules for Radicals, Beautiful Souls, A Day in the Life of Abed Salama, States of Denial, and How Dark the Heavens. That last one was written by my late father-in-law, Sidney Iwens, who survived the Dachau concentration camp. Theres also an old collection of Gary Larson Far Side cartoons to help me avoid a perpetual frown.

One of the other books nearby is a collection of short stories by the fantasy writer Ursula Le Guin. One story from this collection was written 50 years ago and its titled The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas. Omelas is a very peculiar city. What makes it so strange is that the prosperity of all of the inhabitants depends entirely upon the endless suffering and abominable misery of a single young child, whos locked away forever in a dark and filthy cellar. In general, the townspeople ignore the childs pleas for release because theyve learned that his salvation would destroy a world thats utopian in every other way.

At the end of her story, however, Le Guin notes that some residents of Omelas, after visiting the forlorn child in the cellar, decide to leave the city. She describes it this way: They walk ahead into the darkness, and they do not come back. The place they go towards is a place even less imaginable to most of us than the city of happiness. I cannot describe it at all. It is possible that it does not exist. But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas. What I find most compelling about this story are the moral clarity and courage of those who look at that child and then can no longer live the comfortable lives theyve grown accustomed to. We desperately need more such people in this world today, and fewer who choose to look away.

I want to emphasize that resistance can take many different forms, including some that have not been the focus of much psychological research. A recent article by psychologists Vollhardt, Okuyan, and Unal describes how, for each realm of resistance, theres an important under-studied facet. For example, along with collective resistance, theres individual resistance, which can take the form of refusing to comply with orders, concealing ones targeted identity, and destroying ones possessions so they cant be confiscated. Along with organized resistance, theres everyday resistance, which can appear as steadfastness, or a commitment to preserving ones cultural and community attachments, or even just trying to live a normal life during very abnormal times. Along with overt resistance, theres covert resistance. This can include continuing to engage  secretly  in banned activities, or using coded messages to communicate with allies. Along with material resistance, theres psychological resistance, which involves refusing to allow oppressors to define the meaning of ones identity or experience. And along with non-violent resistance, theres violent resistance, which sometimes emerges when non-violent efforts to survive are thwarted.

Whats clear in all these cases is that we cant afford to fall into the trap of feeling helpless, of thinking that change is impossible, and believing that resistance is futile. Giving up and abandoning hope is exactly what authoritarian forces always want. Because it means they can move forward with little expenditure of effort and resources. To be sure, some face much greater and more direct threats to their circumstances, which are already unjustly precarious. But the turmoil created by authoritarian repression extends over time and space far beyond its first and most immediate victims. It does so by posing a serious challenge to any shared vision of the common good and by fraying the fabric of trust and mutual care that binds together small groups and large communities alike.



Photo by Emad El Byed on Unsplash

At times as fraught as these, I believe those of us who are less burdened by personal, family, or career perils must embrace the heightened responsibilities that come with our privilege. And as psychologists, the fundamental principles of our profession call upon us to pursue justice, to cherish human dignity in its diverse forms, and to support those whose voices have been muffled or silenced. I think we can best accomplish this by learning from the leadership, wisdom, and persistence of those who are at greatest risk, and by standing in pragmatic solidarity with them.

As individuals, we cant do everything. But we can each do something, and perhaps, as in my own case, something morethan what were doing now. So identify that area that concerns you the most, or where you believe you can make the biggest difference, or where your expertise gives you an important advantage, or where you think your participation is most urgently needed. And it all starts with not looking away. That certainly applies to the APA and its leaders as well.

Ill conclude with this. Forty years ago, the distinguished psychologist and Peace Corps director Carolyn Payton wrote an essay for the APAs flagship journal, the American Psychologist. It was titled Who Must Do the Hard Things? Dr. Payton argued that to view psychology as a science devoid of social implications or responsibilities will not advance our profession but will rather lead to its demise. She concluded by answering the question posed in the essays title, Who Must Do the Hard Things? Her answer: Those who can. And then she followed this with a related question: Who must do the impossible things? Paytons answer, Those who care.

I think thats worth remembering. And also, this: Never again is now, and for every people. Thank you.

Reprinted with the authors permission from Counterpunch

Roy Eidelson, PhD, is a past president of Psychologists for Social Responsibility, a member of the Coalition for an Ethical Psychology, and the author of Doing Harm: How the Worlds Largest Psychological Association Lost Its Way in the War on Terror (forthcoming in September 2023 from McGill-Queens University Press). Roys website is https://www.royeidelson.com/and he is on Twitter at @royeidelson.
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment)  Syrias parliamentary elections on October 5 raised alarm flags for me on several grounds.

First, they were not conducted on the basis of a direct vote. Sixty constituencies were established to elect 121 members of the Peoples Assembly of Syria (only 119 were actually elected). Another 70 members will be appointed by the self-appointed president of the country, Ahmad al-Sharaa (nom de guerre Abu Muhammad al-Julani), a former leader of al-Qaeda in Syria who came to power when guerrillas swept into Damascus last fall.

The constituencies are sort of like the American electoral college, except that they were selected by committees of the ruling rebels. So the hard line fundamentalists who took over Syria got to appoint a small electorate, marginalizing most Syrians. And the leader of the fundamentalists will appoint the other third of the members of parliament.

To be fair, the government at least said it wanted the members of parliament to be academics and technocrats.

The second problem was that constituencies were not established in Raqqah, al-Hasakah or Suwayda, the two Kurdish-dominated provinces and the southern Druze-dominated province.

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)

A third problem is that the constituencies from Alawi Shiite areas such as Latakia only elected two Alawis to parliament. They are likely 14% of the country, and so should have had 16 or 17 members in the elected part of parliament. They should have another 10 among the appointed seats, for a total of 26 or 27. So far, they have two.

About 12 Kurds should be sitting in parliament. and another 7 should be appointed. So far, as I understand it, there are only 10 members of parliament from the minorities, 8 if we dont count the Alawis. It is rumored (the exact outcome is hard to nail down) that these 8 include three or four Kurds from Afrin Province. If al-Hasakah and Raqqah are ever able to vote, they will return at least some Kurds, but likely not in numbers proportionate with the Kurds 10% of the Syrian population. All this stings because in the mid-1960s the then Arab nationalist government stripped the people of al-Hasakah of Syrian citizenship. Arab nationalists and fundamentalists have a long history of disenfranchising the non-Arab Kurds, who in Syria tend to be secular-minded socialists or Sufis and so are disliked by the fundamentalist Arabs.

There should be three or four Druze (an esoteric offshoot of Ismaili Shiism) among the elected MPs.

Although over 200 women were nominated in the constituencies, only six were elected. I had thought that there was a mandate that 20% of MPs be women. If so, President al-Sharaa would have to appoint 36, over half of his 70. What we have seen in Pakistan and Iraq, however, is that women appointed or elected to parliament tend to vote their party, including fundamentalist parties, rather than necessarily to take up the cause of women or to vote like feminists.

The new Syrian parliament is a parliament of Sunni Arab men, and given the process that elected them, likely they are religiously conservative Sunni Arab men, ruling a country that probably thirty percent minorities and another thirty percent secular-minded urban people.

Gee, it looks a little like the US Congress in the US today.

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So here is what is alarming. This Syrian parliament is a mirror image of the Iraqi constituent assembly / parliament that was elected in late January 2005 under the Bush administration. The Iraqi parliament with 275 seats only had about 17 Sunni Arabs in it because the Sunni Arabs boycotted the elections, which were held under a proportional system. I figure Sunni Arabs in Iraq at something like 22% of the population, so they were a minority. But they had been in power for centuries and were a functional majority.



File photo. President of the United States Donald Trump with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and President of Syria Ahmed al-Sharaa during Donald Trumps state visit to Saudi Arabia. US State Department. Public Domain. Via Picryl.

The Kurds, Alawites, Druze, Shiites and Christians who have such low levels of representation in the Syrian parliament probably come to 34% or so of the Syrian population. So the disenfranchised minorities in Syria are if anything a larger proportion of the population than in Iraq.

In Iraq in 2005, the lack of representation for Sunni Arabs in the constitution-writing constituent assembly that doubled as a parliament led to a Sunni Arab rejection of the new constitution in a referendum of October 2005. By February of 2006 a civil war had broken out that left 34,000 dead in 2006 alone and continued well into 2007. The civil war broke out despite the military occupation of the country by 140,000 US troops.

Syria doesnt have a functioning army. Its new leaders are trying to cobble a diverse set of guerrilla groups into one, but it will be hard work and may not succeed. If large scale sectarian violence breaks out, who will resolve it?






Saturday, October 11, 2025 - Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused President William Ruto of double standards in his approach to ethnic mobilization, following Rutos recent meeting with KANU Chairman, Gideon Moi, in Eldoret on October 10th.

During the meeting, Ruto and Moi called for unity among the Kalenjin community - a move Gachagua claims is praised as patriotism, while similar efforts in Mt. Kenya are condemned as tribalism.

You saw yesterday, Ruto met Gideon Moi and told the Kalenjins to unite.

But when I try to mobilize my people, Im labelled a tribalist, Gachagua said.

If Kalenjins meet, its called unity. When Mt. Kenya people come together, its tribalism.

He thinks we are fools.

Gachagua also criticized Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, accusing her of being used by Ruto to divide Mt. Kenya voters.

Anybody being used to divide us is an enemy of Mt. Kenya.

Waiguru, use common sense, he added.

His remarks came a day after Mois KANU party agreed to join Rutos Kenya Kwanza alliance, a decision announced during a meeting at Kabarak in Nakuru County.

Ruto emphasized the importance of national unity, urging KANU to formally join the Government.

"I want to ask you, the good people of the founding party, to accept that we work together, he said.

Let us have a formal arrangement so that KANU becomes part of the Government of Kenya," Ruto said.

The Kenyan DAILY POST
ADDIS ABABA, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf on Sunday congratulated Patrick Herminie on his election as Seychelles' president-elect.

Herminie won the presidential runoff with 52.7 percent of the vote, defeating incumbent leader Wavel Ramkalawan, who garnered 47.3 percent, according to the country's electoral commission.

In a statement, Youssouf commended the people of Seychelles for their peaceful and orderly participation in what he described as a "credible democratic process," underscoring the nation's strong commitment to the rule of law and democratic principles.

The AUC chair also praised Ramkalawan and other candidates for conceding defeat gracefully and upholding the spirit of peaceful political competition. He reaffirmed the AU's commitment to supporting Seychelles and working with the incoming administration.

The Indian Ocean archipelago held the runoff presidential election from Thursday to Saturday, after no candidate secured a majority in the first round of voting in late September. 






Saturday, October 11, 2025 - KANU Chairman, Gideon Moi, has broken his silence following a high-profile meeting with President William Ruto at his Kabarak home in Nakuru County on Friday, October 10th.

The gathering, attended by senior Government officials, KANU leaders, and local representatives, marked a significant moment in Rift Valley politics, hinting at an end in the long-standing rivalry between the two leaders.

In a statement after the meeting, Moi emphasized the importance of unity and expressed gratitude to his supporters in Baringo.

Weve elected to pursue the path of unity and shared purpose to mold a cohesive and prosperous nation, he said.

President Ruto echoed similar sentiments, urging leaders to set aside divisive politics and work together to transform the country.

We must become partners in the national endeavour to get Kenya out of Third World status, he stated.

The meeting came just days after KANU had announced Mois intention to vie for the Baringo Senatorial seat in an upcoming by-election.

However, following his engagements with Ruto - first at State House and later in Kabarak - KANU Secretary General George Wainaina confirmed that Moi had withdrawn from the race.

The renewed engagement between Moi and Ruto is seen as a major political development, given their decade-long rivalry rooted in divergent political paths and past electoral battles.

Moi had supported Raila Odingas Azimio coalition in the 2022 elections, while Ruto led Kenya Kwanza to victory.

The meeting is being viewed as a symbolic reconciliation and a potential realignment in the Rift Valley, a region critical to Kenyas political landscape.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Saturday, October 11, 2025 - Former Nairobi County Executive for ICT, Newton Munene, has been found dead at his home in Karen, Nairobi, under unclear circumstances.

His body was moved to Lee Funeral Home as police launch investigations into the cause of death.

Munene was one of the three key witnesses in former Governor Mike Sonkos ongoing corruption case.

Just last week, he testified in court, alleging that certain officials from a previous county administration had falsely implicated Sonko in corruption claims that eventually led to his impeachment.

Reacting to the shocking news, Sonko expressed outrage and grief, describing Munenes death as an act of cowardice.

He alleged that the former ICT Executive may have been targeted for testifying in his defense.

It is deeply regrettable that the cartels have retaliated by taking Munenes life. If my accusers have any evidence against me, they should face me in court, not silence innocent people who choose to speak the truth, Sonko wrote.

Sonko further claimed that several of his former County Executives who had agreed to testify on his behalf were being threatened and intimidated to withdraw from the case.

No level of intimidation or threats will deter me from seeking justice, he added.

Authorities have yet to release an official statement on the circumstances surrounding Munenes death as detectives from the DCI continue investigations.






Saturday, October 11, 2025 - CNN International Correspondent, Larry Madowo, has responded with sharp sarcasm following a dramatic road altercation with Kibra MP, Peter Orero, that has stirred public outrage.

The incident, captured on video and widely shared online, shows Oreros vehicle driving on the wrong side of the road in Nairobi, forcing Madowo, who was in the correct lane, to block them.

When Madowo began recording the confrontation, Orero lashed out, telling him to peleka kwa Ruto (take it to Ruto), a comment many interpreted as dismissive and reeking of impunity.

In a witty comeback posted on October 11th, Madowo joked that he was now looking for a flash disc to deliver the footage to State House.





Who has a flash disc they can lend me? Theres a certain video I want to take to State House.

I was sent to deliver it to the landlord called Ruto, so I want to put it in an envelope, write his name on it, and leave it at the gate for them to give him.

So please, whoever has one, help me, Madowos sarcastic post read.

The altercation, which occurred on October 9th, ended with Oreros driver speeding off while hurling insults.

Madowos video has since gone viral, drawing widespread condemnation of the MPs conduct and reigniting debate over impunity and accountability among public officials.





The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday, October 11, 2025 - Langata Womens Prison has crowned its new Miss 2025, attracting widespread attention online.

The winner, who is serving a jail term for killing her husband, showcased confidence, poise, and style during the prison-organized beauty pageant.

Videos circulating online highlight her runway walk and presentation, leaving netizens talking about her presence and charisma despite her criminal record.

The annual pageant remains a platform for inmates to express talent, creativity, and confidence, giving the public a glimpse of their personalities beyond their convictions.

Among the titleholders is Ruth Kamande, who is serving a life sentence after fatally stabbing her boyfriend 25 times, proving that even behind bars, some inmates are pursuing their passion for modeling.

Watch videos.

Miss Langata Womens Prison 2025 pic.twitter.com/9bkuJWAjz3  DAILY POST  (@dailypost_ke) October 12, 2025

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday, October 11, 2025 - Peoples Liberation Party (PLP) leader, Martha Karua, has dismissed claims of a rift with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over the selection of the oppositions 2027 presidential candidate.

The allegations stemmed from a viral social media post suggesting Karua had criticized Gachaguas camp for lacking inclusivity and respect in coalition decision-making.

The post further claimed that internal tensions had led to defections from the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), a key member of the United Opposition alliance.

However, Karua took to her X account on Saturday morning to refute the claims, branding the post as fake and misleading.

Her clarification comes amid growing speculation of internal wrangles within the opposition, particularly around the choice of a flagbearer for the 2027 General Elections.

Despite the rumors, Karua and Gachagua appeared united on Friday during the Wiper partys National Delegates Conference at Uhuru Park, Nairobi.

The event, attended by thousands of supporters and senior opposition leaders - including Jubilees Fred Matiangi and DAP-Kenyas Eugene Wamalwa - showcased a united front.

Gachagua declared that he was prepared to endorse the Wiper leader and pledged to campaign for him with even greater energy than he did for President William Ruto in 2022.

"The formula we use will help Kalonzo to be the only presidential candidate from the opposition.

I and my millions of followers will support and campaign for him. The campaign I will undertake will be ten times better than what I did for Ruto," Gachagua declared.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday, October 11, 2025 - President William Ruto has toured his Koilel farm in Uasin Gishu County to inspect the progress of his high-value livestock, sparking a flurry of reactions online.

Photos shared on social media showed the Head of State dressed casually as he inspected his prized dairy cattle.

The well-maintained infrastructure at the expansive farm quickly caught the attention of Kenyans online, many of whom joked that the Presidents cows live better than most citizens.

Those cows have tiled floors and better healthcare than us, one user quipped on X (formerly Twitter).

At this point, I want to be one of Rutos cows, another added humorously.

Ruto, who has often described farming as his first love, owns several agricultural enterprises focusing on dairy, poultry, and maize production.

His Koilel farm has become a showcase of modern agribusiness, frequently attracting delegations and investors keen to learn from his model.

While supporters praised him for setting a good example for Kenyan farmers, critics accused him of being out of touch with the struggles of ordinary citizens facing high living costs.

See photos.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday, October 11, 2025 - Newton Munene, a former Nairobi County Executive Committee Member for Information Communication Technology, was found dead at his Karen residence under unclear circumstances, just days after testifying in a corruption case involving former Governor Mike Sonko.

The death, which occurred on the night of October 10th, was announced by Sonko on Saturday, October 11.

The cause of death remains unconfirmed.

In a strongly worded statement, Sonko alleged foul play, claiming Munenes death was linked to his recent testimony as a defence witness.

Mr. Munene's death occurred just a week after he provided testimony in a case where Ive been wrongfully accused, Sonko said, describing the incident as cowardly and politically motivated.

Sonko further claimed that cartels were behind the death and warned against attempts to intimidate his defence team.

If my accusers have evidence, let them present it in court.

I will not bow to threats while innocent individuals are murdered for defending me, he stated.

Munene was one of three key witnesses who had testified in Sonkos defence at the Anti-Corruption Court in Nairobi.

He also revealed that other former County Executive Committee Members who served under his administration and had volunteered to testify were facing threats aimed at deterring them from appearing in court.

I have reliable information that some former CECMs are being intimidated. No level of threats will stop me from seeking justice, Sonko added.

His body has since been moved to Lee Funeral Home as investigations continue.

The Kenyan DAILY POST
DHAKA, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi government has launched a nationwide typhoid vaccination campaign, aiming to immunize about 50 million children between the ages of nine months and 15 years.

Bangladesh's Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum on Sunday officially launched the campaign in Dhaka. The month-long drive will provide free injectable typhoid vaccines until Nov. 13.

Bangladesh has received a supply of typhoid vaccines from the global vaccine alliance Gavi.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services, typhoid infection rates in Bangladesh are notably high compared to many other countries.

Data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 indicates that nearly half a million people contract typhoid annually in Bangladesh, resulting in about 8,000 deaths.

Alarmingly, children account for 68 percent of these fatalities. 
Carlow Kilkenny TD Peter Chap Cleere, writes about his recent visit to Brussels to talk family farms and CAP with EU Commissioner Christophe Hansen.



As Agriculture Spokesperson for Fianna Fail, he was keen to stress to the Commissioner what he is hearing on the ground about challenges farmers face .

The agri-food sector is Irelands most important indigenous industry, providing 173,000 jobs and accounting for 10% of our exports.

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It is held up globally as an example of best practice and quality, bringing us not just economic advantages, but also international prestige; there isnt a top-class restaurant in Paris, New York or Seoul that does not serve Irish produce!

At the heart of the Irish agri-food sectors success is the family farm.

Family farms account for 96% of the 135,000 agricultural holdings across the country. These, mostly small and medium enterprises are the life blood of rural communities.

The spin-off employment they create is unquantifiable; processors, cafes, shops and numerous other businesses rely on them.

Yet the family farm faces a fight for survival. The number of farms in Ireland has fallen by nearly 5,000 in 15 years. We cannot risk further decline. That is why protecting the family farm must be an absolute priority in the next Common Agriculture Policy (CAP).

In September, a Fianna Fail agri-food delegation travelled to Brussels to drive this message home to European decision makers. We had a productive meeting with Christophe Hansen, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST IN KILKENNY SPORTS NEWS

In the meeting, the delegation stressed the economic and social importance of CAP and relayed Irish concerns at the current Commission proposal to allocate 300 billion to CAP post 2027, equivalent to a 20% cut in the current CAP fund.

We also discussed the importance of securing new funding streams, separate to CAP, to support farm families and rural communities in Ireland.

Commissioner Hansen, who himself grew up on a family farm in Luxembourg, displayed a clear understanding of the issues impacting Irish farms and a willingness to deliver a CAP that supports the sector.

In the European Parliament, we received an update from the four Fianna Fail MEPs; Billy Kelleher, Barry Andrews, Barry Cowen and Cynthia Ni Mhurchu.

We heard that the number of EU farms decreased by 37% from 2005 to 2020. The dairy herd across Western Europe has shrunk 1.4% year-on-year since 2014, and it is feared that EU milk supply could decrease by up to 7% over the next decade.

This is deeply concerning when we consider that the vast majority of the EUs 3 million farms are family farms. Their loss would threaten the economic and social viability of rural communities across the entire Union, from Cyprus in the East to Portugals Azores islands in the West, and everywhere in between.

The Irish concerns are shared by other Member States.

President of Renew Europe (Fianna Fails Group in the European Parliament) Valerie Hayer of France and Finnish MEP Elsi Katainen gave us the perspective from their Member States and outlined a common objective  a CAP that secures safe, sustainable and high-quality food and stability in farming.

From the discussions, we are confident that Ireland will be backed by strong allies in the CAP negotiations.

I am mindful that Ireland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the EU in the latter half of 2026. This will be a pivotal period in the CAP negotiations.

In this regard, I was pleased to meet with Damien Flynn, head of agriculture at the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU. Mr Flynn updated us on the work of Irish diplomats in securing a strong CAP.

From 2020  2024, Fianna Fail worked hard to deliver on the farm investment and tangible financial supports for farmers. This included the 1.5 billion agri-environmental scheme (ACRES), supports of 225 per suckler cow and 25 per ewe and a Protein Aid Scheme, worth 10 million in 2024.

All of these schemes were financed by CAP funds. As was the Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers and the targeted supports for Women Farmers, including the 60% rate under TAMS 3.

Without a strong CAP, we simply cannot keep these vital supports going.

The chaos in the UK lays bare the societal threats caused by the loss of CAP funding. Britain cannot feed itself. The country is heavily reliant on imports during an increasingly turbulent time in global trade. Prices have skyrocketed, leaving everyday day food stuff out of reach for many British consumers.

The EU should learn its lesson and not repeat the mistakes of its former member by cutting the main support to its farm families.

The family farm is one of Irelands greatest strengths. But in order to thrive, it needs a robust CAP, which strong financial backing. Fianna Fail will remain in close contact with all parties involved in the CAP negotiations. We will use every policy lever available to deliver a CAP that supports the family farm for generations to come.
A Go Fund Me campaign that was set up in a bid to repariate the body of a much-loved Brazilian man who had been living and working in Kilkenny recently reached 100% of its fundraising target.

Mauricio Soares was originally from the city of Teresina and was working as an engineer in Ireland.

READ NEXT: Amazing Kilkenny family to inspire viewers on national television - how to watch!

He passed away suddenly, in September, following a sudden heart attack.

His close friend Jackson Alves Mouta Junior, previously asked for assistance to help bring Mauricio home.

Mauricio was not only a brilliant engineer and colleague but also a kind, generous, and joyful person who touched the lives of many. Since moving from Brazil to Ireland, he built strong friendships and became like family to me and to those who had the privilege to know him, Jackson said.

READ NEXT: Young Kilkenny couple adopt old dog whose owners 'no longer had time for her'

We are facing the painful task of fulfilling what we know would have been Mauricios wish: to return to his hometown of Teresina, Piaui, Brazil, so that his parents and family can say their final farewell and lay him to rest with dignity.

Unfortunately, the process of repatriating a body is extremely expensive, involving funeral arrangements in Ireland, embassy requirements, and the transport to Brazil.

These costs are far beyond what his family and close friends can manage alone.

READ NEXT: Appeal for witnesses of multiple serious incidents in Kilkenny City

For this reason, we are kindly asking for your support. Any contribution, no matter the amount, will make a meaningful difference in helping us bring Mauricio back home, Jackson explained.

Your generosity will not only help us cover the repatriation costs but also give Mauricios parents the chance to say goodbye to their beloved son and honour his memory in the place he called home, he added.

Since opening the appeal on the Go Fund Me website, more than 100% of the 12,000 needed to bring Mauricio home has been donated.

FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE
This Sunday, 'DIY SOS: The Big Build Ireland' comes from Mooncoin in County Kilkenny and will see host Baz Ashmawy visit the O'Hanlon family.

Prior to featuring on the show, the family were in desperate need of an adapted house for their little girl, Aoibhinn.

READ NEXT: 'Consequences' to be faced by misbehaving Kilkenny tenants in 'no go' estates

Aoibhinn was born with a severe type of spina bifida and hydrocephalus, which pose significant challenges for her and her family, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

She is completely paralysed from her belly button down and has had to have a shunt inserted to drain fluid from her brain.

After many years struggling to secure the money to build a home to meet Aoibhinns growing needs  with a lot of knockbacks and refusals  parents John and Sharon eventually managed to secure an extremely modest mortgage and embarked on their self-build.

READ NEXT: Kilkenny gardai 'make no apologies' as local driver handed court date

Progress was painfully slow  despite family and friends giving every spare moment to the project. To save money the family moved in with Aoibhinns grandparents.

As the show was filming it was noted by producers that 'conditions there became cramped as the house became jam-packed with assistive devices and mobility equipment, such as wheelchairs, a stander, commodes, high chairs and a changing unit'.

READ NEXT: Hugely popular Kilkenny man celebrates milestone birthday!

The production team have stated that John and Sharon might eventually achieve their goal of a home for Aoibhinn but not without budget driven compromises and not without further significant delay.

To see it all unfold, and to see how DIY SOS  The Big Build Ireland can make a huge difference to this young persons life - tune into RTE One and RTE Player at 6.30pm this Sunday, October 12.

FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE
Two teachers at a Kilkenny school are to abseil down one of Ireland's highest towers to raise funds for a great cause.

Kilkenny City Vocational School teachers Alisha May and Anna Mahony, have launched their fundraising appeal ahead of dropping 200ft down Dublins Smithfield Tower, Dublin 7 in aid of Belong To  LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland on Sunday, November 2, 2025.

Anna (the secret daredevil who was born for this) and Alisha (who gets nervous on a step ladder) will join over 30 other people taking to the skies as part of the Belong To Abseil Challenge 2025, raising much needed funds for Belong Tos work with LGBTQ+ young people and their families across Ireland.

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The ladies are raising funds for Belong To, the national LGBTQ+ youth organisation, who provide life-saving supports and create a world where LGBTQ+ young people can thrive. "And because apparently saying well do a bake sale wasnt dramatic enough," the teachers explained.

"Were doing this through our school, Kilkenny City Vocational School, as part of our final step in the Quality Mark Programme with Belong To. Basically: were putting our lives (and dignity) on the line for a very good cause. Sponsor us. Cheer us on. Laugh with us (or at us). Every donation helps LGBTQ+ young people feel safe, supported, and free to shine."

Belong To is a national youth organisation which provides services to LGBTQ+ young people and their families, including crisis counselling, family support and information services as well as working with a national network of LGBTQ+ youth groups, providing community, support and fun for LGBTQ+ youth.

The charity also works with schools in Kilkenny and across Ireland through the Stand Up Awareness Week anti-bullying campaign to eradicate all forms of homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying, as well as running the in-depth, 18 month LGBTQ+ Quality Programme with schools and Youthreach centres to foster LGBTQ+ inclusion and wellbeing.

As part of their fundraising efforts, the Kilkenny teachers will hold a bake sale and a non-uniform Halloween costume day at Kilkenny City Vocational School.

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Commenting today about the upcoming abseil event, Anna Mahony commented: Were taking part in the abseil as Alisha is challenging her fear of heights, while I love adrenaline and adventure, and am ready to take the plunge! This challenge means so much to us because we want our students to know that their teachers stand beside them. By fundraising, we hope to help create safer spaces, promote acceptance and celebrate diversity in our school community. We want our students to know they are valued, supported and never alone.

Creating a better Ireland to grow up LGBTQ+

Also commenting was Moninne Griffith, CEO of Belong To who said: Were really grateful to Alisha and Anna for taking this challenge on. Its no small ask  dropping almost 200ft in support of LGBTQ+ young people. Its a real testament to their commitment to creating a better Ireland to grow up LGBTQ+.

We know through research that compared to the general youth population, LGBTQ+ youth in Ireland experience higher rates of depression, anxiety, suicide ideation and suicide attempts. But it doesnt have to be this way. At Belong To, through our work with schools, our advocacy work on policy and our campaigns around online wellbeing and mental health, we can change this.

Were delighted to have Alisha and Anna join us in this mission.

Donations to Alisha and Annas fundraising campaign are now open, and can be made at: https://eventmaster.ie/ fundraising/Abseil_for_Belong_ To/team/The_Fall_Girls

Information on registering to take part is available at: www.belongto.org/abseil
MOSCOW, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Russia has shot down 72 Ukrainian drones and other projectiles over the past 24 hours, the Defense Ministry said on Sunday.

Russian air defense systems intercepted nine U.S.-made HIMARS rockets, one Neptune long-range cruise missile, and 72 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the ministry said in a statement.

Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the Belgorod Region, said the region continued to face heavy drone attacks over the past day. Ukrainian forces targeted 12 municipal districts with about 130 UAVs, killing one civilian and injuring three others, he said.

Gladkov also said that 52 settlements came under Ukrainian fire during the same period. At least 34 projectiles were launched, and 129 UAV attacks were recorded, with 45 of the drones shot down or neutralized over the region. 
Students perform during a cultural event organized by the Confucius Institute in Sofia, Bulgaria, Oct. 11, 2025. The event was held to mark the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Global Confucius Institute Day. (Photo by Marian Draganov/Xinhua)

Students perform during a cultural event organized by the Confucius Institute in Sofia, Bulgaria, Oct. 11, 2025. The event was held to mark the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Global Confucius Institute Day. (Photo by Marian Draganov/Xinhua)

Students perform during a cultural event organized by the Confucius Institute in Sofia, Bulgaria, Oct. 11, 2025. The event was held to mark the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Global Confucius Institute Day. (Photo by Marian Draganov/Xinhua)
By Grainne Ni Aodha, PA

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said he is deeply sorry for how Fianna Fail candidate Jim Gavin had fared during the presidential race.

The Fianna Fail leader said he had not spoken to the partys former presidential contender but said he was in touch with friends of Mr Gavin.

Mr Gavin withdrew as a presidential contender last Sunday after a tenant claimed he tried to recover 3,300 in overpaid rent from Mr Gavin 16 years ago.

Ive been speaking to people close to Jim, he said.

I think Jim is obviously having time with himself and his family, and I think that should be respected, and I think its been very traumatic for him and very difficult for him and for his family, and Im very conscious and aware of that.

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin attended a grassroots event in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA)

I have been talking to close friends of Jim.

He said he is glad to see that that has been resolved in relation to Mr Gavin reportedly repaying his former tenant 3,300.

I think the tenant is also a victim in all of this, he said.

I listened to the podcast (the tenant spoke on) and I think he spoke frankly and candidly and in a very reasonable manner. So Im glad that that has been resolved.

He made the comments at the annual Fianna Fail grassroots event on Saturday evening in Dublin, days after he apologised to his parliamentary party for how presidential candidate Mr Gavin fared.

Addressing the event, he said he was deeply sorry for how things turned out, and acknowledged the disappointment within the party.

Clearly we need to have a new procedure for deciding when we run a candidate for president and who that candidate is to be, he said.

I for one support the idea that we move to a process which is in tune with the wider reforms which we have introduced in the past.

Tonight, we think of Jim Gavin and his family, who have gone through a very traumatic time, he added, which drew applause from the room.

Jim Gavin has made a very significant contribution to our country as UN peacekeeper, public servant and in his impactful work in the North East inner city of Dublin, where he is hugely respected. This needs to be said.

Speaking to the media before his address, Mr Martin also explained his decision not to direct party members to vote a certain way, stating it would represent a certain degree of arrogance if he did.

He said he would vote for Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys, as its important that the president of Ireland is one who can get on with other countries, but said he would not campaign for her.

Fine Gael presidential candidate Heather Humphreys cuts a cake at half-time during a visit to a game in Tipperary while on the campaign trail (Niall Carson/PA)

Earlier, Ms Humphreys thanked Mr Martin for saying he would vote for her.

Presidential candidate Catherine Connolly said on Saturday that Mr Martin was entitled to back Ms Humphreys and said: I think he probably has actually clarified the situation  that for the leadership of Fianna Fail there is very little difference between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, so the people of Ireland have a clear choice to make now.

Mr Gavins withdrawal has left just two candidates in the race ahead of polling day in less than two weeks.

On Saturday, Ms Humphreys canvassed in Co Tipperary, while left-wing independent Ms Connolly met people in counties Waterford and Wexford.

Speaking at Upperchurch Drombane GAA, Ms Humphreys was asked about comments from former Fine Gael minister and broadcaster Ivan Yates calling on Fine Gael to smear the bejaysus out of Ms Connolly.

Ms Connolly said she was absolutely shocked when she heard Mr Yatess comments and said it trivialised the election campaign.

Ms Humphreys responded: Ivan Yates is a commentator, and he hasnt been in Fine Gael for the last 25 years, and hes certainly not advising me on my campaign.

I need all the votes I can get, there's no question about that Heather Humphreys

Hes entitled to say what he thinks himself. Hes no more involved in my campaign than Joe Brolly is involved in Catherine Connollys campaign.

So I wont be a candidate thats going to smear anybody, but I will ask the hard questions, and I have already a number of issues that I think Catherine needs to clarify.

She raised the issue again of Ms Connolly giving a woman with a Special Criminal Court conviction access to the Dail for six months while Garda clearance was pending.

She said: We all know the rules are very clear, you must have Garda vetting. We talk about trying to unite people in this country, were talking about a united Ireland. Eirigi are the very people that tried to pull down the Good Friday Agreement.

She also raised questions about using 3,691 of parliamentary allowance for a trip to Syria in 2018.

I really do believe she needs to answer those questions, but those are straight questions, and thats acceptable in any campaign, Ms Humphreys said.

These are the questions that will be debated during the campaign, but I certainly wont be smearing anybody.

Appealing for votes, Ms Humphreys said she was a centre ground candidate at a divisive time who wont fall out with our European neighbours.

I need all the votes I can get, theres no question about that, she said as she pledged to travel on trade missions all over the world if she became president.

Ms Humphreys also thanked Mr Martin for saying he would vote for her after Mr Gavins shock withdrawal.

Fine Gael presidential candidate Heather Humphreys meets Ruth Ryan, aged four, holding her teddy Bruno, during a visit to Upperchurch Drombane GAA in Tipperary (Niall Carson/PA)

After surviving a leadership wobble during the week, Mr Martin said he would not be telling party members who to vote for, stating that when you start telling people how to vote, they generally go in the opposite direction.

Asked about discontent within Fianna Fail, junior minister Niall Collins said the issue needed to be put into perspective.

Nobody is dead, he said on RTE Radio.

Ms Humphreys said she had received phone calls from some Fianna Fail members who will definitely vote for me.

Id just like to thank the Taoiseach, Micheal Martin, for saying that hes supporting me and hes going to vote for me. I do appreciate that, she said.

Asked about her stance on fox hunting, Ms Humphreys said she is in favour of rural pursuits, stating that there are many controls and many regulations in place.

The candidates are entering the final week of campaigning, which includes a one-on-one debate on RTE Radio on Sunday.

The last poll conducted, which was published last Sunday before Mr Gavins withdrawal, put Ms Connolly ahead of Ms Humphreys.
IT is utterly distressing to watch news reports of the war in Gaza and the West Bank. Like so many others, the feeling of outrage coupled, with powerlessness and sometimes despair, is overwhelming as I watch footage of emaciated, starving children with distended stomachs and bones protruding.

They are being held by their despairing mothers crying out for some form of nutrition. Viewers are subjected to the barbarity of indiscriminate bombing, which destroys dwellings, hospitals, schools, shops, etc.

According to the Gaza Health Authority, over 66,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war to date. It is estimated that half a million Palestinians are starving, even though we are reliably informed that hundreds of trucks laden with supplies are stationed just outside the Israeli border.

But they are obstructed from entering Gaza and the West Bank, though Israel, of course, denies this, claiming that there is a food supply getting through.

The statistics are supplied by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), an organisation backed by the United Nations, which monitors hunger internationally. It reports that over half a million Palestinians are facing famine conditions of starvation, destitution and death.

And it emphasises that the crisis is entirely man-made. Israel is weaponizing hunger as a military strategy, which is contrary to all international conventions on warfare. The UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk said it was a war crime to use starvation as a method of warfare, and the resulting deaths may also amount to the war crime of wilful killing.

The United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that Israel, as the occupying power, has unequivocal obligations under international law  including the duty of ensuring food and medical supplies of the population. We cannot allow this situation to continue with impunity. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has authorised the ground invasion of Gaza city, which would forcibly displace over one million Palestinians. This will have very serious consequences for many people who are sick and malnourished as they may not be able to evacuate.

The barbarity can have a numbing effect, giving a kind of protective shield to isolate us from the horrors. But we can't escape the feeling that we should be doing something. It is heartening to see well-attended protest marches throughout the country in support of Palestine. Our government must be commended for its official recognition of the State of Palestine. (Most experts agree that the Two-State Solution, which involves the creation of a Palestinian state separate from the state of Israel, is the only viable proposal for peace in the area.) The US has shamefully refused to recognise the State of Palestine.

A United Nations official, Francesca Albanese, had listed companies who were profiting from their investments in Israeli bonds and which, through other associated companies, were involved in the instruments of war. Allianz, the biggest insurance company in the world, was on that list. In fact, it was described as the principal institutional shareholder in Elbit Systems, one of the main suppliers of drones to the Israeli military  weapons used to kill men, women and children.

The Association of Catholic Priests has called for the Church in Ireland to divest from its main insurer. All church property and Catholic schools in Ireland are insured by Allianz. The company is also one of the major sponsors for the GAA. This monopoly must be seriously challenged.

The Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) of which I am a member, issued a statement ending with the words: because the present sense of outrage in the Irish Catholic Church at whats happening in Gaza will be increased exponentially by the revelation of the Irish Catholic Churchs connection with Allianz and Allianzs connection with the state of Israel, we ask that the response of the Irish Catholic Church should be immediate and far-reaching in cutting our links with Allianz. Dr Michael Malone, of the Christians for Palestine organisation, has emphasised how effective such a boycott of companies like Allianz can be. He is also associated with a movement called the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement.

He is emphatic that financial pressure, created by such movements, may ultimately force the Israeli government to cease the genocide. I have no hesitation in calling on the Irish Church and the GAA to sever all links with Allianz, regardless of the cost, unless, of course, the company divests from Elbit Systems.

As I write, a peace proposal has just been announced by president Trump. Im somewhat sceptical as none of the warring parties (the Israeli Government or the Hamas terrorists) were party to the negotiations. It demands a significant climbdown by Netanyahu, reversing as it does the attempt to force Palestinians in Gaza into exile and to agree to the withdrawal of Israeli Defence Forces from Gaza.

Recently we celebrated the great feast, of St. Francis of Assisi, an icon for peace and hope.

Francis, himself experienced the consequence of war and imprisonment.

It was during his time in captivity, confronted with the harshness of poverty and want, where he discovered the presence of God.

Contemplating on who is God and who am I, Francis embraced the radical message of the Gospel.

God loves us as we are,

not for who we want to be,

but for the unique gift each one of us are,

in the sight of the one who created us.

This insight allowed Francis to enjoy an inner contentment and spiritual awareness of God's omnipresence,

in the bits and pieces of his daily life.

It is in this context where he recorded his celebrated prayer

Lord make me an instrument of your peace.

I pray in a turbulent world that peace will prevail,

especially for the Palestinian people.

=
THE Portlaoise GAA community is in mourning following the death of much-loved Mary Kelly (nee Bergin), who had deep family ties with the club.

A sister of former star hurlers Liam and Paul Bergin, Mary passed away on her birthday on Saturday 11 October, surrounded by her loving family.

In a heartfelt tribute on social media, Portlaoise GAA said: We are very saddened to learn of the passing of Mary Kelly (nee Bergin). Our thoughts and prayers are with Marys family, extended family and wide circle of friends.

Mary hails from a famous Portlaoise GAA family. Her dad Tom was a stalwart clubman and a great hurling man. Her brothers Liam and Paul are two of the finest hurlers in the history of the club, starring on the great town teams of the 1980s and 1990s. Her youngest brother Sean was a very talented player with the club also.

Mary was a lovely and kind person, full of good humour and she will be very sadly missed by everyone who knew her. May she rest in eternal peace.

Death notice and funeral arrangements:

'Mary Kelly (nee Bergin), 5 St Fintans Terrace, Durrow, Laois/Portlaoise, Laois passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family, in St James's Hospital, Dublin on her birthday, 11 October.

Predeceased by her father Tom. Deeply cherished by her family, loving husband Paul, children Mark, Aisling, Paul and David, their partners, her mother Mary, siblings Liam, Paul and Sean, her grandchildren, nieces, nephews , relatives, neighbours, friends and past colleagues in An Post.

The family would like to sincerely thank the staff of Portlaoise Regional Hospital and St James's Hospital for their care and compassion towards Mary.

May Mary rest In eternal peace

Reposing at her residence on Sunday 12 October from 2pm, pausing for prayers at 7.45pm.

Removal on Monday to Holy Trinity Church, Durrow, for 2pm Funeral Mass, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery.

House private on Monday please.

Mary's Funeral Mass may be viewed live by clicking on the link on RIP.ie.

Those wishing to leave a message of condolence for Mary's family may do so in the condolence section on RIP.ie.'
NEW YORK, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- At least four people were killed and about 20 were injured in a deadly shooting early Sunday morning at a crowded bar in Beaufort County of the U.S. state of South Carolina, local authorities said Sunday. 
The latest opinion poll ahead of the Presidential election and the continued fallout in Fianna Fail make the front pages of Sunday's papers.

The Sunday Independent leads with the Government focusing on state-run services for homeless people in order to bring down costs.

The Irish Sunday Mirror leads with Martin Morgan, who was jailed for the murder of a man in 2010, enjoying visits to his family.

The Irish Mail on Sunday leads with plans by Fianna Fail TDs to vote for Jim Gavin as a form of protest at the Presidential election.

The Sunday World reveals John Gilligan is refusing to leave a villa in Spain where he has refused to pay rent for five years.

The Business Poll leads with the latest Red C poll, which shows Catherine Connolly has a lead over Heather Humphreys with just under two weeks to go until the election.

The Sunday Times leads with the financial cost left with Fianna Fail after Jim Gavin's campaign ended last weekend.
Lehigh Valley Health Network dedicated a new cancer research center following a $12 million donation from Peter and Odete Kelly during a Sept. 30 ceremony at Lehigh Valley HospitalCedar Crest in Salisbury Township.

The Peter and Odete Kelly Center for Personalized Cancer Immunotherapy will focus on developing treatments that teach the immune system to fight cancer cells by targeting specific genetic mutations. The center plans to conduct translational research, develop therapeutic cancer vaccines, and expand access to clinical trials through an interdisciplinary team of experts.

Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute currently operates the regions only clinical trial for an immunotherapeutic pancreatic cancer vaccine, which was announced in August 2024. The precision therapy targets genetic mutations that cause cancer cells to grow while minimizing damage to healthy tissue and reducing side effects compared to traditional treatments.

Dr. Suresh Nair, physician in chief at Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute and medical director of the new Kelly Center, reflected on the progress in cancer immunotherapy research.

Forty years ago, harnessing the immune system to beat cancer felt like an impossible dream, Nair said. Today we are cracking the codethanks to science, my wonderful colleagues, and this transformational gift from Peter and Odete Kelly.

The centers mission includes developing new immunotherapies, finding new applications for existing treatments, and testing new drug combinations that incorporate immunotherapy approaches. Benefits of personalized immunotherapy include increasing the curability of metastatic cancer and reducing treatment side effects.

The Kelly family attended the dedication along with their daughter, Joana Kelly; son-in-law, Christopher Juby; and young grandson, Hugo. LVHN is part of Jefferson Health, and the cancer institute now operates as part of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, which holds National Cancer Institute designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The center plans ongoing collaborations with the Sidney Kimmel Medical College and the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Generative AI was used to structure and organize information for this story, based on data provided by Lehigh Valley Health Network. It was reviewed and edited by lehighvalleylive.com staff.
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025, introduced glamping sites like this one at French Creek State Park in the southeastern corner of the state. Joe Ferreras/PAcast photo

Love the idea of camping but not the setting up of the tent, sleeping on a sagging air mattress or lack of climate control?

Pennsylvania state parks have a solution: glamping.

Officials this past week introduced glamping  a portmanteau of glamorous and camping  at eight state parks, and reservations are being taken for 2026.

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources says it invested $400,000 in improving these parks campgrounds where glamping is available, including restroom upgrades and new utilities.

The department is offering 61 glamping sites through a partnership with Timberline Glamping Co., under a five-year contract. Its the first venture in the northeastern United States for the private company that offers glamping franchises, and Pennsylvania will now host more Timberline glamping locations than any other state, according to DCNR officials.

This new offering is another way were ensuring that our state parks remain welcoming and enjoyable for all Pennsylvanians, said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. By transforming underused campsites into beautiful glamping experiences, were expanding overnight options in a way thats affordable, sustainable, and beneficial to local communities.

These are truly places where adventure feels like home.

How it works is outdoor enthusiasts, or maybe the outdoor curious, reserve a site through DCNRs Stay the Night webpage or go directly to timberlineglamping.com.

Under this collaboration, DCNR says it will receive a flat rate plus a share of revenue from Timberlines operations, generating funds for additional park improvements.

Through a partnership with Timberline, eight of Pennsylvania's 124 state parks are offering 61 glamping sites that feature safari-style tents with real beds, heat and air-conditioning, lighting, decor and outdoor seating. Joe Ferreras/PAcast photo

Guests can expect safari-style tents with real beds, heat and air-conditioning, lighting, decor and outdoor seating. Each park with glamping sites will include one tent accessible to people with disabilities  ensuring access for all visitors.

Guests can book one-night weekday stays or two-night weekend and holiday stays, with check-in at 3 p.m. and checkout at 10 a.m. Nightly stays range from $130 to $200 a night depending on the time of week, with weekdays running cheaper than weekends, DCNR spokesman Wesley Robinson told lehighvalleylive.com.

Add-ons include local experiences, firewood bundles, games and gourmet smores kits, connecting visitors with local communities and businesses, according to the DCNR.

The new amenities are in response to the departments Penns Parks for All plan developed with extensive public input that included a call for this type of overnight accommodations, Robinson said: So we expect them to be popular.

Glamping reservations are now open at the following eight state parks, with availability based on each parks season:

Poe Valley: March 27Dec. 12

Hills Creek: May 1Oct. 17

Laurel Hill: April 10Oct. 17

Pymatuning: April 10Oct. 31

Codorus: April 10Oct. 31

French Creek: March 6Dec. 31 on the parks Loop A and April 24Oct. 31 on Loop B

Hickory Run: April 10Oct. 17

Promised Land: May 1Oct. 11

Pennsylvania state parks offer a wide range of overnight accommodations, including tent and glamping sites; RV full-service sites; yurts; rustic cabins with fireplaces and modern cabins with heat and bathrooms; and the eco-lodge The Nature Inn at Bald Eagle in Centre County.

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn introduces glamping sites at a news conference Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025, at French Creek State Park. Joe Ferreras/PAcast photo

We believe that time spent in the great outdoors with family and friends can create some of lifes most meaningful memories, said Timberline Glamping Co. co-owners Nathan and Rebeka Self. We are passionate about creating beautiful, truly unique, and unforgettable spaces, where people can explore our incredible State Parks, without sacrificing comfort, luxury, and style. We believe in the traditional camping experience happening outside while the convenience of modern amenities happens inside our accommodations. Each of our locations offer add-ons and experiences unique to that location, which means each guest can truly customize their stay.

DCNR officials note all Timberline glamping tents are made in the U.S., using materials crafted by American manufacturers in Denver.
If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.

Le Creuset just launched a limited-edition Wicked collection in honor of the release of Wicked: For Good next month. And I cant believe it hasnt totally sold out yet.

The Owala Wicked collab sold out almost instantly (a restock is coming in 1-2 weeks on Owalas website), but Le Creuset still has the green Elphaba Dutch oven and the pink Glinda Dutch oven in stock.

Wicked Collection Glinda Embossed Signature Round Dutch Oven $450 Radiant and refined, the Glinda Embossed Signature Round Dutch Oven embodies warmth, confidence and a touch of enchantment. Buy Now at Le Creuset

Le Creuset website description for the collection reads: Explore the Wicked x Le Creuset limited-edition collection. Featuring Glinda and Elphaba Dutch ovens with bold colors, custom embossing, and collectible packaging, this exclusive Le Creuset cookware brings magic and self-expression to every kitchen.

The Wicked Collection Elphaba Embossed Signature Round Dutch Oven features a limited-edition deep emerald green color with a bold matte black interior.

A black nickel knob stands apart from the rest with an eye-catching finish. Retailing for $450, the 4.5-quart design features Elphabas iconic silhouette on the lid, broom in hand.

The Wicked Collection Glinda Embossed Signature Round Dutch Oven is an enchanting pearlescent pink, as only Glinda would have in her Emerald City kitchen.

The luminous enamel design is in tribute to Glindas signature optimism and pink-adorned style. A light gold center knob finishes off the Good Witchs version.

Wicked Collection Elphaba Embossed Signature Round Dutch Oven $450 Grounded in strength and unapologetically bold, the Elphaba Embossed Signature Round Dutch Oven celebrates the beauty of standing apart. Buy Now at Le Creuset

Both Dutch ovens are enameled cast iron and are ready to use as soon as they arrive; there is no seasoning required. The ovens are both made with durable interior enamel and are easy to clean, because the design resists dulling, staining, cracking or chipping.

Your food wont dry out, because these Dutch ovens come with tight-fitting lids that circulate steam and return moisture back to the food.

Shop the Le Creuset Wicked collection now before these Dutch ovens sell out.
If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.

Ive had the same pair of white Crocs for the last five years, and every time I wear them, people ask me if theyre new.

People are even more surprised when they learn I wear my Crocs to Disney World every time I go. And yet, theyre still clean!

Theres only one product I trust to clean my Crocs, and you might already have it in your kitchen. My secret weapon is Dawn Powerwash.

Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray $5 at Amazon Removes 99% of grease and grime in half the time of non-concentrated Dawn. Powerwash has 3 cleaning boosters not found in traditional dish soaps. It has the power of an overnight soak in minutes, with suds that activate on contact, eliminating the need for water until rinsing. Buy Now at AmazonBuy for $5 at TargetBuy for $5 at Walmart

How to clean white Crocs

I love a white shoe. I have a pair of bright white HOKA Bondi 9 sneakers. Ive got my beloved white Crocs that I personalized with some Lilo & Stitch Jibbitz. Ive even have a pair of white Dr. Scholls Time Out sneakers in my cart at this very moment. I might have a shoe problem, okay?

But liking white shoes is hard because keeping them clean can be a pain. Not my Crocs, though! Discovering that the Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray I already owned for cleaning my dishes worked on my Crocs was an absolute game-changer.

Im sure I could use regular Dawn dish soap, but I bet that would require a lot more scrubbing. This isnt even subjective; its been reported that Powerwash is quite different than traditional Dawn dish soap. A Procter & Gamble study found that Powerwash removes 99% of grease 50% faster and that Powerwash Dish Spray also cleans 5X faster than standard, non-concentrated Dawn dish soap. That is because the spray contains special cleaning boosters that arent in traditional dish soap. These boosters then activate suds on contact, and can be used for an overnight soak effect in minutes.

Classic Clog $50 Its the iconic clog that started a comfort revolution around the world! The irreverent go-to comfort shoe that you're sure to fall deeper in love with day after day. Crocs Classic Clogs offer lightweight Iconic Crocs Comfort, a color for every personality, and an ongoing invitation to be comfortable in your own shoes. Buy Now at CrocsStarting at $38 on AmazonBuy for $50 at DSW

4 steps for cleaning Crocs

For the last five years, I've always packed a pair of Crocs for my trips to Disney. Ana Suarez for NJAM

I keep my Crocs bright white with just a few simple steps.

Spray them with Dawn Powerwash Scrub any areas that are dirtier with a toothbrush or scrub brush Spray a tiny bit more of the Powerwash, then let it sit for 15 minutes Rinse

After Ive rinsed them off, I always set them out in a sunny area to dry. Since theyre Crocs, they dry in about 10 minutes.

Ive gotten my Crocs muddy while walking my dog. Ive spilled soda on them. Ive gotten scuff marks from walking. Youd never be able to tell looking at them. The only sign that these arent new Crocs would be the bottoms, not because they are dirty, but because the tread has slowly begun to wear down.

Like I said, Ive had them for half a decade now. Plus, Ive walked 20,000+ steps in Disney World in them. So, a little wear and tear is expected, but the color remains the same.
New Jersey gubernatorial candidates Jack Ciattarelli, left, and Mikie Sherrill, right, participated in a debate at Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. Ed Murray | For NJ Advance Media

New Jerseys gubernatatorial race is proving to be a true nail-biter for candidates on both sides of the aisle, and Warren County is feeling the burn as the run-up to election day picks up steam.

Of the 85,000 voters registered to cast ballots in Warren County, 18,828 Republicans and Democrats turned up to the primaries in June to stake their claim on their American right. Roughly 26,666 voters are non-partisan, according to election records, and were not permitted to vote in the primary.

Their votes have the power to rock what has become an already turbulent election for many of the states candidates. These non-partisan voters, who couldnt participate in the primary, represent nearly a third of the countys electorate as Republicans maintain a significant registration advantage.

Democrat Mikie Sherrill, a U.S. Senator and former U.S. Naval helicopter pilot, managed to capture fewer than 3,000 votes from Warren County residents in the primary. Former N.J. State Representative, of the 16th district, and Republican Jack Ciattrelli claimed the countys remaining 75% support, according to final primary election results.

As of October, the number of party-registered voters has grown to 90,000, according to state registration statistics.

Warren County registered voters

Democrats: 24,510

Republicans: 38,048

Unaffiliated: 26,077

How the county has changed: Warren County lost 3,978 unaffiliated voters between October 2021 and October 2025. The county gained 1,593 registered Democrats and gained 3,475 Republican voters in the same timeframe, records indicate. Other party numbers also shifted.

Cast your ballot

Early voting for the November General Election will open Saturday, October 25, 2025, until Sunday, November 2, 2025, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday hours will shift to 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Voters of Warren County can go to any of the following three locations during the times listed above and cast their vote on a voting machine.

Blairstown Municipal Building - 106 Route 94

Warren County Library Northeast Branch (Independence) - 40 US Highway 46 West

Warren County Library Southwest Branch (Stewartsville) - 404 County Road 519

Warren County voters registered to cast their ballots by mail can deposit them at any one of the county-designated secure drop-off locations.
A woman with over 100 previous convictions admitted stealing from shops while out on temporary release just over a week after getting jailed for eight months.

Theresa Conroy (39) of Apartment 3 Hinds Square, Portlaoise, was accused of stealing products valued at 79.80 from Centra, Main Street, Portarlington and groceries and clothing valued at 1,234.36 from Tesco, Tullamore, Co Offaly on August 10, 2025. She was further accused of stealing goods valued at 147.25 from Eurogiant, Portlaoise on August 13 and stealing two jackets valued at 36 from Dunnes, Mountmellick Road, Portlaoise on September 15 and meat items valued at 37.25 from Lidl in Portlaoise on September 16, 2025.

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the accused woman was identified in Eurogiant because she was known to management and Garda Ronan Maher viewed CCTV in Tesco and recognised the defendant. He said she had 101 previous convictions.

Judge Susan Fay said she had sentenced the woman in September yet she was out. Two weeks after being sentenced in this court she was released, she noted.

Solicitor Brian Duffy said she had temporary release not long after being sentenced by yourself.

Judge Fay recalled sentencing the woman and she asked how long the woman had served.

A week and a day, something like that, Mr Duffy replied.

Sgt Kirby said he knows the defendant for a long time. He said between 2010 and 2024 she hadnt come to the attention of gardai. He said whatever happened in March of 2024 caused the woman to spiral out of control.

Judge Fay asked the probation officer, Shane McManus, to carry out a same day community service assessment.

On assessing the woman, Mr McManus said the woman was still in active addiction. Her addiction has now migrated over to crack cocaine, he said. He noted the woman had issues with the local chemist and had to go to Dublin for methadone. He said he didnt believe she would be a suitable candidate for community service.

Mr Duffy said the woman is spending 18.75 a day to travel to Dublin to get methadone. He said given the right conditions and circumstances she could be suitable for probation supervision.

Mr Duffy told the court that her guilty pleas were saving the State time and money and he said some of the matters pre-dated her sentencing on September 1. He said she was to look for grief counselling as she had lost both parents and a brother in recent years.

Mr McManus said the woman had engaged with the probation services in the Dochas womans prison. Mr Duffy said she had engaged with the addiction services in the community.

Sgt Kirby said the woman was a good citizen prior to March of 2024. She is looking well today, he remarked.

Judge Fay said I gave her an eight month sentence and she served about a week. She asked if there was an objection to bail.

Sgt Kirby said that he had to be conscious of the businesses in town. He said she has addiction issues and if bail was being considered he would have to look for very stringent conditions to be attached.

Mr McManus expressed his belief that residential treatment would be the best option for the woman.

Mr Duffy said the woman had displayed an ability to engage with services. He said she would be willing to adhere to any bail conditions the court would impose.

Judge Fay said she would like to see an up to date probation report. She asked if the woman would consent to a remand in custody while that was carried out.

Mr Duffy asked if it would be possible to have the report completed in a week. Mr McManus said it would take four weeks. Mr Duffy said his client was not willing to consent to a four week remand in custody.

Judge Fay then imposed a one year prison sentence on the defendant.
Catherine Connolly has claimed politics of fear is being used against her after Heather Humphreys said she has legitimate questions to answer.

Ms Humphreys accused Ms Connolly of insulting allies of Ireland, but Ms Connolly insisted in response that she is a committed European, and claimed Fine Gael is worried.

The two also debated Irelands neutrality and the triple lock, the mechanism for sending Irish troops on peacekeeping missions.

Ms Connolly said there should be a referendum on removing the triple lock, saying it changes Irelands neutrality, while Ms Humphreys said that while she fully supports neutrality, Russia and the US can veto sending Irish peacekeepers abroad.

The two women are the only candidates in the presidential race after several high-profile figures failed to secure nominations from elected politicians and after Fianna Fails Jim Gavin withdrew.

A Business Post/Red C poll, carried out from October 1 to 7, put left-wing independent Ms Connolly on 36%, Fine Gael candidate Ms Humphreys on 25%, and Mr Gavin on 12%.

Mr Gavin withdrew from the race on the evening of Sunday October 5.

In a Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll published last Sunday, Ms Connolly was on 32%, nine points ahead of Fine Gaels Ms Humphreys on 23%. Mr Gavin was on 15%.

Ms Humphreys said after the on-air debate that opinion polls are not affecting her style or strategy, and said she was asking Ms Connolly to answer simple questions and was not being nasty.

Ms Connolly claimed Fine Gael is worried, which was very, very evident from comments made by former minister Ivan Yates, who said the party needs to smear the bejaysus out of her.

I havent heard Fine Gael distance themselves from those comments, she said.

Ms Humphreys said: I dont take advice from Ivan Yates, and I dont even listen to his programme (podcast), but added that Ms Connolly has legitimate questions to answer.

Asked if she believes Ms Humphreys, who said she is not involved in a smear campaign, Ms Connolly said: Heather has said that, but actually today there were a lot of allegations against me without any basis whatsoever.

Theyre going down the road of throwing as much as they can.

During the debate on RTEs This Week programme, Ms Connolly rejected the suggestion from Ms Humphreys that she is not pro-business or pro-Europe, and described allegations that she had insulted allies of Ireland as inaccurate.

She said: I have been pro-business all my life. My father was a qualified plasterer and then became a small builder. I fully understand the business side.

Im absolutely pro-European. Asking questions of the military industrial complex and the direction that the compass is going in Europe, its not the same as anti-European. Im a committed European and a committed European asks questions.

Ms Humphreys said: Youve managed to insult our allies. Youve insulted Germany, youve insulted France, youve insulted the UK, our nearest neighbour, youve insulted the US.

That doesnt go without consequences. If youre a president of this country, you have to meet other leaders and other heads of state, and how are you going to speak to them? How are you going to talk to them?

Ms Connolly said: There were so many things said there that Ive insulted people. I dont recall ever insulting anybody in my life.

She added she would hope Russia would withdraw from parts of Ukraine it has occupied since 2014 as part of a future peace agreement.

Obviously, you cant invade a sovereign country, but at some stage, sense has to prevail, she said.

Ms Humphreys also asked Ms Connolly whether she asked a former employee with a Special Criminal Court conviction what she was going to do with the guns.

Ms Humphreys also raised Ms Connollys use of a parliamentary allowance to fund a trip to Syria in 2018 and how it took her 24 hours to say that she would not employ someone who is on the sex offender register to the Aras.

She said: These are the people that have spoken out against Europe, these are the people who are supporting you: Paul Murphy, far left Clare Daly, far left Mick Wallace, far left.

These are the people you associate with. Catherine, Im a centre-ground politician.

Ms Connolly said: This is the politics of fear and allegations being made that are utterly without substance.

We have the politics of smear, of making allegations that are unfounded without having any substantive debate on the issues.

The dust is still settling on the dramatic shake-up to the presidential election caused by Mr Gavins withdrawal a week ago.

Taoiseach and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin addressed a party event on Saturday night, telling the gathering he is sorry for how things turned out.

Mr Martin said he would vote for Ms Humphreys in the presidential election, but said it would show a certain degree of arrogance if he told his party how to cast their votes.

Ms Connolly said on RTE Radio that Mr Martins support for Ms Humphreys indicates there is no difference in the philosophies of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.

We all knew that for a long time, and hes actually set it out now and confirmed it, Ms Connolly said.

So Im saying to the ordinary members of Fianna Fail, you know my track record in the Dail, you know my history in relation to standing up for social justice, for equality, for violence against women, and in relation to the north.

Ms Humphreys said if Fianna Fail supporters were going to vote for Mr Gavin, I would ask them to give me their number two please.

Ahead of the debate, Ms Humphreys remarked in the studio that she could apply for a job in RTE, referring to all the broadcast debates she has taken part in, while Ms Connolly said here we go again as she entered the radio studio.

Ms Humphreys also referenced Ms Connollys football skills during the debate, saying I have to give that one to Catherine, to which Ms Connolly replied, Ill teach you.
Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) is an application software company servicing industries that span architecture, engineering, construction, product design and manufacturing, media, and entertainment. The company essentially enables the design, rendering, and modeling needs of those industries and has over 4 million paid subscribers across 180 countries.

The company is expanding its business and its top line and has durable competitive advantages with the land it owns, creating a high-liquidity marketplace for buyers and sellers that isn't easily replicable.

Copart has been expanding. It's crucial for the company to have ample land capacity to handle an influx of salvage vehicles on short notice and has nearly tripled its acreage since 2015, with an emphasis on areas at high risk of natural disasters. It's also expanding into the salvage-vehicle resale process with offerings such as vehicle title transfer and salvage estimation services.

Copart has quickly grown into the largest online salvage-vehicle auction operator in the U.S. market and has grown its top line nearly fivefold since 2009 thanks to a strategy of land expansion and higher salvage volume. The company has contracts with large auto insurers, which have a plethora of vehicles deemed a total loss and sell them on consignment for high margins to dismantlers.

First up is a company called Copart (NASDAQ: CPRT), which operates an online salvage-vehicle auctions that 11 countries across North America, Europe, and the Middle East. Copart makes over 3.5 million transactions annually through its virtual bidding platform that connects vehicle sellers with over 750,000 registered buyers.

These indicators emphasize better financial health, flexibility for growth, or returning extra value to shareholders. Here's a look at three companies with rising top lines, while simultaneously bringing more dollars to their bottom lines.

If you're looking for some monster returns, the stocks that can provide them come in many shapes and sizes. For this exercise, we're going to identify three stocks that show significant revenue growth as well as improving free cash flow and gross margins .

Story Continues

Autodesk, while providing leading industry computer-aided design software, drives its success and durable competitive advantages through switching costs and network effects, which actually tend to reinforce each other. Widespread training on its software, often early in careers, not only gives people familiarity with the software, it also makes the cost of learning a competing software undesirable, unproductive, and time-consuming.

Furthermore, according to Morningstar, over 95% of its revenue is now recurring after the company transitioned away from licenses to a subscription model over the better part of the last decade. The change should enable the company to drive its top line even higher as it extracts more revenue per user with upsells and a more mature and loyal user base.

Autodesk even has upside if it can capture a chunk of the estimated 12 million to 15 million people using pirated versions of its software.

A hotel for every need

As of the end of 2024, InterContinental Hotels Group (NYSE: IHG) operated nearly 990,000 rooms across 19 brands that span from midscale through luxury segments. Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express are its largest and most recognizable brands, but it also has an assortment of lesser-known lifestyle brands that are recording strong demand.

While there's a bit of U.S. economic uncertainty in the near term, InterContinental should be able to leverage its strong brand of assets to drive room share (i.e., market share) over the next decade. It has renovated and newer brands focusing on attractive midscale and extended-stay segments, as well as a loyalty program with roughly 145 million members to help drive growth.

The company also holds significant assets in international markets with those outside of the Americas generating 47% of total rooms for 2024, and it's well positioned for the more than 1 billion middle-income consumers expected to be joining the global population over the next 10 years.

The company has over 99% of rooms managed or franchised, which provides an attractive recurring-fee business model highlighted by high return on invested capital (ROIC) as well as high switching costs for property owners.

Contracts often last from 20 to 30 years, also providing noteworthy cancellation costs for owners -- all helping drive durable competitive advantages for IHG.

Are they buys?

For long-term investors, these three potentially monster stocks have proved they can rapidly grow their top line while also improving gross margins and pushing more dollars into free cash flow.

The kicker is that all three possess some form of competitive advantage that should sustain and enable growth over the next decade. If you're looking for market beating returns, these three stocks are a great place to start your research -- and perhaps a small position.

Should you invest $1,000 in Autodesk right now?

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Daniel Miller has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Autodesk and Copart. The Motley Fool recommends InterContinental Hotels Group Plc. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

3 Monster Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Next 10 Years was originally published by The Motley Fool
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Transport for Ireland (TFI) has announced major changes to its 983 Local Link route, which serves Kinlough, Bundoran, and Ballyshannon.

The changes are scheduled to take effect on October 20.

Route 983 will be enhanced between Kinlough and Ballyshannon, operating ten daily return services Monday to Thursday, 14 daily return services on Friday and Saturday, and eight daily return services on Sunday, with two daily return services extending to Manorhamilton every day.

The enhanced route will offer a new connection at Melvin Fields housing estate in Kinlough instead of Bundoran Cinema.

READ NEXT: Nearly 5,000 Leitrim residents to benefit from companion free travel pass

It will continue to provide peak and evening services, offering connectivity to Ballyshannon Bus Station, Bundoran town centre, regional bus services, as well as the villages and areas of Lurganboy, Glenade, Kinlough, Bundoran East, and Finner.

This enhancement is part of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan, a major national public transport initiative developed and funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the TFI Network.

We are delighted to announce the enhancement of route 983. This enhanced service will connect towns for work, education, and social needs with multiple services each day, said Fiona OShea, General Manager for TFI Local Link Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim.

READ NEXT: Leitrim celebrates food and drink excellence at Blas na hEireann with three award-winning producers
Key Points

Like other leading e-commerce companies, Coupang has a moat in logistics.

The company's profitability is improving.

While the core business remains in South Korea, its growth runway could extend globally.

10 stocks we like better than Coupang 

When investors think of Asian e-commerce, Coupang (NYSE: CPNG) often draws the "Amazon of South Korea" comparison. This label captures part of the story but not the whole picture.

Coupang is headquartered in Seattle and describes itself as a technology company. While it's best known for its retail dominance and hallmark Rocket Delivery service, it has also expanded into fintech, food delivery, streaming, and advertising. Still, e-commerce remains the foundation of its business -- and that's where most of its growth and profits are generated today.

The company has given shareholders plenty of reasons to be optimistic -- here are three of the biggest reasons investors are bullish on Coupang stock.

1.Coupang dominates South Korea's retail market

South Korea is one of the most attractive e-commerce markets in the world, thanks to its internet penetration rate of over 97% and a highly concentrated population around the capital city of Seoul. Against this backdrop, Coupang has emerged as the undisputed leader in this market with approximately 24 million active customers -- roughly 46% of South Korea's entire population.

The company's edge lies in logistics. Coupang has spent years building a dense fulfillment and delivery network, strategically placing warehouses so that 70% of South Koreans live within a seven-mile radius of a logistics center. This extensive logistics footprint allows its Rocket Delivery service to consistently meet its promise of "dawn delivery" and same-day fulfillment. Note that Coupang reported the 70% figure in its 2021 IPO filing, so the actual number today is likely to be even higher than that.

This network doesn't just offer customers unmatched convenience and service -- it's a moat for the business. Once customers grow accustomed to reliable, rapid delivery, switching to rivals like Naver becomes far less appealing. That customer loyalty bears out in Coupang's revenue per active customer, which increased from $1,196 in 2023 to $1,207 in 2024, reflecting a steady upward trend that suggests customers are spending more with the company over time.

2.Profitability is improving -- and fast

For years, Coupang was criticized for operating losses as it invested heavily in the business. But that narrative is shifting. In Q2 2025, Coupang reported $8.5 billion in revenue, a 16% year-over-year increase, with gross profit rising even faster at 20%. Net income hit $31 million, reversing a loss from the year-ago period. It has also been profitable for the last four consecutive quarters, suggesting this trend is sustainable.
A PHOTOGRAPHER who captured life in Limerick and the Mid-West for decades has sadly passed away after an illness bravely borne.

Kieran Clancy, of Elm Drive, Caherdavin Lawn and formerly of Mayorstone, Limerick city, was employed by the Cork Examiner, now Irish Examiner, before going out on his own as a freelancer.

READ NEXT: Mourners queuing for three-and-a-half hours in Limerick is a testament to 'absolute gentleman'

He passed away peacefully at Riverdale Nursing Home, Ardnacrusha in the presence of his loving family on Friday.

Mr Clancys other family - the professional photographic community in Limerick - is a small one and his loss is keenly felt. Mr Clancy was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease a number of years ago.

Adrian Butler, Limerick Leader; Owen South, formerly Limerick Leader; Liam Burke, Press 22 photographic agency; Noel Gavin, formerly Irish Daily Star and Press 22; Brendan Gleeson, freelance photographer, and Michael Cowhey, freelance photographer are among those to pay tribute to Mr Clancy since his passing.

Mr Cowhey said Mr Clancy used to come to his studio in Ballinacurra to train as a photographer when he was in secondary school.

I could tell he was going to be a good photographer because he was very, very meticulous. His late father, Sean, worked in Limerick as Mid-West regional photojournalist for the Irish Independent so it was in the breeding. He was self-taught really.

He was a kind, gentle, well-mannered young lad and that never changed, said Mr Cowhey.

Mr Clancy worked for the Cork Examiner for two decades.

He was one of their premier photographers. He was chosen by the Cork Examiner to take one of their first colour pictures at the famous Munster v All Blacks match in Thomond Park in 1978. He had to leave early as he had to drive to Cork with it, recalled Mr Cowhey, who added that Mr Clancy worked closely with the late Tony Purcell, Cork Examiner journalist.

Kieran was always on top of every story. He was a professional and he knew how to get the picture - he got many exclusives, said Mr Cowhey. Some of his work, like the one below of Tiger Woods, is interspersed throughout this piece.

"It was a pleasure to be beside Mr Clancy in a media scrum, said Mr Cowhey.

He would always help you and you'd never be caught out if you were with Kieran. I remember one famous court case where we were waiting for the person up in court to come out. There was a front door and a back door so Kieran took the back door and I took the front door. That doesn't happen very often and we got the photo but that was Kieran - he was a very nice man, said Mr Cowhey.

After Mr Clancy left the Cork Examiner he went out on his own as a freelancer doing mainly commercial work and weddings. He had a studio in Mungret and was very successful.

Mr Clancy was a member and former president of the Press Photographers Association of Ireland (PPAI), as well as being active in the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) Irish South West branch. In 2021, he was awarded honorary membership of the PPAI in recognition of his outstanding contribution to press photography in Ireland.

Current Limerick Leader photographer Adrian Butler said he always looked up to Mr Clancy.

As a young photographer starting out in the business, Kieran was always very helpful and looked out for his fellow photographers. He was very professional and had an unbelievable eye for a photograph - he was a brilliant photographer, said Mr Butler.

Photographers can often be huddled together waiting for an event to start, or a person to arrive, and Mr Butler has many fond memories of chatting with Mr Clancy.

He had a great sense of humour. He was very quick-witted. He was a lovely man. May he rest in peace, said Mr Butler.

Freelance photographer Brendan Gleeson echoed the description of Mr Clancy as being "a gentleman".

He was an inspirational photographer for a lot of us on the job. He was a pure gentleman, he had a great eye and he was so enthusiastic about the job, Mr Gleeson.

Liam Burke, of Press 22, said Mr Clancy was a great friend to many of his clients and colleagues before his Parkinsons took him from us.

He was an amazing multi-award-winning photographer and a former President of the Irish Press Photographers Association. May he rest in peace, said Mr Burke.

Mr Clancy will be sadly missed by his family, his heartbroken wife Marianne (Rafferty), her children Rory, Tim, Elizabeth and Maebh, Kierans children David, Stephen and Lydia, grandchildren Brianna, Luca and Matthew, daughter-in-law Claudia, sister Catherine, brothers Michael, John and the late Kevin, sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, Kierans dedicated team of carers, Andrea, from Family Carers Ireland, and Bluebird Care, a wide circle of friends and colleagues both locally and nationally.

Arriving at St Johns Cathedral, on Monday for Requiem Mass at 11am, followed by burial in Mount Saint Oliver Cemetery.

Mass will be live streamed click here to view.

The Clancy family requested in his death notice that the house remains private and family flowers only, donations, if desired, to Parkinson's Ireland.

May he rest in peace.
A TOTAL of 20% of children in Limerick primary schools missed 20 days or more of their school days last year.

In addition, 19.3% of post-primary students missed at least 20 days in the 2023/24 school year.

These figures were released by Tuslas Education Support Service (TESS) as part of its latest attendance report. The data accompanies a new nationwide campaign, launched in partnership with Minister for Education, Helen McEntee, to improve school attendance levels.

The number of days missed by students in secondary schools in Limerick represents 9.7% of the total school days in the 2023/24 school year. At primary level, the number of days missed by pupils represents 7.5% of the total school calendar.

READ MORE: Limerick Festival of Science to receive 50,000 as part of government funding

The campaign launch comes as new data from TESS shows that nationally over one in five children and young people at primary and post-primary level miss over 20 days of their school year.

Aine OKeeffe, director of TESS, said: We are very excited to launch, together with Minister McEntee, a new national multimedia campaign aimed at raising awareness around the often-underestimated impact of missed school days.

The campaign aims to raise awareness about how many school days are being missed.

Minister McEntee said that while a reduction in the total number of days lost was positive, the level of absenteeism in schools remained far too high.
A YOUNG Cappamore actor has started an online campaign to help towards her tuition at the Oxford School of Drama.

Eleanor O'Brien has acted alongside Colm Meaney and Brian Cox among others, and she wrote to actors for support before turning to the GoFundMe website.

Ms O'Brien has core memories of loving being on stage from as young as five and is passionate about Irish culture, the Irish language and being close to home, in her heart, if not physically.

READ NEXT: Silence from mayor as fury builds over Christmas festivities in Limerick

She acted in Baite, which won the Best Irish Language Feature Film at the Galway Film Fleadh and will be travelling to California, where it will be showcased.

This has to be my one ask, people often fundraise for a short film or play, but I don't think anyone has ever done it for an education, she said.

Limerick and Ireland have been fantastic to me. To do this as a career, it needs to be sustainable and you need to be able to support yourself mentally, spiritually, financially and this is me trying to figure it out and how to continue it. I'm very excited about the year ahead.

I could talk for Ireland and I would if they asked me to, said Ms O'Brien.

The Oxford School of Drama Masters programme is a full-time course which runs for 12 months. Its an incredible opportunity but also a big financial commitment. I feel incredibly lucky to have been accepted, and Ill be truly grateful to anyone who helps me along this journey.

Anyone who wants to support Ms O'Brien's GoFundMe can do so here (https://www.gofundme.com/f/eleanor-o-brien) and the actor is going to be updating people on her progress, as well as practical information for other actors who might wish to pursue the same path, via social media.
LIMERICK people whose lives have been changed by donors remembered those who gave organs at the 40th annual service of remembrance and thanksgiving for the Irish Kidney Association.

There was a huge crowd in Whitehall in Dublin for the ceremony, which attracted 1,500 people from all over Ireland and abroad.

The annual service gives transplant recipients and their families, as well as donor families, an opportunity to show gratitude for the gift of life they have received, as well as reflecting on, and remembering their own experiences.

READ NEXT: A disaster waiting to happen: New road layout outside Limerick primary school criticised

This inclusive ceremony brought together celebrants from various faith traditions and non-religious worldviews, each united in their support for organ donation as the ultimate act of humanity.

People were so moved emotionally during the ceremony, that there were many times that people clapped spontaneously.

During the service of light, members of Transplant Sport Ireland lit candles for the congregation to symbolise the enduring connection between organ donors and those whose lives they transformed.

Families of donors who have passed away were also part of the service, including Mary Keogh, from Caherdavin, mother of deceased donor Sinead, who was just 41-years-old when she passed away in 2024 donating her kidneys and her heart valves.

Also present at the service was Geraldine Dowling, from Newcastle West, whose twin brother Patrick passed away in 1999 at the age of 31 from a brain haemorrhage.

His kidneys, liver, heart and corneas were donated.

READ ALSO: Just seven affordable homes built by Limerick council contractors in 2024

A letter from President Michael D. Higgins, a patron to the Irish Kidney Association, was also read out by Colin White, the husband of a dialysis patient.

The letter said: May I extend my support and thanksgiving for the great gift of organ donation, which has transformed and enriched so many lives, allowing new possibilities and new opportunities for recipients and their loved ones.

The names of deceased organ donors were honoured by entering the names into the Book of Remembrance, which could also be viewed after the service.

IKA chair, Liz OSullivan paid tribute to the many families who have given the gift of life through organ donation. She also acknowledged the recent passing a month before of Mark Murphy, former CEO of the IKA, who was instrumental in promoting organ donation for two decades before retiring in 2020. Among those in attendance were his predecessor, Patricia Doherty, the IKAs first chief executive and one of its founding members, and the associations current CEO, Carol Moore.

The service was recorded by Kairos Communications for broadcast on RTE One, Radio 1 Extra and RTE Player on Sunday, November 2 at 11am.

For more information visit www.ika.ie
GRAHAM Norton had Julia Roberts, Colin Farrell, Benedict Cumberbatch, Gloria Estefan, and Robbie Williams on his couch this week but the biggest round of applause went to a Limerick man.

Ben, from Limerick, popped up on the red chair segment at the end of The Graham Norton Show. Audience members sit in the eponymous chair and tell stories in exchange for not being flipped over. Ben definitely walked.

READ NEXT: Aspiring Limerick actor launches GoFundMe appeal to help with drama school tuition fees

The young man told a story about an unnamed hotel in Limerick where he and friends would go on the beer.

Our friend was working there and he was very, very heavy-handed with the portions he'd give us. The last thing I remember is walking out of the front door of the hotel.

The next thing I remember is hearing an absolute banshee scream. I woke up, looked around me and I was in this tiny box.

"I looked out the little hole and I see my mother looking in at me. I was asleep in my dog's kennel out the backyard! said Ben.

We love Ben, said Graham.

You can walk. Well done, Ben, said the host of the BBC show, which is shown on Virgin One on Saturday nights.

Julia Roberts, Colin Farrell, Benedict Cumberbatch, Gloria Estefan, and Robbie Williams all applauded at the Limerick mans unusual tail.
In 2023, when Mumbai-based FMCG company Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) decided to fold up its long-standing roster of external advertising agencies and bring creative work entirely in-house, it seemed like a bold experiment.

Two years on, the move appears to be reshaping how GCPL approaches brand building across India, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The companys Lightbox Creative Lab feeds creative campaigns for its hair colour to room freshener brands worldwide from an in-house team of about eight people.

In India, GCPL folded up accounts from agencies such as Creativeland Asia, Leo Burnett and JWT to merge all creative functions in-house. Creative is now as core to our business and no longer a support function, the company said.

In FY25, Lightbox helped the company save 40 basis points in costs and improved its creative hit rate.

The move was led by GCPLs managing director and CEO Sudhir Sitapati, who believed the company had both the right size and culture to make an internal agency viable.

Sudhir said, Look, I am taking this call. I want to do this because for a company our size, it felt like the right way to run advertising," Ashwin Moorthy, global head of categories and head of marketing in India, said in an interview with Mint.

Also Read | Godrej Interio aims to double sales by 2028 with fresh brand identity, expansion

Historically, GCPL operated with multiple agencies, fragmented briefs and inconsistent execution across geographies. This made its marketing ecosystem slow, inefficient and diluted the power of our ideas. We recognised the need to simplify, centralise and scale. We moved to a single-agency, global category model. This means we develop one central idea, and then adapt it for each geography with local casting, language and cues," according to the companys annual report for fiscal 2025.

What this unlocks is consistency in brand storytelling. It allows us to speak with one voice globally, while staying relevant locally," Moorthy said.

A&P Spends

Most large companies usually work with several agencies, including big media planning firms that handle advertising across TV, print, digital, and outdoor platforms. Most also hire third-party social media agencies to manage influencer engagement.

While there are pros and cons to using in-house versus external agencies, many companiesespecially startupshave chosen to build their creative teams internally.

Food aggregator Swiggy, for instance, has an in-house creative team led by Mayur Hola.

In the 1990s, Lintas (now Lowe Lintas) was the dedicated agency for Hindustan Lever Ltds brands in India. The agency was originally an offshoot of Unilever, HLLs parent company. However, HUL now works with different agencies for creative mandates.

In-House talent

Last fiscal, the maker of Cinthol soaps and Godrej Expert hair dyes spent 1,369.21 crore on advertising and publicity on a consolidated level. Of this, a majority went into media buying, and the remaining into creative and production. In FY25, the company reported consolidated revenue of 14,364 crore

Moorthy said what helps is having a bunch of creative hires sitting within walking distance of the marketing team. Ideas are tested quickly, without added layers of approvals.

It has shaved off months from a campaign cycle because weve reduced the unnecessary back and forth," Moorthy said. Second, there is continuity. Once a creative has worked on a brand, they stay with it, the next film is seamless. Third, costs have stabilised. I used to spend two months a year negotiating agency fees. Thats gone," he added.

Lighboxs in-house team consists of Swati Bhattacharya, who heads the vision. Bhattacharya was previously the creative chairperson of FCB India. The team also includes Gaurav Kumar, lead creative strategist, who was formerly with Leo Burnett as executive creative director. Godrej's team includes Shalini Avadhani as a lead creative strategist.

In all, the team of 12 members, including visualizers and photographers, that sits out of the company's Vikhroli office in Mumbai produces about 35 campaigns annually for different categories.

Moorthy said the move has added more speed to creative output. GCPL runs nearly twice the number of campaigns we ran in FY22," said Moorthy, citing that GCPL is a top 3 TV advertising spender in India.

Also Read | Consumer goods firms likely to show uneven demand patterns in June quarter

Campaigns for the world

GCPL draws roughly 38% of its business from international markets.

While GCPL continues to work with creative agencies in international markets on a project basis, creatives ideated in India have been adopted in local languages in international markets.

For instance, in Latin America, GCPL launched a five-minute shampoo hair colour with a film built on the universal trope of the always-late friend".

The insight worked well across markets from Argentina and travelled to Jakarta, and the ad was soon remade for Indonesia before making its way back to India. We tested the same film in Indonesia from Spanish to Bahasa and we reshot it with local models in Indonesia," he said.

In South Africa, the Lightbox team worked on the Inecto hair colour brand with a culturally relevant campaign. Women kept saying they felt judged by the colour of their skin. The team turned the narrative to judge me by the colour of my hair with fashion colours (pink, blue, red, etc.). That idea came from Lightbox in India, but resonated deeply in South Africa," Moorthy said.

GCPLs flagship household insecticide brand Goodknight has benefited from tapping into the in-house team. The same writer has scripted four consecutive films; its built a depth of understanding the brand," he added.

Of course, not all experiments work, given that GCPL operates in mature markets where brand positioning and use cases may vary.

Diversity and consistency

Brands bring in third-party creative agencies to add diverse perspectives to their storytellingsomething in-house teams may miss while focusing on consumers and go-to-market plans.

The creative business thrives on diversity," said Shantanu Sirohi, chief executive officer at Interactive Avenues, the digital marketing arm of IPG Mediabrands.

The role of the agency is to give your brand a share in a consumer's mind in this increasingly fragmented worldif that's the goal, then Im not sure outsourcing is the best. You miss out on diversity."

But Vani Gupta Dandia, managing partner at CherryPeachPlum Growth Partners, a business consulting firm, points to several benefits linked to in-housing the creative agency. The whole process of creative development would definitely be far speedier," she said.

Dandia also pointed to transparency in costs as an obvious advantage. There is a happy opaque nexus between creative and production. Agencies take hefty cuts from the production houses they push forward to the client. Secondly, with an in-house agency, clients can save on pitch fees. Assuming, of course, they pay a pitch fee," Dandia added.

Additionally, it isnt entirely uncommon for ad executives to move agenciesthis may lead to some inconsistency in a brand's storytelling.

Can an ad agency be true brand custodians and take forward brand assets with consistency? Yes, but only when the teams are small, core team members stick around for long stints, and the top management on either side has the maturity and business understanding of what it takes to build brands in the long run," she added.

Moorthy maintains that while creative work has moved in-house, GCPL still outsources media buying and production. They bring their own lens and prevent sameness across films," he added.

For now, Moorthy said the playbook for Lightbox is pretty set".

The only risk is if we lose people. We need to give the creative team more leeway and take leaps," he said, adding that talent is the backbone of execution.
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI : Hefty pension obligations and workforce reorganization have emerged as key issues in Naveen Jindals bid to acquire thyssenkrupp Steel Europe (TKSE), as discussions continue over the Indian billionaire's potential role in the German steelmakers turnaround plans, according to two people familiar with the matter.

At the heart of the negotiations is how to manage TKSEs pension liabilities, estimated at 2-3 billion, and a potential workforce restructuring plan that could involve significant layoffs. Both issues have long deterred buyers and complicated thyssenkrupps efforts to offload its loss-making steel unit.

The European steel division accounts for roughly 2.7 billion, or about half of thyssenkrupps total pension liabilities of 5.4 billion, while employing just 28% of the groups workforce, the first of the two persons cited earlier said, both of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Also Read | Indias Jindal closes in on Thyssenkrupp Steel as EP Group checks out

This follows Jindal leading a delegation to Germany last week for discussions with thyssenkrupp management and other stakeholders, Mint had reported earlier.

The company and its employees are seeking firm assurances that these obligations will be met in full," this person added.

As the talks continue, Jindal is also being informally considered for a seat on TKSEs supervisory board, where he could advise on employee negotiations and pension reforms, this person said.

Notably, a shareholder position is not required to serve on the board under German corporate law.

Mint could not independently verify whether this board berth will be granted or not.

The Naveen Jindal Group is yet to respond to queries emailed by Mint.

Privately-held Jindal Steel International (JSI), part of the Naveen Jindal Group, made a non-binding bid in September to acquire thyssenkrupps European steel arm. The proposal includes taking on a portion of the pension liabilities and investing in green steel technologies to revive operations.

Jindal Steel Internationals potential deal is estimated to be valued in the range of 3-4 billion, according to an ICICI Direct report dated 17 September.

The potential transaction could mark one of the largest overseas bets by an Indian promoter in Europes industrial sector. Jindal has also pledged over 2 billion of fresh investment to complete thyssenkrupps Direct Reduction Iron (DRI) project in Duisburg and add electric arc furnace capacity, essential for decarbonising steel production.

thyssenkrupp, in an emailed response, said its executive board would carefully review this offer with particular attention to its economic viability, continuation of the green transformation, and employment at our steel locations." It declined to comment on commercial details or transaction structure.

German legal framework

Under German law, companies operate with a dual-board structure, separating the executive and supervisory boards. The latter comprises an equal number of shareholder and employee representatives. Jindals appointment, if it happens, would require only approval from the shareholder side, one of the people cited earlier said.

The Stock Corporation Act (AktG) and the Codetermination Act (Mitbestimmungsgesetz) allow supervisory board members to be appointed from outside the company, irrespective of shareholding status.

Pension liabilities and negotiations

Jindal, who had written to union representatives before officially announcing his bid, is believed to have emphasised continuity of employment and long-term sustainability in his proposal.

Incidentally, for Indian steelmakers who have tried to get a foothold in Europe through acquisitions, negotiating pension liabilities has been a major concern.

For instance, in the case of the 2007 acquisition of Corus by Tata Steel, the pension liabilities were a major concern and were addressed through the establishment of a special purpose vehicle for acquisition and creation of the British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS). The BSPS was created in an attempt to separate the pension liabilities from the main company. However, Tata Steel had to bear the pension liabilities of a specific division between 2008 and 2016.

In the case of thyssenkrupp too, the company had announced significant job cuts years before Jindal bid for the steel unit. These job cuts were part of a broader, long -running effort to deal with challenges like cheaper Asian competition, high energy costs and a weakening global economy.

In October, thyssenkrupp called off its joint venture plan with Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinskys EP Group (EPG). Before Jindals bid, EPG had acquired a 20% stake in TKSE in July with an agreement to discuss an additional 30% for a 50/50 joint venture.

A thyssenkrupp executive, requesting anonymity, had then said that the mood within the company was positive".

Also Read | Will a booming private credit market in India hurt if banks dive into it?

One of the two persons cited above said that social security and job protection commitments will be central to any deal approved by the supervisory board.

Analyst views

According to Sumangal Nevatia, director at Kotak Securities, the bid represents the promoter groups global expansion push, rather than a move by the listed Indian entity.

With CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) coming into play and protectionist policies improving European steel economics, the promoter group is betting on a structural recovery," Nevatia said. However, the deals success hinges on Jindals ability to provide credible commitments on pensions, jobs, and green transformation."

Analysts at ICICI Direct noted that if the deal goes through, it could be among the largest in the global steel industry, given TKSEs scale Germanys biggest steelmaker and Europes second-largest flat steel producer, with an annual capacity of 10.3 million tonnes.

A JP Morgan note dated 2 October said the steel division carries a negative equity value after accounting for its 3 billion in pension liabilities. Our Neutral recommendation reflects the high degree of uncertainty regarding key elements of Thyssenkrupps restructuring," it said.
San Francisco comes with a far higher cost of living than most U.S. cities. Even excluding rent, the cost of living runs 42.3% higher than in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Numbeo. Restaurants cost 34.6% more, groceries cost 35.4% more and rent costs a dizzying 159% more.

San Francisco is hardly alone as an outlandishly expensive city in California, either. Similar costs apply in San Diego, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Palo Alto and San Jose  all are high-cost, high-pressure retirement spots, said financial planner Adam Spiegelman of Spiegelman Wealth Management.

Read More: Heres the Minimum Salary Required To Be Considered Upper Class in California

Find Out: Here's the Minimum Salary Required To Be Considered Upper Class in 2025

So what money mistakes should California retirees avoid at all costs?

Also see the 25 cheapest cities to retire in California.

Dont Move Without Double-Checking the Numbers

With an average home price of $1,240,382, per Zillow, San Francisco homeowners might find themselves saddled with a huge capital gains tax bill. Even with the homeowners exclusion of the first $250,000 in capital gains, sellers might get a tax shock.

Downsizing can come with other hidden costs too. That condo might look affordable compared with your current home, but remember that condo fees typically rise every year. That can pinch retirees living on a fixed income.

Check Out: 5 Affordable Small Cities To Live In on the West Coast

Dont Move Cities Without Renting First

Most long-time homeowners struggle with the idea of renting, even for just a year. But it can save you tens of thousands, both on a home purchase and in avoiding losses from selling too soon.

Rent for a few months or a year, Spiegelman said. Get a feel for the local neighborhoods, the weather, the real costs of living there and only then commit.

Dont Assume You Can Age in Place

Sure, youre fit today, but that doesnt mean youll be able to climb stairs or live independently 10 to 20 years from now.

Hunt for your forever home while youre still healthy and fit. Look for single-story living, with amenities within walking distance, and consider small upgrades like outfitting the shower with handlebars.

Aging in place can save you plenty of money in California. The average cost of an assisted living facility runs $8,750 in San Jose per CareScout, compared with over $5,900 in Kansas City.

Dont Skip (or Skimp on) Insurance

With many major homeowners insurance carriers pulling out of California, premiums have skyrocketed. Melanie Musson, insurance expert at Clearsurance.com, noted that many California homeowners now underinsure their home  or go without insurance entirely.
Mumbai [India], : SEBI Chief Tuhin Kanta Pandey highlighted the urgent goal of establishing an easy and secure KYC access for Non-Resident Indians to facilitate their participation in the securities market.

Addressing the BFF Capital Market Confluence 2025 in Mumbai, he said that while SEBI has simplified KYC norms and allowed transactions and securities as soon as the process is completed, the system for NRIs still needs to be streamlined.

"We have a long way to go in investor awareness. We have simplified KYC norms and permitted transactions and securities as soon as this process is completed. However, we are yet to establish an easy and secure KYC access for NRIs to facilitate their participation in the security market this will be an urgent goal for us," Pandey said.

He emphasized that a resilient market is one with broad, deep, and informed participation.

Referring to a recent nationwide survey, Pandey pointed out that while 63 per cent of households are aware of securities products, only 9.5 per cent actively participate. Participation in urban areas is significantly higher at 15 per cent, compared to 6 per cent in rural regions, which aligns with expectations.

The survey also revealed that only 36 per cent of investors possess high or moderate knowledge of the securities market, indicating a considerable gap in awareness.

Highlighting the scale of India's securities infrastructure, the SEBI chief said, "On any given day, our stock exchanges handle a staggering volume of activity. In the last financial year, they processed an average of over 1,600 crore messages daily, with a peak of over 2,900 crore messages. Behind these numbers is the trust of crores of investors. This is the trust we must always protect."

Pandey outlined SEBI's strategic pillars for market resilience, starting with technology.

He noted the rapid growth of algorithmic and high-frequency trading, which currently accounts for significant volumes in equity and derivatives markets. SEBI will continue to update its regulatory framework to ensure a fair, transparent, and resilient market.

On cybersecurity, he warned that an attack on a single institution could destabilize the entire ecosystem.

"We have issued a comprehensive cyber-security and cyber-resilience framework. Guidelines for clear gaps, a key component, will be issued in consultation with MIIs. Our MIIs are being stress-tested with live disaster recovery drills. We have implemented redundancy models for peering corporations and are examining safety nets for depository participant outages, as done for soft brokers," he added.
Businesses across the global semiconductor supply chain are bracing themselves for disruptions from an escalating trade war, after China imposed curbs on rare-earth mineral exports and the US responded with additional tariffs and restrictions on software sales to the Asian nation.

Chinas restrictions, the most targeted move yet to limit supplies of rare-earth materials, represent the first major attempt by Beijing to exercise long-arm jurisdiction over foreign companies to target the semiconductor industry, threatening to stall the chips powering the AI boom. They prompted US President Donald Trump to announce on Friday that he would impose an additional 100% tariff on China and export controls on any and all critical software.

The rare-earth curbs may lead to weekslong delays in shipments for ASML Holding NV, the only manufacturer in the world of machines that make the most advanced semiconductors, a person familiar with the company said.

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 earth-dependent magnets that are critical to the chip supply chain, this 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.

Its not clear what software products from the US might be hit by Trumps latest proposed export ban. In July, the administration lifted export license requirements for chip-design software sales, rules that had been imposed in May as part of a raft of measures responding to Beijings earlier limits on shipments of essential rare earths.

Chinas new rules 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.

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.

Chipmaking 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.

ASML is preparing for disruptions, particularly due to a clause that requires foreign firms to seek Chinas approval for reexports of products containing its rare earths, said the person familiar with ASML, 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.

Within the semiconductor value chain, Chinas new export controls will likely most impact chipmakers that use rare-earth-based chemicals during the chip fabrication process and toolmakers that integrate rare-earth magnets into their equipment, said Jacob Feldgoise, senior data research analyst at Georgetown Universitys Center for Security and Emerging Technology.

Some have questioned how long the restrictions will last, viewing them as potential posturing ahead of a trip to Asia 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 discrete levels to enforce the rules.

But Chinas move has instead escalated tensions with the US. Trumps announced tariffs would raise import taxes on many Chinese goods to 130% starting next month. That would be just below the 145% level imposed earlier this year, before both countries ratcheted down the levies in a truce to advance trade talks. On Friday, Trump also threatened to call off his meeting with Xi altogether, describing the new rare-earth controls as a hostile action.

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.

This isnt the first time that rare earths have landed in the center of US-China trade wars. After Trump hiked tariffs on Chinese imports earlier this year, Chinas government responded by cutting off mineral exports to US companies. Officials from both sides had agreed to a truce in the spring, under which Trump lowered duties and Xis officials agreed to resume the flow of the minerals.

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 the chip 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 Joe Deaux, Mackenzie Hawkins, Josh Xiao, Josh Wingrove, Kamil Kowalcze, Michael Nienaber, Petra Sorge, Yuki Furukawa and Christina Kyriasoglou.

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
The US-China trade war has rattled the corporate world, but AI chip manufacturing company Nvidia is seeing itself in a crossfire as the two countries spar with each other over tariffs and restrictions.

The Santa Clara, California-based company, led by Jensen Huang, is being used as a tool for negotiations by the US amid President Donald Trump's trade war with China, thanks to its meteoric success.

Is Nvidia allowing China to bypass trade restrictions? The US China trade war has escalated ever since Trump announced sweeping tariffs on Beijing, and has now been centred around rare earth disputes.

This has further complicated Nvidia's relationship with China, where it was selling around 25 per cent of its graphics processing unit sales, as per a CNN report quoting Gil Luria, head of technology research at DA Davidson.

Its popularity has also embroiled Nvidia in accusations alleging that the company has been allowing China to skirt around export restrictions.

Nvidia has gotten caught in the middle of two very important things: a trade dispute between China and the United States  but more importantly, AI has become a matter of national security, Luria said.

Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang has said that restricting companies from selling AI chips to China will backfire where Beijing may create its own technology.

Why is Nvidia embroiled in US-China tensions? Over the past few years, America has been trying to restrict China's access to US technology to limit their progress on AI, and buy enough time for itself to take the lead.

When Trump came in as President, he continued the trend and restricted Chinas access to chips, including Nvidias H20 chips.

However, the White House recently took a U-turn.

Also Read | China vows to stand firm against Trumps 100% tariff threat

You want to sell the Chinese enough that their developers get addicted to the American technology stack, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in July.

Trump in August gave nod to sell AI chips to China in an agreement with US companies. Nvidia and AMD will give 15 per cent of their Chinese revenues to the US in exchange of export licences.

This has opened the sale of Nvidia's H20 sales to China, but Beijing seems to be unfazed.

Since April, China has increased import restrictions on US-made AI chips, including the ones manufactured by Nvidia.
Film and television giant Warner Bros Discovery Inc. has reportedly rejected the initial takeover offer proposed by David Ellison led Paramount Skydance for being too low, Bloomberg reported citing sources.

Paramounts offered around $20 per share in recent weeks, the sources added.

Paramount and Warner Bros. spokespeople declined to comment, as per the report.

Also Read | Bitcoin, Ethereum continue decline as investors seek safe haven

What can Paramount do next? As per the report, Paramount has several options, including upping its bid, finding an additional partner for finance or appealing directly to shareholders, they added.

This comes after CNBC recently reported that the two companies were in talks, but price was a sticking point. It also noted that Paramount could make its offer public to shareholders to pressure Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. shares closed at $17.10 on October 10, giving the company a market value of $42.3 billion. Paramount shares were at $17 a share, valuing it at $18.6 billion.

Notably, David Ellison is the son of billionaire Larry Ellison. He took over Paramount, the parent of CBS, Nickelodeon, MTV and the namesake movie studio, in August 2025 after completing an $8 billion merger with his film production company Skydance Media.

Paramount has been in talks with alternative asset manager Apollo Global Management about backing its bid, Bloomberg News reported last week.

What are Paramount's plans for Warner Bros? Ellison said at the Bloomberg Screentime conference last week that he couldnt comment on Warner Bros. specifically, but he did make the case for more industry mergers.

Warner Bros. plans to split into two businesses, one focused on cable TV and the other on streaming and studios, in a deal expected to be completed next year.

Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav believes he can get a hefty premium for his streaming and studios businesses once theyre separated from the debt-laden cable networks, Bloomberg News previously reported. To clinch a deal, Ellison will have to convince him that he isnt leaving money on the table by selling before that happens.
Butterfly, a kitchen appliance brand, has offered a heartfelt tribute to former Prestige group chairman TT Jagannathan, who died on Friday at the age of 77 in Bengaluru. The rival brand extended its condolences on Facebook to 'The Kitchen Mogul', calling him "the dreamer who led with conviction, a mind that shaped industry, a spirit that turned ideas to impact, and a thinker who saw beyond his time."

Jagannathan, who transformed a modest cookware company into Prestige, one of India's most beloved homegrown brands, is survived by his wife, Latha Jagannathan, and sons T.T. Mukund and T.T. Lakshman.

How did be begin his journey? An IIT Madras engineer with a masters from Cornell University, Jagannathan returned to India in the early 1970s to stabilise his familys struggling business. Barely in his 20s, he took the reins of TTK Prestige, revamping both its products and public image.

What innovations made Prestige a household name? When reports of faulty pressure cookers threatened the companys reputation in the late 1970s, he introduced the now-iconic gasket release systema safety valve that reshaped how Indian households perceived cookware. A 1980s television campaign linked a husbands affection for his wife with her safety in the kitchen, turning a functional appliance into a symbol of care and modern aspiration, cementing Prestiges cultural relevance for decades.

How did Prestige expand globally? Under Jagannathans leadership, Prestige navigated near-bankruptcy to global expansion, launching the Manttra brand in the US and acquiring the UK-based Horwood Homewares. Manttra has since become the top-selling Indian kitchen brand in US stores, while Prestige commands over 40% of the US pressure cooker market.
India's wealthiest billionaires saw a fall in their combined net worths over the past year, except a telecom tycoon who defied all trends.

Sunil Mittal, the founder and chairperson of Indian telecom giant Bharti Airtel, jumped ranks in Forbes' Top 10 Richest in India list that was released earlier this week. This comes even as a weaker rupee and a 3% decline in the benchmark Sensex over the past year led to 9% erosion in combined wealth to $1 trillion.

As per the Forbes India's Richest 2025 list, Sunil Mittal climbed ranks to become the fourth wealthiest person in India, trailing only Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani and Savitri Jindal.

What is Sunil Mittal's net worth now? Bharti Airtel's Sunil Mittal has a net worth of $34.2 billion, the Forbes India's Richest 2025 list shows. The telecom tycoon increased his wealth by $3.5 billion.

As a result, Mittal jumped three places to rank fourth in the list, a position he had acquired back in 2008.

Why did Sunil Mittal's wealth increase? The jump in Sunil Mittal's net worth triggered from a mega stake buying in 2024. The Bharti Airtel chairperson's company Bharti Enterprises acquired a 24.5 per cent stake in UK telecoms giant BT Group. Mittal joined the board of the company in September 2025.

Who is Sunil Mittal? Sunil Mittal is the founder and chairperson of Indian telecom major Bharti Enterprises, which owns Bharti Airtel. He is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan, one of Indias highest civilian honours.

The telecom magnate was born in Punjab in 1957 and received his school education at Mussoorie and Gwalior. He graduated in 1976 from Panjab University, Chandigarh, with a bachelor's degree in economics and political science.

Sunil Mittal started his first business dealing with crankshafts of local bicycles at the tender age of 18, right after graduating from college, with a capital investment of 20,000 borrowed from his father.

Mittal has been the pioneer of the mobile revolution in India. At a time when mobile telecom was considered inaccessible for the masses, Bharti Airtel revolutionised the business model to offer affordable voice and data services.

Billionaires' wealth declines in 2025 Despite Sunil Mittal being an exception, other billionaires of India saw a drop in their net worths over the past year, according to Forbes.

India's richest person Mukesh Ambani remained a centibillionaire with a net worth of $105 billion. However, the Reliance Industries chairperson's wealth declined by 12 per cent $14.5 billion in the past year.

Gautam Adani, who lost the No. 1 crown to Ambani, saw his wealth standing at $92 billion.

Shiv Nadar of HCL Tech slipped to the 5th position in the Forbes list a time when the countrys IT companies have been hit with US President Donald Trump's decision to impose $100,000 fees on new H1-B visas.
Companies across Europe and the United Kingdom are complaining that there has been a flood of Chinese products into the market, as the country seeks to redirect goods meant for the United States, according to a Nikkei report.

Notably, the US has imposed flat 30 per cent tariffs on all Chinese goods. This is set to increase to 130 per cent from November 1, after Donald Trump hiked the duties and sent markets crashing. The EU on the other hand taxes goods that re deemed unfairly traded, rather than imposing a flat tax.

The report cited the latest announcement by UK-based chemical giant Ineos this week, which said it is lowering production and cutting jobs due to the demand slowdown. The company said it is cutting 20 per cent of the workforce at its Acetyls plant in Hull, England, and is closing two production units in Rheinberg, Germany.

Also Read | Bitcoin, Ethereum continue to decline as investors seek safe haven

Dirt-cheap carbon heavy Chinese products to blame, says Ineos The announcement from Ineos blamed "dirt-cheap carbon-heavy" Chinese products that have been redirected from the US due to high tariffs but face no trade barriers in the EU or UK.

Stephen Dossett, CEO of Ineos Inovyn in the statement added, Europe is committing industrial suicide. While competitors in the US and China benefit from cheap energy, European producers are being priced out by our own policies and absence of tariff protection.

In July, US-based Dow said it would shut upstream production facilities in Germany's Bohlen and Schkopau, and Barry in Wales.

Speaking to Nikkei Asia, the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) said it could not confirm a widespread increase in Chinese chemical imports after Trump's tariffs came in May, but noted increased price competitiveness as China's products continue despite domestic demand slowdown.

In the plastics industry too, the Nikkei report noted that Chinese imports have risen 9.7 per cent in H1 2025, with a spokesperson from trade association Plastics Europe citing US tariffs for the jump.

A spokesperson for the German Pharmaceutical Industry Association (Pharma Deutschland) told Nikkei Asia that the longer-term outlook for European drugmakers is grim, given that China is a global leader in the production of APIs, generics and pharmaceutical intermediates.
The latest Weekend Ka Vaar episode of Bigg Boss 19 saw writer and filmmaker Zeishan Quadri being evicted from the house after receiving the least number of public votes.

Filmmaker Zeishan Quadri has been evicted from Bigg Boss 19 Host Salman Khan announced Zeishans elimination during Sundays episode, marking the end of his journey in the reality show.

Zeishan, best known as the writer of Gangs of Wasseypur, found himself in the bottom two alongside co-contestant Ashnoor Kaur. While his time on the show was largely controversy-free, he had built strong friendships with fellow contestants Amaal Mallik, Baseer Ali, and Shehbaz Badesha.

The trio was often seen sharing light-hearted moments with him inside the house.

Zeishan also shared a close rapport with Neelam Giri and Tanya Mittal, both of whom became emotional following his departure. Cameras captured Neelam and Tanya breaking down after the eviction, though notably, Zeishan did not bid farewell to Tanya while leaving.

Shehbaz Badesha was also visibly moved, seen wiping away tears as his friend exited the house.

Host Salman Khan takes a dig at Abhinav Kashyap Aside from the emotional eviction, the Weekend Ka Vaar episode made headlines for another reason.

Salman Khan, during a segment with stand-up comedian Ravi Gupta, appeared to indirectly reference filmmaker Abhinav Kashyap.

Without naming him directly, the actor remarked, In the past 'Weekend Ka Vaar', I had said 'Work. Nobody is interested.' I want to ask again today. Did you get work, brother? After doing such things, you speak ill things about everyone We also offered you another film, but you refused.

Salman added, I feel bad that you destroyed yourself Love your brother, parents, wife and kids. Thats the bare minimum. If people advise you to speak carefully, they want to see you grow. You are a talented man. Dont enter that lane. God will save you.

The remarks sparked speculation online, as Abhinav Kashyap has previously criticised Salman and more recently made controversial comments about Shah Rukh Khan.
New Delhi [India], October 12 (ANI): Could actors Ayush Mehra and Barkha Singh will be bringing back their fan-favourite series 'Please Find Attached' for another season? Well, it looks like the on-screen duo may soon return with a new season of their hit web series.

The romantic workplace drama, which has won millions of hearts with its simple storytelling and relatable chemistry, could be making a comeback very soon, though the actor prefers to keep things under wraps for now.

When asked if fans can expect a fourth season, Ayush stayed tight-lipped but shared that he is deeply moved by the love the show continues to receive. The actor went on to say that, although he couldn't reveal much, something special is in the works.

"Right now, I cannot reveal much about Please Find Attached, but thank you so much for giving it all the love always. You know, wherever I go, not only in India but abroad as well, people come up to me and say, 'We love the second and third seasons of Please Find Attached.' That means a lot to me. So, I promise something will come, but I can't promise when. But it will happen, Inshallah," the actor told ANI at the ongoing Lakme Fashion Week.

For those who may not know, 'Please Find Attached' follows the story of Shaurya and Sanya, two office colleagues who decide to live together as flatmates. What begins as a practical arrangement slowly turns into a beautiful journey of companionship and love. The series, available on Prime Video, has released three successful seasons and remains one of the most adored Indian web romances.

Ayush turned heads at Lakme Fashion Week as he opened the show for Tasva x Tarun Tahiliani on the third day of the event. The actor looked regal in an elegant ivory sherwani paired with matching churidar pants and an embroidered dupatta draped gracefully over his shoulder.
BEIJINGUnder intense pressure from authorities in China, Ezra Jin persisted for years in building one of the nations largest underground Christian churches, with branches in 40 cities across the country. Online prayer groups he helped lead at times reached 10,000 people.

Even after his wife relocated to the safety of the U.S. to be with their three childrenall American citizensJin stayed behind in China to lead Zion Church, aware of the risks he faced.

His flock needed him," said his daughter, 31-year-old Grace Jin Drexel, who works as a U.S. Senate staffer and lives near Washington.

His detention in recent days by Chinese authorities, alongside more than 20 others associated with Zion Church either in custody or missing, marks an escalating broadside against Christianity in China.

Jins connection to the U.S. through his family further complicates U.S.-China relations just weeks before a possible meeting between President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, making the pastor a potential bargaining chip in bilateral negotiations. A flare-up in trade tensions between the countries in recent days has cast doubt on whether a Trump-Xi summit will go ahead.

As of Sunday, it was unknown whether Jin had been formally charged by authorities. Chinas Ministry of Public Security didnt respond to a request for comment.

Sean Long, a pastor with Zion Church living in the U.S., said the church expected Jin would face charges of illegally disseminating religious information online, and family members were bracing for the possibility of a lengthy prison term.

They are afraid of my husbands influence," Jins wife, Chunli Liu, said in a video interview. Liu is a Chinese national and two of her children are Americans through being born in the U.S., while her daughter, Grace, is naturalized through marriage.

Bob Fu, founder of U.S.-based ChinaAid Association, a nonprofit group that advocates for religious freedom in China, said the recent crackdown was the most extensive and coordinated wave of persecution" against churches like Jins in more than four decades.

There is a history of Chinese nationals persecuted by Beijing becoming flashpoints in U.S.-China relations. In 2012, blind legal activist Chen Guangcheng escaped de facto house arrest and sought protection at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, sparking a diplomatic crisis that ultimately led to Chen being permitted to move to the U.S.

Last year, the mother of a prominent Uyghur attorney and critic of China was allowed to relocate from Chinas tightly controlled Xinjiang region to the U.S. as part of a broader prisoner swap negotiated by the Biden administration.

The U.S. Embassy in Beijing didnt immediately provide comment.

Jin, 56 years old, came to Christianity in the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations, when as a student in Beijing he joined pro-democracy protests that the military ultimately violently suppressed.

Over time, he increasingly opposed the states restrictions on religion, founding Zion Church in Beijing in 2007, one of many unregistered ministriesoften dubbed house churches" or underground churches"that were surging in popularity nationwide.

We have a religious belief just like hungry people have a need to eat something," Jin told The Wall Street Journal in 2011. The government doesnt need to and also doesnt have the right to decide what you eat, whether you should eat or not."

Zion describes itself as a nondenominational evangelical church adhering to orthodox Christian beliefs. Jin is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif.

Officially, the Communist Party is atheist, with the only legal churches in China being those sanctioned by the state. Yet in recent years, membership at underground churches in China has been estimated in the many millions of people. The targeting of underground churches has intensified under Xi, part of a broader crackdown on civil society.

Zion Church was raided in 2018 and its sanctuary in Beijing was shuttered. Jin and its other leaders increasingly took their work online, while establishing more than 100 smaller-scale branches across the country. The hybrid model flourished, to the dismay of Chinese authorities.

After the shutdown of 2018, Zion did not die, did not wither. On the contrary, Zion even grew faster and more widely across China," said Long, the U.S.-based pastor for Zion Church. So I think this is an embarrassment for them."

Before his detention, Jin had been barred by the government for years from leaving China, separating him from family. Most recently he has been living in the southern city of Beihai, where authorities detained him. His daughter Grace said that her father has diabetes, and that he had mentioned a desire to retire and join them in the U.S.

When he tried to go recently to the U.S. Embassy in Beijing to renew his U.S. visa, just in case the travel ban on him was lifted, authorities physically blocked him, instead driving him to the airport and forcing him to board a flight out of the capital.

Concern grew that authorities were gearing up to formally arrest Jin and other church leaders. In a recent conversation, Long asked Jin about the risk that a worst-case scenario would come to pass, with all of the churchs leadership rounded up.

Hallelujah," Jin responded, according to Long, who interpreted the pastors reaction through the lens of Christianitys history of flourishing under persecution. Where there is repression there is revival," Long said.

On Sunday in China, many of Zions members were concerned about what might happen to those detained, angry over the governments crackdown, and anxious that more people could be rounded up, Long said. Fighting back tears, Jins daughter wondered whether she would ever see her father again, and was determined to fight for his release.

Were still hopeful for a miracle as Christians," she said. We believe that this is bigger than geopolitics and that this is a cosmic battle, and we believe that we are on the winning side ultimately."

Write to Brian Spegele at Brian.Spegele@wsj.com
As college tuition continues to climb, students and parents got a bit of good news recently.

Must Read

Beginning in the Fall semester of 2026, Tufts University will waive undergraduate tuition for middle-income families earning less than $150,000 a year. Families earning under $60,000 will typically receive aid packages with no student loans.

Bryn Mawr also just announced free undergraduate tuition to eligible families of students applying for Fall 2026 (or later) with an annual income of $175,000 or less. Last year, it eliminated all federal student loans for students with family incomes below $110,000 and assets under $500,000.

Both universities are among the small percentage that are committed to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial aid need for all undergraduate students.

Despite annual increases in the official cost of Tufts attendance, the actual average cost for Tufts students has decreased in recent years, thanks to the growing amount of financial aid the university provides, said the Tufts press release.

How much of a benefit is free tuition? For the 2025-2026 school year, the cost of undergraduate tuition at Tufts is $71,982 and $67,730 at Bryn Mawr, so the savings are pretty significant. With costs so high, how can students put themselves in the best financial position and avoid steep student loans once they graduate? Heres our guide on paying off your loans in a timely way and avoiding defaulting or delinquency.

Tuition relief at other major universities

Its important to realize that the sticker price is not what you will usually end up paying at many colleges.

You may see the sticker price and write it off. Please dont, said JT Duck, dean of admissions and enrollment management for the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering. Do a deeper dive on Tufts, because it might be more affordable than you realize.

Tufts and Bryn Mawr join a growing set of selective schools expanding aid for middle-income families. MIT has made tuition free for families with income under $200,000 starting this year, and Harvard announced a similar threshold for tuition with health insurance, food and housing costs also covered for families that earn below $100,000. The university estimates about 86% of U.S. families will qualify for financial aid under this program. Some private universities also reduce borrowing by eliminating loans in aid packages or by meeting full demonstrated need.
A worker atop a ladder at the Hyundai Metaplant in Georgia, in a photo taken by a safety manager. OSHA rules prohibit standing on the top rung or step of a ladder.

Before it became the target of one of the biggest immigration raids in U.S. history, Hyundai Motors sprawling auto plant in central Georgia had another reputation among workers: It was a dangerous and deadly construction site.

Three workers have died since Hyundai started construction on the $7.6 billion complex in 2022an unusually high toll, even for a project of its scale, according to a Wall Street Journal review of federal records. More than a dozen other workers have suffered severe injuries, including from falling without harnesses and getting crushed by forklifts.

Two dozen current and former workers, many of them safety coordinators who helped oversee construction, described in interviews a worksite with many inexperienced immigrant laborers, often lax safety standards and frequent accidents. These workers said Hyundai failed to ensure people were properly trained, and safety regulators did little to prevent worksite violations.

Employees said Hyundai imposed a blistering pace of construction, and that a web of more than 100 contractors on the site complicated efforts to enforce safety standards. In some cases, they said, there was a lack of safety personnel to ensure that workers were performing their duties safely. Construction is ongoing in parts of the complex.

Hyundais Georgia factory started producing electric vehicles last fall, a year ahead of plan.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration and state officials turned their back and let them do what they were doing," said Greg Dement, who worked on the site last year as a safety manager and said OSHA didnt respond to his complaints. After more than 30 years in construction, he said, his experience at Hyundai led him to leave the industry for good.

Hyundai, in a statement, said it is committed to following immigration laws and that it doesnt compromise safety for the sake of speed. The company said it took steps to address safety issues in response to incidents during construction. The company noted that the sites enormous size makes it one of the largest construction projects in the U.S.

We acted immediately and comprehensively to prevent anything like this from happening again," Hyundai CEO Jose Munoz said in a statement. Following the death of a worker in March, Munoz visited the factory. I traveled to Georgia to tell our team directly: Their safety comes before production schedules, before costs, before profits, before everything."

OSHA said it is investigating two deaths at the construction site from earlier this year. The agency has fined six companies that employed people working on the Hyundai project for safety violations. The agency also fined another contractor that employed a worker who died on the site in 2023.

Hyundais Metaplant complex represents a big bet on the U.S. market by the South Korean automaker.

The nearly 3,000-acre complex, known as the Metaplant, is a collection of buildings about 30 miles from Savannah. The facilities work as a system to supply the robot-assisted assembly lines pumping out electric vehicles. It represents a big bet on the U.S. market by the South Korean automaker and one touted by Georgia officials. The state gave the company a $2 billion incentive package.

Hyundais plans suffered a setback on Sept. 4 when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided a part of the complex where workers were building an EV battery factory. Agents arrested roughly 475 people, including more than 300 South Korean citizens who were later repatriated. The initial targets of the raid were four Hispanic workers, according to the search warrant.

Chad Pilcher, a contract safety coordinator, said he was often troubled by what he viewed as a dangerous combination of poorly trained workers and managers unwilling to enforce safety standards. He said the site employed a large contingent of workers whod recently immigrated from Latin America, including many who lacked proper documentation.

Pilcher was working last June when one of these recent recruits was electrocuted while working on high-voltage overhead lights, from a scissor lift, without gloves or other required safety equipment. The incident is described in OSHA records.

The mans heart stopped. Pilcher was among those who came to his aid and remained until emergency crews arrived. The man survived but Pilcher said the near-tragedy still haunts him.

I voted for President Trump," Pilcher said, making the point that he strongly opposes immigrants entering the country illegally. But these are human beings."

Factory boom

Hyundais race to complete the complex, set to eventually employ some 8,000 people and produce 500,000 hybrid and electric vehicles a year, started amid a U.S. factory-building boom that was driven in large part by automakers looking to expand U.S. EV production and a wave of federal subsidies for battery factories.

Flanked by local, state and federal officials, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp kicked off construction of Hyundais complex in the fall of 2022. The states economy, Kemp said, was reaching new heights, thanks in part to Hyundais massive expansion in the state.

In April 2023, six months after the construction kickoff event, Victor Gamboa, a 35-year-old steelworker, plunged to his death at the site.

Gamboa was placing an I-beam atop the plants paint building when he lost his balance and fell. He was wearing a safety line, but the sharp edge of the buildings frame severed the line as he plummeted 60 feet.

Gamboa, a father of five from neighboring Statesboro, Ga., was employed by Eastern Constructors, one of dozens of firms Hyundai hired to carry out work at the site.

Workers were pictured riding in the bed of a pickup truck without restraints in a routine safety report.

OSHA said Gamboas death was avoidable and blamed Eastern for failing to provide him with proper safety equipment, accusing the company of plain indifference and willful violation" of safety standards.

The agency fined Eastern more than $160,000. Eastern contested the decision, and the fine was reduced to $15,625 and classified as a serious violation rather than a willful one, according to federal records.

Hyundai said it removed Eastern from the site last year. Eastern and a lawyer for the company didnt respond to requests seeking comment.

Weeks after Gamboas death, Hyundai paused work and instructed safety personnel to gather at the spot where he died. Managers delivered a lecture on safety protocols and the importance of following proper procedure, particularly when working at heights. The company reviewed its safety protocol.

The following year, in February 2024, the company announced an accelerated timeline for the factory. We have been moving at a rapid speed," said Oscar Kwon, the factorys then-president. Completing a project of this scale on this timeline has been a challenge, but our team has delivered amazing results."

Georgia lawmakers, elated by the news, declared that day Hyundai Day in the state.

Part of work

The factory started churning out cars last fall, a year earlier than planned. Construction continued on other parts of the plant.

11 workers sustained traumatic injuries at the complex in 2024, according to OSHA data. The federal safety enforcer requires employers to immediately report only incidents of lost limbs or eyes, inpatient hospitalization or death. The agency doesnt yet have statistics for this year.

One man became trapped in a conveyor belt he was working on. It punctured his lung and broke his ribs before he was rescued and raced to the hospital, according to an OSHA report.

Last summer, a worker installing a cable 20 feet overhead, without fall protection, tumbled off and suffered cranial bleeding. OSHA later accused the workers employer, contractor Sungwon Georgia, of allowing employees to work at heights without guardrails or safety equipment. The agency fined Sungwon $22,000.

An image showing unsafe electrical wiring at the Hyundai site was included in a routine safety report.

Sungwon and a lawyer for the company didnt respond to requests for comment.

Migrant Equity Southeast, an immigrant-advocacy group in Savannah, has been tracking labor conditions at the Hyundai complex since Gamboas death. Executive director Daniela Rodriguez said reports by workers of accidents are frequent, but many of the incidents arent reported to, or investigated by, OSHA. It had become normalized, that it was part of work" at Hyundai, Rodriguez said.

Some laborers painted a different picture. They said that safety rules were strictly enforced and that workers could be suspended for not following proper protocols. They said they saw co-workers get injured, but they considered such accidents to be among the normal sort of mishaps that occur on construction sites.

Forklift deaths

This spring, two workers died in accidents involving forklifts at the battery factory where the September immigration raid occurred.

A forklift struck and killed 45-year-old Sunbok You in March. Two months later, Allen Kowalski, 27, was killed when a load toppled off a forklift and struck him. An OSHA spokeswoman said investigations into both deaths are ongoing.

Munoz, the Hyundai chief executive, visited the construction site in March following Yous death to stress workplace safety. The company hired additional safety crew, conducted a complex-wide safety audit and implemented enhanced screening for contractors and subcontractors.

Munoz said the deaths weigh heavily on him and the company. These fatalities are unacceptable," he said.

The ICE raid and this years worker deaths occurred at the site of a battery factory that is a Hyundai joint venture with LG Energy Solution. An LG spokesman said the company gives priority to safety and doesnt tolerate illegal hiring or labor practices.

The inordinately high number of fatalities at the Hyundai property is an indication of a lax safety culture, said Ahmed Al-Bayati, founding director of the Construction Safety Research Center at Lawrence Technological University, in Michigan.

He said large industrial projects generally offer fewer hazards than home construction, where the contractors are smaller and less resourced. But the most important factor on any site, he said, are safety rules that are implemented and enforced across all contractors and workers.

Sungwoo Ok worked as a manager for a contractor at the battery factory site. I just felt like things were not safe," he said. Ok was especially alarmed to see forklifts, which are responsible for a significant number of construction deaths, speeding around, often unaided by required spotters.

Id point this out to people and theyd say, This is nothing," he said.

Write to Sharon Terlep at sharon.terlep@wsj.com, Amira McKee at amira.mckee@wsj.com and Arian Campo-Flores at arian.campo-flores@wsj.com
Ballad Health has a $70 million problem.

Like many rural hospitals, the Tennessee-based health system struggles to recruit workers, forcing it to pay traveling nurses tens of millions of dollars every year to fill the gaps.

It also thinks it has a solution: train more local high-school students to join its ranks. The idea is catching on elsewhere, too, as health systems struggle to find enough workers to care for an aging population.

Nationwide, hospitals are confronting a shortage of everything from aides to doctors that has strained many wards and emergency rooms. Even as the labor market has softened, healthcare jobs have stayed plentiful: People spend on healthcare in good times and bad, and thus far, the ability to change bedpans and insert IVs hasnt been automated.

Human resources advisory firm Mercer projects a deficit of 100,000 healthcare workers by 2028, mostly among nursing assistants, while the aging population drives up demand.

Ballad is trying to create a local labor pool by working with five northeast Tennessee school districts to train teenagers. The first batch of 200 students will graduate in 2029 with their licensed practical nurse credentials and be eligible to work right away at Ballad, earning $23 an hour.

Our intention is to employ them," said Ballad Chief Executive Alan Levine. The program is also a steppingstone for students who want to pursue more advanced medical training, which Levine said Ballad would help pay for.

At the Houston school, students can prepare for careers in fields such as medical imaging and physical therapy.

Conditions have improved since the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when Ballad lost nearly half of its bedside nurses. Still, it had to pay $70 million in the last fiscal year to bring in traveling nurseswho are costlier than those on staffeven after hiking pay and benefits.

The shortage is acute," Levine said, adding that it leads to longer patient wait times in both emergency rooms and other care settings.

Ballad is getting help from Bloomberg Philanthropy, which last year announced it was pumping $250 million into 10 programs in states including Tennessee, Texas and North Carolina to create a high school-to-healthcare pipeline.

Another healthcare-focused high school, the Northwell School of Health Sciences in New York City, also just launched this school year with 240 students. More efforts are taking root in other states and cities, too, as hospitals tap local schools to try to solve their worker shortages.

These moves are part of a larger shift back to vocational education in the U.S., fueled by a desire among educators to get students started sooner on career paths that interest them. Labor-strapped industries are eager for the help, while many students have grown skeptical of pricey college degrees.

College is a very expensive career exploration program," said Brooke Rice, vice president of curriculum and work-based learning at NAF, an education nonprofit that in 2013 launched a high-school curriculum focused on teaching students about healthcare careers. That program now serves around 18,000 students at 100 high schools around the country.

Students at Ballad Health Academy get hands-on classroom training using hospital equipment to prepare them for healthcare careers.Emma Smith says she joined a Ballad nursing program in Tennessee to kick-start her career.

For Emma Smith, 15 years old, enrolling in the Ballad nursing program was a no-brainer. I get a kick-start on my career," said Smith, a sophomore at Greeneville High School in eastern Tennessee.

Smith now spends hours every week in a classroom with mannequins and hospital beds, in addition to taking classes including Spanish and AP English. She plans to use her credentials from Ballad to start healthcare work while she also pursues a college degree to become a labor and delivery nurse.

In the Houston area, the regions growing population also fuels the need for more health workers, said Bryan Sisk, chief nursing executive at Memorial Hermann Health System. Their Health Education and Learning High School, which opened at an existing Houston school last year, lets students choose career paths such as medical imaging, physical therapy and pharmacy technician roles.

By the time they graduate, students will have spent 220 hours doing clinical rotations inside Memorial Hermanns facilities and will be eligible for jobs there. Starting salaries range between roughly $40,000 to $80,000 a year. Demand quickly exceeded available slots at the school, which currently enrolls 309 students.

All my middle-school years, I really didnt like going to schoolI hated it," said Brianna Castillo, a sophomore at the high school who hopes to become an ultrasound tech. Now, though, the 15-year-old said she is eager to show up because she believes it will help advance her career.

High-school students are being targeted as future recruits by healthcare employers such as Memorial Hermann in Houston.Interest in the Houston school, which offers the chance to do clinical rotations with Memorial Hermann, has been high.

Research suggests that students who enroll in classes with a focus on career and technical training tend to perform better academically and have higher attendance rates.

In some ways, the new high schools are a throwback to the days when hospitals ran their own nursing programs, as they did a half-century ago, said Janet Coffman, a professor at the Institute for Health Policy Studies, at the University of California, San Francisco. Hospitals have closed many such programs in recent decades, in part to save money, she said.

Filling nursing jobs isnt the only challenge. Baystate Health, a western Massachusetts-based system, also uses a high-school career program it has run since 2006 to find new recruits for jobs such as respiratory therapist and sterile processing technician. Many participants have gone on to pursue additional training, and more than 900 have ended up working for Baystate in the past decade.

A lot of these careers are very attainable but people dont know about them," said Peter Blain, Baystates workforce development manager.

At the brand-new Northwell school in New York, students pick from four career paths in their sophomore year. They will get workplace credentials in fields such as pre-nursing and healthcare management.

You cant sit and wait to see who shows up," said Michael Dowling, the former CEO.

Write to Te-Ping Chen at Te-ping.Chen@wsj.com
TOKYOWhen Moeko Nishimura was preparing for the birth of her second child last year, she dreaded a rerun of the intense pain and slow recovery she experienced when her first child, a girl, was born in 2019.

So when the time came, she opted for an epidural. Though common in the U.S. and many parts of Europe, the pain-relief procedure is much rarer in Japan, where some believe that women who endure childbirth without pain-relief enjoy closer bonds with their children.

Now, in the hope that it will help nudge up the number of babies being born, the city government in Tokyo has begun rolling out subsidies to help women pay for epidurals and chip away at that stigma. The policy marks another small step in Japans battle against a slow-motion demographic crisis of falling births and an aging, shrinking population.

I was a little shackled by the Japanese custom that you are only a mom if you go through natural birth, so I had my first child without an epidural," Nishimura said. And I deeply regretted it."

She credits the procedure for her rapid recuperation after the birth of her second child, a boy. I really want epidural deliveries to become the norm," she said.

Last year, an epidural was used in 13.8% of births in Japan, according to the Japan Association for Obstetricians and Gynecologists. In the U.S., 77% of births involve an epidural, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from 2022. In France and some European countries, the percentage is more than 80%.

An epidural is an invasive procedure in which an anesthetic is delivered into the body via a catheter inserted into the lower back. In common with some soon-to-be parents in other countries, some expectant moms in Japan are put off by safety fears, an issue amplified by the relative rarity of the procedure there.

My Japanese friends who choose not to get them are scared of the fact that there is not a lot of information on epidurals. You only know that you are getting injected in the spine and that is scary," said Yuka Hirose, who had her first child in 2015 in Japan without an epidural.

Hirose had her second in 2017 in the U.K., where people dont have negative sentiments toward epidurals at all." She chose to have an epidural for that birth and again for the birth of her third child in Japan last year.

A collection of toys on the floor at Nishimura's home in Tokyo.

There were around 686,000 births in Japan in 2024, according to Japanese government figures, down from more than a million a decade earlier. Deaths outnumbered births by more than two to one. With modest immigration, Japans population has shrunk by about 4 million since its 2008 peak, to around 124 million.

Features of Japans demographic decline are mirrored in other Asian economies and in the West. Fertility ratesthe number of babies a woman will have in her lifetime on averageare falling and in many countries have dropped substantially below the 2.1 level needed to keep populations stable without immigration.

In Japan, the rate in 2023 was 1.2. In the U.S., it was just over 1.6. In South Korea, Singapore and China, the rate was one or below.

The global downshift in fertility rates has many causes, demographers say. Some couples are putting off having children until they feel established in their careers. Housing and child care are often expensive, making large families scarcer. Social mores are changing, with childlessness no longer viewed as unusual or undesirable.

In Japan and other countries, governments have offered child-rearing subsidies, tax breaks to families and a host of other benefits in an effort to arrest the fertility decline, all with limited effect.

In the U.S., President Trump has made permanent a child tax credit introduced in his first term and has encouraged Americans to have more babies.

While Tokyo officials are hopeful their epidural subsidy will help encourage more births, they dont expect it to halt demographic decline in its tracks.

The causes of the declining birthrate are complex, and we dont believe that a single measure will solve the problem," said Shiori Wada, who leads the subsidy initiative at the citys metropolitan government.

The city found through surveys that there were people who wanted epidurals and couldnt get them, often because of the cost, Wada said. Epidurals arent typically covered by health insurance and not all hospitals offer them. Women who want one need to find a private clinic that does, and pay the out-of-pocket expense.

Tokyo has said that from Oct. 1, it will pay up to 100,000 yen, or about $673, toward the cost of an epidural at some 119 healthcare facilities around the capital. A survey conducted by the city put the average cost at about 124,000 yen.

Outside of Tokyo and other big cities, access to epidurals is hampered by a lack of anesthesiologists.

It is easy to choose a delivery hospital depending on whether you prefer epidurals or not in a big city like Tokyo. In rural areas, like a hospital network in Hokkaido, there are no other options, so people cant choose," said Mamiko Nakajima, a former midwife who now runs an online counseling service for new and expectant mothers.

But the big reason for Japanese hesitancy around epidurals is cultural, according to moms, midwives and doctors, with a natural" birth without pain relief viewed by some as an essential rite of passage in motherhood.

I believe natural is best," said Hisako Saito, a midwife in Tokyo who has delivered more than 800 babies in a 30-year career. She said that the pain of delivery strengthens the bond between mother and baby and that she believes some mothers find it hard to hold or soothe their babies if they had an epidural during birth.

I think it might be a procedure that isnt suited to the Japanese people," she said.

Katsuo Terui, chairman of the Japan Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology, said he has heard similar views since childhood. He said fathers dont experience the pain of childbirth, but enjoy strong bonds with their children.

I dont feel pain is critically important for forming the mother-child bond," he said.

One Japanese mother, who didnt want to be named, said she was scolded by her husband for considering an epidural when their baby was almost due in 2021. After the experience of two miscarriages, she ignored his misgivings and had one anyway. The baby was eventually delivered by emergency caesarean section.

By making epidurals more accessible, the Tokyo subsidy should encourage more women to opt for pain relief in childbirth, but it probably wont have a big effect on the overall number of births, said Keiko Tanabe, an associate professor at Kanagawa University of Human Services and co-founder of the Tobu Mutsuu Cafe, which provides information about pain relief in childbirth to mothers and midwives.

The bigger hurdle in Japan is that moms still bear the lions share of responsibility for child rearing, even after government efforts to nudge dads to do more by promoting paid parental leave and other measures, she said.

Were talking about situations where you have to manage everything alone and try to resume your career," she said. Would you give birth in that situation? No way."

Write to Jason Douglas at jason.douglas@wsj.com and Junko Fukutome at junko.fukutome@wsj.com
Observant travellers on the choked Western Express Highway in Mumbai may have spotted a small purple billboard tucked away in a service lane leading away from the highway. In bold words, District by Zomato declared We Got Be*f".

Its a strange message, until you read the small lettering underneath that says the companys beef is with people who stay at home, scrolling away, booking tickets on an app stuck in 2007".

Its a rather snide reference to BookMyShow, the leader in the ticketing business and now in the business of live events, too. District by Zomato that launched last year is taking BookMyShow head-on, not just in the business of selling movie and events tickets, but in producing live concerts and other events as well. Already, Indias music and going out economy is exploding; the organized live events business grew to more than 12,000 crore last year, per an estimate by consulting firm EY.

It stands to reason, then, that the rivalry between incumbent BookMyShow and new entrant District will spill out from beyond vying for headline acts and bringing new international talent to eager Indian audiences.

Also Read | Influencers knocking on filmmakers doors but struggle to get a foot in

Which is why, we found it rather in line with Zomatos cheeky tone of advertising to see them affix this billboard ad right outside BookMyShows head office (in picture: left blue building). It only emphasizes what were already aware ofthe value of the going out business in India is growing rapidly, and so is the competition.

This District vs BookMyShow billboard fight is also part of a long tradition of fighting" among brands via nudges, winks and snide references on billboards. Just this year, Honasas Derma Co. took a billboard right next to one carrying an ad for Hindustan Unilevers Lakme sunscreen, mocking the brand for finally" introducing an SPF 50 product. Lakmes original ad also seemingly took a swipe at Derma Co.s claims, and the two companies fought a disparagement case in the courts as well.

Moments like these help drum up virality" for an ad campaign online, where people love to lap up all the gossip about brands fighting each other in the real world.

Who says outdoor advertising is dead?
The second quarter earnings season has officially kicked in as nearly 200 companies are scheduled to release their financial results for the September quarter in the coming week.

Railway PSU stocks like RVNL, IFCI, RailTel, IRCON will also be revealing their September quarter results soon. Stock market investors might wonder which PSU Railway stock to buy ahead of the results.

Among Indian railway PSUs, choosing the most attractive stock ahead of Q2 FY26 results requires a careful evaluation of financial performance, order book strength, strategic initiatives, and long-term growth potential, said Seema Srivastava, Senior Research Analyst at SMC Global Securities.

Why PSU Railway stocks are in focus? Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Tuesday, October 7, that the Union Cabinet has cleared four major railway projects worth around 24,634 crore, covering 18 districts across four states. These projects aim to enhance freight handling capacity by 78.4 million tonnes. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, granted the approval.

The sanctioned projects include the 314 km WardhaBhusawal third and fourth lines, the 84 km GondiaDongargarh fourth line spanning Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, the 259 km VadodaraRatlam third and fourth lines in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, and the 237 km ItarsiBhopalBina fourth line in Madhya Pradesh.

RVNL vs IFCI vs Railtel vs Ircon: Q1 results comparison Srivastava further said that considering Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), RailTel Corporation, IFCI (though a financial institution, it has limited railway exposure through infrastructure financing), and IRCON International Limited, the comparison highlights distinct risk-reward profiles.

Commenting on the Q1 results, book-order value, she further added -

RVNL RVNL continues to benefit from its diversified project portfolio, including electrification, bridges, metro projects, and now a 90.65 crore video surveillance order from Southern Railway. Its strategic joint venture with Texmaco Rail (51% stake) positions it to enter rolling stock manufacturing, directly aligning with Indias railway modernization and Make in India initiatives. However, the company reported a 39.9% YoY decline in Q1 net profit to 134.53 crore on a 4% revenue drop, signaling near-term margin pressures. While its long-term projects and JV plans provide growth visibility, near-term earnings remain subdued.

RailTel RailTel stands out for its strong Q1 performance, with a 33% revenue increase to Rs.744 crore and 36% net profit growth to Rs.66 crore. Project work, contributing Rs.409 crore, has been a key driver. The order book is healthy at Rs.7,197 crore, with recent orders including 210 crore from Bihar Education Project Council and 166 crore from BSNL. RailTels focus on rural broadband, PM Gati Shakti, and railway modernization initiatives positions it for sustainable growth. Although EBITDA margins are slightly compressed due to project execution costs, its diversified revenue streams, robust project pipeline, and planned capital expenditure of 350 crore make it a resilient pick.

IRCON IRCON reported a challenging quarter, with a 26.7% drop in PAT to Rs.164.1 crore and a 21.9% decline in revenue, though EBITDA margins held at 17.1%. Execution delays impacted financials, but its massive 20,973 crore order book, including Rs.15,724 crore from railways, and strategic MoUs with Coal India provide a strong growth runway. The risk remains execution-dependent, and near-term results may remain volatile.

IFCI IFCI, despite a turnaround in Q1, is not a core railway operator. Its negative capital adequacy and reliance on consolidation strategies make it less attractive for railway-centric investments.

Which PSU Railway stock to buy? According to Srivastava, RailTel emerges as the most compelling pick for investors looking for stability and growth ahead of Q2FY26.

Its strong Q1 performance, consistent order inflows, strategic alignment with government infrastructure initiatives, and manageable execution risks make it better positioned for near-term earnings momentum, while providing a sustainable long-term growth trajectory compared to RVNL and IRCON, which face near-term margin and execution challenges, she added.

On the other hand, Anshul Jain, Head of Research at Lakshmishree Investment, believes that IFCI currently stands out with the strongest technical setup.

The stock has already delivered a sharp 95% rally in just three weeks and has since been consolidating for the past 18 weeks, forming a solid base. This sideways movement has helped absorb prior gains and build strength for the next leg higher. A breakout above 61, supported by a surge in volumes, would confirm renewed momentum and could propel the stock toward the 80 zone. The low-volume consolidation indicates no major distribution, keeping the structure bullish and primed for another breakout, Jain said.
As market manipulation grows more sophisticated with the rise of technology, Indias markets regulator is arming itself with equally advanced tools.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is moving from reactive monitoring to predictive oversightdeploying data analytics and algorithmic surveillance to detect pump and dump schemes before they spiral.

At the Capital Market Confluence in Mumbai on Saturday, Sebi chairperson Tuhin Kanta Pandey said the regulators enhanced oversight leverages algorithmic monitoring systems designed to pinpoint abnormal price spikes and volumes, enabling early intervention.

We have revamped our data warehouse system to develop new rule-based alerts to identify pump and dump patterns and to detect fraudulent trades in bulk deals, Pandey said in his keynote, underscoring that swift surveillance and regulatory agility are key to maintaining investor confidence.

Pandey noted that Sebis surveillance now proactively tracks patterns observed in earlier enforcement actions.

If you could have seen some of Sebi's orders on pump and dump, then you would have realized that they actually follow certain patterns. Now our surveillance system is proactively following and monitoring, he said during a conversation on the sidelines.

Safeguarding retail trust The urgency is clear as retail investors remain vulnerable when markets are turbulent.

On any given day, our security market infrastructure handles a staggering volume of activity. In the last financial year, our stock exchanges handled over 1600 crore messages daily, with a peak of over 2900 crore messages. Behind these numbers is the trust of crores of investors. This is the trust we must always protect, Pandey said.

The anti-fraud push extends to the digital app ecosystem. To combat fraudulent apps imitating registered brokers, Sebi whole-time member Kamlesh Chandra Varshney revealed at the same event that the regulator has asked Google to incorporate verification tick marks for genuine broking apps on Play Storean initiative expected to go live within two months.

When you open the app store, the apps of the registered stock brokers will have a tick mark which will once again help investors to know which is the right app and which one is fake, Varshney said, highlighting the push for investor awareness through efforts like the valid UPI initiative and the Sebi vs Scam campaign.

Next frontier: algo trading Varshney also pointed to attempts to revive the commodity market, noting, The immediate challenge is algo tradinghow to make it operational. We have to cross that bridge as well because algo trading is going to be the future. We have given a timeline till December, and hopefully we will sort out everything by then.

Meanwhile Pandey warned that the future of market resilience is digital resilience. With algorithmic and high-frequency trades under sharper scrutiny, Sebi continues to update its regulatory framework.
European Union (EU) member countries, on Sunday, started rolling out the digital Entry/Exit System (EES) and exit system at the blocs external borders, electronically registering non-EU nationals' data.

Replacing the usual passport procedures, the biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) will record fingerprints, facial scans, and travel details of all non-EU citizens, when they enter or leave the Schengen zone.

The EUs new Entry/Exit System (EES) will apply to 29 countries in the Schengen area.

How will the Entry/Exit System (EES) work? Europes Schengen zone is an area comprising of 25 EU members and four non-EU nations  which guarantees freedom of movement with no internal border checks.

The EES is a digital border check system which will keep track of non-EU citizens, or travellers who enter and exit the Schengen zone. The Schengen area includes all EU member countries apart from Ireland and Cyprus, but including Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Non-EU citizens will have to register their personal details when they first enter the Schengen area.

FILE PHOTO: A man operates an automated EES kiosk during a demonstration of the European Union's Entry/Exit System (EES) at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone, Britain, September 23, 2025. REUTERS/Jack Taylor/File Photo

According to a report by Al Jazeera, non -EU travellers entering any of the Schengen countries will be required to go through an immigration booth or service kiosk  where their details including  name, nationality, facial image and fingerprints  will be digitally recorded.

Who is a non-EU citizen? A non-EU traveller is someone who does not hold EU nationality or the nationality of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

Why the EES? The move is aimed at detecting overstayers, tackling identity fraud and preventing illegal migration amid political pressure in some EU countries to take a tougher stance, reported Reuters.

"The Entry/Exit System is the digital backbone of our new common European migration and asylum framework, European Internal Affairs and Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner said in a statement.

"Every third country national who arrives at an external border will undergo identity verification, security screening, and registration in the EU databases," Brunner said.
Despite early excitement, Indias fashion tech sector has yet to deliver meaningful scale or investor returns. Most start-ups remain at seed stage, struggling to move beyond experimentation with artificial intelligence (AI)-driven tools such as virtual try-ons, stylists and aggregators. A few players are showing promise by combining AI with commerce, but the market remains fragmented and capital-shy.

Investors see potential in AI-led discovery and personalization, yet question whether these innovations can overcome the supply chain, funding and scale challenges that have long plagued fashion start-ups in India.

Also Read | Cash on delivery charges: Why the government is stepping in

Of the top 50 fashion tech start-ups in India, only one has reached a Series B funding round, one has been acquired, just three have reached a Series A cheque, while 35 have raised seed funding, according to data from startup intelligence platform Tracxn. The others remain unfunded.

However, investors are keeping an eye out for start-ups at the confluence of fashion and AI, while larger consumer tech firms are making a play in the space.

A standout example is Glance AI, an AI-assisted commerce platform, built by consumer tech company Glance. The company's parent entity, InMobi Group plans to invest $200 million into Glance AI that will go towards product development and geographical expansion. Glance declined to share specifics on how the money was being allocated.

If you look at the rise of AI conversation, which means AI companion apps, consumers openness to chat with a bot about their own preferences in life and fashion has been one big tailwind," said Rahul Chowdhri, partner at early stage venture capital firm Stellaris Venture Partners. While the firm hasn't made any fashion AI bets yet, it is actively scouting for start-ups trying to change how consumers shop.

In late 2023, Elevation Capital led a $3.1 million seed round in Alle, an AI-based personalized fashion stylist app. Similarly, former Flipkart vice-president Ranjith Boyanapalli launched Flash.co, which aggregates prices, reviews and product specifications across ecommerce platforms back in 2022.

So far, Flash.co has raised $12.5 million in total, a seed cheque of $5.8 million from Global Founders Capital, White Venture Capital, Zinal Growth and then another $6.7 million from Blume Ventures in 2023. While the company initially started as a one-stop inbox for all e-commerce orders and deliveries, Boyanapalli pivoted the platform to become an aggregator with Flash AI, which launched only five weeks ago.

I think from before a user buys a product, there are two use cases emerging, one where discovery happens through a conversational agent, and the second is value-addition in combating decision fatigue," he said.

Building for the fashion conscious

For the young shopperthink GenZ and millennialsAI seems like an obvious decision. The former already comprises a significant chunk of online shoppers, accounting for 40% of the base, according to Bain & Co's How India Shops Online 2025 report. What's more70% of them discover what they want to wear, carry and strut around, online.

Glance has already seen it playing out on their app. Its audience comprises digital natives, who love discovering new styles, experimenting with self-expression, and engaging deeply with AI-driven experiences," said Mansi Jain, chief operating officer at Glance in a written reply to Mint's queries.

The company claims Glance AI has over 5 million users, who browse products across 400 brands. Glance declined to share its daily active user and monthly active user numbers, which are considered a more accurate metric of user engagement on a platform or app.

For Flash.co, which initially launched in the US, the traction has really only picked up back at home. We've managed to create about 650,000 threads from 300,000 users," said Boyanapalli. Threads are when consumers put a link into the Flash app which then aggregates reviews, product specs and prices across e-commerce platforms. Once a product is threaded, Flash doesn't have to make LLM calls to generate a fresh thread for the same product, saving them money.

Monetization is on the company's roadmap through two channels, premium subscriptions and conversions from the Flash app to e-commerce platforms.

Like many consumer platforms, Flash plans to monetise with a freemium model. It's when basic platform features are offered for free, but extra ones are locked behind a paywall, usually with a monthly subscription plan.

It's not that AI in the front-end is not working at all. Myntra's try-on feature for its beauty products has seen strong traction", according to the company. It's driving a 2x increase in conversion rates and a 1.5x uplift in product consideration among users who engage with it," said Lakshminarayan Swaminathan, vice-president, product management & design at the company.

Investor sentiment

Investors are less confident about the viability of a business to consumer (B2C) company in the segment, but they agree that shopping experience is being redefined. It's going to be about changing the fashion experience. But the question here is that is the innovationis the AI-shiftmore or as important as all the other complexities that come with running a fashion start-up," Prashanth Prakash, partner at global venture capital firm Accel, pointed out.

In some ways, fashion AI startups are similar to the new breed of fashion quick commerce firms such as Slikk, NEWME and Knot. They may have changed how consumers shop, but there are still the logistics and supply chain roadblocks to figure out.

Others, like Chowdhri of Stellaris say a marketplace play is inevitable. Traditionally, affiliate revenue models were not very large since the backend supply is controlled by a couple of large ecommerce marketplaces. An ad-based platform has never created a very large outcome. So the obvious answer is to take full control of the transaction and become a marketplace."

Also Read | How India's consumer giants are getting their ad money to chase shoppers

Chowdhri, however, maintained that an affiliate business isn't entirely out of question. As the supply side becomes fragmented with the rise in the number of D2C companies, a large affiliate company can also be built in future," he added.

Making the value play

It's worth pointing out, that of the top 50 fashion start-ups mentioned above, only 12 are consumer-facing (B2C), while the rest are targeting businesses (business-to-business).

Some business facing companies are also getting into a B2C play. StyleMind, which helps brands create virtual try-ons and personalize shopping for customers, recently launched a chrome extension for web shoppers to drive curiosity and engagement. Our core business is B2B, but the B2C play is to generate interest," said founder Ankush Banik. The company is currently trying to get its technology in the hands of online clothing retailers in India and in North America.

The flipside of B2B is that it inevitably heads towards becoming a SaaS product, making differentiation hard in an already crowded market, both in India and abroad. And if they're trying to make a marketplace play against incumbents such as Amazon, Myntra and Flipkart, who have retention schemes such as loyalty programmes and offer stronger supply chain and logistics, it's a rough road to a building billion-dollar businesses.

It's difficult to say right away because if a start-up can get backing from a large player like a Jio, they have access to scale. It depends on funding, your technological advantage and whether rivals can copy you or not," said Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint Research.

Prakash of Accel is a little more blunt. Does the tech layer disruption have enough value to overcome all the moats that bigger companies have built on all other aspects of that business is something that we, as investors, will have to wait and watch."
Paulette DesCoteaux sent her daughter, Kendra, off to college three years ago with broad advice: Get good grades and have fun. But as she learned more about AIs growing impact on the job market, her advice changed.

Get hyperfocused on networking, double major and land a job, DesCoteaux now says.

You dont know which lever youre going to have to pull," says DesCoteaux, who is steeped in artificial intelligence in her own job at a logistics company.

The AI booms effect on the job market for young adults is creating new anxiety for parents. Many dont know how to advise teens on what to study in collegeor whether to even go.

Computer science isnt the safe bet it used to be, so a lot of students are majoring in business, says Allison Slater Tate, director of college counseling at a private prep school in Florida. Theres a panic over careers and employment," she says. Everyone is looking for a guarantee."

She and other experts say students should consider liberal arts degrees because employers value critical thinking skills. For some, the future of work has never been less clear.

The most important thing we can advise kids to do is to learn how to learn and how to think, because the only thing we can do over computers is to be human," Slater Tate says. She sees growing demand for philosophy and art history majors in banking and elsewhere as companies seek workers who can apply critical thinking across disciplines.

Network, network, network

With her mothers advice in mind, Kendra DolanDesCoteaux is trying to do it all in the name of maximizing career options. The 20-year-old was planning to major in communications at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She has added a second major in sociology while holding down a part-time job helping students with food, housing and finances, plus other gigs around the campus. Using any leftover free time, she attends networking events with professional organizations.

Kendra DolanDesCoteaux is taking her mother Paulette DesCoteauxs advice to double major and work part time to boost her employability.

Kendra says she was initially reluctant to follow her moms advice but she now realizes its good to have options. Adding a major in sociology, she says, could prepare her for becoming a human rights lawyer if she decides to go to law school.

Human rights will be really important as AI rises," she says.

Paulette says she feels badly for pushing her daughter so hard, but worries Kendra will otherwise be left behind.

I said you better fill up your bucket with a ton of experience this summer with whatever you canpaid or unpaidand you have to network, network, network," Paulette says.

More than ever, having work experience during college is critical to success beyond, because it can set graduates apart from other candidates competing for fewer jobs, says Jeffrey Selingo, a former higher-education reporter and editor who has written several books about college, including Dream School."

That can mean part-time work or undergraduate research or internships," he says. The more you have of that in college, the better off youll be after."

AI is coming

Darryl Coleman used to encourage his son, Jordan, to learn coding, since he liked playing videogames. But Jordan, now age 19, wanted to work with his hands. In June, he completed a heating, ventilation and air conditioning certificate from a vocational school. He now has a job with benefitsand no college debt.

Darryl Coleman (in blue) with his wife, Beth, and their twins, Kayla and Hannah. Their son, Jordan, chose the AI-proof HVAC industry as a career path.

Coleman sees that as an AI-proof career path, especially since AI data centers need cooling. A forklift operator in Cincinnati, Coleman is trying to get his twin 11-year-old daughters interested in AI. Even though it will be a while before they need to decide what to do after high school, he wants them to get comfortable using the fast-evolving technology. He used an AI app to create a model of the solar system, since one daughter is interested in astronomy. He also uses Gemini Storybook to help the girls create characters and stories.

The first step for me is to show them that AI is something fun," he says. But I want them to use technology to learn and be more productive."

It doesnt help that students are hearing mixed messages about AI. Teachers often instruct students not to use AI for homework or to write essays; meanwhile, their parents are saying they need to know how to use it to find a place in the workforce of the future.

When we say AI at school is bad, we prepare kids to fail," says Sarah Hernholm, who runs an entrepreneurship program for teens. She recently surveyed clients about what they want from her program. Courses in AI readiness were among parents top requests.

Matthew Miner, a financial adviser in Beaverton, Ore., says high schools arent preparing students for whats to come. Hes encouraging his 17-year-old daughter and 16-year-old stepson to get real estate or mortgage licenses. He and his wife own some rental properties and he wants to get them thinking about careers in real estate.

I tell them, Look, AI is coming, and its good to have skills that AI cant easily replace, " he says.

Write to Julie Jargon at Julie.Jargon@wsj.com
Three individuals have been arrested in connection with the alleged gang-rape of a second-year MBBS student from Odisha near a private medical college in Durgapur, West Bengal, according to Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate.

A second-year student of a private medical college was allegedly gangraped in Durgapur. The victim's father said a medical student hailing from Odisha's Jaleswar was taken by one of her classmates on the pretext of going to get something to eat. However, two or three other men arrived and reportedly raped her. The classmate abandoned her and ran away from the scene, ANI reported.

At 10 PM, her friend called us and said that your daughter had been raped. We live in Jaleshwar. My daughter was studying here. Yesterday, one of her classmates took her out on the pretext of getting something to eat, but when two or three other men arrived, he abandoned her and fled. They raped her...  the victim's father said.

He added, This incident occurred between 8:00 and 9:00 PM. The hostel was far away, and she had come here to eat. The security arrangements are not sufficient... Such a serious incident occurred, but no action has been taken. There is no system here, no response...

Odisha CM Mohan Majhi reacts Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed sorrow over the incident, describing it highly condemnable and painful.

Majhi took to X and asked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to ensure exemplary action is taken against the accused considering the law.

He said, The unfortunate incident of gang rape involving an Odia student in Durgapur, West Bengal, is highly condemnable and painful. I am deeply shocked upon hearing this news. I strongly urge the West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to take exemplary action against the accused as per the law... I have instructed senior officials to contact the West Bengal government and take necessary steps. All possible assistance will be provided to the victim's family on behalf of the Odisha government.

We have assured them that action will be taken Meanwhile, Ranjana Roy, the Deputy Magistrate and SDO of Durgapur, stated after meeting the victim of the Durgapur Medical College gangrape case that the victim is in stable condition and is being accompanied by her mother. According to Roy, the victim is getting full assistance and promised that the action will be taken, saying, She is in stable condition and her mother is with her...We are giving her all the support, and we have assured them that action will be taken
Key Points

Cathie Wood is betting on Alibaba's future in AI.

Institutional investor confidence in China's tech sector is recovering.

Alibaba's turnaround could create asymmetric upside.

10 stocks we like better than Alibaba Group 

Cathie Wood has built her reputation by making bold, forward-looking bets. Her latest move at Ark Invest -- buying into Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) for the first time in four years -- has reignited U.S. investors' interest in one of China's most followed companies. The purchase itself may have been relatively small, but it carries significant symbolic weight.

Here's what happened, what it signals, and how investors should think about it.

Image source: Getty Images.

The nature of the transaction

In late September, Wood's Ark Invest bought about $16.3 million worth of Alibaba shares across two of its exchange-traded funds (ETFs) -- roughly $8.18 million for the ARK Fintech Innovation ETF (NYSEMKT: ARKF) and $8.1 million for the ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (NYSEMKT: ARKW), according to a report by SCMP.

It was Ark's first Alibaba investment since 2021, when global investors fled Chinese tech stocks due to regulatory pressure and geopolitical uncertainty. The size of the purchase was small relative to Ark's total of over $6.7 billion in assets under management, but the timing is crucial.

This move, after years during which Ark stayed away from the stock, signals a belief that the company's long-term fundamentals and operating environment have improved. Unsurprisingly, investors responded positively to news of the purchase. Following the disclosure, Alibaba's Hong Kong-listed shares surged nearly 9% to their highest level in four years. The reaction showed that investors closely track Ark's trades -- and that market sentiment toward Alibaba has begun to shift.

What the move signals

Wood's decision to add Alibaba back into her portfolio suggests that the worst is likely behind the tech company, and that the fund manager is now focusing on its future.

First, Ark likely sees Alibaba as an artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud growth story. Alibaba's latest quarterly report showed cloud revenue up 26% year over year to 33.4 billion yuan ($4.7 billion), a growth rate that significantly outpaced the group's 10% total revenue growth. It has also reported triple-digit percentage revenue growth for its AI-related products for eight consecutive quarters, and AI now accounts for more than 20% of Alibaba Cloud's external sales.

This growth reflects more than a rebound -- it shows a structural shift toward higher-margin, AI-driven businesses. With its Tongyi Qianwen large language model and AI-powered enterprise tools, Alibaba has evolved from a traditional cloud infrastructure provider into an AI platform.
Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqis Agra visit, scheduled for Sunday 12 October, has been cancelled. Further, following much uproar, the Afghan FM has reportedly called a fresh press meet, this time inviting women journalists.

Agra officials have not provided any explanation for the cancellation. The Afghan foreign minister had planned to visit the Taj Mahal in Agra. Muttaqi was expected to spend approximately an hour and a half at the monument before heading back to Delhi. The protocol department of the district administration also confirmed the cancellation, according to PTI.

The upcoming presser is reportedly scheduled at 2 pm Indian Standard Time (IST).

Afghan minister's presser details

Muttaqi's 2nd presser

Muttaqi's second presser at 2 pm

The opposition and media bodies on Saturday called the absence of female journalists from a press conference of visiting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Friday "unacceptable" and an insult to women.

The Editors Guild of India and the Indian Women Press Corps (IWPC) condemned the act as highly discriminatory and unjustifiable. The Guild stated, While diplomatic premises may claim protection under the Vienna Convention, that cannot justify blatant gender discrimination in press access on Indian soil. They also expressed concern, saying, "Whether or not the MEA coordinated the event, it is deeply troubling that such a discriminatory exclusion was allowed to proceed without objection."

Meanwhile, the IWPC called on the Indian government to address the issue with the Afghan Embassy to prevent any future gender-based exclusion in media briefings.

Muttaqi's media-in-charge and MEA clarify "There were no restrictions from the Afghan foreign minister's office about who would attend," Deoband PRO Ashraf Usmani, also the media in-charge of Muttaqis Saturday programme informed PTI.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also clarified, saying that it had no involvement in Muttaqi-organised press conference. The ministry stated, MEA had no involvement in the press interaction held yesterday by the Afghan FM in Delhi.

This handout photograph taken and released by India's Ministry of External Affairs on October 10, 2025 shows India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (R) and his Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi shaking hands during a bilateral meeting in New Delhi.

Muttaqi's India visit Muttaqi, who arrived in New Delhi on Thursday for a six-day visit, is the first high-ranking Taliban minister to come to India since the group took control four years ago. India has not officially recognised the Taliban government.

His visit to India occurs amid tense relations between both India and Afghanistan with Pakistan, stemming from various issues, including cross-border terrorism.

On Saturday, the Afghan foreign minister visited Darul Uloom Deoband in Saharanpur, one of South Asia's most prominent Islamic seminaries.
Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi reacted to the controversy around the absence of women journalists from his presser two days ago. He said it was more of a "technical issue."

"With regards to the press conference, it was on short notice and a short list of journalists was decided, and the participation list that was presented was very specific," Amir Khan Muttaqi said.

"It was more of a technical issueOur colleagues had decided to send an invitation to a specific list of journalists, and there was no other intention apart from this," he said on Sunday, October 12.

Also Read | Afghan FM Muttaqi holds second presser with women journalists after row

What's the controversy? Afghan Minister Muttaqi landed in controversy after Indian women journalists were reportedly barred from attending his press conference at the Afghanistan Embassy on Friday.

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the absence of women journalists from the presser.

Rahul Gandhi wrote on X, "Mr Modi, when you allow the exclusion of women journalists from a public forum, you are telling every woman in India that you are too weak to stand up for them.

"In our country, women have the right to equal participation in every space. Your silence in the face of such discrimination exposes the emptiness of your slogans on Nari Shakti," Rahul Gandhi said.

Later, the Opposition and media bodies termed the absence of women journalists from a press conference "unacceptable" and an "insult to women". They said on Saturday that PM Modi's silence in the face of such discrimination exposes the "emptiness" of his slogans on 'Nari Shakti'.

Also Read | Afghan FM Muttaqi holds second presser with women journalists after row

The Editors Guild of India and the Indian Women Press Corps (IWPC) termed the act as highly discriminatory, which cannot be justified on grounds of diplomatic privilege under the Vienna Convention, news agency PTI reported.

Amir Khan Muttaqi called another press interaction on Sunday (October 12), this time inviting women journalists.

Afghan Minister's visit to India 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 ago. He is on a week-long visit to India, from October 9 to 16.

India has not yet recognised the Taliban set up.

The Afghan foreign minister's visit to India came at a time when both India and Afghanistan are having frosty relations with Pakistan over a range of issues, including cross-border terrorism.

Also Read | Afghan FM calls presser again, this time inviting women journalists

Earlier on Saturday, the Afghan minister said the "future of India-Afghanistan relations seems very bright," and thanked the Ulema and people of Deoband for their reception.
The father of 22-year-old engineer Udit, who died while celebrating his first job with friends, alleged that his son was killed by policemen. He is seeking justice through either a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The tragedy occurred in Bhopal's Indrapuri area on October 9.

"My son was killed by policemen, so we cannot expect a fair investigation from them. The probe should be conducted by a higher agency - either the SIT or the CBI. We want justice for our son. The accused policemen should be given the death penalty," India Today quoted the victim's father as saying.

What exactly happened? Udit had travelled with friends to his engineering college in Sehore to collect his degree certificate, which he needed to submit to his employer. The police arrived at the scene and allegedly demanded 10,000 from the group.

When Udit objected to the demand, the constables reportedly stripped him and brutally beat him with sticks. After the assault, the officers left the scene. According to eyewitnesses, Udit was repeatedly struck with sticks while being stripped.

Also Read | Mika Singh meets Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav at his residence in Bhopal

'Two policemen ran after him and caught him' I got a call from Udit at around 11 pm. He said lets go for a party. I was in Awadhpuri then. Udit called me to Indrapuri, so I reached there. We all partied together. After some time, I was going to drop Udit. As soon as I put the keys in the car, a policeman came. Udit got scared and ran towards a dark street. Two policemen ran after him and caught him, Indian Express quoted Udit's friend as saying.

Upon arriving at the spot, he heard sounds of fighting and found Udits shirt was torn and his body was covered in marks, especially on his head.

While the friends try to speak with the police, one officer is seen striking the victim with a stick from the front, while another hits him from behind as seen in the viral video.

While recounting the horror, his friend, who said he helped Udit, shared, When in the car with me, Udit just asked for the AC to be turned on and for him to be given some water. He did not mention any pain. He vomited two to three times on the way Then his hand went limp. We checked for a pulse, but couldnt find one. We immediately took him to AIIMS. He was pronounced dead on arrival.

Also Read | No fuel for helmetless two wheeler riders in Bhopal from August 1

Udits father works at BHEL, while his mother is a school teacher. His brother-in-law serves as a Deputy Superintendent of Police in the anti-Naxal unit based in Balaghat.

Meanwhile, numerous teams have been constituted to locate the accused, however, there has reportedly been no breakthrough in making any arrests yet.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, reacted to the Durgapur rape case on Sunday, stating that girls should not be allowed to go outside at night," and added that whoever is guilty will be punished strictly.

On Friday night, October 10, a second-year medical student from Odisha was allegedly gang-raped by unidentified men outside her college campus in West Bengal's Durgapur.

... The girls should not be allowed to go outside (college) at night. They have to protect themselves also. There is a forest area. Police are searching all the people. Nobody will be excused. Whoever is guilty will be punished strictly," CM Mamata Banerjee told reporters on Sunday.

Earlier in the day, three people were arrested in connection with the alleged gang-rape case.

What happened in Durgapur? The medical student  aged 20-years-old  hails from Odisha's Jaleswar and is enrolled at a private medical college. She was allegedly gang-raped by three men outside her college campus on Friday, said police officials.

She had gone out for dinner with a friend when the incident took place around 10 pm.

The group of men snatched the Odisha girl's phone and took her to a jungle outside the medical college's campus, where they allegedly raped the student, officials had told PTI.

One of her classmates took her out on the pretext of getting something to eat, but when two or three other men arrived, he abandoned her and fled. They raped her, the student's father also told reporters.

Rape-victim unable to walk, on bedrest According to ANI, the gangrape victim's father said on Sunday said that her daughter is currently unable to walk and is on bedrest, receiving medical treatment.

How did the incident happen? According to police, the rape-victim's friend left her alone when three unidentified men at an area near the campus. They allegedly snatched her phone and took her to a jungle outside the medical college's campus, where they raped the Odisha girl, said officials.

How Odisha CM reacted The alleged gang-rape drew a sharp reaction from Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. He condemned the incident, terming it "highly condemnable and painful."
The father of the Durgapur rape survivor said on Sunday that his daughter is "unable to walk, has pain in the back and is on bedrest." He said he requested West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to help him take his daughter back to Odisha, as "there's no security for girls" in West Bengal.

The father expressed concerns about his daughter's safety in West Bengal and requested that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee allow her to be taken to Odisha, where they believe she would be safer.

"She is unable to walk and is on bed rest. The Chief Minister, DG [Director General of Police], SP [Superintendent of Police], and Collector are all helping us a lot and regularly enquiring about her health...," he told news agency ANI.

He said, I have requested the Chief Minister to let us take my daughter away from here to Odisha, to a safer place because here, her safety is at risk... We have requested her to let us take her away.

Durgapur rape case A medical student was allegedly gangraped in Durgapur, West Bengal, on Friday night. The survivor hails from Jaleswar, Odisha, and is a second-year student of a private medical college in Durgapur.

The student's father said she had stepped out with a classmate to get something to eat. However, two or three other men arrived and raped her. The classmate, he said then "abandoned her and fled."

"At 10 pm, her friend called us and said that your daughter had been raped. We live in Jaleshwar. My daughter was studying here [Durgapur]," the father was quoted by ANI as saying.

"Yesterday, one of her classmates took her out on the pretext of getting something to eat, but when two or three other men arrived, he abandoned her and fled. They raped her," the father said.

He added, "This incident occurred between 8:00 and 9:00 PM. The hostel was far away, and she had come here to eat. The security arrangements are not sufficient... Such a serious incident occurred, but no action has been taken. There is no system here, no response...."

The West Bengal Police arrested three accused in connection with the case. They were remanded to 10 days' police custody by a local court in Durgapur on Sunday.

Odisha, West Bengal CMs react West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made a controversial remark advising colleges not to allow girls to go outside at night.

"I'm shocked to see the incident, but private medical colleges also should take care of their students, and especially girls. The girls should not be allowed to go outside [college] at night. They have to protect themselves also. There is a forest area. Police are searching all the people," Banerjee was quoted by ANI as saying.

Banerjee condemned the incident and assured that strong action would be taken against the perpetrators.

"Nobody will be excused. Whoever is guilty will be punished strictly. Three people have already been arrested. We will take stringent action... When it happens in other states, it is also condemnable," she said.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi strongly condemned the incident, terming it "highly condemnable and painful."

In a post on X, Majhi had urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to ensure exemplary action is taken against the accused in accordance with the law.
Actor-turned-politician and Union Minister Suresh Gopi has expressed a strong desire to return to his film career, saying that his income has completely stopped since he took up a ministerial role in the central government.

Speaking at an event in Kannur, Kerala, the Thrissur MP and Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Tourism said he misses acting and wants to balance his political responsibilities with his passion for cinema.

I really want to continue acting. I need to earn more; my income has now stopped completely, Gopi said.

Never Wanted To Be A Minister By Quitting Films The veteran Malayalam star, who joined the BJP in October 2016, said that he never aspired to become a minister and had hoped to continue working in films.

A day before the elections, I told reporters that I did not want to become a minister. I wanted to continue with my cinema career, he said, adding that the party may have chosen him as a minister as a recognition of the mandate he received from the people.

Gopi also suggested that C Sadanandan Master, a senior BJP leader from Kannur and Rajya Sabha MP, should replace him in the Union Cabinet. I am saying with sincerity that Sadanandan Master should be made a Union minister after removing me. I believe that it will become a new chapter in the political history of Kerala, he said.

Words Are Often Twisted The minister also addressed recent criticism over his use of the word praja (citizens) to describe the people of his constituency. Gopi said his words were being deliberately misinterpreted by opponents.

What is wrong with using the word praja? Earlier, sanitation workers were called manual scavengers, and now they are known as sanitation engineers. Likewise, praja and prajatantra are not offensive terms, he said.

Also Read | Eat wild boar: Kerala minister sparks row with advice to tackle crop damage

Background Earlier this year, President Droupadi Murmu nominated Sadanandan Master  a BJP veteran and survivor of political violence who lost both legs in a 1994 attack allegedly by CPI(M) workers  to the Rajya Sabha.
Sergio Gor, the Ambassador-designate of the United States to India, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on 11 October. During the meeting, Gor handed over to Narendra Modi a framed photo of the prime minister and US President Donald Trump during a meeting held earlier this year.

The prime minister expressed confidence that the IndiaUS partnership would further deepen during Gors upcoming tenure.

The photo frame, which had come all the way from Washington, DC, contained a handwritten message from President Donald Trump.

"Mr Prime Minister, you are great, read Trump's message, followed by his signature.

Gor, the White House personnel director and a loyal member of President Donald Trump's inner circle, was nominated as the American envoy to India in August. He is joining the office in a few days.

Beyond Grateful After meeting with Prime Minister Modi, Gor had said he was beyond grateful" to Trump for showing "incredible trust and confidence" in nominating him to be his next US Ambassador to India and the Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs.

Gor and Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources, Michael J Rigas, were in India since 9 October to meet with government officials to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues. Officials said that this will be Gor's short trip to India, and he will assume the role of Ambassador at a later date.

Also Read | US ambassador-designate Sergio Gor meets S Jaishankar amid tariff row

PM Modi also expressed confidence that India-US ties will further strengthen during Gor's tenure.

Glad to receive Mr Sergio Gor, Ambassador-designate of the US to India. Im confident that his tenure will further strengthen the IndiaUS Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, said PM Modi in a post on X.

India  US Ties The relations between New Delhi and Washington have been reeling under severe stress after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent, including a 25 per cent additional duty for India's purchase of Russian crude oil.

India described the US action as "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable". India has also been upset over Trump's new policy on H1B visas.

However, the recent phone conversations between Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump have raised hopes for a positive outcome from the ongoing trade negotiations.

PM Modi spoke with President Trump to praise his peace plan for Gaza. Earlier in September, President Trump was the first global leader to call and speak with PM Modi as the prime minister turned 75 the next day on 17 September.

The two countries have already resumed negotiations for the trade deal after a brief hiatus of a few weeks.

Trump - Modi Bonhomie President Trump has been striking a conciliatory tone in recent statements and has expressed optimism that a trade deal could be finalised soon. This is in contrast with earlier tensions between the two nations marked by sharp jibes by US officials at India over Russian oil purchases.

On 27 August, the day US tariffs on India took effect, former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, however, expressed hope that India would be able to conclude a satisfactory mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US.

Shringla, who is also a member of the Rajya Sabha, expressed hope in the close and special partnership between PM Modi and President Donald Trump.

Shringla referred to the "Howdy Modi and Namaste Trump" events, which emphasised the friendship between the two leaders during US President Trump's first term.

'Howdi Modi' and Namaste Trump In September 2019, then-US President Donald Trump hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Texas at the Howdy, Modi! event. The mega event was attended by about 50,000 people. PM Modi  a year later  welcomed Trump to Gujarat, his home state, for an even bigger event that was attended by over 120,000 people.

Trump lost the US Presidential Election 2020 to Joe Biden but returned to power four years later.

In February 2025, Narendra Modi was among the first world leaders to visit the US since Trump's inauguration for his second term as president in January. The framed photo handed over to the prime minister by Gor on Saturday was from the Trump-Modi meeting in Washington, DC, during the same trip.

India -US trade In 2024, India and the US conducted trade in goods and services worth $186 billion, with a surplus of $41 billion in Indias favour.

Trump has repeatedly called India a good friend, but his recent statements and policies on visas and tariffs have affected the relationship.

India's labour-intensive sector exports are expected to decline by up to 70 per cent as US tariffs take effect in August, according to a report by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), the

What next? India is set to host the Quad Leaders Summit later this year, though the date is yet to be finalised. During his visit to the US in February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended an invitation to Donald Trump to attend the meeting.

Glad to receive Mr Sergio Gor, Ambassador-designate of the US to India. Im confident that his tenure will further strengthen the IndiaUS Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.

With relations under strain, Trumps attendance at the Quad summit had seemed unlikely. However, recent developments have sparked a degree of optimism in IndiaUS ties.

Last month, Gor said that the president remains committed to sustained engagement with the Quad, hinting he may travel to India later this year for the summit amid trade tensions between the two nations.

(With agency inputs)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received an invite to attend the Gaza peace summit set to be held in Egypt on October 13, the Indian Express reported. The PM or his office have not confirmed his attendance yet.

As per the report, PM Modi has received an invite from US President Donald Trump and Egypts President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to attend the event.

People having knowledge about the matter have told the newspaper that PM Modi got the last minute invite to attend the Gaza peace summit on Saturday.

Neither PM Modi nor the PMO has confirmed anything regarding the invite or his attendance. Livemint could not independently verify the report. This article will be updated if there is an official confirmation.

The so-called peace summit is being organised in Egypt to end the war between Israel and Hamas at the Gaza Strip.

What is the Gaza Peace summit? An international peace summit will be held in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday to finalise an agreement aimed at ending the war in Gaza.

Also Read | Qataris headed for Gaza summit killed in Egypt as their car flips

"The summit aims to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to bring peace and stability to the Middle East, and usher in a new phase of regional security and stability. This summit comes in light of US President Trump's vision for achieving peace in the region and his relentless efforts to end conflicts around the world," the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

What is Donald Trump's role at Gaza peace summit? US President Donald Trump along with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will chair the meeting titled "Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit," as per a statement from the Egyptian presidency.

Who will attend, who won't? UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he will attend the Gaza peace summit, as will Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni and Pedro Sanchez of Spain. French President Emmanuel Macron has also confirmed his attendance.

There was no immediate word about whether Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be in Sharm el-Sheikh, while Hamas has said it will not take part.

Also Read | Why Trump succeeded in Gaza ceasefire talks and Biden failed: Explained

Hossam Badran, a Hamas political bureau member, told AFP in an interview that the Palestinian militant group will not be involved.

Why is PM Modi's attendance important? PM Narendra Modi's attendance at the Gaza peace summit provides him a chance to meet US President Donald Trump, making it their potential first face-to-face interaction after the India-US trade tensions.
Columbus Day is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating Italian explorer Christopher Columbuss landing in the Americas on October 12, 1492. Since 1971, it has been observed annually on the second Monday of October. In 2025, Columbus Day will fall on Monday (October 13).

The holiday celebrates Columbuss contributions to exploration and the Age of Discovery, as well as Italian-American heritage. However, in recent decades, the observance has become controversial due to the historical consequences of European colonization on Indigenous peoples.

Historical background First celebrations: The first formal celebration of Columbuss landing occurred in 1792 in New York City, organized by the Columbian Order (Society of St. Tammany).

National holiday: US President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared Columbus Day a national holiday in 1937.

Italian-American Heritage: Columbus, a native of Genoa, Italy, became a symbol of Italian-American pride, especially following the mass lynching of 11 Italian Americans in New Orleans in 1891. President Benjamin Harrison commemorated Columbuss 400th anniversary in 1892 as a one-time national observance.

Modern observance: Columbus Day honors Columbuss voyage, the connection between the Old and New Worlds, and Italian-American contributions to US society.

Significance of the voyage Columbus persuaded King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain to sponsor his westward voyage in search of trade routes to Asia. On October 12, 1492, he landed in the Bahamas (San Salvador). While he was not the first European to reach the Americas, his journey sparked extensive European exploration and colonization of the New World.

Controversy surrounding Columbus Day While Columbus Day celebrates exploration, critics argue it overlooks the negative impact of European colonization on Indigenous populations, including:

-Spread of disease

-Enslavement

-Genocide and displacement of Native peoples

As a result, some cities and states have chosen to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day instead or alongside Columbus Day. This observance recognizes Native American cultures and contributions, acknowledging the injustices they suffered during and after European colonization.

Indigenous Peoples Day First celebrated in the late 1980s, the holiday honors the history and culture of Native Americans.

President Joe Biden officially recognized Indigenous Peoples Day in 2021.
US President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Sunday (October 12) to address rising tensions with China, following his recent threat to impose a 100% tariff on Chinese imports.

In his post, Trump sought to reassure Chinas leadership: Dont worry about China, it will all be fine! Highly respected President Xi just had a bad moment. He doesnt want Depression for his country, and neither do I. The U.S.A. wants to help China, not hurt it!!!

The statement comes amid a dispute over Chinas new export controls on rare earth minerals, essential for both consumer and military technologies. Trumps post underscores his desire to frame the US-China relationship as cooperative despite escalating trade disagreements.

Trump threatens 100% tariff Tensions escalated between the United States and China as Trump threatened to impose a 100% tariff on Chinese imports in response to Beijings new export controls on rare earth minerals. The dispute has raised concerns about global supply chains and international trade relations.

Trumps tariff threat is set to take effect on November 1, 2025, or sooner, targeting Chinese imports over and above existing tariffs. He also hinted at potential export controls on critical software from American firms, without specifying the scope.

China hits back on rare earth restrictions China responded on Sunday through its Commerce Ministry, signaling a firm stance: We do not want a tariff war but we are not afraid of one.

The ministry urged dialogue over threats and warned that the US actions could trigger reciprocal measures: If the U.S. side obstinately insists on its practice, China will be sure to resolutely take corresponding measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.

Chinas new export rules require foreign companies to obtain government approval to export rare earths, critical to military and civilian products. The country controls nearly 70% of global rare earth mining and 90% of processing.

JD Vance weighs in Vice President JD Vance emphasized the economic stakes for the United States, speaing with Fox News: China has so much control over critical supply in the United States of America. That is the definition of a national emergency and justifies the presidents move to impose tough tariffs.

He added that negotiations remain possible if China chooses to be reasonable: If, however, theyre willing to be reasonable, then Donald Trump is always willing to be a reasonable negotiator. Were going to find out a lot in the weeks to come about whether China wants to start a trade war with us or whether they actually want to be reasonable.

Impact of rare earth controls Rare earth elements are essential for products ranging from laptops, electric vehicles, and jet engines to military technologies like radar systems.

The Commerce Ministry also highlighted US actions that have escalated tensions, including new port fees on Chinese ships, prompting retaliatory fees on American vessels.

The US and China have been engaged in ongoing trade tensions, with tariffs and restrictions introduced earlier this year. While previous negotiations in Switzerland and the UK had reduced some tariffs, new export controls on rare earths and critical technology have reignited friction.

Trump criticized China for its restrictions: China is becoming very hostile. They are holding the world captive by restricting access to rare earth metals and magnets.
Daniel Day-Lewis believes he would have regretted not working on a movie with his son Ronan Day-Lewis.

Daniel Day-Lewis has teamed up with his son Ronan Day-Lewis on Anemone

The three-time Oscar winner has returned to acting for the first time since 2017 in the new psychological drama Anemone and explained that he would've felt "residual sadness" if he had turned down the chance to collaborate with Ronan - who has directed the picture.

Speaking to Empire magazine, Daniel said: "It was a residual sadness. Knowing that Ro was going to go on to make films...

"Over the years, since Ronan was tiny, we've done things together, made stuff together. And I had a sort of anticipatory regret that I wouldn't get to work with Ronan as a filmmaker. So we just thought we'd try and cook something up."

The Gangs of New York actor continued: "We felt that we could probably keep it contained; I guess we were kidding ourselves to some extent.

"I didn't expect it to become something that would require such a substantial production because, you know, the whole paraphernalia of filmmaking... I wasn't falling over myself to get back into that, but I just really wanted to work with Ro."

Day-Lewis, 68, explained that he "never" felt as though he had retired during his hiatus from acting.

He said: "Well, one thing I would say is that I never felt that I'd retired. That's a word that's been used.

"I never felt that I retired, I just stopped doing this work because I wanted to work at something else for a period of time. It never occurred to me to retire. I mean, I wouldn't ever retire, I hope."

Day-Lewis is renowned for the devotion he shows to his acting roles and explained that nothing about his approach changed for Anemone, even though he was working closely with his son.

Asked if he had gone about things differently, the My Left Foot star said: "Not at all, no.

"Because from a very young age, and over the years... I definitely tried to protect Ronan from the worst of my excesses. And he had grown up with it, and therefore I felt completely at ease in that.

"Thinking about it now, I could easily have felt self-conscious, but I didn't."

The actor explained that he isn't "closed" to the prospect of more acting roles after working on Anemone.

Daniel said: "I'm certainly not closed to the idea of it. I don't have an indiscriminate appetite.

"The appetite always seems to emerge in relation to something that I've become fascinated with, and I believe that could very easily happen.

"I'm certainly not going to shy away from it. I wouldn't shy away from it."
That prompted some analysts to argue that the AI competition between China and the US was now being waged by "hyperscalers" - the world's largest tech companies with major capabilities across the entire AI stack.

Some estimates suggested that US and Chinese tech giants would collectively spend more than US$400 billion on AI infrastructure this year - roughly equivalent to the gross domestic product of Romania, the world's 39th-largest economy according to the International Monetary Fund.

"Only in a pure 'race to AGI' world would the US be miles ahead, but that is probably not the world we live in," he said, referring to artificial general intelligence - a hypothetical AI system capable of matching human performance in economically valuable tasks.

China was engaged in a "different AI race" from the US, and it was no longer enough to have the strongest foundational model: one must also possess the best chips, algorithms and applications across the entire AI stack to stand out in a crowded field, Chan said.

The AI arena has now shifted from just large language models to include upstream hardware and downstream applications, according to Kyle Chan, a postdoctoral researcher at Princeton University.

A day later, US chipmaker Nvidia's co-founder and CEO Jensen Huang referenced Wu's remarks during a podcast with tech investors Brad Gerstner and Bill Gurley, in which he underscored the importance of spending big on AI.

As he spoke, Alibaba's shares surged to a four-year high in Hong Kong, leading several banks to raise their price targets for the stock.

The blueprint laid out in Wu's 23-minute speech signified not just a strategic upgrade for Alibaba, but also highlighted the competition between Chinese and US tech giants for the future of artificial intelligence - a field that has drawn some of the largest investments in history, with profound economic, social and geopolitical implications.

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.

In essence, Alibaba aimed to become the "world's leading full-stack AI service provider", he said. Alibaba owns the Post.

Wu, however, immediately outlined a clear road map for Alibaba's AI development, with a goal towards so-called artificial superintelligence (ASI) - when the firm's Qwen open-source models and cloud services would serve as the software and computing infrastructure of the future.

Story Continues

Both Washington and Beijing have voiced support for their respective AI industries. The Trump administration's AI Action Plan, released in July, aimed to promote the export of "American AI" technology globally, led by Nvidia and OpenAI - the world's most valuable company and start-up, respectively.

Open AI CEO Sam Altman. Photo: Getty Images/TNS

As part of their partnership, Nvidia is helping OpenAI establish its own "self-hosted" data centres, which the start-up previously relied on Microsoft to provide. The move could also allow OpenAI to catch up with Tesla founder Elon Musk's xAI, which is building its own Colossus data centres in Memphis, Tennessee.

Alongside its recent deals with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Samsung Electronics, as well as the US$500 billion in pledged funding for the Stargate Project - OpenAI's joint venture with SoftBank Group and Oracle - the start-up's computing deals amounted to at least US$1 trillion this year.

More partnerships could be announced "in the coming months", OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said on a podcast on Thursday.

"To make the bet at this scale, we kind of need the whole industry, or a big chunk of the industry, to support it," he said. "And this is from the level of electrons to model distribution and all the stuff in between, which is a lot."

China, too, has its share of hyperscalers, but their size lags behind their US counterparts. The big three American players - Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google - command about 63 per cent of the US$900 billion global cloud computing market, according to Synergy Research Group.

In China, Alibaba's AI and cloud computing arm Alibaba Cloud holds a clear lead with 36 per cent of the market, according to research firm Omdia.

At last month's conference, Wu announced additional AI infrastructure spending beyond the initial US$53 billion commitment unveiled earlier this year. The company hinted that these extra funds would support the company's largest overseas data centre expansion to date, including its first hubs in Brazil, France and the Netherlands. Wu said demand overseas "far exceeded" domestic growth.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Photo: AFP

Despite their advances, Chinese companies remained significantly behind their US peers in terms of investment. Alibaba's three-year spending pledge is less than what any one of the US big three hyperscalers spends in a single year.

OpenAI is currently valued at US$500 billion, while US AI model developer Anthropic saw its valuation nearly triple to US$183 billion following a funding round in September. In contrast, China's leading start-ups, such as Moonshot AI and Z.ai, are valued at US$3.3 billion and US$5.6 billion, respectively.

That did not necessarily mean China was falling behind in AI, Princeton's Chan said. In the US, Silicon Valley executives - including Altman - stressed the urgency of beating China to achieve AGI.

The US preoccupation with achieving AGI before China had led to an excessive focus on scaling computing resources and restricting Chinese access to advanced semiconductors, at the expense of developing the full US stack, Chan said.

"Chinese policymakers are not 'AGI-pilled'," he said. "I think they see AI as something like the internet that can turbocharge, if not transform, existing industries, where the focus is on diffusing the technology broadly and increasing adoption," said Chan, adding that he did not believe AGI was imminent.

Alibaba chairman Joe Tsai, meanwhile, has stressed the importance of adoption. At an event hosted by the US podcast All-In last month, he said the winner in AI should not be defined by "who comes up with the strongest AI model", but on "who can adopt it faster".

"I'm not saying China technologically is winning the model war," he said. "But in terms of the actual application and also people benefiting from AI, it has made a lot of developments."

The Chinese government is betting on the integration of AI with the country's formidable industrial and manufacturing sectors to win the tech race, a strategy known as "AI plus".

A Unitree robot takes part in an obstacle race at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing. Photo: Reuters

China now leads the world in industrial robot installations, with a record 2.027 million active robots, according to the International Federation of Robotics.

The country's humanoid robot market has also seen rapid growth, with prominent start-ups like Shanghai-based AgiBot and Hangzhou-based Unitree Robotics landing orders from state-owned firms.

In March, for the first time, Beijing designated "embodied intelligence" - AI integrated into physical machines - as a key future industry. Authorities later outlined plans to promote robotics adoption across various sectors, including manufacturing, aerospace and logistics.

Government support has filtered down to the entrepreneurial level, with nearly half of AI fundraising this year directed towards embodied intelligence start-ups, according to consultancy IT Juzi.

"China is running away with the hard-power part of AI - robotics," Martin Casado and Anne Neuberger, a general partner and senior adviser, respectively, at Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, said in a recent post.

"We start seeing intelligence embedded in the physical world - culminating in generalist robots that perform a wide variety of tasks across applications, from manufacturing to services to defence," they wrote. "The country betting on that future is China, not the US."

Signs indicate that the US increasingly recognises the importance of AI applications in hard technology. OpenAI is reportedly ramping up hires for its robotics team and has partnered with autonomous driving start-up Applied Intuition.

However, none of the world's "big four" industrial robotics firms - ABB Robotics, Fanuc, Kuka and Yaskawa Electric - are based in the US.

Huawei's computing cluster on display at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai. Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images

The spending disparity between Silicon Valley and Chinese firms may not be critical, as Chinese hyperscalers do not always compete directly with their US counterparts, according to Poe Zhao, a Beijing-based tech analyst and founder of the Hello China Tech newsletter.

"At least in the AI field, the market has become completely parallelised, with each playing its own game," he said. "I think many people in the English-speaking world do not understand just how big the Chinese cloud market really is, with many demands from different segments, from large state-owned enterprises to small and medium-sized enterprises."

"It is impossible for any company to be like Amazon - to be a one-stop shop that meets everyone's needs, which gives Alibaba, Huawei, Baidu and ByteDance different opportunities."

It also remained unclear just how far ahead US foundational models were compared to their Chinese rivals, according to Tilly Zhang, a Beijing-based tech analyst at Gavekal Dragonomics.

Chinese models consistently top popular global AI leader boards, particularly in image and video generation, often delivering comparable performance at a fraction of the training costs of US competing products.

The US government acknowledged the potential of China's open-source ecosystem in driving global adoption.

Meanwhile, partners at Andreessen Horowitz pointed out that US start-ups and universities were heavily reliant on Chinese models.

The AI Action Plan emphasised the need for the US to develop leading open-source models, as the country's previous open-source leader, Facebook owner Meta Platforms, has signalled it is no longer interested in open-sourcing its Llama models.

OpenAI swiftly responded to the government's call in August with its first open model in six years, but the gap with China's well-established ecosystem - similar to that in robotics - may already be too wide to bridge, according to open-source AI expert Nathan Lambert.

"Qwen alone is roughly matching the entire American open model ecosystem today", Lambert said at a recent industry conference.

He highlighted the depth of China's open-source ecosystem, which spans from Big Tech giants such as Huawei Technologies and ByteDance to unexpected developers like food delivery giant Meituan and Alibaba's fintech affiliate Ant Group, which open-sourced a 1 trillion-parameter model on Thursday.

Just as OpenAI has allied itself with Nvidia and AMD, a self-sufficient AI ecosystem is emerging in China through a collaboration between Huawei and DeepSeek.

In the latest example, when DeepSeek introduced a new programming language called TileLang as part of its new foundational model, Hygon Information Technology and Cambricon Technologies quickly announced "day zero" chip support for the new model, while Huawei said it was developing core operators for TileLang.

"This synchronicity suggests a strategic alignment," Hello China Tech's Zhao said. "It is the second phase of a deliberate campaign to build a self-sufficient AI stack, free from Nvidia's influence."

The jury is still out on whether Chinese AI players can achieve ASI with local hardware, although Huawei touted that its clustering solution could address computing power needs.

Meanwhile, American lawmakers have called for broader chip export controls, believing access to US technologies remains crucial for China's AI ambitions.

At the Apsara conference, hundreds of developers and customers listened intently to the presentations, many using a Qwen-powered translation and transcription tool. Alibaba appeared undeterred, as it stressed its commitment to cultivating a vibrant AI ecosystem.

There would only be "five or six hyperscalers globally" in the future, Wu said, implying that Alibaba would be one of them.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
A helicopter reportedly crashed near the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Huntington Street on Saturday afternoon, causing multiple injuries.

According to reports, the crash occurred near the Waterfront Beach Resort, where an event called 'Cars 'N Copters on the Coast' was underway. City officials later confirmed that the helicopter was affiliated with the event.

The wreckage ended up lodged in trees at the front of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Videos captured first responders at the scene, with bystanders watching the aftermath.

Also Read: Dramatic video shows helicopter crash on Sacramento Highway 50 in California

In the video, the helicopter is seen flying low, with its blades striking the tops of palm trees. It then begins to spin, causing the person filming to duck. The clip follows the helicopter as it crashes nearby, just a short distance from where the filmer was located.

Watch:

The helicopter is equipped with a Rolls-Royce 250-C30G turbo-shaft engine, delivering 650 horsepower and capable of reaching speeds up to 172 mph. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, though the New York Post reported that the rear engine seemed to fail, which led to the helicopter spinning and eventually crashing.

Police told CBS News that the two people aboard the helicopter were safely rescued, while three pedestrians on the ground sustained injuries. All five individuals were taken to the hospital, and their conditions remain unknown.

What did the eyewitness say? Tim Robinson, a Huntington Beach resident who witnessed the crash, said he initially thought it was part of a film shoot.

At first I thought it was a movie, Tim Robinson told Fox News Digital. It spun around a few times and slammed into that. It was crazy.

Robinson, who said he walks that area of the beach nearly every day, described the moment in more detail: It came down really low, then I heard a ping  something flew off the helicopter. After that, it started spinning out of control.

Who owned the helicopter? Aviation influencer Eric Nixon owns the helicopter. Authorities have identified the aircraft as a 1980 Bell 222 helicopter, registered as N222EX.

According to public records, the aircraft had logged just under 1,900 total flight hours and was equipped with Garmin navigation systems and dual flight controls.
US Vice President JD Vance cautioned on Sunday (October 12) that some hostages killed by Hamas during captivity after the 2023 attacks on Israel may never be returned to their families.

Vance said, speaking on Fox News: The reality is that some of the hostages may never get back, but I do think, with some effort, we'll be able to give them to their families so they at least have some closure.

Vance added: We do want to give these people the ability to have a proper burial with their loved ones who were murdered by brutal terrorists, and that matters to us. It matters to the families, and it will remain a focus, but it's going to take some time.

However, he said that while not all victims remains will be recovered, most are expected to be returned eventually.

Israel declares victory over Hamas Hamas faces a deadline to release all remaining hostages to Israel under a peace deal brokered by US President Donald Trump. The agreement ends the two-year-long Israel-Hamas conflict, which erupted after the Hamas terror attacks on October 7, 2023.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the ceasefire: This is an emotional evening, an evening of tears, an evening of joy, because tomorrow our children will return to our borders Together we achieved tremendous victories, victories that amazed the whole world... But at the same time I must tell you, the fight is not over.

Hostage release and Palestinian prisoners Shosh Bedrosian, spokesperson for Netanyahus office, confirmed that the release of the hostages will begin early Monday: We are expecting all 20 of our living hostages to be released together at one time.

She added that Palestinian prisoners will only be released once Israel confirms that all hostages have safely crossed the border. Under the agreement, Hamas is to release 47 hostages, both living and deceased, and hand over the remains of a soldier killed in 2014.

The prisoner exchange will include about 1,700 detainees held during the war in Gaza and 250 convicted of security offenses, including killings of Israelis.

Trump to address Israeli Parliament, host Middle East peace summit President Trump is scheduled to arrive in Israel shortly after the expected release of hostages. He will address the Israeli parliament before traveling to Egypt to chair a summit in Sharm El-Sheikh with leaders from over 20 countries, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Jordans King Abdullah, and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Former US Vice President Kamala Harris faced multiple disruptions during her Chicago stop on Saturday while promoting her memoir, 107 Days. The event, moderated by journalist Michele Norris, was marked by tense exchanges as protesters accused Harris of complicity in Israels assaults on Gaza.

At least one protester shouted during the event, calling Harris killer Kamala and accusing her of supporting genocide.

You are a killer, Kamala. You support genocide, the protester yelled before being removed by security. Another disruption involved a person shouting: What about the press you let die in Gaza, Kamala? and claiming, You sent $20 billion to fund the genocide, apparently referencing the Biden administrations arms sale in August 2024.

Harris responded sharply, saying: If you want to talk about legacy, lets talk about the legacy of mass deportation, of people not voting, and Donald Trump.

Harris fires back with wit and defiance During a pause in the disruptions, Harris addressed a protester directly, asking: Are you the same person that was telling people not to vote?

Later, with humor, Harris added while discussing respect for the press: And please pronounce my name correctly

Audience reacts to disruptions The audience booed the protesters and applauded Norris call for civility: We encourage people to use their voices, but we want them to show respect for this woman.

Book Tour amid protests Harris 107 Days recounts her 2024 presidential campaign following President Bidens withdrawal from the race. The memoir provides insight into her 107-day sprint to Election Day, including campaign decisions, staff tensions, and political challenges.

This was not the first time her tour faced interruptions, with similar protests occurring at prior stops across the country.

Also Read | Hundreds of CDC employees get fired only to be reinstated
The US President Donald Trump-led federal government, in an official memo to US colleges, has asked the institutions to sign a deal that imposes certain limitations on foreign enrollment and diversity in order for them to get access to federal funds.

Also Read | H-1B setback threatens the American dream for Indian students

What is the 15% cap on International students? In a memo sent to U.S. colleges on October 3, 2025, the federal government proposed imposing a 15% cap on educational institutions that provide admission to international undergraduate students wishing to study in the United States.

This move from the government comes as they threaten universities to cut their federal funding over a range of issues, including pro-Palestinian protests against Israel's war in Gaza, transgender policies, climate initiatives and diversity, equity and inclusion programs, according to a news report from AP.

No more than 15% of a university's undergraduate student population shall be participants in the Student Visa Exchange Program, and no more than 5% shall be from any one country, according to the memo cited in the agency report.

Also Read | How can Indian students now study in Germany without paying a visa fee?

The Donald Trump-led federal government also asked US colleges to stop using racial or sexual preferences when hiring or granting admission to international students.

What does this mean for Indian students? Indian or Indian-origin students make up the largest international student community in the United States, followed by Chinese students.

If US colleges accept the Trump administration's deal, then the proposed 15% cap on international enrollments could potentially restrict access for many Indian students who plan to apply to the best universities in America.

According to a Texas-based immigration attorney, if the universities in the United States accept the terms of the federal government, then they will gain preferences in terms of US government funding and grants. However, the expert also highlighted how they can potentially lose out on a large number of international student applications.

These grants, which are provided by the US government, are essential for funding research and extending scholarships to deserving candidates.

Also Read | UK visa applications from Indian students & workers fall sharply

Right now, it looks like this proposal has just been sent to nine universities. Theyre proposing that if you accept these terms, youll get preference in terms of funds, research funds, research grants, and federal grants. The larger idea, he said, is not just about international students, Chand Parvathaneni, the Texas-based immigration attorney, told the news portal The Indian Express.

Universities like Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Pennsylvania, University of Arizona (UA), Brown University, Dartmouth College, University of Southern California (USC), University of Texas (UT), University of Virginia(UVA) and Vanderbilt University have reportedly received this memo from the US government.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday (October 12) that he spoke with US President Donald Trump for the second time in two days, describing the conversation as very productive.

We covered all the aspects of the situation: defence of life in our country, strengthening our capabilities  in air defence, resilience, and long-range capabilities, Zelensky said in a post on X.

Zelensky added that both countries would work to strengthen Ukraines defence capabilities. We agreed with President Trump that our teams, our military would handle everything we discussed, he said, without elaborating. The White House did not immediately comment on the call.

In a call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Zelensky stressed the increasing intensity of the attacks, calling them even more vile.

Russia is now taking advantage of the moment  the fact that the Middle East and domestic issues in every country are getting maximum attention, Zelensky said.

Requests for advanced weaponry In recent weeks, Ukraine has lobbied Washington to supply Kyiv with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, a request the White House says it is considering. Russia has warned that supplying such weapons could rupture US-Russia ties and escalate the conflict.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated Moscows warning on Sunday, suggesting any launch could be treated as potentially nuclear-armed. Just imagine, a long-range missile takes off and flies, and we know it could be nuclear-armed. What is the Russian Federation to think? Peskov told state media.

Continued casualties and humanitarian impact Early Sunday, Russia launched a fresh volley of strikes across Ukraine, killing one person and wounding more than a dozen in at least four regions, according to regional officials.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, framing it as a special military operation to demilitarize the country and prevent NATO expansion.

Kyiv and its European allies call it an illegal land grab, resulting in tens of thousands of civilian and military casualties. Millions of Ukrainians have been displaced, and Russia currently occupies roughly a fifth of Ukrainian territory, much of it devastated by fighting.

Also Read | Kremlin flags nuclear risk of US Tomahawks to Ukraine

Zelensky -Trump call on October 11 During a phone call on Saturday (October 11), Zelensky urged Trump to help broker peace in Ukraine, citing his success in the Middle East.

"I had a call with US President Donald Trump. A very positive and productive one," Zelensky wrote on Facebook, praising Trumps outstanding ceasefire plan in the Middle East.
Madagascar has been facing its most significant unrest in years, with widespread protests over the last three weeks led by a group calling itself Gen Z Madagascar. These demonstrations, which began on September 25, are driven by public anger over service failures and alleged government corruption and nepotism.

As a result, Air France announced on Sunday that it has suspended its flights to Madagascar over the weekend and their their resumption will depend on a daily evaluation of the situation on the ground, AFP reported.

President declares coup attempt underway This rapidly escalating situation has culminated in a major pollical crisis. On Sunday, President Andry Rajoelina announced that an attempted coup is underway on the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, AP reported.

The coup was declared followed the dramatic development on Saturday, when members of an elite army unit were seen joining youth-led protests against the government.

Also Read | Madagascar Leader Appoints Military Man as New Prime Minister

A statement from President's office said it wishes to inform the nation and the international community that an attempt to seize power illegally and by force has been initiated.

The United Nations has revealed that the social unrest has already caused 22 fatalities and dozens of injuries to the citizens. However, the government has disputed this number.

Statements from the President's office In response to the crisis, the President's office also issued a strong condemnation of the action. In view of the extreme gravity of this situation, the President of the Republic ... strongly condemns this attempt at destabilization and calls upon all forces of the nation to unite in defense of constitutional order and national sovereignty, Rajoelina's office said.

Also Read | Gen Z Anger at Ruling Elites Is Erupting Across the World

The statement did not immediately identify who was attempting to overthrow the government. However, members of the elite CAPSAT military unit joined youth-led protests against Rajoelina on Saturday.

Rajoelina first came to power as the transitional leader of Madagascar after a 2009 coup. He was first elected president in 2018 and was later elected again for a second term in 2023.

What are the demands of the protestors? The protestors have called for the resignation of the President Andry Rajoelina, citing repression of demand basic human rights by the government, BBC reported.

Many young people are reportedly facing insecure and poorly paid jobs in the country, blaming the government for the problems they are facing.

A spokesperson for Gen Z Madagascar told the AFP news agency that they wanted the president to step down and "the cleaning up of the National Assembly".

Also Read | Moroccan Activists Urge Monarchy Talks as Protest Support Widens
Amid reports of attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, interim leader Muhammad Yunus urged the minority community not to say, I am Hindu, protect me. He rather stressed that Hindus should assert their rights as Bangladeshi citizen rather than appeal for protection based solely on their religion.

Watch the video here:

When Sheikh Hasina was ousted in 2024, Muhammad Yunus was tasked with reviving Bangladesh's struggling economy.

One of his key challenges was to reshape the country's foreign policy in line with these renewed priorities. However, Yunus appeared to quickly succumb to the growing anti-India sentiment on the streets and the rising political influence of extremist factions.

Major concerns included rising attacks on Hindu minorities and vandalism of Hindu temples.

(FILES) In this photograph taken on May 19, 2025, an inside view of the central office building of the Bangladesh Awami League, which was damaged during the mass uprising, is pictured in Dhaka. Once Bangladesh's largest political party, the Awami League has been outlawed since its leader Sheikh Hasina was overthrown in a mass uprising last year. Now, its supporters are staging flash protests, defying the ban as the country prepares for elections in which the party is barred from participating. (Photo by Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP)

Police detain a 1971 Liberation War veteran and several people, including university professors, after a mob disrupted a discussion programme, calling them accomplices of the 'ousted fascist regime', in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. (PTI Photo)

Continuously, Yunus has dismissed reports of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, labelling them as fake news and denying any failure by his government to protect religious minorities.

First of all, these are fake news. You cant go by those. Fake news, Yunus said in an interview with journalist Mehdi Hasan, responding to demonstrations by Hindus and international criticism, including a statement from US President Donald Trump, who had called the violence in Bangladesh barbaric.

When Hasan cited documented cases of mob attacks, vandalism of temples, and the arrest of a Hindu monk for raising a religious flag, Yunus doubled down. He even made an unsubstantiated claim about India, saying: One of the specialities of India right now is fake news. Okay, barrage of fake news.

Attack on Hindus in Bangladesh: Data speaks no lie Concerning the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, the situation worsened in April 2025 when a Hindu community leader was abducted and killed. By July, human rights groups had documented over 2,400 incidents targeting minorities, including murder, torture, rape, and forced conversions, since August 2024.

Human Rights Watch, in a statement on July 30, said the interim government is falling short in implementing its challenging human rights agenda. It said violations against ethnic and other minority groups in some parts of Bangladesh have continued.

In August, India's Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, told Parliament that the Indian government had flagged at least 3,582 incidents of violence against minorities in Bangladesh since 2021.

Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Singh said the government closely monitors violence and atrocities against religious minorities in neighboring countries, including Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

The Government of India has shared its concerns on the matter with the Government of Bangladesh, including at the highest levels, with the expectation that the Government of Bangladesh will take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and welfare of Hindus and other minorities, he said.t

Singh also noted that India had raised concerns with Pakistan over 334 major incidents of minority-targeted violence.

In October 2025, fresh reports surfaced accusing the Bangladeshi army of violence against indigenous communities, including both Hindus and Buddhists.

On October 2, addressing the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Suhas Chakma, director of the Rights and Risks Analysis Group, accused the Bangladesh Army of killing at least three indigenous people and injuring 40 others in Guimara village in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) on September 28.

One year on, Bangladesh's instability remains concerning One year after Sheikh Hasinas ouster, Bangladesh remains gripped by political and social instability. Election-related disputes, rising mob violence, attacks on opposition groups, and growing hostility toward minority communities have all intensified under Yunus.

Yunus is locked in a standoff with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. The BNP is pushing for elections in either December or February, while Yunus has insisted they wont take place before April.

Meanwhile, the interim government has opened political space for Islamist groups once heavily suppressed under Hasina. At the same time, student leaders who led the 2024 uprising have launched a new political party, demanding deep electoral reforms and even a rewritten constitution. They've warned that no election will be accepted unless those demands are met, AP reported.

Meanwhile, many hardline Islamists have either fled prison or have been released, and the Jamaat-e-Islami, the countrys largest Islamist party, which has a controversial past, is now aspiring to a role in government.

First of all, these are fake news. You cant go by those. Fake news.

It often bitterly criticises the BNP, equating it with Hasinas Awami League, and recently held a massive rally in Dhaka as a show of power. Critics fear that the greater influence of the Islamist forces could fragment Bangladesh's political landscape further.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado's opposition to President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela aligns with the Donald Trump administration's own stance on Venezuela, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously praised her as the personification of resilience, tenacity, and patriotism.

Maria Corina Machado's Nobel Peace Prize win has been celebrated by many, but it has also drawn criticism and concern, particularly among Venezuelans facing deportation in the United States.

Despite her recognition of democracy in Venezuela, critics view Machado's close alignment with Trump's hardline policies on the country.

Following her Nobel win, Machado posted on X, dedicating the prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause, sparking further debate over the political implications of her recognition.

She is in the US camp: What Venezuelans think of Machado? Frank Carreno, the former president of the Venezuelan American Chamber of Commerce who has lived in Doral, the city known as Little Venezuela, for 18 years, was pleased with the news that Machado won the Nobel Prize but warned that Machado will not pressure Trump to protect Venezuelans living in the US, as reported by AP.

She sees the United States government as part of her strategy to restore democracy to Venezuela, the Venezuelan American said. She's in that camp, not in this camp.

Jose Antonio Colina, a retired Venezuelan military officer who arrived in South Florida in 2003, said the Nobel Prize represents a recognition of Machado's fight for democracy and liberty in Venezuela.

We hope that the award can give impetus or strength to remove Nicolas Maduro from power, said Colina, a refugee in the US.

Machado pens Israel's Netanyahu for regime change Critics highlighted that the past support for Israel's bombing campaign in Gaza and its calls for foreign intervention to overthrow Venezuelas government.

In 2018, Machado wrote a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, requesting his help to effect a regime change against Venezuela's democratically elected administration.

Machado promised unwavering support for Israel and to move the embassy to Jerusalem.

See the letter here:

Machado's letter to Netanyahu.

While Maria Corina Machado expressed solidarity with Israel following the 7 October 2023, Hamas attack, she has not explicitly voiced support for the killing of Palestinians.

Machado's post on Israel-Gaza war.

However, her critics have pointed to a series of public statements over the years that highlight her strong alignment with Netanyahu.

In one post on X, Machado said, The struggle of Venezuela is the struggle of Israel.

Over the past decade, millions of Venezuelans have been forced to flee their country amid ongoing economic and political turmoil. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 7.7 million Venezuelans have left since 2014, marking the largest mass exodus in Latin America's recent history.

While the majority have resettled across the Americas, over 1 million have made their way to the United States.

Who is Machado? An Engineer-turned politician Maria Corina Machado, an industrial engineer and the daughter of a Venezuelan steel magnate, began challenging the countrys ruling party in 2004.

That year, she co-founded the non-governmental organisation Sumate, which pushed for a national referendum to recall then-President Hugo Chavez. Although the effort ultimately failed, Machado and other Sumate leaders were later charged with conspiracy.

She further drew the ire of Chavez and his allies in 2005 after meeting with then-U.S. President George W. Bush in the Oval Office, a move seen as provocative given Chavezs view of Bush as a hostile adversary.

Machado's full entry into politics came in 2010, when she was elected to Venezuela's National Assembly, winning more votes than any legislative candidate in the country's history at the time.

From her position in parliament, she famously confronted Chavez during a speech, accusing him of "theft" over his policy of expropriating private businesses.

For the next nine years, Maria Corina Machado maintained a relatively low profile, though she continued to support anti-Maduro initiatives, backed election boycotts, and criticised opposition leaders for engaging in negotiations with the government.

The struggle of Venezuela is the struggle of Israel.

We hope that the award can give impetus or strength to remove Nicolas Maduro from power.

Her political comeback came when she won the oppositions presidential primary by a landslide, securing over 90% of the vote, a unifying moment for the fractured opposition, as highlighted by the Nobel Prize committee.
At least 44 people have died in Mexico after days of heavy rains and flooding caused by tropical storms Priscilla and Raymond, the government said on Sunday. The storms triggered landslides and widespread flooding across five states, severely impacting local communities.

According to the government, Veracruz reported 18 deaths, Hidalgo 16, Puebla nine, and Queretaro one. Authorities have launched an emergency response plan covering 139 affected towns.

Government response and rescue efforts President Claudia Sheinbaum outlined the coordinated response to the disaster, stating on X: "We continue in attention to the emergency in Veracruz, Hidalgo, Puebla, Queretaro, and San Luis Potosi, in coordination with the governor and the governors, as well as various federal authorities. The National Emergency Committee is in permanent session."

The Mexican military shared images of ongoing rescue operations, showing people being evacuated by life rafts, homes inundated with mud, and rescue workers wading through waist-deep floodwaters.

Impact on communities The storms have devastated towns and communities, leaving residents stranded and in urgent need of relief. Emergency services are working to evacuate vulnerable populations and provide immediate assistance.

Relief efforts Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely and are coordinating with local officials to ensure timely aid reaches all affected areas. Federal and state resources have been mobilized to support the recovery and provide humanitarian relief.

(With Reuters inputs)

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US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi are scheduled to lead a Gaza peace summit alongside several global leaders in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday, October 13. Israel, which agreed to the phase one of the peace plan, is unlikely to attend, according to Axios, including Palestinian militant group Hamas to skip it, AFP reported citing a senior leader.

According to the Egyptian presidency, the meeting will occur Monday afternoon in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh with the participation of leaders from more than 20 countries", focussing on to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and usher in a new era of regional security and stability, AFP report noted.

Who all will attend Middle East Plan Summit? The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, confirmed he will attend, along with Britains Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italys Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Spains Pedro Sanchez. The French President, Emmanuel Macron, will also participate.

Is Hamas going to attend Middle East Plan Summit? Hossam Badran, a Hamas political bureau member informed AFP that the Palestinian militant group will not be involved as it "acted principally through... Qatari and Egyptian mediators" during earlier discussions on Gaza.

When will Hamas release Israeli hostages held in Gaza? A senior official from the Palestinian militant group Hamas also told AFP that they will start releasing Israeli hostages held in Gaza on Monday morning, ahead of Trump's summit in Egypt. "According to the signed agreement, the prisoner exchange is set to begin on Monday morning as agreed," Hamas official Osama Hamdan said.

Also Read | Israeli Cabinet Backs Gaza Deal, Paving Way for Hostages Release

Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement: What did Trump say? "It is a great deal for Israel, but it's a great deal for everybody, for Arabs, for Muslims, everybody, for the world. On Monday, the hostages come back. They're in some pretty rough places under Earth. Only a few people know where they are... They're also getting approximately 28 bodies. Some of those bodies are being unearthed right now as we speak. It's a tragedy. I'll be going to Israel. I'll be speaking at the Knesset. Then I'm also going to Egypt. Everybody wants this deal to happen," ANI quoted Trump as saying at the White House.

He added, I think Gaza is going to be rebuilt. There are some very wealthy countries there. It would take a small fraction of their wealth to do that. Gaza is very important, but this is beyond Gaza. This is peace in the Middle East. It is a beautiful thing.

Also Read | Why Trump succeeded in Gaza ceasefire talks and Biden failed: Explained

Israel-Hamas war Meanwhile, over 67,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, havereportedly died in Israels attack on Gaza. The conflict started when Hamas launched an incursion into Israel, resulting in 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages.

The negotiations, facilitated by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, with involvement from US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, led to the truce and reportedly a subsequent boost in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
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Wall Street just signaled a seismic shift in how institutional money views cryptocurrency. Citigroup raised its year-end outlook for ether while trimming its bitcoin forecast on Oct. 2, marking a potential inflection point in the ongoing debate over which digital asset deserves primacy in investor portfolios.

The move reflects a fundamental recalibration happening across financial markets: investors are increasingly favoring yield-generating assets over pure price appreciation plays, according to Reuters. For ether, that means its ability to generate returns through staking and decentralized finance platforms is finally translating into institutional preference over bitcoins straightforward digital gold proposition.

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If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it?

The Numbers Tell a Story About Changing Priorities

Citis target of $4,500 for ether implies nearly 3% upside from its current trading level of $4,375, while bitcoins $133,000 target suggests roughly 12% upside from $118,747. Looking further ahead, the bank sees ether climbing to $5,440 over the next 12 months, with bitcoin reaching $181,000.

But the real insight isnt in the price targetsits in the rationale behind them. Bitcoins forecast was revised lower due to offsetting macro factors including a stronger dollar and weaker gold prices, suggesting that even as bitcoin maintains its digital gold narrative, external market forces are creating headwinds.

Meanwhile, Citi analysts raised their year-end forecast for ether following the tokens sharp price jump over the summer as institutional investors and financial advisors ramped up crypto buying. The bank expects ether to end 2025 modestly higher, supported by strong inflows from exchange-traded funds and digital asset treasuries.

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Why Yield Suddenly Matters More Than Hype

The shift toward ether reflects a maturing crypto market where fundamentals increasingly matter. While bitcoins supply cap and store-of-value thesis remain compelling, ethers utility within the Ethereum network creates multiple revenue streams that resonate with traditional finance professionals trained to evaluate cash flows and yields.
US-based Nobel laureates Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee will soon be joining the University of Zurich, in Switzerland, where they plan to establish a new centre for development economics, the university announced on Friday.

The University of Zurich (UZH) stated that the married couple, currently at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), will join its economics faculty starting July next year.

The announcement did not specify the reasons behind their decision to leave MIT. Duflo and Banerjee, along with Michael Kremer, were awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty.

But they will be moving to Switzerland at a time when experts are warning US President Donald Trump's cuts to research funding and attacks on universities' academic freedoms could lead to a brain drain, with some countries trying to attract US scientists.

Duflo, a dual US-French national, herself co-signed an editorial in Le Monde newspaper back in March denouncing "unprecedented attacks" on US science.

She and Indian-born Banerjee will each have an endowed professorship at UZH funded by the Lemann Foundation, the university said.

They will also establish and co-lead the new Lemann Center for Development, Education and Public Policy, with an aim to foster policy-relevant research and connect researchers and education policymakers around the world, it added.

"We are delighted that two of the world's most influential economists are joining UZH," university president Michael Schaepman said.

Duflo said the new Lemann Center would enable the couple, who will retain part-time positions at MIT, to "build on and expand our work, which bridges academic research, student mentorship and real-world policy impact".

This year's Nobel Prize in Economics will be announced on Monday.
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated after Pakistan reportedly carried out air strikes in Kabul on Thursday. It followed clashes between the two sides.

Afghanistan said Sunday it killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in overnight border operations. However, Pakistans army gave far lower casualty figures, saying 23 troops were killed.

Besides, the Taliban governments chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, was quoted by the Associated Press as saying that Afghan forces have captured 25 Pakistani army posts, leaving 30 Pakistani soldiers wounded.

Key border crossings between Pakistan and Afghanistan were closed on Sunday, October 12, after fierce clashes erupted overnight following Taliban accusations that Islamabad had carried out air strikes this week, officials said.

Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict: What led to the clashes?

Afghanistan accused Pakistan of repeated violations of its territory and airspace. Earlier in the week, Afghan authorities said Pakistan bombed the capital, Kabul, and a market in the countrys east. Pakistan did not claim responsibility for the assault.

According to reports, Pakistan has previously struck locations inside Afghanistan, targeting what it alleges are militant hideouts, but these have been in remote and mountainous areas.

The two sides have also skirmished along the border in the past. Saturday night's heavy clashes underscore the deepening tensions.

Stay tuned to this LIVE blog for all the latest updates on the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict:
Prince Williams surprise appearance on The Reluctant Traveler with Canadian actor and comedian Eugene Levy has been hailed as one of the most successful public relations moves for the modern British monarchy.

In the Apple TV+ episode, the Prince of Wales set aside the usual formality associated with royal interviews, instead opting for warmth, humour, and genuine openness  a striking departure from royal tradition.

Prince William and Eugene Levy bond over pubs, family, and love Unlike the polished interviews and carefully curated public statements that typically define royal engagements, The Reluctant Traveler presented a refreshingly candid portrait of the future King.

William welcomed Levy not into a palace steeped in protocol but into what felt like a family home, sharing personal stories and childhood memories that humanised the monarchy in a way rarely seen.

The episodes tone marked a notable shift in royal strategy. Rather than reinforcing distance between the Crown and the public, it embraced authenticity and accessibility  two qualities increasingly essential in maintaining relevance in the modern era.

Observers have suggested that this could be a deliberate new direction in how the Prince and Princess of Wales manage their public image, one that acknowledges the evolving relationship between the monarchy and the people it serves.

Levy, known for his gentle humour and genuine curiosity, was the perfect host to elicit this new, relaxed side of Prince William. His trademark warmth and lack of pretence allowed the Prince to open up about deeply personal matters, including supporting Catherine, the Princess of Wales, and King Charles III through their cancer diagnoses. At one point, William even joked, asking Levy, Was getting drunk with Prince William on your bucket list?

This moment of levity echoed through social media, with many viewers praising the Princes ability to blend dignity with approachability. Palace sources later told the BBC that this is the most open Prince William has ever been, underscoring just how carefully planned  yet naturally executed  the appearance was.

The collaboration is also a reminder of how far the Royal Family has come since the ill-fated 1969 documentary Royal Family, which Queen Elizabeth II banned after critics, including David Attenborough, warned that it risked killing the monarchy. Six decades later, Williams effortless rapport with Levy represents a more confident monarchy  one comfortable enough to be human, and modern enough to show it.

By choosing Levy and The Reluctant Traveler, William found the perfect platform to reshape public perception without seeming calculated. What unfolded was not an interview, but a meeting between two men  one a comedy legend, the other a future King  connecting over humour, humility, and shared humanity.
Three Qataris died in a car accident on Saturday while travelling to Egypts Red Sea resort, Sharm el-Sheikh, health officials said. Two additional people were injured when their vehicle flipped approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Sharm el-Sheikh. However, they were not members of negotiating team of the Gaza summit scheduled on Monday, according to I24 News.

Qatar, together with Egypt and the US, helped mediate the ceasefire. Earlier this month, Turkey also joined the talks held in Sharm el-Sheikh, which concluded with an agreement on a ceasefire and the release of hostages along with hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Gaza summit Sharm el-Sheikh is set to host a summit co-led by Egypts President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and US President Donald Trump, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency. The statement added that over 20 world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, are expected to attend the summit.

The meeting will emphasise to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and usher in a new era of regional security and stability, the Egyptian presidency said, according to AFP. Meanwhile, Hamas official Osama Hamdan informed AFP, According to the signed agreement, the prisoner exchange is set to begin on Monday morning as agreed."

Keir Starmer to attend Gaza summit British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to visit Egypt on Monday to participate in the summit. According to Downing Street, Starmer, whose government officially recognised Palestine last month to support the prospect of a two-state solution, will urge ongoing international collaboration to advance the next stage of the peace plan. This includes the disarmament of Hamas, the deployment of a ceasefire monitoring mission, and establishing transitional governance arrangements in Gaza.

Gaza summit: French President Emmanuel Macron to take part French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Egypt on Monday to show his backing for the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, CNN reported, citing the announcement from the French Presidency.
British politicians have strongly condemned Pakistan following a brutal terrorist attack on the Bait-ul-Mahdi Mosque in Rabwah, which left six members of the Ahmadi Muslim community injured, two critically.

The attack occurred during Friday prayers, once again highlighting Pakistans deep-rooted intolerance toward religious minorities. According to Rabwah Times, as reported by ANI, the assault has sparked international outrage and calls for immediate protective measures for Ahmadi worshippers.

UK lawmakers speak out Helen Maguire, Liberal Democrat MP for Epsom and Ewell, condemned the attack, calling it the violent culmination of years of state-sanctioned hate against #Ahmadi Muslims. She further urged Pakistan to safeguard religious freedom, stating: We must see genuine action from the Government of Pakistan to safeguard freedom of religion for everyone.

Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, member of the UK House of Lords and former Minister of State, also appealed to Pakistani authorities. He addressed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, urging them to ensure justice for the victims and take concrete steps to protect Ahmadi places of worship.

Siobhain McDonagh MP, a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, voiced her outrage on social media.

Longstanding discrimination against Ahmadis For decades, the Ahmadi Muslim community has faced systematic discrimination in Pakistan, where they are legally declared non-Muslims under the constitution. Reports by Rabwah Times note that the community has endured mob attacks, state neglect, and targeted violence.

The recent attack reinforces concerns highlighted in international human rights reports, including by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which has repeatedly called on Pakistan to protect vulnerable minorities from persecution, ANI reported.

Also Read | Pakistan shuts border with Afghanistan after exchanges of fire  Details here
Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said on Sunday that some elements in Pakistan were trying to create problems during the ongoing clashes at the border with Afghanistan.

The minister also warned Pakistan that Afghanistan has the capability to protect its borders, if someone doesn't want to maintain peace, and the country has other options as well.

The people of Pakistan and those who are ruling there mostly want peaceful relations with Afghanistan. But a few sections of Pakistan are trying to deteriorate the situation. Afghanistan will continue to protect its sovereignty, Muttaqi said in a press conference in Delhi on Sunday.

The remarks came after Pakistan reportedly seized 19 Afghan military posts and "terrorist hideouts" in response to what it termed "unprovoked" attacks by Afghan forces in the border areas, while Kabul claimed that 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 30 others injured during the retaliatory operations.

What's happening at the Pak-Afghan Border? The Taliban-led government's Defence Ministry confirmed the attacks early Sunday, saying that its forces had conducted retaliatory and successful operations.

If the opposing side again violates Afghanistan's territorial integrity, our armed forces are fully prepared to defend the nation's borders and will deliver a strong response, the ministry said.

Whatever has happened at the borders, we are giving the proper reply and have achieved our targets. Qatar and Saudi Arabia asked us to stop, and hence we stopped. Since then, the situation has been normal. We have brought peace in Afghanistan, and we want the same for all. All disputes must be resolved by dialogue. If someone doesnt agree with that, Afghanistan has the capability to protect its borders, the Taliban Foreign Minister, who is visiting India, said.

Afghan forces targeted Pakistani posts at Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, and Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baramcha in Balochistan, news agencies reported.

58 Pakistani soldiers killed: Afghanistan Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban government's chief spokesman, said that 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed and around 30 others wounded during the operations Saturday night, Tolo News reported.

Mujahid added that during the retaliatory operations across the Durand Line, 20 Pakistani security outposts were destroyed, and numerous weapons and military equipment were seized.

Also Read | Afghan FM calls presser again, this time inviting women journalists

He said that nine Afghan soldiers were killed and 16 others were wounded in the operations, according to the report.

The spokesperson said that the operation was halted at midnight following requests from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, it added.

What did Mohsin Naqvi say? Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi called the Taliban attacks on border posts "unprovoked", accusing them of firing at civilians.

Firing by Afghan forces on the civilian population is a blatant violation of international laws. Pakistans brave forces have given a prompt and effective response that no provocation will be tolerated, he said.

He said Pakistans forces are alert, and Afghanistan is being answered with "stones for bricks".

The situation deteriorated between the two neighbours following repeated terrorist attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), allegedly using the Afghan soil, including one in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Orakzai district last week, which claimed the lives of 11 military personnel, including a Lt Colonel and a Major.

There was no official statement or comments from the Pakistan Army on the development. However, security sources confirmed that Pakistani forces deployed at the international border targeted several Afghan border posts, adding that there were reports of significant damage inflicted on multiple Afghan posts and militant formations.

Afghanistan will continue to protect its sovereignty.

"Armies are protecting others boundaries, but both the people and the government, along with the army, are protecting our borders I have told you what the Emirates want, but if someone isnt agreeable, we have other ways as well, Muttaqi said in the presser.
NEW DELHI : You know its been a strong week at work when your bureau turns in too many solid stories to fit into one newsletter. Despite that, the story of Tata Consultancy Services announcing an investment of $6 billion to pursue AI clearly became the one we must talk about the loudestfor it could well shape various aspects of Indias tech industry going forward.

This week, our IT correspondent Jas Bardia kept a close eye on TCSIndias single-biggest tech company by employee count, revenue and valuation. On 9 October, the company abruptly cancelled a pre-scheduled press briefinga first in at least three years. Ironically, this was the very quarter when TCS had more explaining to do than ever.

Why? Because in the past two years, TCS has struggled to keep pace with bigger competitor Accenture, not lived up to shareholder expectations, and even announced a decision to lay-off over 12,000 people. Since this time exactly two years ago, TCSs shares have dropped by over 16%. Compounding its issues further, Accenture, which TCS likely wants to beat, has surged aheadMints corporate editor Varun Sood, along with Jas, wrote a prolific story this week about how Accenture is leaving all of Indias IT firms in the dust as far as AI is concerned.

Clearly, TCS is aware of its risks, and last week, it announced that it will invest $6-7 billion to set-up an adjacent data centre business to try and catch up with AI via infrastructure. Analysts believe that its goal with this announcement is to start roping in clients into its 1 gigawatt data centre business planand ramp-up its service integration offering to them eventually. In the long run, it would hope that the plan will revive its mojo to hire again, increase growth rate again, and take on larger peers again.

Except, shareholders and analysts havent bought its promise yet. Since the announcement, TCS shares are down 1%. Analysts have all said that more details are needed to understand how this will all play out. What does this mean for Indias biggest mass recruiter of engineering graduates? Can TCS still retain its top status? Jas and Varun have all the details for you, this week.

Have you received a spam call recently?

Last week, Varun, whom I report to as well, made a succinct observation when we were speaking with each other: of late, spam calls have become far easier to avoid.

At least on nine of the 10 spam calls that we all get, Ive been getting an alert from my network provider that it is likely spamand I simply dont take those calls. Life has become far more peaceful since then," he said.

At the India Mobile Congress conference, I spoke with the three private telecom operators of India, each of which had a similar story to tell: spam detection is an important feature that has come out of the telcos pursuing their own AI stacks. The result? Airtel said it has flagged 20 billion spam calls in the past 12 months, while Vodafone-Idea said it flagged 600 million in three months.

For once, AI is doing something we all like: making our lives quieter. The crackdown is hurting unlicensed telemarketers and paving the way for detecting digital fraud and scam calls, too.

If youre wondering about spam rates going down steadily, this ones a must-read for you.

A cross-border signal: Indo-US telco deal

Every time I travel to Silicon Valley, I invariably rely on a local e-SIM for mobile data. This is cost-efficient, and offers the bare data access that I require for email, texts and calls. Turns out, T-Mobile and Reliance Jio are taking this to the next step with a closer collaboration idea.

Jatin Grover, Mints telecom correspondent, wrote last week about how the T-Mobile and Jio partnership will lead to continuation of premium service offerings between India and the US, and present a user with a seamless network offering. In other words, there will be seamless data switching, usage of the same quota of data, and access to premium content and gaming services for users on this shared network dealleading to a superior network experience.

Im not sure if, in todays age of unbridled access to content everywhere, we in India rely much on telco-driven access to streaming services. But, there are enough millions of users who do depend upon telco-based subscriptions in order to manage their recurring content costs. Jatin brings you all the details here.

The H-1b fight goes on

The fight against the H-1b visa fee hike goes on. Jas, who is also tracking the case of Indias tech employees who heavily rely on this visa, spoke with lawyers challenging US president Donald Trumps decision to raise the bar 100x for the critical H-1b visa. The result: a long standoff.

Lawyers state that the order by Trump is an overreach, and is taking the fight to court. Its going to be a long-drawn saga, and even though the latest data says Indias volume of H-1b applications is reducing in recent years, we still remain its largest benefactor. Interestingly enough, two of the top Big Tech firms today have chief executives who once went to the US on the very same H-1b visa programme.

If you were counting on it too, heres what you need to know.

In other news: More Asus laptops, and Musks Starlink in rural India

I spoke with Arnold Su, the head of Taiwanese laptop maker Asus consumer-end business in India. Youd recognize Asus as the makers of gaming laptops called ROG, complete with bold red inlays and flashy LED lighting almost similar to Mercedes-Benz cars. His bet is on India doubling its gaming laptop demand, but not just for gamesusers are buying these flashy machines for video editing, coding and more. But thats not just itSu also notes that AI hasnt taken off for a reason, but believes it will, as Asus looks to sell 2 million laptops per year in India itself, within the next four fiscals.

Meanwhile, Starlink believes Indias rural circles are key to the growth of this satcom service provider. Parnil Urdhwareshe, director for Starlink in India, was at the India Mobile Congress, where our man Jatin was, too. In a roundtable, he happened to mention that despite its premium pricing, the key code to crack for Starlink will be rural userssince they are the ones to bring in capacity. Hes betting on first-time users getting a great broadband experience for the first time ever," Jatin reports. But, in a value-sensitive market like India, isnt that a conundrum?

Transformer by Mint is a weekly newsletter that brings Indias most important and interesting technology updates under one umbrella. As the world transforms with every day of innovation, Transformer will keep a tab on the impact that technologies will make in each of our lives. Published every week, the newsletter brings some of Indias tech landscapes most insightful coverages until date.
What India does better than its peers: Thailand and Turkey, the current poster nations of medical tourism, built their brands through hospitality, efficiency and focused niches. Thailand thrives on wellness-plus-elective procedurescosmetic surgery, dental work, spa-based recovery. Turkey dominates hair transplants and cosmetic procedures, backed by aggressive marketing and government facilitation. Indias advantage lies higher up the value chain in complex procedurescardiac surgery, oncology, organ transplants, neurosurgery, advanced orthopaedics and robotic interventions.
Capital goods are not consumption goods. Their costs cannot be recorded as inputs in corporate accounts and must be charged as depreciation in line with sales growth over several years. This complicates computations of input tax credits under value added regimes such as Indias GST. Capital goods and consumption goods must be treated differently: our GST regime recognizes this. But the service industry complains that GST, even after its recent reforms, does not provide it full tax relief for the capital goods it uses, which crimps its growth.
Once again, the Levant is on the verge of peace. I know what to say about how long this peace would last, but I wish to be more hopeful than prescient, even though I am a columnist. By many measures, Israel won this war. The peace is a consequence of the decimation of Hamas and the end of a famous myth that Iran is a military equal of Israel.

The victor achieved this by being brutal. It appeared to consider Palestinian and even Iranian civilian casualties collateral damage. This removed Hamass most effective shield, Palestinian civilians. Israel also rendered ineffective another Hamas shieldinternational opinion.

The country went ahead with its objective of finishing off Hamas with no regard for what the world had to say, and most of the world had only one thing to saythat it had to stop. With only the US on its side, Israel was responsible, by its own admission, for the death of at least hundreds of Palestinians who were not armed threats.

Also Read | Manu Joseph: What being in awe of Israel actually says about people

Where did Israel find the moral courage to do this? There is a popular view that Israel, as a Jewish state, is so aggressive because Jews have been historically persecuted in Europe, and that gives it the privilege to consider itself specially placed to defend itself by any means at its disposal.

I dont think that is what is going on. There may be a more interesting aspect of human nature at work.

There is this implication about people who have gone through suffering, oppression or bias that they are bitter and deal with the world with bitterness or meanness or cruelty. Some groups of people have a reputation for being relatively nasty, and they are sometimes presumed to be so because they were or are persecuted.

What may appear to be, at first glance, a sympathetic understanding is in reality a stereotype. I have no problems with stereotypes. Usually, they are approximations of complex truths that help us grasp complex things about society. But often the stereotype is plain wrong.

All groups have people who may be kind or mean or cruel, and in any given group of people, there would be some proportion who are capable of cruelty. What may differ is how empowered they feel to express themselves. People in the social mainstream cannot express their meanness, but persecuted groups can. This, I believe, is true of all persecuted groups that have a reputation for being mean.

There is a minority within them who feel so morally empowered to be cruel that their actions become facile representations of their whole community. A handful of aggressive alpha males can create an impression that a more peaceful majority cannot.

A factor that makes this stereotype stronger is empathy, when a public figure, for instance, forgives the behaviour of members of such a community because they have been through much."

Guess which group almost never seems to have a specific reputation for being publicly mean, bitter or cruelstraight mainstream men. This may not only be because they are too broad a group to have specific attributes. To my mind, this is chiefly because they have no easy moral basis to be cruel. As a result, the cruel among them can only be so in their private lives.

Some of them seem to go the woke way to expend that capacity because that offers them a moral way to defame and belittle other people.

Israelis who had the natural capacity for cruelty, aggression or violence could channel their temperament for what they saw as an exquisite moral cause. As a result, they could rise swiftly in their nation as exceptional individuals who could influence the political and military strategies of Israel. A hawk in a nation that has a moral market for hawks has a very different level of prestige than a hawk in a more placid place like India or America.

While Israel has had anti-war protests too and its leadership is yet to face its electorate, with elections overdue, I believe this is one of the important reasons why the country could deploy armed forces to blast children and other innocent people in Gaza with such ferocity that it came close to committing a particular kind of atrocity that is rarer than the words fame suggests genocide.

Genocide is a word that the global left uses carelessly. Riots in India have falsely been described as such. If you object to it, lovers of the word will make you feel you are a murderer yourself. Maybe these people have seen so little of real life that they need to react in this manner to project gravitas. But in the case of what Israel was doing in Gaza, especially over the last year, it was becoming hard to deny the accuracy of the word. It was becoming hard to deny that we were watching the annihilation of a people because of who they are.

This level of organized aggression might appear to spring from within Israeli society, which may have seen a moral justification for it. But I would argue that the wars ravages are explained by the actions of only a few individuals with a disposition to cruelty.

The rise of Hamas in Gaza itself could be explained by the same phenomenon among Palestinians. The long oppression of Palestinians gave a moral halo to those among them who were disposed to violence and they gravitated towards a violent moral cause. That made them folk heroes and materially wealthy.

Injustice does not make its victims any more cruel than people who do not face the same misery. It just gives a free pass to a small fraction of any such population to be themselves.

The author is a journalist, novelist and screenwriter. His latest book is Why the Poor Dont Kill Us.
Darrells hiring is similar to Best Buy's (BBY) recruiting of Hubert Joly in 2012. Joly knew very little about the apparel business. However, hed been in hospitality for a long time and understood people. Jolys bold moves saved Best Buy from the scrap heap of retail history, I wrote on Oct. 17, 2023. The former Logitech CEO has an opportunity to do the same with VF.

Ill be honest, I thought Darrells hiring was a good move. Hed done a turnaround with Logitech (LOGI), delivering considerable shareholder returns over his 10-year stint before joining VF. I believed he could do the same at the apparel and footwear company.

Here are my two cents on both.

The options provide bullish and bearish investors an opportunity to benefit from the companys current trials and tribulations.

In yesterdays unusual options activity, VF had two with Vol/OI (volume-to-open-interest) ratios of 1.24 or higher and expiring in seven days or more.

Since VF announced Bracken Darrell as the new CEO on June 20, 2023, the companys stock has lost 24% of its value. From its all-time high in 2020, its shares have declined by 86%.

However, the cynic in me believes that the 15.8% decline in VFs share price on May 21, the day the company released its Q4 2025 results, is the driving force for this potential investor litigation.

The potential class action centers on the companys disclosures regarding the steps taken to address Vans' declining sales. The class action lawyers believe management failed to reveal that an additional set of deliberate actions had been taken to fix the problems faced by the brand.

As is often the case in todays markets, the call for class action lawsuits has surfaced. It seems in the current environment, U.S. equity investors sue anytime they lose money. It couldnt be my fault for the loser bet, goes the thinking.

The apparel and footwear company has been working on a turnaround plan for its Vans brand, whose sales have declined significantly over the past couple of years. Its not going swimmingly.

As I pondered what to write about this morning, VF Corp.s (VFC) two unusually active options from yesterday caught my attention, but not for the reasons you might think.

Story Continues

At the time of my comments, activist investor Engaged Capital was pushing for extreme change at VF. It thought VFs shares could be worth nearly $50 within three years if it were bold with its turnaround plans.

According to Capital IQ, Engaged continues to hold 5.42 million shares (1.4% of the company) in VF. It has the largest stake among activist investors. It is the activists third-largest holding, accounting for 18.81% of its June 30 13F assets. Clearly, Engaged has lost its faith in Darrell.

VFs Most Recent Moves

On Sept. 15, VF announced that it was selling its Dickies brand to Bluestar Alliance LLC for $600 million, $220 million less than it paid for the workwear brand in 2017.

As I wrote in 2023, one of the activists sore points with the company was former CEO Steve Rendles failed acquisition strategy, which included buying Dickies and Supreme--it bought Supreme for $2.1 billion in 2024, $600 million less than it paid for it in 2020--while underinvesting in Vans, in large part, due to the hit to the balance sheet.

While it has taken a bath on Supreme and Dickies, these moves were necessary to lower its debt and refocus the overall business. The concern here is that the company invests a significant amount of money in Vans, but it doesnt translate into a turnaround in the brands revenue growth.

Thats business.

I fail to understand why investors whove lost money on VF feel the need to sue the company. Sometimes turnarounds take longer than expected. And, unfortunately, they often dont take, and stocks remain dead money for lengthy periods.

Right now, investors debate whether VF is the former or the latter. I believe its the latter.

Breaking it down, VFs Outdoor segment saw revenues increase by nearly 8% in Q1 2026, compared to a 4.8% decline a year earlier. Meanwhile, its Active segment, which includes Vans, had a 9.9% decline in revenue in the first quarter, 170 basis points less than a year ago.

Things are going in the right direction.

VFs Unusually Active Put Option

In Wednesdays trading, VF had one unusually active call and one put.

The volume on the put was 3.8 times that of the call. The $10 strike is 28.0% out of the money. With a DTE (days to expiration) of 800 days, the breakeven on the put is $7.95. The likelihood of the share price being below that in 27 months is 25.4%. In other words, theres a 75% chance the share price wont fall below $7.95. However, the expected move, up or down, is $7.52 (54.12%) over the 800 days, so there is a possibility that you could make money on the long put, but your chances are slim.

Examining the volume breakdown on the put, there were numerous decent-sized trades, but none exceeding 1,000 contracts or higher, which suggests that both retail and institutional investors may have been selling the puts to generate income. As shown in the chart below, the annualized return is 11.2%.

Thats not half bad if youre parking money.

VFs Unusually Active Call Option

The call, although having a lower volume than the put, had a significantly higher Vol/OI ratio. With a DTE of 218, the duration is longer than average, but not in LEAPS (Long-Term Equity Anticipation Securities) territory, which are one year or longer.

A quick look at the trade sizes of the $15 call shows a significant number of trades between 10 and 50 contracts. To me, it suggests institutions were dipping their toes in VFs waters, taking a small initial position through calls, rather than buying shares outright.

In the bullish example above, the ask price of $2.21 for the $15 call expiring in 217 days is reasonable at 16.23% of the share price. The likelihood of VF stock trading above the $17.21 breakeven price is 32.35%.

Meanwhile, the expected move is $4.13 (30.33%) over the next 217 days. If youre debating an investment in VF, going long the $15 strike makes a lot of sense. If it does move up 30.33% to the $17.75 breakeven, you exercise your right to buy 100 VFC shares. If, instead, the shares drop by 30.33%, youre out $221 instead of $413 per 100 shares if you had bought them outright.

Interestingly, if you combine the short put and long call, you lower your net debit to $24 [$1.97 put bid price - $2.21 call ask price], while you gain two potential chances to buy VF stock--but youve got to be very bullish.

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
Congress leader Rashid Alvi slammed the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government for the absence of women journalists at a press conference held by Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, claiming that Prime MinisterModi bowed down to the Afghan Minister.

Alvi held the Centre responsible for the move rather than the Afghan Minister. "It's understandable that the Prime Minister would bow to Trump and China, but the Indian government would bow to Amir Khan Muttaqi, who doesn't allow women to attend press conferences. This cannot be condemned enough... Amir Khan Muttaqi isn't responsible for this; the Indian government is," Rashid Alvi told news agency ANI on Saturday,

Also Read | Taliban FM Amir Khan Muttaqi visits Darul Uloom Deoband | Watch

The press conference by Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi at the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi on Friday, where Indian women journalists were allegedly not allowed to attend, sparked a political row.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified on Saturday that it was not involved in the press conference conducted by Afghanistan's Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, in Delhi.

Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi condemned the absence of women journalists from the press conference, calling it "very unfortunate" and reflective of the Taliban's mindset.

"It is very unfortunate. Everyone knows what kind of Taliban mindset it is. Atrocities are being committed against women in Afghanistan. I had said yesterday as well that whenever our Foreign Minister meets them, he should raise the issue of what is happening to the women there," she said.

Chaturvedi urged the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to address the issue by raising concerns about women's treatment in Afghanistan and communicating to the Taliban that such actions contradict India's constitutional values of press freedom and gender equality.

"What happened to the female journalists yesterday happened in the Afghan Embassy. It may not be under MEA's control, but I hope that MEA takes cognisance of this and writes a letter to the Taliban to address it, stating that the practices and norms in our country are in accordance with our Constitution. We also have freedom of the press and equality. Women have been given equal status. Keeping them out in this manner is very shameful," she added.

Muttaqui is on a week-long visit to India, beginning from October 9 till October 16. This is the first high-level delegation from Kabul to India since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021.
Karnataka minister and Mallikarjun Kharge's son, Priyank Kharge, in a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urged to impose a ban on all Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activities in government institutions and public premises across the state.

Priyank Kharge alleged that the RSS has been conducting its 'shakhas' in government and government-aided schools, as well as on public grounds, where slogans are shouted and negative ideas are instilled in the minds of children and youth, reported PTI, citing his letter.

What Kharge's letter said Priyank said the RSSs belief system "was contrary to India's ideals of unity and secular framework."

"When divisive forces that sow hatred among the people raise their heads, our Constitution, founded on the core principles of integrity, equality, and unity, grants us the authority to curb such elements and uphold the secular values of the nation," the minister wrote.

He further alleged that "without obtaining police permission, aggressive displays are being carried out while wielding sticks," which, he claimed, "could have a harmful psychological impact on children and young people."

Calling for strong government intervention, Priyank said, "In the interest of the well-being of the countrys children, youth, the public, and society as a whole, I earnestly request that a ban be imposed on all types of activities conducted by the RSS, whether under the name of 'shakha', 'sanghik', or 'baithak'."

He added that the ban should extend to "government schools, government-aided schools, public playgrounds, parks, temples under the Muzrai Department, sites under the Archaeology Department, and any other government premises."

He emphasised that the Constitution empowers both citizens and the State to act against forces that spread division, ensuring that secular and democratic values remain protected.

Priyank Kharge's letter comes days after 39 RSS members were detained by the police in Chennai for conducting training and Guru Puja at a government school without prior permission.

What happened at the Chennai school? The incident happened at Ayyappanthangal Government Higher Secondary School in Chennai's Porur. On Thursday, October 2, the Chennai police said they detained 39 RSS members for conducting the puja and training at the school without prior permission.
Congress MP P. Chidambaram has criticised the 1984 Operation Blue Star, calling it the wrong way to handle the situation at the Golden Temple and stating that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi paid with her life for that mistake.

Also Read: Remembering the legacy of Indira Gandhi

Speaking at the Khushwant Singh Literary Festival 2025, the former Union Home and Finance Minister said Operation Black Thunder was a better example of how to deal with the crisis, as it succeeded without involving the Army inside the Sikh holy site.

What did Chidambaram say? The June 1984 Operation Blue Star was a cumulative decision of the Army, the police, the intelligence and the civil services, he said.

He said, No disrespect to any military officers here, but that (Blue Star) was the wrong way to retrieve the Golden Temple. A few years later, we showed the right way to retrieve the Golden Temple by keeping out the Army.

"Mrs Gandhi (former PM Indira Gandhi) paid with her life for that mistake. It was a cumulative decision of the Army, Police, intelligence and the civil services. You cannot blame it only on Mrs Gandhi," the former Union Minister said.

Chidambaram was addressing a gathering during a discussion on the They Will Shoot You, Madam: My life through conflict with author Harinder Baweja.

What was Operation Blue Star? Operation Blue Star was a 10-day military offensive carried out by the Indian Army from June 1 to June 10, 1984.

On June 6, the army entered the Golden Temple in Amritsar on the orders of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The operation aimed to remove Sikh militants led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who had reportedly stockpiled weapons inside the temple complex.

Bhindranwale, the leader of the radical Sikh group Damdami Taksal, was killed during the operation along with many of his armed followers. The mission, intended to flush out militants from the sacred site, remains one of the most controversial military actions in independent India's history.

The Operation was heavily criticised. Months later, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards at her New Delhi residence on October 31, 1984.

Mrs Gandhi paid with her life for that mistake. It was a cumulative decision of the Army, Police, intelligence and the civil services.

Beant Singh and Satwant Singh were Indira Gandhi's bodyguards and killed her on October 31, 1984, at her residence.

(With inputs from agencies)
Bradley Cooper is reportedly in negotiations to star alongside Margot Robbie in a brand-new Oceans Eleven' prequel, which promises to reimagine the celebrated heist franchise through a 1960s European lens.

The upcoming film will be directed by Twisters filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung, with a screenplay penned by Carrie Solomon.

Bradley Cooper to join Ocean's Eleven' franchise? Set decades before Steven Soderberghs 2001 Oceans Eleven remake, the new instalment will explore an earlier chapter in the saga of elaborate cons and stylish criminals.

The original 1960 film, headlined by Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack, inspired Soderberghs modern trilogy  Oceans Eleven (2001), Oceans Twelve (2004), and Oceans Thirteen (2007)  followed later by the female-led spin-off Oceans Eight (2018).

Also Read | Gigi Hadid dating Bradley Cooper, seals relationship rumours with a kiss

According to reports, the prequels narrative will unfold across glamorous European locales, introducing a fresh tone and aesthetic to the franchise. While the films official title remains under wraps, it is expected to lean heavily into the sleek sophistication and humour that have become the Oceans series hallmark.

Which Hollywood A-lister is already a part of this project? Lee Isaac Chung steps in to direct after Jay Roach, who was previously attached to the project, exited production. The decision signals a creative shift toward a more character-driven and visually rich approach, consistent with Chungs critically acclaimed storytelling style.

Margot Robbie, who will also produce the film through her LuckyChap banner, is said to have been instrumental in shaping the projects direction. Her pairing with Cooper, an Academy Award-nominated actor and filmmaker known for A Star Is Born and Maestro, has already generated considerable buzz among fans and industry observers alike.

Coopers next on-screen appearance will be in the comedy Is This Thing On?, premiering at the New York Film Festival. Meanwhile, George Clooney has hinted at developing Oceans Fourteen with Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, and Julia Roberts  ensuring that both the past and future of the Oceans universe remain full of intrigue.
Abuelos, the family-style Mexican restaurant that has been serving enchiladas and fajitas for 36 years, has filed for bankruptcy protection. The move follows years of falling sales, rising costs, and a shrinking footprint across the US, reports Pennlive.com. At its height, Abuelos operated 40 restaurants nationwide. Today, just 16 remain open.

The company, owned by Food Concepts International, quietly filed in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas. Court documents show debts and liabilities estimated between $10 million and $50 million.

Food Concepts International also filed for bankruptcy last month, and the two companies have asked the court to merge their cases.

Strategic restructuring, says Abuelos This decision is a part of a strategic reconstructing process to strengthen our long-term financial position, Abuelos said in a statement shared with Restaurant Business. We will continue normal operations and remain committed to maintaining stability for our employees, vendors, and customers. Through this time, our loyal customers can join us and expect the same quality and hospitality as weve always provided, the statement further read.

The chain insists it is not shutting down completely. But the decision signals how tough the casual dining sector has become - especially for regional brands.

Decline started years ago According to FSR Magazine, traffic at Abuelos restaurants fell nearly 6% in 2023, and the slide continued into 2024. The company responded by shutting down weaker stores and cutting overhead.

Still, that was not enough. Chron reported the brand suffered a 15% sales drop last year, along with spiking food and labor costs. Staffing shortages added more pressure, and extreme summer heat in 2024 forced several temporary closures, costing around $500,000 in lost revenue.

Founded in Amarillo, still standing in seven states Abuelos began in Amarillo, Texas, back in 1989, known for its courtyard-style dining rooms and made-from-scratch dishes. The chain still operates in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas, reports Cleveland. For loyal fans, the company says business will go on as usual - at least for now.

FAQs 1. Why did Abuelos file for bankruptcy? Due to falling sales, higher costs, and ongoing staffing shortages.

2. How many Abuelos locations are still open? Sixteen locations remain across seven US states.

3. Will Abuelos close all its restaurants? No, the company says it will continue normal operations during restructuring.
They wear habits and call themselves sisters, but these women are far from conventional nuns. In downtown Long Beach, California, four members of a spiritual order known as the Sisters of the Valley step out of a car  and moments later, one of them lights a cannabis joint.

According to a report in The Times, this unusual sisterhood has dedicated itself to healing the world through plant-based medicine. On a one-acre farm in Californias San Joaquin Valley, they grow and sell cannabis products infused with cannabidiol (CBD). Their work has gained global attention  even leading to a cameo in Leonardo DiCaprios latest film  but the group now faces a struggle to survive in one of the worlds most competitive legal cannabis markets.

A Mission Rooted in Reinvention As reported by The Times, the order was founded in 2015 by Sister Kate  born Christine Meeusen  a Wisconsin native who grew up Catholic and later worked as a corporate consultant in Amsterdam. After a painful divorce left her financially devastated and raising three children alone, she returned to the US to start over.

A pivotal moment came in 2011 when she attended an Occupy Wall Street protest dressed as a nun, earning the nickname Sister Occupy. That experience, she told The Times, became the foundation of the Sisters of the Valley.

Also Read | OpenAI accused of using intimidation tactics to erode AI safety laws  details

Today, the group has a small core leadership team with members across the US and Latin America. Though they wear habits and take six vows  service, obedience, simplicity, activism, chastity and ecology  they are not affiliated with the Catholic Church. Instead, they draw inspiration from the Beguines, a medieval Christian order once branded heretical by the Vatican.

The sisters also depart from traditional religious doctrine. We refuse to waste time talking about invisible gods, Sister Kate told The Times. We are women of the plant, of the planet, and of the people.

Struggling to Survive in a Legal Market While recreational cannabis has been legal in California since 2018, high taxes and strict regulations have forced many small producers out of business  even as the black market continues to flourish.

The Sisters of the Valley, too, have faced financial setbacks. Their annual revenue, The Times reports, has dropped from about $1.2 million before the pandemic to just $350,000 in 2024. Their farm primarily produces low-THC hemp  used to make CBD products that do not cause a high  and ships to customers worldwide, including in the UK.

To survive, the sisters are now expanding into higher-THC products. Partnering with California dispensary chain Catalyst and Los Angeles-based grower Traditional, they plan to launch new products in November.

Also Read | Dramatic video shows helicopter crash on Sacramento Highway 50 in California

For the sisters, cultivation remains a spiritual practice. As The Times notes, they treat cannabis plants with intention and respect, often creating salt circles around crops for protection. Its about ensuring the plants are grown in a spiritual environment, Sister Kate said.

From Real Life to Reel Life The Sisters of the Valleys story even caught Hollywoods attention. According to The Times, they inspired the fictional Sisters of the Brave Beaver in filmmaker Paul Thomas Andersons film, One Battle After Another, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn.

Initially, Sister Kate nearly missed the opportunity  mistaking Anderson for a location scout and dismissing him during the pandemic. But the directors team later invited the real sisters to appear in the film.

The production team consulted them on set design to resemble their real farm closely. We were treated with so much respect, Sister Kate recalled. It was a wonderful experience.

Danger and Determination The sisters journey hasnt been without danger. In February, Sister Kate told The Times, their home was sprayed with bullets following a dispute involving neighbours and local vagrants  a terrifying ordeal that she compared to a scene from a movie.

Yet, despite financial pressure and safety concerns, the Sisters of the Valley remain optimistic. With new business partnerships, rising visibility, and unwavering faith in their mission, they believe they can overcome the odds.
Prince Harry and King Charles relationship has been fragile ever since the Duke of Sussex stepped down from his royal duties and moved to the US in 2020. Now, media reports claim that Harry may have blown up his chances of reconciling with his father after their recent meeting. The Daily Beast reported that Harry reinstated his demands for taxpayer-funded armed police protection for him and his family ahead of a potential UK visit.

However, the intervention by the prince did not help in strengthening his bond with the monarch.

Prince Harrys request for reinstatement of police protection in UK After a Sussex insider refuted reports of any plane to let Harry and Meghan Markle on Friday, the Duke personally wrote a letter to the British Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, The Sunday Times reported. In his note, he requested a new risk assessment from the Royal and VIP Executive Committee.

Harry had filed demands for police protection from the Home Office committee earlier as well. However, he was denied the privilege over and over again, since he is no longer a member of the royal family.

Meanwhile, King Charles team reacted to Prince Harrys recent meeting with his father and the demands he put forth. Insiders told The Sunday Times, It complicates things for the king. Its not going to help matters. We are back to where we were.

Earlier, while sitting down for a conversation with the BBC, Prince Harry had opened up about the rift between him and King Charles. The 41-year-old claimed at the time that his father would not speak with him.

Also Read | Hundreds of CDC employees get fired, only to be reinstated

Prince Harry and King Charles strained relationship King Charles reunited with Prince Harry in a face-to-face meeting after 18 months in September. One of the reasons the two had not met for so long was that the monarch feared that his son would use their relationship to influence the decision in his ongoing legal battle with the government.

In his May interview with the BBC, Prince Harry himself admitted that his father wont speak to me because of this security stuff.

As for the meeting with King Charles, one of the conditions put forth was not to speak about it in public, the Daily Beast reported. However, the interaction between the British monarch and Harry was addressed by the latter in his talks with the Guardian. The Duke revealed that it was great to see his father. He continued, Over the coming year, the focus really needs to be on my dad.

FAQs Q1. When did Prince Harry step down from his royal duties? Ans. Prince Harry stepped down from his royal duties in 2020.

Q2. Where does Prince Harry live post his exit from Buckingham Palace? Ans. Prince Harry, along with his wife and kids, lives in California.
Hundreds of United States government employees working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were told that they would be permanently laid off, only for the order to be taken back, as per Reuters.

This was part of the US governments efforts to reduce the number of federally employed individuals during the ongoing shutdown.

The CDC has faced sharp criticism from Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. Hence, it was not surprising that the CDC was among the agencies targeted for job cuts as the US government shutdown is close to entering its third week.

Reuters reported that the number of people who received the termination letter is close to 1,300. This was confirmed by the news agency through its sources. However, the rescinding of the order has also been confirmed by people in the know.

The initial order of reduction in employees saw the closure of many units within the CDC, including its entire Washington office. The Communications Director of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Andrew Nixon, issued a statement.

HHS continues to close wasteful and duplicative entities, including those that are at odds with the Trump administration's Make America Healthy Again agenda, it read, as per Reuters.

Also Read | RFK Jr claims Tylenol may DOUBLE autism risk in circumcised children

Departments within CDC targeted for job cuts As per Reuters, those laid off before being reinstated included personnel working on the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, those with the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, and newly recruited epidemiologists.

This isnt the first attempt to cut down the number of people employed by the HHS. Secretary Kennedy had chosen to let 2,400 employees go earlier this year, too, though he rehired 942 of them.

Robert Kennedy and CDC The HHS Secretary has been on a warpath with the CDC. He has often described the agency as having lost all credibility among the general public. The BBC reports that Kennedy has been especially ruthless towards vaccine mandates. He has also made major budget cuts for the organization. He described the government body as affected by bureaucratic inertia, politicized science and mission creep.

In August this year, Secretary Kennedy took away $500 million worth of grants from the CDC for work on an mRNA vaccine.

In September, nine former heads of CDC wrote an open letter, published in the New York Times, where they claimed that through his actions, the veteran politician is endangering Americans health, the BBC reported. However, the HHS Secretary remains undaunted.

FAQs What is CDC? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the agency that looks to investigate and prevent outbreaks of diseases in the United States. It also does research on vaccines and issues advisories regarding them.

Who is Robert F Kennedy Jr.? Robert F Kennedy Jr. is the present Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Donald Trump administration.
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Key Points

Coca-Cola is one of the most important beverage companies in the world.

The company has increased its dividend annually for over six decades.

Its dividend yield is more than twice the level of the S&P 500 index.

10 stocks we like better than Coca-Cola 

What does it take to become a millionaire investor? You could bet everything on one stock and pray that it works out well. Or you could build a diversified portfolio that includes both reliable stocks and riskier, more growth-oriented choices. The second option is likely to be the best one for most investors.

And, if you go that route, you'll want to consider beverage king Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) as you look to build a seven-figure nest egg.

What does Coca-Cola do?

Coca-Cola is one of the largest consumer staples companies on the planet, with a market capitalization of around $280 billion. The company's namesake brand is iconic and well known in countries around the world, though it is really just one of the many beverage products Coca-Cola sells.

From a big-picture perspective, the products Coca-Cola produces are really luxury items. You could just drink free tap water instead of paying far more for a soda. However, the cost of a soda, or any of the other branded beverages the company sells, is modest. So, in effect, Coca-Cola is selling an affordable luxury that most people are loath to give up even during hard times, like recessions.

Thus, Coca-Cola's business tends to be very resilient. That's highlighted by its status as a Dividend King, with more than 60 years' worth of annual dividend increases backing its roughly 3.1% dividend yield. Without getting into details, Coca-Cola stands toe to toe with any consumer staples company when it comes to the strength of its business.

It can be a reliable foundation for a diversified millionaire-making portfolio. It allows you to stack higher-growth, riskier investments on top of it without having to fear that you will lose it all by taking on too many risky bets.

Why buy Coca-Cola now?

Coca-Cola is a well-run company and it doesn't go on sale very often. When it does get put on the discount rack, the sale is usually pretty modest. Don't go into a valuation analysis here expecting to find a deep discount. But that doesn't mean there is no discount.

For starters, Coca-Cola's 3.1% dividend yield is quite attractive on a comparative basis. One vital reference point is the skinny 1.2% yield of the S&P 500 index. But the yield is also well above the 2.7% average yield for the consumer staples sector as a whole. On a relative basis, Coca-Cola's dividend yield suggests it is trading at an attractive price for long-term investors.
A Chattanooga woman is charged with misusing 911 after she texted anonymously about another woman with a warrant walking down South Willow Street.

Lakisha Baker, 47, texted 911 that Pamela Timmons, 55, was walking with a group of people down the street, according to an affidavit obtained by Local 3 News.

Hamilton Co. residents, visitors can send pictures and videos to 911 The 911 center says this allows dispatchers to assist callers with emergency events like baby deliveries and performing CPR.

At first, officers with the Chattanooga Police Department did not locate the suspect. Baker continued texting, specifying further where Timmons was, until they found her.

After verifying Timmons' warrant for criminal trespassing, she told police that she had gotten into an argument with Baker and that is why she texted 911 about the warrant.

Police found the previously anonymous texter, Baker, down the street, who said she did text 911 several times about Timmons.

Police took both women to the Hamilton County Jail without incident.

They are scheduled to appear in court on Friday, October 24.

We've reached out to police to confirm more information.
Longford County Council welcomed a delegation from Bovec, Slovenia during the month of August as part of the U.R. Impact (URBACT IV) project. This peer meeting was dedicated to exchanging knowledge, practices, and approaches in the field of social inclusion, the use of public assets to support community programmes and financing of social initiatives.

The group visited a variety of projects in the county from youth centres, family resource centres and museums, to coworking hubs and new social projects, all developed with dedicated support from the local community and volunteers, highlighting the many attributes Longford has to offer.

Read more: Michael Healy-Rae launches Longford's Glennon Brothers National Tree Day

The visit started with a trip to the Attic House in Longford Town which highlighted the importance of a safe and creative environment for young people, giving them space to learn, create and connect. A tour of St. Mel's Cathedral was a reminder to all of the resilience of communities where the Slovenian visitors learned from parish priest Fr. James MacKiernan not only the story of the restoration of the Cathedral but also how art and community spirit were woven into the renewal of this important landmark.

A visit to Rose Cottage Cafe in Ballinalee demonstrated how history and everyday life meet, combining a cafe with a museum. Sitting in the cafe, visitors were invited to reflect on history while enjoying a cup of coffee  a unique approach to keeping memory alive whilst fostering community connection.

In Granard, the delegation visited the Lus na Greine Family Resource Centre, a true heart of social support in North Longford. The centre provides services ranging from psychological counselling and family support to training for the unemployed, youth clubs and creative workshops.

Particularly moving for the Slovenian delegation was the Men's Shed, a space where men of all ages meet to work on practical projects, exchange skills and build friendships  an initiative that reduces loneliness and strengthens wellbeing.

Rural working hubs have played a key role in the regeneration of many towns and villages and the Slovenian visitors were impressed with The Yard Hub in Abbeyshrule, where a neglected property was transformed into a modern coworking and community hub. Today it is a vibrant space for entrepreneurs, remote workers, and locals, perfectly integrated into the beautiful setting along the Royal Canal Greenway.

In Ballymahon, Longford County Council presented an ongoing U.R.Impact project which aims to transform a former convent into a social and community centre. Although the project continues to face challenges, the strong involvement of young people and the commitment of the local action group (ULG) demonstrate that Ballymahon will soon benefit from a space similar to the one in Granard.

In Edgeworthstown, the group visited Co:Worx, a coworking centre established in a former bank building. With modern facilities and a strong community spirit, it provides space for entrepreneurs, start-ups, and social initiatives. Co:Worx also hosts workshops, networking events and cultural programmes, including initiatives where older residents  even those over 70  share their talents and stories with younger generations.

The delegation also visited the Maria Edgeworth Centre, a small museum and educational space dedicated to the famous 18th-century writer and pioneer of women's rights and education. Run by enthusiastic volunteers, the centre preserves the rich literary and cultural heritage of the town and plans further development in cooperation with the council.

Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Cllr Garry Murtagh said, "This international partnership perfectly captures what makes Longford special  our ability to transform challenges into opportunities whilst keeping community at the heart of everything we do. Our Slovenian colleagues witnessed firsthand how grassroots innovation and local determination create lasting change. These connections strengthen not just our own understanding but build bridges that benefit communities across Europe."

Read more: 'Absolutely devastated' -Anger in south Longford as massive solar farm gets green light

Director of Services at Longford County Council, John Brannigan added, "The enthusiasm and engagement shown by our international visitors validates the strategic approach we've taken to community development in Longford. From repurposed buildings to intergenerational programmes, we're demonstrating how public assets can become catalysts for social inclusion. This exchange of ideas and practices enriches our work and opens new possibilities for collaborative projects that will benefit our communities for years to come."

The visit proved both diverse and inspiring for Longford and the Slovenian visitors, with a wide programme of events and locations visited, ensuring good practices and experiences were shared between both communities.
Around $400bn was wiped off the value of the crypto market in less than 24 hours after Donald Trumps threatened 100pc tariffs against China - Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg

An investor who made millions from Donald Trumps crypto crash has reignited claims of insider trading by lodging a fresh bet against Bitcoin.

An account tied to an anonymous trader has invested $160m (120m) in a so-called short against the worlds biggest cryptocurrency, betting it will fall.

The initially trade was made around two hours before Mr Trump took to social media to cool tensions with China on Sunday. The account continued to add to their position on Monday morning.

It comes just days after the same trader made $200m by correctly predicting a downturn in the crypto market, staking the trade just 30 minutes before the US President sent prices tumbling by threatening 100pc tariffs on China.

The timing of his short position sparked allegations of insider trading in the crypto community, with some questioning whether the trader had been privy to insider information from the White House.

There has been heightened scrutiny of the crypto market ever since Mr Trump reignited Americas trade war with China, which sparked one of the biggest ever crashes in the value of digital currencies.

Joshua de Vos, of CoinDesk, an industry data provider and publication, said: The timing and scale of the positions opened on October 10, immediately prior to the market-wide liquidation, does raise suspicion of information asymmetry.

He added: While there is no conclusive evidence of insider trading, the wallet activity shows strong, directional conviction.

In the US, insider trading carries a maximum fine of $5m and 20 years in prison. However, it is harder to prove and prosecute in the lightly-regulated cryptocurrency market.

Cryptocurrencies have yet to fully recover, with Bitcoin down by 5.5pc on Friday, while Ethereum is trading 5pc lower.

That is despite the market regaining some ground in the wake of Mr Trumps olive branch to China on Sunday.

In a social media post, he said: The USA wants to help China, not hurt it.

Binance, the worlds largest cryptocurrency exchange, said it would refund some investors up to $283m following Fridays volatility.

Binance admitted technical glitches hit some of its cryptocurrency products, blaming the extreme market downturn.

The offshore trading giant, which is banned from operating in the UK, added that it was continuing to investigate Fridays price crashes and would report any suspected signs of market manipulation.

The US presidents latest tariffs threat was in retaliation to Chinas decision to introduce new export controls on global supplies of rare earths and critical minerals, which was announced just days earlier.
Gisele Bundchen will join Prince William's team for an important cause in Brazil

Gisele Bundchen will join Prince William's team for an important cause in Brazil LAPRESSE

In 2020, Prince William created the Earthshot Prize to recognize innovative people and ideas that seek to solve the planet's problems.

Now, the heir to the throne has added Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen to his environmental team.

Gisele Bundchen will join Prince William's team for an important cause in Brazil Meghan shares glimpses of season 2 of With Love

Bundchen joins Prince William for a good cause

The 45-year-old philanthropist and model will help select the cohort of Earthshot Prize winners, but she won't be doing it alone.

Gisele will be part of a select and distinguished group of environmental figures such as Australian actress Cate Blanchett, broadcaster and conservationist Sir David Attenborough, and World Trade Organization Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

There, they will award the winning proposal from among 15 finalists seeking to protect and restore nature, clean our air, revive the oceans, build a waste-free world, and safeguard the climate.

The truth is that Bundchen has a strong commitment to caring for the planet, so her participation in William's project comes as no surprise. She helped create the Clean Water Project in the south of her native country and supports causes related to reforestation, wildlife protection, and sustainability.

In addition, she works to promote the United Nations Environment Program and, through her Luz Foundation, supports proposals that protect the rights of women and children, health, education, and the environment.

"Protecting nature has always been close to my heart, and I've seen the power of global communities coming together and supporting innovation to create real change," she said in a statement. "Every action matters, big or small, and together we can nurture change to protect the planet we call home. The Earthshot Prize shines a light on solutions that inspire hope and transformation, and I'm proud to represent Brazil in sharing these stories with the world."

For his part, Prince William is expected to take part in various events in Rio de Janeiro before traveling to the UN climate conference in Belem, also in Brazil, on the 6th.
The Topsfield Fair faced a potential threat Sunday morning.

Around 7:20 a.m. on Oct. 12, the Topsfield Fair was notified by law enforcement of a potential threat to the fairgrounds.

There was a complete sweep of the grounds by law enforcement.

Massachusetts State Police said they believed the individual may be emotionally disturbed and issued a be on the lookout. Around 8:30 a.m., police found the person of interests vehicle at the fairgrounds and placed them into custody. The person claimed there was a bomb inside the vehicle.

Police shut down Route 1 as Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad technicians investigated. Police did not find a bomb and the roadway was reopened around 9 a.m.

The fair was deemed safe by law enforcement at 9:30 a.m., according to a statement by the fair.

No further information regarding the identity of the person taken into custody was available.

The State Police would like to remind everyone to report any suspicious activity at a large event like the Fair by calling 911. If you see something, say something, police said in a statement.

The Topsfield Fair is New Englands oldest fair. It was not open during the threat. It opened for the day at 10 a.m. and will remain open until 10 p.m.

The fairs final day is Monday.
A Massachusetts woman continues to fear that those around her in MCI-Framingham worship Satan  a fear she killed her mother over in 2000.

On Tuesday, the Massachusetts Parole Board denied her parole, fearing those anxieties would continue in the community.

The Board has concerns regarding [Patricia] Labossieres ability to manage her anxiety and distress while in the community. Her history of crystallized delusions and history of violence creates concerns as to how Ms. Labossiere will safely manage in the community, the parole board wrote.

But keeping Labossiere incarcerated wasnt an easy decision.

During more than 25 years incarcerated, Labossiere has not expressed any violence towards anyone or threatened anyone in violence, the board noted. And an expert psychologist testified in May that Labossiere, 63, was a low-risk of reoffending despite continued beliefs and fears of satanism.

I dont know how to make you believe me, but I dont want to go through anything like it ever again. It was targeted at my mother, she said. Its not like Im out to kill mankind. Its not like Im out to do a mass shooting and my mothers gone ... Im considered a non-violent person in prison. I was nonviolent before prison.

Three board members voted to deny parole with a review in two years but three other board members voted to grant parole.

The Massachusetts Parole Board has seven seats. However, one seat is currently vacant. Additionally, pending legislation looks to expand the board.

The bill aims to increase the number of seats to nine and calls for four of the members to have at least five years of experience in fields of psychiatry, psychology, social work or the treatment of substance use disorder. And one of those four members must be a licensed mental health professional, while another would be a formerly incarcerated individual with lived experience on parole.

But for now, the board remained split. Due to the split vote, parole was denied with a review in one year.

Oct. 27, 2000

On the night of Oct. 27, 2000, Labossiere called the Attleboro police to report that she had just stabbed her own mother in the house they were living in together.

When officers arrived, they reported Labossiere remained calm and told them her mother was in the bedroom. Officials also found a wet knife on the kitchen counter and a wet paper towel with blood on the kitchen floor.

Im sick of her bullshit, so I stabbed her, Labossiere, who was smoking a cigarette, told police officers when they arrived.

Labossiere later recalled going into her room to get the knife when her mother was heading to bed.

She believed her mother, 67-year-old Julia Bradshaw, was trying to place a curse on her that would make Labossiere kill herself, which had been revealed to her by her dead older brother, given to the woman at his funeral.

... the thought came to me that these major depressive episodes that I would fall into were curses from her, Labossiere said. And I believe those curses were meant to drive me to kill myself.

The curses, she said, had come and gone over the years. While in prison, she was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, the parole board stated.

About five months later, Labossiere stabbed her mother while she slept.

When her daughter was about 4, Labossiere remembers her daughter being healthy and happy. Labossiere was taking college courses and was with a man who I cared very deeply for.

I just had everything. I felt I had everything, she recalled. Everything was going well and boom, I fell down into a hole of depression again.

Labossiere had moved back in with her parents with her daughter after a divorce because she didnt have anywhere else to go. Once again, she started feeling depressed.

I could feel it coming on. And I said, this is my mother doing this to me and she wasnt going to quit with me, she recalled.

The family was known to the community as going to church and an excellent family, very caring, The Sun Chronicle reported. Labossiere remembers her mother making big holiday meals, being a hard worker and raising five children. However, she started believing her family members were not actually her biological family.

I was just so bewildered and so frightened and so confused because I had always thought I was living in your all-American family  mother, father, sister, brothers, going to church, going to school, she recalled during her parole board hearing on May 15. And to have these thoughts that they were worshiping Satan in church ... it was just too much to handle."

On Sept. 9, 2002, in Bristol County Superior Court, Labossiere pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Bradshaw. She was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

During her first parole board hearing in 2020, Labossiere recognized her actions were drastic and that she took no joy in it. She said she killed her mother because she was a life-long enemy and I wanted to end a life-long battle.

Satanism fears

Although Labossiere still fears those around her in prison worship satan, she said it doesnt bother her the same way it did with her mother.

[Those thoughts] dont bother me because Ive been living with it for 25 years. I feel that I dont have to be one of them, she told the parole board. Im sticking to my Christian beliefs.

Labossiere added that shes not interested in hurting or killing anyone else.

I dont know how to make you believe me, but I dont want to go through anything like it ever again. It was targeted at my mother, she said. Its not like Im out to kill mankind. Its not like Im out to do a mass shooting and my mothers gone ... Im considered a non-violent person in prison. I was nonviolent before prison.

Labossiere lawyer also argued that she is able to regulate her behavior.

When she finds herself in that situation, shes able to remove herself. She doesnt respond with violence. I think thats very important with respect to her risk and needs, he said.

She said she now waits until she has more confirmation than just the voices before acting on her thoughts. But she couldnt tell the board any specific examples.

At another point during the hearing, she said she was able to confirm what she needed to beyond just the voices before her mothers killing because it was confirmed through three people: Her lawyer, a friend and her ex-husband.

She told the board she still believes her mother is an enemy and a devil worshiper.

How do you reconcile that with the idea that you might have a thought disorder, one parole board member asked.

Well, when I went to my lawyer who handled my divorce, and I asked him if he knew if my daughter was involved in witchcraft. He said, the whole town is. I was the only one who didnt know what was going on, she told the parole board.

But hes never confirmed that in front of anyone else, she told the board.

So, do you have any concern whether or not maybe you might have misperceived that, a board member asked.

No, she said.

That, the parole board member said, was concerning.

She also told the parole board she believes other people dont have the powers to curse her like her mother and family did.

Its because of this, that forensic psychologist Kerry Nelligan believes Labossiere is unlikely to hurt anyone if shes released on parole.

In the moment of the murder and the period of time leading up to that, she was essentially overwhelmed by mental health symptoms, she told the parole board. And, although irrationally and erroneously, nonetheless in her mind, truly in fear for her own life.

Nelligan said Labossiere would have to continue with the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health if released on parole, and that they can help her with access to support and intervention that would be needed in case such thoughts ever did come up, which I think is highly unlikely as long as she remains on medication.

Its not the first case like this that the state has dealt with, the expert stated, adding that we have very experienced risk management folks across the state.

Labossiere would do best transitioning to a group home setting with 24-hour access to help, said Heather Hovley, who works for the Department of Mental Health. But those types of facilities often have very long waitlists.

No indicator

Its Labossiere continued fears of satanism and belief of her mothers involvement that concerned Bristol County Assistant District Attorney Jillian Hirsch.

What if Labossiere starts believing a neighbor in her apartment complex or a boss that she works with is out to get her, the assistant district attorney proposed. There is no way to ensure that she would be reporting that and that we would be able to get ahead of this.

While the experts said the crime being out of character for Labossiere was a reason she wont reoffend, Hirsch doesnt agree.

This appeared to be out of character, and thats my concern going forward, is that there was no indicator that this would happen, she said. And how are we going to ensure that these delusional thoughts dont cause her to commit such a violent, atrocious act in the future?

Her 2026 parole board hearing will be Labossieres third time in front of the parole board.
Two teens were stabbed in a car at an intersection in Stoneham early Sunday morning, according to police.

Stoneham police responded to Spring Street in Wakefield for a report of a stabbing around 1 a.m., the police department said in a press release. The initial investigation indicated that the incident began in Stoneham.

At the scene, officers found a Chevrolet Trax with two 18-year-old men inside, police said. The driver had serious but not life-threatening injuries, and the passenger had non-life-threatening injuries. Both were taken to a hospital by ambulance.

A subsequent investigation suggested that the SUV was stopped near an intersection in Stoneham when a person wearing a dark hoodie and mask approached the teens armed with a knife, police said. The driver continued traveling over the Wakefield line before coming to a stop.

At this time investigators do not believe that there is any danger to the public, police said.

Stoneham and State Police detectives are investigating the incident, police said. No arrests have been announced, and no further information has been released.
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Influenza, or flu, is a contagious viral infection causing fever, cough, body aches, and fatigue.

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Japan Declares Nationwide Flu Epidemic as Over 4,000 Cases Reported, Schools Closed



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TOP INSIGHT Major Health Alert in #Japan: Health authorities declare a nationwide #flu epidemic 5 weeks earlier than usual. Over 4,000 hospitalizations and at least 135 schools/childcare centers temporarily shut down. Urging immediate vaccination & precautions. #JapanFlu #FluEpidemic #Influenza

Over 4,000 Hospitalized as Japans Flu Cases Quadruple; 135 Schools Temporarily Closed

Schools Step Up Safety Measures Amid Flu Outbreak

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Japan Declares Nationwide Flu Epidemic as Over 4,000 Cases Reported, Schools Closed - (https://www.newsonair.gov.in/japan-declares-nationwide-flu-epidemic-as-over-4000-cases-reported-schools-closed/)

is grappling with a major influenza outbreak, prompting health authorities to declare a)  five weeks earlier than the usual season. The sudden surge in infections has led to over 4,000 hospitalizations and the closure of more than 100 schools and childcare centers, as the government races to contain the spread.According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW), as of October 3, influenza-related hospitalizations have quadrupled compared to the previous week. Officials confirmed that at least 135 schools and daycare centers across the country have temporarily suspended classes due to widespread infections among students and staff.The outbreak has hit several prefectures, including Tokyo, Osaka, Hokkaido, and Fukuoka, with hospitals reporting crowded outpatient wards and increased admissions for flu-related complications. Medical professionals warn that the early onset of the epidemic may strain Japans healthcare system, which is still recovering from the after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic Public health experts attribute the spike to a combination of factors  waning immunity, reduced mask usage, and increased indoor gatherings as temperatures begin to drop. This seasons influenza strain appears to be spreading faster than usual, said a ministry official, urging people to get vaccinated and follow preventive measures.In response, the government has stepped up surveillance, vaccination drives, and awareness campaigns. Local authorities are advising residents to wear masks in crowded places, practice good hand hygiene, and stay home if they show symptoms of fever or cough Schools have also been instructed to enhance disinfection routines, ensure proper ventilation, and monitor student health daily. Parents are being urged to keep children at home if they exhibit flu-like symptoms to help curb transmission.While officials say the situation is under control for now, they warn that numbers could rise further in the coming weeks as winter approaches.said an MHLW spokesperson.Japan last experienced a severe flu epidemic in 2019, just before the COVID-19 outbreak. This early resurgence has renewed calls for stronger public health vigilance to prevent seasonal diseases from overwhelming healthcare systems once again.Source-Medindia
Safeguard your health this monsoon in Tamil Nadu with tips to prevent dengue and typhoid amid rising fever cases.

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Dengue



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TOP INSIGHT #TamilNadu is stepping up its efforts to combat the rise in #dengue and #typhoid cases. The state's health department has intensified door-to-door surveillance, launched awareness drives, and increased mosquito control operations to contain the spread. #Health #MonsoonPrep

Dengue and Typhoid

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Tips to Protect Yourself from Dengue and Typhoid

Dengue - (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue)

Tamil Nadu is witnessing a sharp spike in fever, typhoid, () and dengue cases, with more than 16,000 dengue infections and eight deaths reported across districts as of early October.Health authorities have ramped up door-to-door surveillance, awareness drives, and mosquito-control operations to curb further spread ahead of the northeast monsoon.Dengue is caused by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. Its main symptoms include high fever , severe headache, body pain, joint pain, skin rashes, and tiredness.Typhoid is caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with germs called Salmonella typhi. The symptoms of typhoid include fever, stomach pain headache , loss of appetite, weakness, and sometimes constipation or diarrhea . Both diseases need proper rest, clean food, and medical care to recover.According to data from theThe state had reported 27,378 cases and 13 deaths in 2024, compared to 9,121 cases and eight deaths in 2023, highlighting a recurring post-monsoon trend.Officials attribute the current surge to erratic rainfall, fluctuating temperatures, and stagnant water  ideal conditions for the breeding of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the carriers of the dengue virus . Intermittent showers in recent weeks have intensified the problem, with fever clusters being reported in Chennai, Tiruvannamalai, Madurai, and Coimbatore.To contain the spread, the Health Department has deployed medical teams across districts for fever surveillance in both government and private hospitals. Health inspectors are visiting homes daily to identify patients showing symptoms and ensure timely treatment. Meanwhile,Awareness campaigns are underway in schools, public offices, and residential colonies, urging citizens to take preventive steps. Pamphlets and announcements advise residents to cover water containers, avoid stagnant water near homes, and wear protective clothing during the day, as dengue mosquitoes bite mainly in daylight hours.Medical experts have cautioned against self-medication and stressed the importance of early diagnosis. Individuals with persistent fever are advised to seek medical help promptly and refrain from taking non-prescribed drugs, which can worsen symptoms.Hospitals and primary health centres across Tamil Nadu have been directed to maintain adequate stocks of medicines, testing kits, and IV fluids to manage potential case surges.Despite the rising number of cases, officials maintain that the situation remains under control, with fatalities low and preventive action intensified as the state braces for the northeast monsoon in the coming weeks.To protect yourself from dengue and typhoid, its important to keep your surroundings clean and prevent mosquito breeding. Always cover water containers and avoid letting water stagnate in buckets, flowerpots, or coolers.Wear full-sleeved clothes and use mosquito repellents, especially during the day, as dengue mosquitoes bite in daylight. Drink clean, boiled, or filtered water and eat freshly cooked food to avoid typhoid infection.Wash your hands regularly with soap before eating and after using the toilet. If you have a fever, dont ignore it  visit a doctor immediately for proper treatment and rest.Source-Medindia
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Editors note: Columnist Charlie Garcia shares select emails from his virtual mailbag every Friday.

Dear Charlie,

Your ability to make the case for Canadian energy while simultaneously explaining why most investors are too scared to touch it is exactly why I read your column. You dont pander, and you dont pretend complexity doesnt exist.

Most Read from MarketWatch

That said, I have two concerns you didnt address that I think matter considerably to the Canadian Natural Resources CNQ thesis:

Also worth noting: Warren Buffett did invest in Canadian tar sands but long since exited that position. Not sure if that validates or contradicts your thesis, but its worth mentioning.

Looking forward to your thoughts.

Will

Dear Will,

Thank you for reading, and thank you for the intelligent pushback. Youve identified exactly the risks I didnt mention  which means either Im lazy or they matter less than people think. Lets call it a tie.

On Trumps tariff wars: Fair concern. Trump talks about tariffs the way my uncle talks about conspiracy theories  loudly, frequently and without regard for consequences.

But heres the problem with levying tariffs on Canadian oil: America needs it. Canada supplies 60% of U.S. oil imports  4.3 million barrels per day. You cant tariff your way out of dependency when your own refineries are designed to process heavy Canadian crude.

Trump tariffed Canadian steel and aluminum. He threatened tariffs on Canadian lumber, dairy and cars. He never seriously threatened oil because his own energy companies wouldve revolted. Gulf Coast refineries were built specifically for heavy crude. You cant just switch to light sweet crude from Texas without billions in retrofitting.

Could he try? Sure. The man tariffed washing machines once. But tariffing Canadian oil would spike gasoline prices in swing states, which is how presidents lose midterm elections. Even Trump understands that voters care more about $5 gas than about trade policy.

Risk? Yes. Likely? No. Politically suicidal? Absolutely.

On OPEC: OPEC doesnt push for lower oil prices. They push for market share  which sometimes means flooding supply to kill high-cost producers. They tried this in 2014 and 2020. Weak producers died. CNQ didnt.
McEWEN, Tenn. (AP)  A blast in rural Tennessee that leveled an explosives plant and was felt for miles around killed 16 people and left no survivors, authorities said.

The explosion left a smoldering wreck of twisted and charred metal and burned-out vehicles at the Accurate Energetic Systems plant, which supplies and researches explosives for the military.

The cause of the blast is not known. Investigators are combing the incinerated property foot-by-foot searching for possible evidence.

Theres a gauntlet of emotions there, said Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis during a news conference, pausing to clear his throat before he asked for prayers for the families of the victims in a shaky voice.

Weve recovered no survivors, he added.

During a vigil at Hurricane Chapel in McEwen, senior pastor Tim Farris noted that many in attendance know each other, the victims and their families.

Theres a lot of people hurting. A lot of people who are crying a lot of tears, he said. We are sad that our community is going through this, but its a tremendous opportunity for the church to minister to a lot of those people today.

Farris said he spoke with some families of victims on Friday who were in shock and numb, and they did not show much emotion. That had changed by Saturday, he said.

Speaking with some of the families today, they were very emotional, Farris said. They can hardly speak or anything, they are so emotional. I think as this goes on, its going to hit more people. The depth of this, the reality of it. Thats when theyre going to need people the most.

Pamela Jane Brown was among those who came out to pray for friends missing in the blast and their families. She said an acquaintance of her family was driving by the plant when it exploded, and he was hurt pretty good ... all cut up and bruised, but is now recovering at home.

I was heartbroken, she said, after learning of the explosion on social media. Meeting others for prayer was a coming together of the community  a good feeling.

State officials brought in a rapid DNA team to help identify the remains of people recovered at the site.

Davis said about 300 responders are working in a slow, methodical method as they deal with explosive material that has been damaged and remains volatile. An ambulance and a helicopter used for air evacuations were brought in, for the safety of first responders.

Its not like working an accident. Its not like working a tornado. Were dealing with explosions. And I would say at this time, were dealing with remains, he said.

Guy McCormick, a supervisory special agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said explosive specialists and bomb technicians are trying to make the area safe for national ATF investigators. He said the nature of the scene can change because of the heat and pressure caused by the explosion.

Davis said it could be days, weeks or even months before foul play is ruled out.

The site is located in a heavily wooded area of middle Tennessee, between the economically vital Tennessee River to the west and the bustling metropolis of Nashville to the east. Modest homes dot the wooded landscape, residences belonging to good old country people, as local man Terry Bagsby put it.

A lot of grief

Bagsby, 68, is retired but he helps out working the register at a gas station near the site. He said people in the close-knit community are very, very sad.

He said he knows people who worked at the site.

I dont know how to explain it.  Just a lot of grief.

Officials at an evening news conference said counselors would be available for grieving students on Monday.

Earlier Saturday afternoon at the church in McEwen, about 30 people gathered to pray for victims of the explosion and their families. Music played and mourners bowed their heads and closed their eyes. Some knelt at an altar, placing their hands on each others backs and shoulders. Some wept softly, among the whispered prayers.

After the vigil, Farris, the pastor, told media that the area has seen its share of tragedy and loss of life, including a deadly flood a few years ago. He asked for prayers for first responders.

This is tiresome physically. This kind of thing weighs on you mentally. They carry that home. They need prayer and encouragement as well, he said.

The companys website says it processes explosives and ammunition at an eight-building facility that sprawls across wooded hills in the Bucksnort area, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) southwest of Nashville. It is not immediately known how many people work at the plant or how many were there when the explosion happened.

Accurate Energetic Systems, based in nearby McEwen, said in a post on social media on Friday that the company's thoughts and prayers" are with the families and community impacted.

We extend our gratitude to all first responders who continue to work tirelessly under difficult conditions, the post said.

Explosion jolts residents from sleep

The company has been awarded numerous military contracts, largely by the U.S. Army and Navy, to supply different types of munitions and explosives, according to public records. The products range from bulk explosives to landmines and small breaching charges, including C4.

When the explosion occurred, residents in Lobelville, a 20-minute drive from the scene, said they felt their homes shake, and some people captured the loud boom of the explosion on their home cameras.

The blast rattled Gentry Stover from his sleep.

I thought the house had collapsed with me inside of it, he 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.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee posted on the social platform X that he is monitoring the situation and asked Tennesseans to join us in prayer for the families impacted by this tragic incident.

A small group gathered for a vigil Friday night at a nearby park, clutching candles as they prayed for the missing and their families and sang Amazing Grace."

The U.S. has a long history of deadly accidents at workplaces, including the Monongah coal mine explosion that killed 362 men and boys in West Virginia in 1907. Several high-profile industrial accidents in the 1960s helped lead President Richard Nixon to sign a law creating the Occupational Safety and Health Administration the next year.

In 2019, Accurate Energetic Systems faced several small fines from the U.S. Department of Labor for violations of policies meant to protect workers from exposure to hazardous chemicals, radiation and other irritants, according to citations from OSHA.

In 2014, an explosion occurred at another ammunition facility in the same small community, killing one person and injuring at least three others.

____

Associated Press writers Mike Catalini in Morrisville, Pennsylvania; Sarah Brumfield, in Cockeysville, Maryland; Hannah Schoenbaum, in Salt Lake City; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; Kimberlee Kruesi in Providence, Rhode Island; and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed to this report.
As the federal government shutdown stretches into its ninth day and counting, its ripple effect is being felt across the nation.

And its starting to hit veterans and their families.

After her husband died, Brenda Stuart of Hot Springs, Arkansas, tried to access his DD214 information through the National Archives website. DD214 filings are extremely valuable for veterans as they legally document military service careers in the eyes of the government. The documents can help veterans claim many benefits, including health care coverage from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

But with many government services on pause due to the shutdown, Stuart was a bit shocked to find out that she couldnt access her late husbands paperwork. The DD214 would have allowed Stuart to be reimbursed for her husbands burial service. Instead, the widow had to dip into her own pocket to cover the expenses.

When I had to bury him, Stuart told THV11 in Little Rock. I had to take my check to bury him.

On a fixed income, Stuarts paychecks are typically used to cover necessities like utilities and rent.

National Archives On Pause

Since the shutdown began on Oct. 1, the National Archives site has posted a banner message at the top of its homepage notifying users that they might not be able to access certain information and services.

Due to the shutdown of the federal government, National Archives facilities are closed, websites and social media are not being updated or monitored, and activities are canceled, part of the statement reads.

With National Archives activities frozen for the time being, personnel there didnt see Stuarts request.

Scars and Stripes Steps Up

The organization Scars and Stripes has connected with Stuart to help ease some of her financial burden. Jared Eakin, who serves as the organizations executive director, said Scars and Stripes is a veteran service nonprofit that tries to address the life stressors that veterans are going through.

Being a veteran, Eakin feels a kinship to his fellow comrades and their families.

We're going to try other routes to be able to get this done, and we're going to assist with utilities and things to help take the strain off, Eakin said. But it definitely makes it extremely hard.

Stuart will likely be reimbursed following the shutdown, when she can get access to her husbands DD214 files, but it doesnt mitigate the immediate financial strain of having to provide him with a proper burial. Funding from Scars and Stripes will help but can only be stretched so far.

Stuart is worried about the not-so-distant future.

I know they can't continue to do that just for me, Stuart said, referring to Scars and Stripes. So, after this month, I don't know. I'll probably be homeless.

Scars & Strips is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and empowering the veteran population by addressing critical challenges such as suicide prevention, homelessness, navigating VA benefits, supporting justice-involved veterans, promoting mental health, and addressing other pressing issues.

Veterans Affairs Response

TVH11 said it asked the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs how people like Stuart can get assistance but was told the department couldnt comment because of the shutdown. They did receive a message from VA Press Secretary Pete Kasperowicz that read in part: Thank you for your inquiry regarding how the Democrats government shutdown impacts the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA employees who would normally process these requests are currently furloughed and unable to respond. Across the department, more than 30,000 VA employees are not getting paid during the Democrats government shutdown.

Along with the presidency, Republicans control the majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

In the last 50 years, the federal government has endured 21 shutdowns, the first coming under President Gerald Ford in 1976 that lasted 11 days. Five under President Carter, and eight under President Reagan. There were three shutdowns during President Trumps first term in office, including a 35-day pause from December 2018-January 2019 that cost the U.S. economy $3 billion, based on statistics from the Congressional Budget Office.
The Blue Jays put together an impressive win in four games over the Yankees in the ALDS this past week, and its all the more impressive when one considers that they managed to pull it off without one of their star players. Shortstop Bo Bichette has been on the injured list since early September due to a left knee sprain, and did not participate in the Division Series as a result. With the ALCS against the Mariners scheduled to start tomorrow, it seems a decision on Bichettes status has not yet been made.

Earlier this afternoon, Ben Nicholson Smith of Sportsnet relayed that, per Jays manager John Schneider, Bichette hit against live pitching yesterday and ran the bases today. Schneider added that how Bichette responds to that uptick in activity will help to determine whether or not hes rostered for the ALCS. Keegan Matheson of MLB.com expanded on that, noting that Schneider suggested the decision on Bichette would be one of the last ones they would make before rosters are announced tomorrow morning. Per Matheson, Bichette still appeared to be experiencing discomfort when he ran the bases today, and he suggested that Bichette might be confined to a DH-only role if he does return to action.

As Matheson notes, a DH role for Bichette would push George Springer into the outfield and force a fellow outfielder like Nathan Lukes or Anthony Santander out of the lineup. Thats surely only something they would do if they were confident that Bichette was healthy enough to contribute substantially at the plate. On the other hand, if Bichette isnt quite ready to return but making enough progress, Toronto could opt to roster him even if he wouldnt be available for Game 1. That would come with substantial risk, however, as if he was placed back on the injured list at some point in the ALCS he would not be eligible for the World Series if the Jays advance.

Moving on to the rotation, Toronto made the somewhat bold decision to leave both Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer off their ALDS roster. Both veteran starters were left off for understandable reasons; Scherzer struggled badly late in the year, while Bassitt wasnt fully stretched out after being placed on the injured list in late September. That was fine for a five-game set where the team could lean heavily on Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, and Shane Bieber to handle starting duties, but Schneider acknowledged to reporters (including Nicholson-Smith) that both Bassitt and Scherzer will be in the mix for the clubs roster given the need for more length in a seven-game series. All of those roster decisions will be made by 9am CT tomorrow morning, when rosters are due for both clubs.
Bitcoin is too risky and should not be included in an investor's portfolio, British financial services firm Hargreaves Lansdown said this week.

In a warning issued on the Bristol, UK-based investment platform's website, the company said that crypto in general "shouldn't be relied upon to help clients meet their financial goals."

Hargreaves Lansdown, which administers 170 billion ($226.8 billion) in assets, did add that it would allow qualified clients to invest in the new British crypto exchange-traded notes.

"Bitcoin is the largest and most widely held cryptocurrency," the firm's statement read. "While longer-term returns of Bitcoin have been positive, Bitcoin has experienced several periods of extreme losses and is a highly volatile investmentmuch riskier than stocks or bonds."

"The HL Investment view is that Bitcoin is not an asset class, and we do not think cryptocurrency has characteristics that mean it should be included in portfolios for growth or income and shouldn't be relied upon to help clients meet their financial goals, it added.

Hargreaves Lansdown added that crypto in general "has no intrinsic value."

The firm's stark warning contrasts with other financial services companies around the globe.

BlackRock, the world's biggest asset manager, changed its view in recent years regarding Bitcoin after its CEO admitted he came around to understanding the asset.

The firm shook the crypto and traditional finance world in 2023 when it applied for a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund. Then, in 2024, the SEC approved its productalong with 10 other crypto fundsand it had the most successful launch in the history of ETFs.

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has since said that the asset has a place in portfolios of investors seeking uncorrelated returns, calling it "a legit financial instrument."

Meanwhile, hedge fund legend Ray Dalio of Bridgewater Associates said in July that investors should allocate at least 15% of their portfolios to gold and Bitcoin as a hedge against macroeconomic risks.

Still, others in the traditional finance world have continued to criticize Bitcoin and the crypto industry, with JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon perhaps being the most prominent Wall Street skeptic.

"I'm not personally a believer in Bitcoin itself, but you're the customer, I don't like to tell customers what they can and can't do with their money," he said earlier this year.

Bitcoin, Ethereum Dive Alongside Stocks as Trump Threatens 'Massive' China Tariffs
The exterior of Hurley Medical Center in Flint. Jake May | MLive.com

The former head of neurosurgery at Hurley Medical Center is suing the Flint hospital, alleging that Hurley retaliated against him after he complained about patient safety in the wake of an infants death.

Dr. Sudesh Ebenezer says in a complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, that, on the night of Dec. 9, 2022, he was called in to perform surgery on a 12-month-old who had been admitted with a traumatic head injury.

When he arrived, he said, he was alarmed to find that numerous routine diagnostic testing and radiological analysis had yet to be performed, preventing him from immediately operating on the child.

Hurley staff had failed to do a CT scan of the childs head despite being advised to do so, the complaint said, failed to assess whether the childs blood was clotting properly, failed to correct high levels of dissolved carbon dioxide in the blood, failed to obtain chest imaging.

As he was preparing for surgery, staff members told him the child had been evacuated to another hospital, but in reality, the child was still at Hurley, the complaint said, staff had simply lost track of the patient.

The child died the next day, the complaint says, and Ebenezer communicated his grave concerns regarding patient safety and quality of care to multiple Hurley employees.

A Hurley spokesperson did not respond to inquiries about the case.

But Ebenezers complaint says the hospital tried to push responsibility for the childs death onto him.

He received a letter five days later from Dr. Leo Mercer, who at the time was Hurleys trauma medical director, that said the timeliness of Ebenezers response and his engagement in the care of a patient as the on-call neurosurgeon implicated both patient safety and quality of care concerns.

As a result, Ebenezer was being removed from his position on the hospitals Neurosurgery Trauma Panel, the letter said.

Curiously the retaliation letter did not revoke Plaintiffs medical privileges at Hurley and Plaintiff retained his ongoing role as the head of neurosurgery, the complaint said.

Although Hurley was essentially accusing Ebenezer of malpractice, it took no further formal action beyond removing him from the panel, the complaint said.

But removing him from the panel had consequences, the complaint said, making it so his direct employer, Shah Practice Group, couldnt bill Hurley for his services. Shah cut Ebenezers compensation significantly.

Ebenezer asked for an investigation into the childs case in April of 2023, but the request was ignored, the complaint said.

Straying from its customary practices, the complaint said, the hospital held a review of the childs death without inviting Ebenezer.

The lawsuit is seeking compensatory damages for lost pay and lost earning potential.

Ebenezers attorneys declined to comment.
File photo of police vehicles' lights. Jake May file photo | For MLive.com

GRAND BLANC TWP, MI -- A 23-month-old child died Saturday night after being hit by a vehicle in the parking area outside a home in Grand Blanc Township.

Officers with the Grand Blanc Township Police Department responded shortly before 6:45 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, to a traffic crash in the 1000 block of East Rowland Drive.

A caller to 911 reported a pedestrian had been hit and was unresponsive, according to a Grand Blanc Township Police Department news release.

Upon their arrival, police located a child thatd been hit. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Police said a preliminary investigation has revealed a 24-year-old woman had been driving a 2011 Ford Escape in the parking area of a private residence.

The driver didnt notice the child near the vehicle and hit him at a low rate of speed, causing a fatal injury.

Police said its unknown if drugs or alcohol were a factor in the incident.

The investigation is currently ongoing by the Crash Investigation Reconstruction Team, or CIRT.

Grand Blanc Township police were assisted at the scene by the Grand Blanc Township Fire Department, the Genesee County Sheriffs Office, City of Grand Blanc Police Department, and the Metro Police Authority of Genesee County.
WYOMING, MI  A man and woman were arrested on Sunday, Oct. 12, in connection with an armed carjacking, Wyoming police said.

The incident unfolded around 11 a.m. in the 2700 block of 44th Street SW. Officers were dispatched to the area for a report of an armed carjacking that just happened.

Police learned that at least one person  allegedly armed  forcibly took the victims vehicle and fled the area.

Officers located the stolen vehicle in the 5100 block of 28th Street SE.

The suspects  a man and a woman  were lodged at the Kent County Jail on carjacking charges.

The incident remains under investigation.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call detectives at the Wyoming Police Department at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.
KENT COUNTY, MI -- Most fear what lurks in the dark.

Amy and Frank Stabile have made it their home.

It started with an aspiration to open a simple corn maze, but when they bought the property that now hosts Abandoned Acres Farm in 2018, they knew it could be more.

Since then theyve retired from their jobs as an accountant and a police officer, learned how to care for an orchard and corn fields, and now run a 40-acre haunt for thousands of people in West Michigan every Halloween season.

The couple is supported by a staff of over 120 people, covering everything from security and admissions to set design and scare acting.

Its a year round business, Isaac Schwallier, Abandoned Acres senior lead actor, said.

In the spring, theyre traveling to conventions with other people in the industry.

By summer, theyre spending any available weekend building sets.

Especially in the heat its not always fun, he said, but seeing all this and the patrons coming through is what makes it worth it.

Its this group of people that Amy Stabile feels sets Abandoned Acres apart from other haunted attractions located in the Grand Rapids area.

We have everybody from 18 to 80 that works here, its our haunted house family, Stabile said, right down to the family meal they supply their staff with every night.

Sometimes its as simple as pizza, but other nights her mother lends a hand, making Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes for 120 people.

Schwallier echoes the camaraderie felt amongst the staff.

Having 130, 140 people come together for a common goal is amazing, especially this day in age, he said.

That investment shines in the experience patrons get as they make their way through the haunt.

Reyna Lopez said its the experience that brought her back to Abandoned Acres, this time with four friends in tow.

It was scary and it was fun, Jasmine Elliot, one of Lopezs friends, said as they laughed at one another, recalling how they fell and ran their way through the maze.

The actors of Abandoned Acres may chase patrons through the exit with the sounds of chainsaws and horns, but they look forward to seeing them come back.

For more information on hours and ticket prices, go to abandonedacresfarm.com.

See more photos in the gallery above or click here.
Amir Sincere Petty sits with his hands crossed and listens to testimony in Muskegon County Circuit Court on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025. Petty was found guilty of first-degree murder, among other charges. Bradley Massman | MLive.com

MUSKEGON, MI  A gunman was convicted of first-degree murder for a deadly ambush-style shooting near a Norton Shores convenience store.

Amir Sincere Petty will learn his inevitable fate next month when hes sentenced for the shooting death of 24-year-old Jamarr Burse.

First-degree murder, under Michigan law, carries a mandatory life without parole sentence.

Petty, 26, was on trial for murder  among other felony charges  in Muskegon County Circuit Court for a shooting that left Burse dead and a teen boy wounded.

The case started the afternoon of Dec. 29, 2022, when Burse was found shot to death inside a vehicle.

He was discovered by police at the intersection of Continental Street and East Columbia Avenue in Norton Shores.

A 16-year-old passenger in the vehicle was also struck by gunfire but managed to escape on foot to a nearby home.

At trial, Muskegon County prosecutors played jurors surveillance footage from nearby businesses, which captured a portion of the killing.

Video showed Petty open fire on Burses vehicle, killing Burse.

Jurors reached a guilty verdict on Thursday, Oct. 9, following three days of testimony.

Petty was also convicted of felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, and two counts of felony firearm.

Petty remains lodged in the Muskegon County Jail. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 20.
Bailey SIan (with blue hair and bandana) appears with defense attorney Sally B. Warren at a plea hearing in Bay County Circuit Court on Oct. 6, 2025. Cole Waterman

BAY CITY, MI  A mother has pleaded to throwing her infant son into a bedframe, causing a brain bleed.

Meanwhile, lab results are still pending in the death of a woman at Baytown Family Neighborhood.

Those stories and more are included below in this weeks roundup of headline you may have missed.

Bay City mom pleads to throwing infant son into bedframe, causing brain bleed

A Bay City mother has admitted to chucking her infant son across a room in a moment of frustration, delivering a serious injury to his brain.

Bailey R. Sian, 28, on Monday, Oct. 6, appeared before Bay County Circuit Judge Joseph K. Sheeran and pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree child abuse. The charge is punishable by up to two years incarceration and five years of probation.

In exchange, the prosecution agreed to dismiss a 10-year felony of second-degree child abuse. They made no sentencing recommendation.

Read the full story here.

Lab results pending in death of woman at Baytown Family Neighborhood

An autopsy has been conducted on the body of a woman found dead in her Baytown Family Neighborhood apartment, but police are still awaiting word on what caused her death.

Police at about 6 p.m. on Sept. 17 responded to the womans residence in the 1200 block of North Jackson Street after her friends hadnt heard from her. They entered the unit and found the 43-year-old resident deceased, said Deputy Public Safety Director Rod Schanck.

No one else was present in the unit, Schanck said.

Read the full story here.

Bay City parolee pleads, again, to drunkenly killing woman in Saginaw Township crash

A Bay City parolee accused of killing a woman in a drunken crash and fleeing the scene has accepted a plea deal for the second time. As a result, shes staring down more than a two-decade prison sentence.

Bobbi Jo Shively, 45, on Tuesday, Oct. 7, appeared before Saginaw County Circuit Judge Darnell Jackson and pleaded no contest to both charges she faced: failure to stop at an accident resulting in death and operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated causing death. Shively also pleaded as a fourth-time habitual offender.

Shively, whose trial was to begin Tuesday, originally pleaded as such in January, with Jackson indicating he would sentence her to 12 years. Jackson in March allowed Shively to withdraw her pleas after her sentencing guidelines were calculated and he signaled hed sentence her to at least 19 years.

Read the full story here.

Man gets prison time for stabbing 2 police officers, using toddler son as human shield

When police came to arrest Eshawn K. Langston for violating a bond condition, he told them theyd have to kill him before he went back to jail. Seated behind the wheel of a Jeep, Langston proceeded to use his toddler son as a human shield as he flailed about with a knife, stabbing two officers.

Langstons efforts to avoid incarceration only resulted in him buying himself more time behind bars.

Bay County Circuit Judge Jessie Scott Wood on Monday, Oct. 6, sentenced the 24-year-old Langston to 74 months to 10 years in prison. Wood gave Langston credit for 248 days already served and ordered he pay $3,358.46 in restitution.

Read the full story here.

Bay City bridge money will go toward streets after city commission vote

The city will move forward with a plan to use $5 million in bridge money in a matching grant strategy, intending to put the money toward street repairs.

The Bay City Commission unanimously approved a resolution Monday, Oct. 6, directing the city manager to work with the department of public works on a street repair plan, allocating $5 million from bridge lease funds with half dedicated to reserves for future projects.

The approved plan splits the funding equally, with $2.5 million designated for immediate street repairs and $2.5 million held in reserves to leverage matching grant opportunities over several years. The reserved funds will continue earning interest, estimated at approximately $100,000 annually.

Read the full story here.

After outcry over $200-plus trash cart fines, Bay City may adopt more lenient policy

Bay City officials have proposed an amended fine schedule following public uproar over what some called excessive fines for trash cart removal violations.

A memorandum sent by Bay City Manager Dana Muscott to city commissioners and select city staff includes updated fine amounts and schedules for residents who leave their trash carts at the curb for longer than permitted by a city ordinance.

The updated schedule could take effect as soon as mid-November, barring any additional amendments offered by commissioners.

Read the full story here.

Bay City ice cream shop joins growing Old Town Saginaw food scene

Hand-crafting each decadent flavor with Michigan sourced cream and sugar, a new ice cream shop on the block, which is a beloved Bay City brand, has found a second home in Old Town Saginaw.

The second Michigan Cream & Sugar Ice Cream Co. location officially opened its doors to the community in March.

The interior resembles the Uptown Bay City location, but with a twist of Old Town Saginaw flare, said General Manager Tim Mangan.

Read the full story here.
Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Deutsche Bank AG, Bank of America Corp., and Banco Santander have joined forces in a nine-bank coalition to explore the creation of blockchain-based digital money. The initiative marks another major step by traditional financial institutions to integrate cryptocurrency infrastructure into global payment systems.

The consortium also includes BNP Paribas, Citigroup Inc., MUFG Bank Ltd, TD Bank Group, and UBS Group AG. Together, they plan to investigate the issuance of a 1:1 reserve-backed form of digital money available on public blockchains, with an initial focus on G7 currencies.

Goldman, Santander Among Banks Exploring Blockchain-Based Money

According to Bloomberg reports on Friday, the banks are in active discussions with regulators and supervisors in relevant jurisdictions. With the objective to create a new class of digital money, the project could improve payment efficiency and deliver the advantages of blockchain to mainstream finance.

This development comes as the global banking sector accelerates its blockchain adoption efforts. Stablecoins, cryptocurrencies pegged to fiat currencies like the US dollar or euro, have witnessed increased corporate demand over the past year.

While stablecoins remain primarily used in crypto trading, banks now see them as promising tools for instant settlement, cost reduction, and improved liquidity management.

DeFillama data shows the global stablecoin sector valuation has hit $303 billion at press time, increasing by nearly $100 billion in 2025 alone.

Trumps Genius Act Sparks Global Stablecoin Adoption

US President Donald Trumps signing of the Genius Act into law in July has intensified global momentum toward digital currency adoption, accelerating regulatory clarity and institutional participation.

In September, nine European banks, including ING, UniCredit, and Danske Bank, announced a similar initiative to develop a euro-denominated stablecoin compliant with the EUs Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCAR) framework. The Euro Stablecoin project aims to launch in the second half of 2026 as a strategic European alternative to dollar-based systems.

Meanwhile, this week, in the United States, North Dakota became the first state to announce plans for a state-backed Roughrider Coin for interbank payments and local business transfers.

Read original story Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank Lead Nine-Bank Blockchain Money Initiative by Ibrahim Ajibade at Coinspeaker.com
Palak Vij

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8 / 9

The First Wives Club (1996)

Platform: Available to rent/buy on various platforms including Prime Video, Apple TV.

As three college friends who come together decades after their husbands left them for younger women, the actress co-stars with Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler. In this popular comedy about female solidarity, as the neurotic Annie, the actress gave a lighthearted, memorable performance while the wives plot their response.
Gayatri Rani

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China tells US to back off on tariff threats, urges more talks

Chinas export control is not a ban on exports, and applications that meet the regulations will be approved, the Commerce Ministry said Sunday.

Deblina Halder

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The IPO momentum reflects Indias broader effort to modernize its capital markets and attract long-term foreign capital.

Deblina Halder

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Antriksh's body was sent for post-mortem at Sassoon Hospital before being handed to the family. Police said no suicide note was found.

Deblina Halder

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Siddharth Chakravorty

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Agreements on more direct flights, trade and economy, says Afghan FM Muttaqi in a presser

Siddharth Chakravorty

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This is The Takeaway from today's Morning Brief, which you can sign up to receive in your inbox every morning along with:

The chart of the day

What we're watching

What we're reading

Economic data releases and earnings

Can we stop with all this AI bubble talk, please?

I get it.

Those hunting for a dot-com style stock market explosion want to make names for themselves by predicting a bubble. Who doesn't want the fame and fortune associated with being right in a big way?

Who doesn't want to spend a month reporting on stocks going down 75% because of a freak warning out of Nvidia (NVDA) and OpenAI (OPAI.PVT)?

Entire years could be made for content platforms in a week if the stock market were to get blown up because of a Lehman-like meltdown in tech valuations. If you are over the age of 40, you remember the trading screens during the height of the great financial crisis. Massive declines, a full-on sea of red. Every. Single. Day.

But I'm here to say we have to give these AI bubble predictions a rest. Ditto the predictions that we are in a tech bubble. It's just not what's happening out there yet.

First of all, AI is a real technology being deployed in real ways inside of Corporate America.

Second, this technology is requiring more physical assets in the ground  which are being built to support AI's real-world application. What Zach Dell (son of Michael Dell) is working on at startup Base Power (which just raised $1 billion) impressed me this week. It's addressing a key issue power availability and costs in part because of rising stress on the grid due to AI development.

Next, the spending on AI infrastructure doesn't strike me as reckless.

I talk to CFOs and they walk me through their thinking, which seems logical. They aren't foaming at the mouth with wild-eyed predictions of grandeur similar to the late '90s.

Plus, the tech giants making the biggest AI investments are fueling their ambitions by cash on hand  not loading up balance sheets with debt. The upstarts in AI are well funded, not being 100% stupid in their organizational build-outs. They're working on tangible technology that has actual orders behind it.

"I would say that's probably thinking too small," AMD (AMD) CEO Lisa Su told me about concerns of AI overspending this week (video above). "You have to really look at what the power of this technology can do for the world."

AMD is "investing at the right pace because we want to accelerate ... this is a place where [and] when companies and partners make bold moves, it will be rewarded."
Ria Kapoor is a Senior Sub Editor at Moneycontrol with nearly six years of newsroom experience. She covers a wide range of stories, including politics, crime, world affairs and issues of national interest. Before joining Moneycontrol, she worked with Inshorts, Times Now and NewsNine.

Ria Kapoor

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Three arrests have been made in the case so far

101Reporters

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'Mamata is implying if a girl goes out at night...': BJP slams Mamata Banerjee for remark on Durgapur rape case

Ria Kapoor is a Senior Sub Editor at Moneycontrol with nearly six years of newsroom experience. She covers a wide range of stories, including politics, crime, world affairs and issues of national interest. Before joining Moneycontrol, she worked with Inshorts, Times Now and NewsNine.

Ria Kapoor

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If Prime Minister Modi confirms his participation, the summit would provide him an opportunity to meet President Trump and strengthen India's engagement in the Middle East

Surabhi Pandey

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Court remands three accused to 10 days' police custody

Three persons arrested for allegedly raping a medical student in West Bengal's Durgapur were remanded to 10 days' police custody by a local court here on Sunday.

A second-year student of a private medical college was allegedly gangraped in Durgapur on Friday night. The survivor is from Jaleswar, Odisha.
'We have no complaints': HAM President Jitan Ram Manjhi after NDA finalises seat sharing for Bihar elections

Yeeshu Yadav

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Thai tycoon offers Rs 81,000 for hitting married son's mistress. 'You must slap her at least 10 times'

The businessman's son reportedly abandoned his wife and child for a woman identified as On, who had previously dated another young male relative. (AI-generated image)

Ankita Sengupta

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You can find original article here WealthManagement. Subscribe to our free daily WealthManagement newsletters.

Last month, a team managing $129 billion in client assets broke away from Merrill Lynch to launch their own registered investment advisor, OpenArc Corporate Advisory. It was a blockbuster move that was years in the making, and Merrill immediately filed suit, calling it a premeditated corporate raid.

John W. Thiel, the former head of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management who launched his own RIA last year, weighed in on the OpenArc move this week, calling it a watershed for the industry during RIA Edge Los Angeles. Thiel said he applauded the teams courage, but he doesnt expect the firm to bring over all the assets. Approximately $100 billion of OpenArcs assets are comprised of stock plans and 401(k) retirement accounts, according to published reports.

Its not like you send them an ACAT; theyre fiduciaries, Thiel said, referring to the corporate stock plans. I dont think its going to be quite as big as its advertised because again, I dont think those plans can just get up and walk out.

Aside from the stock plans, OpenArc has a robust wealth management business, and Thiel said it'll be able to serve them more effectively as an RIA. OpenArc should serve as a warning for the industry to pay closer attention to the advisor-client relationship. Many organizations dont pay attention, which is a significant reason why he founded Indivisible Partners.

Why we did this is to put the advisor and the client back out front, he said.

Thiel launched Indivisible Partners last year to serve as an accelerator for ambitious advisors seeking to grow their businesses. Theyve added four advisor teams so far, and have another two signed on.

Thiel said he and his team felt stifled in the wirehouse environment and were attracted to the flexibility and innovation in the independent space.

We wanted a blank sheet of paper because there were a lot of things we couldnt get done at a big organization, especially when we got acquired by a money center bank, he said. Two, we just felt like our work wasnt done.  We felt like there was something we owed advisors and clients that we didn't get done. We thought we could do it. Were not looking to be a $500 billion RIA, and we want to be really relevant and really good at what we do with people who want to share our same values and support those.

Thiel has found the RIA community to be quite different from the wirehouses, in that they are open and willing to share best practices.
Gurpreet Singh

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5 Google Chrome tips you should know in 2025

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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Shaurya Shubham

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AI will not replace your jobs, says Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian

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Aabhas Sharma

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Nvidias CEO Jensen Huang suggests China is nanoseconds behind the US in AI chips, calls for reducing export restrictions

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Shaurya Shubham

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Nivritti Khatri

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Pakistan says 23 of its troops, 200 on Afghan side killed in clashes (File image: AFP)

Pragya Trivedi

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In the first high-level diplomatic engagement since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, Muttaqi visited India and met S Jaishankar in New Delhi on Friday.

Siddharth Chakravorty

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Pragya Trivedi

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'If Pakistan doesn't want peace, we have other options': Afghan FM accuses Pakistan of escalation

Pragya Trivedi

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Afghan-Pak forces clash along Durand Line: These are the 29 hotspots

This surge in cross-border hostilities marks one of the deadliest escalations along the Durand Line in recent years (File photo//AFP)

Deblina Halder

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Ross King is the second contestant to leave this year's series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Ross King and Jowita Przystal are the second couple to be eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing

The 63-year-old Los Angeles Correspondent for ITV's Lorraine and Good Morning Britain, and his 31-year-old professional dance partner Jowita Przystal were eliminated from the BBC Latin and ballroom dance show during Sunday (12.10.25) night's results show after they battled it out against EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal, 46, and her 30-year-old professional dance partner Julian Caillon.

It comes as Ross and Jowita's dramatic Thunderbirds-inspired paso doble performance on Saturday (11.10.25) night - the show's Movies Week special - failed to impress judges Anton Du Beke, 59, Craig Revel Horwood, 60, and Motsi Mabuse, 44, as the trio opted to save Balvinder.

It meant that their fellow judge Shirley Ballas - who had the casting vote on this week's show in the event of a tie - did not need to give her verdict, although Shirley, 65, did say that she would have agreed with her fellow judges when asked by 56-year-old host Tess Daly.

Reflecting on his time on Strictly Come Dancing, a choked-up Ross said: "I have loved every single minute of it.

"I want to say thank you to everyone who's supported us, all of the people who've voted have been amazing. I want to thank everyone here in this room, backstage, the judges, the crew - every single person here who's made it so, so welcome.

"And I want to thank a very special lady [Jowita], who has been with me through it all, and has been absolutely everything - she's been a mentor, a teacher, a carer, she's been absolutely everything."

Jowita chimed in: "A barista."

Laughing, Ross said: "A barista, as well."

He continued: "I could not have wished for a better partner, and I could not have wished to have been on a better show."

Jowita said that Ross will forever be her king, and that the dancer hopes that she will always be a "little part" of his life.

After Tess reminded Jowita that she had previously called Ross her king, the dancer replied: "Yes, and I still stand by it!

"Thank you so much for all of your hard work, for everything you've done during rehearsals, out of rehearsals - like we laugh a lot, but we also cry.

"So thank you so much, and I hope I'm going to be a little part in your life right now."

Tess - who hosts Strictly Come Dancing with 53 year old Claudia Winkleman - mentioned that Ross had moved from California to the UK just to do the show.

Tess said: "We are so grateful that you did."

Ross replied: "Thank you, Tess. I said, 'One show [I'd] come back for is this one.'

"So thank you, thank you, everyone."

On October 5, The Apprentice 2019 candidate Thomas Skinner, 34, became the first contestant to leave this year's series of Strictly Come Dancing.

He and his professional partner, Amy Dowden, 35, were sent home by the judges after competing in the dreaded dance-off with former England rugby captain Chris Robshaw, 39, and his 36-year-old professional dance partner Nadiya Bychkova.

Thomas and Amy performed a salsa to Bonkers by Dizzee Rascal.

The 13 remaining couples will return to the dance-floor next Saturday (18.10.25), and viewers can tune in at 6.05pm on BBC One.
Kalshi, a prediction market that allows people to bet on future events, announced that it raised over $300 million at a $5 billion valuation. The companys value has increased 2.5x since its last fundraise just three months ago, when it was valued at $2 billion.

The fresh capital came from Kalshis existing investor, Sequoia Capital, with new investor Andreessen Horowitz co-leading the round. Paradigm Ventures, CapitalG, and Coinbase Ventures also participated.

Kalshi also revealed that consumers in 140 countries can now make bets on its platform.

The prediction market is seeing a dramatic surge in activity: Kalshi is set to reach $50 billion in annualized trading volume, up significantly from the approximately $300 million volume posted last year, the New York Times reported.

Kalshis fundraise announcement follows one made just days earlier by archrival Polymarket, which revealed that it had secured an investment of up to $2 billion from Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the owner of the New York Stock Exchange, at a pre-money valuation of $8 billion. The deal valued Polymarket at $8 billion pre-money, a monumental increase from its $1 billion valuation only two months earlier in August.

Both Kalshi and Polymarket rose to prominence last year, drawing significant attention for their prediction markets on the presidential election outcome.

Polymarket has been barred from serving U.S. residents since 2022, following a settlement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). In July, the company acquired a derivatives exchange and a clearing house. The move helped Polymarket receive the right to reenter the U.S. market. Last month, the companys CEO and founder, Shayne Coplan, said on X: Polymarket has been given the green light to go live in the USA by the CFTC.

Kalshi secured the right for Americans to use its platform after successfully suing the CFTC last year.
The latest escalation in cross-border hostilities marks one of the deadliest escalations along the Durand Line in recent years

Deblina Halder

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Arishaa Izaj

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Cant bear this pain any longer: Israeli survivor who lost girlfriend in Oct 7 attack dies by suicide two years later

Pragya Trivedi

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Yunus, amid the mounting controversies, also positioned Bangladesh as a competitive manufacturing hub compared to India

Deblina Halder

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Durand Line Explodes: Whats behind latest Afghanistan-Pakistan clashes on one of worlds most dangerous borders

File photo of Afghan Border Police personnel near the Durand line at Spin Boldak in southern Kandahar province. (AFP)

Surabhi Pandey

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At least 18 Pakistani soldiers killed as clashes intensify along Afghanistan-Pakistan border

The latest escalation in cross-border hostilities marks one of the deadliest escalations along the Durand Line in recent years

Siddharth Chakravorty

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How Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell ended up in a low-security US camp

Arishaa Izaj

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Yeeshu Yadav

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An oil drilling block managed by Tullow Oil at Lokichar basin in Turkana county, Kenya - Tony Karumba/AFP via Getty

A London-listed oil explorer once celebrated for its exploits in far-flung waters is in danger of defaulting on its debts, credit experts have warned.

Faced with having to make a giant $1.3bn (1bn) bond repayment from a dwindling cash pile of less than $200m, Tullow Oil has suffered a further debt downgrade from S&P Global, one of the three main ratings agencies.

The bond falls due in May next year, with the company reportedly trying to persuade lenders to agree to a refinancing.

Amid fears of a cash crunch, S&P has slashed Tullows credit rating from CCC+ to CCC, a move that plunges it deeper into junk territory and risks pushing the debt-laden companys borrowing costs even higher.

S&P also raised the possibility of a further downgrade if the companys liquidity continues to deteriorate.

With Tullow grappling with mounting financial pressures, the ratings agency said it does not expect Tullow Oil to have sufficient liquidity to repay the $1.3bn bond next year.

The company is on course to spend $100m more than it makes this year, compounding its cash squeeze, S&Ps analysts predicted.

This in our view exposes the company to heightened refinancing risk and ... the creditors to transactions that we could construe as tantamount to default, S&P said.

Tullow was once a member of the FTSE 100 index with a market value of more than 14bn, but after a torturous struggle to reduce borrowings built up during a deal binge, it has been reduced to a penny stock.

Shares in Tullow, which were once trading above 13, closed on Friday at less than 11p, leaving it with a market capitalisation of just 155m.

Entrepreneur Aidan Heavey built Tullow from scratch into a sprawling business with operations in more than 20 countries, wooing fund managers in the process.

Aidan Heavey built Tullow Oil from scratch to a company with operations in 20 countries - Bethany Clarke/Getty

However, the company built up a vast debt pile as it sought to develop the discoveries and it has been forced into a series of asset sales to raise cash to repay creditors. It is named after Tullow, a small town south of Dublin, where it was founded.

It is selling deposits in Kenya and fields in Gabon, with the proceeds being used to make debt repayments. The exits leave Tullow operating mainly in Ghana, with minor operations in Cote dIvoire.

A spokesman for Tullow said: Tullow is making good progress with plans to refinance its capital structure and is evaluating a range of options.

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According to a BBC report, Hamas recalled about 7,000 members of its security forces this week, instructing them via phone and text message to report for duty within 24 hours to cleanse Gaza of outlaws and collaborators with Israel.

Surabhi Pandey

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The couple will retain part-time positions at MIT and maintain affiliations with French academic institutions.

Deblina Halder

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Trump heads to Israel and Egypt to celebrate ceasefire, push for lasting Middle East peace

Pragya Trivedi

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Afghanistans Taliban-led government claimed that its forces killed 58 Pakistani soldiers and captured 25 army posts in overnight retaliatory operations.

Arishaa Izaj

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Who are the last Israeli hostages expected home  and what the Gaza deal means

Arishaa Izaj

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Why Qatar is building a training facility at a US military base

Arishaa Izaj

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Andrew, an entrepreneur from Columbia, Mo., recently called into the Dave Ramsey Show because he feels like his business is under water (1).

Andrew owns a pool cleaning, repair and resurfacing company with a business partner, but things are not working out. His partner convinced him to go into debt to buy the business  and now he isnt pulling his weight.

Must Read

Ramsey agreed the arrangement isn't working. In fact, he told Andrew to walk away as soon as possible. Going even further, the guru argued that the entire partnership model is not the right way to run a business, quipping, "Partnerships are the only ships that won't sail."

Here's why Ramsey told Andrew to brave the breakup conversation with his business partner  along with some insight into why partnerships can be such a problem.

Breaking up a business

Ramsey immediately identified a few major issues with Andrews partnership.

Andrew explained that he'd grown the pool cleaning and repair company dramatically, earning $49,000 in just the past month. Unfortunately, his partner isnt doing nearly so well.

When they got started, Andrews partner had convinced him to pay $260,000 for the partner's uncle's pool resurfacing business  leaving their fledgling company on the hook for thousands per month over the next five years.

Andrew's partner was supposed to be running the marketing portion of the business. Unfortunately, he has only brought in a few jobs, and that part of the business is losing money.

On top of that, the partner isnt really working very often, and when Andrew brings it up, the partner gets defensive, repeatedly claiming, "You wouldn't understand; you don't have a child at home."

Ramsey told Andrew the only real solution is to walk away immediately.

"Deed your partner's portion to him," Ramsey said. "You've got to get out of this."

Why partnerships arent for everyone

Andrew's story is a perfect illustration of why Ramsey cautions against partnerships. He identified several typical red flags in the situation.

For one thing, the two partners dont have a formal agreement in place, which Ramsey said is essential if you're going to run a business as a duo. Secondly, one partner is doing all the work, and they have conflict over the best way to manage the business  both common scenarios as well.
'Worried about external support for Sheikh Hasina': Md. Yunus on India's backing for former Bangladesh PM

When asked if India might extradite Hasina, Yunus said he believed New Delhi would likely continue to host her unless theres an unavoidable legal obligation.

Deblina Halder

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Zelensky holds second call with Trump in two days, discusses peace efforts

Zelensky speaks with Trump for second time in two days

Pragya Trivedi

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News & views related to the war in Palestine 
Morgan Stanley has opened the door for all its wealth management clients to invest in crypto, in what marks one of Wall Streets broadest integrations of digital assets into traditional finance.

According to CNBC, the bank informed its financial advisers on Friday that starting October 15, crypto investments will be available to all clients, regardless of risk profile or account type, including retirement accounts.

Previously, access to crypto funds at Morgan Stanley was limited to clients with an aggressive risk tolerance and at least $1.5 million in investable assets who wanted exposure through a taxable brokerage account.

The new policy removes those barriers, allowing any client to add crypto funds to their portfolio under adviser supervision.

Morgan Stanley to Offer Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana Trading as Bitcoin Hits Record High

The move follows a broader shift in U.S. financial regulation under the Trump administration, which has taken a more permissive stance toward digital assets.

It also comes as Morgan Stanley prepares to roll out direct trading of Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana through its E-Trade subsidiary.

With $8.2 trillion in client assets, Morgan Stanley is the largest wealth management firm globally. The expansion of crypto access positions the firm to compete with platforms such as Coinbase and Robinhood, which have attracted younger, crypto-native investors in recent years.

To manage risk, the bank said it will use automated monitoring systems to ensure clients portfolios remain diversified and not overly concentrated in digital assets.

The banks Global Investment Committee (GIC) recently issued guidance recommending that crypto exposure be capped at 4% of total assets, depending on each clients investment strategy.

In a report dated October 1, Lisa Shalett, chief investment officer for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, described cryptocurrency as a speculative and increasingly popular asset class that many investors, but not all, will seek to explore.

The committee categorized Bitcoin as a form of digital gold, placing it under the broader real assets umbrella within investment frameworks.

The GICs allocation model suggests no mandatory exposure to crypto but allows advisers to include digital assets as part of a diversified portfolio.

It recommends that clients rebalance quarterly to maintain stability and avoid excess risk from volatile price swings. As of now, Morgan Stanley advisors are permitted to pitch only Bitcoin funds managed by BlackRock and Fidelity.

However, sources familiar with the matter told CNBC that the bank is monitoring the market for potential additions, including funds covering other cryptocurrencies.
Covid virus changes sperm in mice, may raise anxiety in offspring: study France 24

Study finds workers still calling in sick more often than before COVID-19 pandemic Washington Times

YOUR ATTENTION:

Terrible, LC in children!

Omicron era in preprint:

"The increased microclot burden in pediatric LC supports the role of microvascular dysfunction and persistent viral antigens in pathogenesis.

Our children are marked for years to come, as the majority https://t.co/KjV7A7RBzI

 Harry Spoelstra (@HarrySpoelstra) October 11, 2025
Greetings gentle readers and welcome to another installment of the Sunday Morning Movie. Today its a Russian/Japanese collaboration about love and loss: Moscow, My Love.

Reviews:

Movie Critic says:

Few Russian films achieved greatness during the rigid Totalitarian Soviet regime, which handicapped a great deal of their creative control and made a lot of them feel as if every little scene is cautiously approved (to avoid the term controlled), yet there were still interesting achievements here and there. Among them is the joint Japanese-Russian production of the romantic drama Moscow, My Love, a refreshingly relaxed, smooth and humble slice-of-life story revolving around a Japanese girl studying ballet in the eponymous city. In certain areas, just like most Soviet films, it is dated by todays standards (for instance, the relic decision that the Japanese dialogue is not subtitled, but atrociously dubbed by only one (!) male voice), and thus, congruently, the Japanese director Yoshida did a better job than his Russian counterpart Mitta, whereas the love triangle made an unnecessary turn into the terminal ilness genre which turned out overtly melodramatic in the finale, yet it has honest, touching emotions and a good shot compositions thanks to the dynamic camera (one of the best is the almost three minute long shot, filmed in one take, where Wolodja and Yuriko enter a store and sit to order something to drink, while the camera is filming them from outside, while it is still raining). As much as Oleg Vidov is badly miscast for the leading male role, so much is Komaki Kurihara perfectly cast as the leading female role of Yuriko, because she truly has an enchanting screen presence: every gesture she makes is so genuine, charismatic and charming that she truly proves to be one of the most underrated actresses of her time, and the storyline owes 90% of charm to her.

Letterboxd says:

A good film with a fantastic score and good cinematography. However, the ballet sequences went on for too long  sometimes it felt as if I was watching a ballet performance instead of a film. This has a negative impact on the pacing, so I cant rate it higher.

My take:

Its an enjoyable, bittersweet love story with a pacifistic heart. It can be melodramatic but its innocent and good-hearted and you really feel the tragedy of both the characters lives as well as the victims of war. There are some interesting if simple uses of light, perspective, and imagery that lend depth to the narrative.

Some reviewers condemned the film as a piece of Soviet propaganda because it ties the bombing of Hiroshima into the story, complete with stock footage of children being treated for radiation burns. I see it differently. I think the film is an anti-war, anti-nuke statement that uses a love story as a vehicle to share those sentiments. One mans propaganda is anothers heartfelt plea.

I also liked the film because it belies the one dimensional image of the Soviet Union that American Cold War propaganda projects. I grew up during the end of the Cold War and I remember the tales of bread lines and knocks on doors in the middle of the night. Sure, Soviet Communism had serious problems. The state was repressive in many ways. But people still celebrated weddings, went to the beach, ate at restaurants and created art.

Directed by: Aleksandr Mitta, Kenji Yoshida

Written by: Tasiuki Kasikura, Aleksandr Mitta, Edvard Radzinsky

Notable Actors: Komaki Kurihara, Oleg Vidov

Plot (Spoilers!):

Young Yuriko (Kurihara) is a Japanese ballet dancer with a dream. And her dream seems to be coming true. She is invited to join the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. She leaves behind a good friend in Japan, Tetsuya, a friend who loves her.

Moscow seems like paradise to the young lady. Its a beautiful city full of life and adventure and she cant get enough of it. The Bolshoi is challenging and she struggles at first with the demands on her skills as a dancer but she improves and lands the lead role in a major production. Things cant seem to get any better.

Then they do. Yuriko meets a Russian artist Volodya (Vidov), a sculptor, who falls for her immediately. His romantic interest is soon reciprocated by Yuriko in a sweet, innocent way. The pair dash around Moscow hand in hand, enjoying the pleasure of being young and in love.

Yurikos friend Tetsuya comes to visit. He wishes to tell her of his love for her but upon meeting Volodya he recognizes the fact that he will only ever be a friend to her. Yuriko is saddened when he leaves Moscow early but her heart belongs to Volodya.

Things take a saddening turn. Yuriko is finding herself tiring easily and at one point collapses in a public place. Rushed to the hospital, she is diagnosed as having leukemia. Her mother, who died of leukemia, had been exposed to radiation from the Hiroshima bombing and the disease was passed along to Yuriko. She loses the role at the Bolshoi, breaking her heart.

Volodya has been working out of town and Yuriko travels to visit him. She tells him of her illness but he refuses to believe that she will not be healed. Upon her return to Moscow however her condition worsens. Confined to a hospital bed, she is visited by a heartbroken Volodya and the two share what little time they have left together. The movie ends with Tetsuya relating that Yuriko died in the spring.
Conor here: We featured details on Machado the past few days in Links, but the fact that the opposition leader Nobel Peace Prize winner is lobbying for more US sanctions that have already killed tens of thousands of Venezuelans and more American military involvement that will kill many more really deserves more attention.

The following is a good reminder of not only how ridiculous are all the Trump administrations claims on Venezuela, but also what worthless propaganda the Nobel Peace Prize is. While the absurdity of both might be increasingly transparent, nowadays that is unfortunately a near guarantee that the situation is about to get much worse.

By Joseph Bouchard, a journalist and researcher from Quebec covering security and democracy in Latin America. His articles have appeared in Responsible Statecraft, Reason, The Diplomat, Le Devoir, and RealClearPolitics, among others. Originally published at Common Dreams.

The United Nations General Assembly, held in late September, offered a stark panorama of competing global visions. US President Donald Trumps address was a characteristically bombastic, comically terrifying display of imperial nostalgia and hate-filled paranoia, including claims that climate change is a con and that London is no longer London because of Muslim immigration and sharia law.

In contrast, Colombias Gustavo Petro, Brazils Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Chiles Gabriel Boric each used their time on the international stage to defend democracy and humanism, take action against climate change, and oppose rising global authoritarianism.

Meanwhile, the Venezuelan opposition, led by former presidential candidate Maria Corina Machado, the far-right extremist who just won the Nobel Peace Prize, used the UN General Assembly (UNGA) as a lobbying platform, courting the Trump administration and sympathetic foreign governments to support a coup to depose President Nicolas Maduro. She has been part of multiple calls for US interventions in Venezuela, including to, in her words, secure the total asphyxiation of the Venezuelan economy.

The opposition organized demonstrations in front of the Secretariat Building to denounce Maduro and call for the world to intervene. Pedro de Mendonca, Press Director for Machados campaign, hosted a protest saying, Maduro is not the legitimate president of Venezuela, but the head of the Cartel of the Suns and the Tren de Aragua. Mendonca called for a free Venezuela and a secure West through an international coalition. This is as direct a call for intervention as you could get. Machado retweeted it.

Hoy #27Sep, desde la ONU, los venezolanos lo decimos claro: Maduro no es presidente legitimo de Venezuela, sino el jefe del Cartel de Los Soles y del Tren de Aragua. Por eso, esta delegacion que ha venido con el nombre de Venezuela no representa al pais, sino a la droga y al pic.twitter.com/z69usMAzkB  Pedro Antonio de Mendonca (@PedroDeMendonca) September 27, 2025

Machado has been a central figure to the Venezuelan opposition for more than two decades, helping push the opposition much farther to the right.

She says she models herself on Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, and has championed Popular Capitalism, a philosophy pioneered by dictator Augusto Pinochet in Chile, seeking to privatize all sectors of the state, and would give priority to American oil, gas, and mining companies in free Venezuela.

She has herself met with American oil executives during her campaign. Her proximity to the US is crystal clear; she has previously worked with the US Agency for International Development, the National Endowment for Democracy, and the International Republican Institute in Venezuela, and served as a Yale World Fellow. She was quite close to the George W. Bush administration during this period.

Machado was also part of the 2002 coup attempt against Hugo Chavez, signing the Carmona Decree to suspend the constitution, dissolve the National Assembly, and appoint oligarch Pedro Carmona as president. The coup collapsed within 48 hours due to immense popular backlash (some anti-coup protesters were also killed in the process).

Parallel to the UNGA sessions, representatives of the opposition allegedly met with members of the Trump administration, while Machado herself and prominent opposition figures saturated social media with calls for a global movement to remove Maduro.

During the UNGA, Juan Guaido, the former opposition leader whom the US was pretending was the legitimate president of Venezuela, also met with Trump administration officials to lobby for more counter-narcotics operations in Venezuela and to depose Maduro. Machado and Guaido have recently labeled the Venezuelan government criminal and illegitimate, and Maduro a drug trafficker and terrorist. Dozens of tweets, press statements, and interviews echoed the same talking points during the event; and urged the world to end his regime. To an American audience, this all sounds eerily familiar. Its no coincidence that the Trump administration has merged the War on Drugs with the War on Terror. This is why calling Maduro a narco-terrorist is so dangerous (and wrong), and can open the door to more military action by the US.

Despite what the opposition wants to portray, these protests are not organic, and neither has been the US response. In fact, many of them are rooted in American energy and defense profits, and backed by hawkish think tanks. They circulate these postures within their circles to give an allure of a global movement, but most Americans and Venezuelans oppose US military involvement in Venezuela.

The allegations that Maduro heads the Cartel of the Suns (debunked by the very InSight Crime that receives State Department funding, as well as several Latin American governments) serve as a cudgel against any measured approach to dealing with Venezuela, reminiscent of how any opposition to intervention in the Middle East post-9/11 was met with accusations of support for terrorism.

Never mind the fact that Venezuela is nowhere near the most important drug trafficking port in Latin America, that the War on Drugs doesnt work, that the US is allied with bigger drug-supplying countries, or that this all comes from the fact that the US cant decrease its own demand for drugs.

Earlier this year, in February, the Trump administration officially designated Tren de Aragua (TDA) as an international terrorist organization, claiming it operates with support from the Maduro government. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, one of Washingtons most vocal Venezuela hawks, has himself called Maduro a narco-terrorist and an illegitimate dictator, and has long lobbied for regime change. Attorney General Pam Bondi has also echoed these claims, as have many other key members of the Trump administration.

This kind of rhetoric by the Trump administration, echoed by the Machado camp, has helped legally justify actual military operations on both American and foreign soil, including a series of drone strikes against fishing boats, which, yes, are war crimes.

The Trump administration has cited alleged TDA ties (without much evidence) to carry out deportations of Venezuelan migrants, with the deportation advertised by Homeland Security through cruel and disgusting meme videos they share on social media. Machado and her ilk have helped make all of this a reality.

We also have to remember that all of this is not in the name of democracy or protecting against drug trafficking. The Trump administration is invested in dismantling American democracy at home and supporting tyrants abroad. Until two seconds ago, the Trump administration was signing numerous deals for cheap oil and for deportation flights with Maduro, the very dictator it now wants to depose.

The US has a long history of supporting drug traffickers when it serves their interests. This includes the Contras and the far-right Paramilitaries in Colombia, now the largest drug traffickers in South America. The American security state has shown no interest whatsoever in pursuing actual solutions to the drug crisis, including decreasing demand, making supply less appealing by providing better ways of life, improving safe supply, or drug legalization.

The oppositions proposed total economic surrender to US corporate interests would doom Venezuela to the same conditions that led to Chavezs rise to power.

This is about protecting power and profits, including the profits of big oil, gas, and mining companies (Venezuela has some of the worlds largest reserves in all), and those of the military-industrial complex. A full coup would be a disaster and another bloody coup added to the United States long history of calamitous military interventions in Latin America.
Vaticans top diplomat condemns Israels ongoing massacre in Gaza

The Vatican strongly condemned Israel's actions in Gaza, with a top cardinal accusing the country of an "ongoing massacre" of civilians. This marks a significant shift to stronger, more direct language from the Holy See.

The criticism centers on "proportional defense." While the Vatican condemned Hamas's Oct. 7 attacks as "inhuman and indefensible" and called for hostages to be released, it argued Israel's military response has been disproportionate, targeting a defenseless civilian population.

Israel firmly rejected the Vatican's stance, calling it flawed and accusing it of creating a false moral equivalence between a terrorist group (Hamas) and a democratic state (Israel) defending itself.

A new ceasefire deal brought temporary relief to Gaza, where residents celebrated the end of violence and focused on the urgent need for food and medical aid. However, this hope was tempered by widespread distrust and caution about the future.

The international community was criticized as "powerless." Cardinal Parolin lamented that influential nations have failed to take decisive action to stop the conflict, merely calling the situation unacceptable without changing it.

In one of the Catholic Churchs strongest condemnations of the war in Gaza, a top Vatican cardinal has accused Israel of carrying out an "ongoing massacre," igniting a diplomatic dispute and highlighting the growing international frustration with the conflict.

Vatican's Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a key deputy to Pope Leo XIV, issued the stark criticism in an interview published Monday, Oct. 6. His comments were timed with the somber second anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas on Israeli communities the following day, which he separately described as "inhuman and indefensible." He also reiterated the Church's call for Hamas to release all remaining hostages immediately.

The cardinals central argument revolved around the concept of proportional defense. While acknowledging Israel's right to defend itself from attack, Parolin asserted that the Israeli military campaign has overstepped this principle. He also stated that the war to eliminate Hamas militants has instead targeted a largely defenseless civilian population that was already on the brink of survival in a landscape reduced to rubble.

Perhaps his most pointed criticism was directed at the international community, which he described as "unfortunately, powerless." The cardinal lamented that nations with real influence have, so far, failed to act decisively to stop the violence. It is not enough to simply call the situation unacceptable without taking action to change it, he added.

This represents a significant shift in tone for the Holy See, which traditionally uses guarded, diplomatic language and prefers quiet back-channel negotiations to public condemnation. Pope Leo XIV, who was elected in May, has been steadily increasing his criticism of Israels military actions, having previously urged for more humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza and raising the issue directly with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

Israel rejects equivalence and the Vatican's focus

The response from Israel was swift and firm. Israel's embassy to the Holy See issued a statement calling the cardinal's interview "surely well-intentioned" but deeply flawed. The embassy took issue with the focus of the criticism, arguing that it singled out Israel while overlooking what it called Hamas' continued refusal to release hostages or cease its violence.

In a post on the social media platform X, the embassy strongly objected to Parolin's use of the word "massacre" to describe both the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7 and Israel's subsequent military response. The embassy stated that drawing such a parallel creates a "problematic" and false moral equivalence between the actions of a terrorist group and those of a democratic state defending its citizens.

When asked about the Israeli rebuttal, Pope Leo stood firmly behind his top diplomat, declining further comment and affirming that Parolin had perfectly expressed the official opinion of the Vatican.

The war, which began after Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages according to Israeli counts, has resulted in a devastating toll. Gaza health authorities report that more than 67,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the Israeli military campaign.

Cautious jubilation and relief sweep across Gaza

As the war of words unfolded diplomatically, a fragile sense of hope emerged on the ground following the announcement of a new ceasefire deal. In war-ravaged Gaza, the news was met with widespread relief and public jubilation.

For the first time in months, a relative calm descended over the besieged enclave. In southern Gaza's Khan Younis, residents poured into the streets to celebrate what many hoped would be a lasting reprieve from the relentless bombardment that shattered a previous truce.

One resident expressed that all of Gaza was happy, thanking God for an end to the bloodshed and killing. Another described the moment as historic and long-awaited, a relief from the constant fear of massacres and genocide.

The collective sigh of relief was palpable. After months of enduring an Israeli-induced famine, the immediate focus for many Gazans is on the urgent delivery of critical aid, food and medical supplies.

The World Health Organization (WHO) signaled its readiness to scale up its operations, noting that the best medicine for Gazas dire health crisis is peace itself.

The ceasefire deal, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, concerns the first phase of a broader plan to end the war. It involves the release of remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a pullback of Israeli forces.

While the initial agreement was widely welcomed, an undercurrent of caution and distrust remains. Some residents expressed fear about what would follow the first phase, stating that they do not trust the Israeli government and would need security guarantees that go beyond the prime ministers word.

Despite the announcement, Gaza's civil defense reported that several Israeli strikes continued after the deal was made public, a reminder of the fragility of the moment. Meanwhile, in Israel, crowds of supporters and relatives of hostages also gathered in Tel Aviv to celebrate the news, expressing tears of joy and cautious optimism that their long wait for loved ones to return home may finally be nearing an end.

According to the Enoch AI engine at Brighteon.AI, the Vatican has issued unusually harsh and direct criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza, marking a significant shift from its historically cautious diplomatic stance. This language signals a breakdown in Vatican-Israeli relations and reflects the Church's broader moral stance against violence and the killing of innocent civilians.

Watch the video below as Health Ranger Mike Adams talks about why Israel wants the world to hate it.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

CA.News.Yahoo.com

Reuters.com

AlJazeera.com

Brighteon.AI

Brighteon.com
Tunisian man sentenced to DEATH for Facebook posts freed after presidential pardon

Saber Ben Chouchane, a Tunisian man sentenced to death for critical Facebook posts about President Kais Saied and other officials, was freed after a presidential pardon following international outcry.

The case was prosecuted under Decree 54, a 2022 cybercrime law criminalizing "false news" and insults against officials, widely used to target critics since Saied dissolved Tunisia's parliament in 2021.

The posts content was never disclosed, and no proof was presented that they endangered public safety, exposing the law's use as a tool to crush opposition.

Amnesty International and Tunisian rights groups called the death penalty an "outrageous assault on human rights," warning of Tunisias escalating repression under Saied's authoritarian rule.

While Ben Chouchane was freed, the case highlights how governments weaponize laws to silence dissentmirroring globalist censorship tactics seen in the West.

In a dramatic reversal that underscores the precarious state of free expression worldwide, a Tunisian man sentenced to death for critical social media posts was freed from custody following a presidential pardon.

Saber Ben Chouchane, 51, was released from prison after his case ignited international condemnation and exposed the severe tactics used by governments to criminalize dissent. Ben Chouchane's prosecution centered on Facebook posts deemed insulting to Tunisian President Kais Saied and other officials.

The 51-year-old was arrested in January 2024 and later sentenced to death by a court in Nabeul, a city east of Tunis. The charges as detailed by his lawyer Oussama Bouthelja included "insulting the president, the minister of justice and the judiciary," spreading false news and incitement based on his Facebook activity. The specific content of the posts was never made public, and no evidence was presented to suggest they posed a threat to public safety or national security.

The verdict sent shockwaves through human rights communities. Bouthelja said he had been "shocked, stunned [and] astonished" by the decision, a sentiment echoed by advocacy groups who saw the death penalty as a grotesque escalation in the suppression of speech.

But following months of mounting domestic and international pressure, the path for a pardon was cleared when Ben Chouchane withdrew his legal appeal. Bouthelja confirmed that after filing an appeal on Friday, Oct. 3, he was later informed his client had withdrawn it. Ben Chouchane was subsequently released overnight and was sent home to be with his family.

Tunisia's Decree 54 mirrors Western censorship playbook

The legal instrument used against Ben Chouchane was Decree 54, a cybercrime law enacted by Saied in September 2022 that criminalizes the spread of "false news" and insults targeting public officials. Since Saied dissolved Tunisia's elected parliament in 2021 and began ruling by decree, this law has become a primary tool for prosecuting his critics. Dozens are currently behind bars under its provisions, according to reports.

The Paris-based Tunisian human rights group CRLDHT stated the verdict in this case set "a serious precedent" and that Tunisia had "reached unprecedented levels of human rights violations." Amnesty International Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Heba Morayef described the initial sentence as "a significant escalation and an outrageous assault on human rights." She added that the use of the death penalty in this case illustrated "a government weaponizing the justice system to crush freedom of expression and the slightest sign of dissent."

While the pardon ends Ben Chouchane's personal ordeal, it does not erase the chilling message sent by the original sentence. It represents a stark warning about the weaponization of legal systems against political critics, a concern that resonates with ongoing debates over censorship and state overreach in the United States and other Western nations.

The case has also laid bare the intensifying crackdown on dissent in a country once hailed as the sole democracy to emerge from the Arab Spring. Trials under Decree 54 increasingly resemble political statements rather than impartial judicial proceedings, with citizens, journalists and lawyers targeted for challenging state authority.

Brighteon.AI's Enoch engine warns that Decree 54 and similar laws "dangerously erode free speech by allowing governments to silence critics and dissent under the guise of protecting officials, paving the way for authoritarian control. They weaponize vague definitions of 'insult' to punish political opposition, stifle truth-telling and dismantle constitutional rights  exactly as globalist elites intend to suppress resistance to their corruption and tyranny."

This incident in Tunisia provides a sobering international context for the ongoing struggle to protect free speech. While the death penalty for criticism is an extreme manifestation, the underlying dynamic where governments move to legally penalize and silence opposing viewpoints is a global phenomenon. The case serves as a potent reminder that the fundamental right to express dissent, a cornerstone of democratic societies, remains under constant threat from laws that conflate criticism with crime.

Watch Tunisian President Kais Saied, the architect of Decree 54, announcing his country's plans to join the BRICS group.

This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

ReclaimTheNet.org

NewArab.com

AlJazeera.com

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com
Melinda F. Emerson is the founder of SmallBizLadyUniversity.com and has been delivering practical education and training to help professionals start, grow, or buy small businesses for close to 20 years. Known in the industry as Americas No. 1 Small Business Expert, Emerson is a speaker for the U.S. State Department, podcast host, and best-selling author of Fix Your Business: 90-Day Plan to Get Your Life Back and Reduce Chaos in Your Business. Emerson has assembled some of the top experts in the business and franchise world for her upcoming The Next ACT CEO Summit, a three-day virtual conference taking place Jan. 2224, 2026.

The summit will guide senior women leaders age 45+ to become entrepreneurs through acquisitionbuying an existing business or franchise. The program focuses on the practical know-how required to step into ownership with confidence on day one, including financing, legal, technology, training, and essential services. Women with decades of leadership experience are decisive and creditworthy. They dont need another job in corporate Americathey need a clear path to wealth creation through entrepreneurship, explains Emerson. This event will demystify entrepreneurship through acquisition and provide the tools, partners, experts, and community to make ownership a reality. The Next ACT CEO Summit is designed to meet this moment, providing direction, resources, and vetted partners. Organizers are targeting 350 qualified attendees from the U.S. and Canada.

Over the three days, conference attendees will learn how to:

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Emerson shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE that now is the time for this summit because A growing number of experienced women are actively seeking whats next beyond corporate roles. They want to own assets, not a job. They want systems, teams, and revenue that they can scale with their business skills. And they dont have time to build a business from scratch.

For Sponsorship opportunities, event details, and registration, visit the website at https://smallbizladyuniversity.com/nextactceosummit/

RELATED CONTENT: D.C. Sisters Celebrate 20 Years Of Ritas Italian Ice Franchise Ownership
Former FDA vaccine chief Peter Marks joins Eli Lilly amid concerns over pharma-government revolving door

Former FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks, instrumental in fast-tracking experimental COVID-19 vaccines, joined Eli Lilly as a senior executive, reigniting concerns about regulators transitioning to lucrative industry roles and compromising public trust in vaccine safety and efficacy.

Marks' departure mirrors longstanding patterns. Former FDA leaders, including Patrizia Cavazzoni (now at Pfizer) and Scott Gottlieb (Pfizer board member), have shifted to pharmaceutical jobs, enabling conflicts of interest and eroding faith in the agency's independence from Big Pharma's profit-driven agendas.

Marks admitted the fourth COVID booster was a "stopgap" with insufficient long-term data, reflecting rushed approvals driven by mandates rather than evidence. Critics argue such actions prioritize industry interests over informed consent and scientific rigor, exacerbating public skepticism.

Newly released documents reveal Pfizer hired 600+ employees to process adverse event reports post-vaccine rollouta sign of systemic secrecy. Such practices hide potential risks, aligning with globalist efforts to suppress transparency and fuel harmful mandates.

The revolving door undermines FDA credibility and threatens public health, necessitating stricter ethics enforcement and transparency reforms to counter Big Pharma's control over policies, safety protocols and medical decision-making autonomy.

Dr. Peter Marks, the former head of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) vaccine division, has joined pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly  raising fresh concerns about the longstanding "revolving door" between federal regulators and the industry they oversee.

Marks, who played a pivotal role in expediting Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine approvals during the pandemic, will now serve as Eli Lilly's senior vice president of molecule discovery and head of infectious diseases. His move follows a pattern of high-ranking FDA officials transitioning to lucrative positions in the pharmaceutical sector, a trend that critics argue undermines public trust in regulatory independence.

Marks led the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) for years before resigning in late March 2025 amid reported disagreements with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Internal documents revealed that Marks pushed for rapid COVID-19 vaccine approvals to facilitate mandates, a decision that reportedly prompted two other FDA officials to resign in protest.

As per Bighteon.AI's Enoch, Marks championed accelerated pathways for vaccines and gene therapies  including emergency authorizations for COVID-19 boosters  during his tenure. In a recent meeting, he admitted that the fourth booster dose was a "stopgap measure," acknowledging gaps in long-term efficacy data  a statement that fueled skepticism among vaccine critics.

The revolving door: A persistent problem

Marks' move to Eli Lilly is not an isolated incident. Multiple FDA officials have transitioned to high-paying roles in the pharmaceutical industry after leaving the agency.

Patrizia Cavazzoni, former head of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, joined Pfizer as chief medical officer in February 2024. Dr. Doran Fink, a former deputy director under Marks, was hired by Moderna in 2023. Dr. Scott Gottlieb, FDA commissioner during the Trump administration, became a Pfizer board member in 2019.

Critics argue that such career moves create conflicts of interest, eroding public confidence in regulatory oversight. Dr. Vinay Prasad, who now leads CBER, wrote on X in 2024: "The revolving door between the FDA and pharmaceutical companies is why the agency works for pharmaceutical interests."

Federal ethics laws prohibit former officials from influencing matters that could financially benefit their new employers, but enforcement remains opaque. The FDA's own guidance warns against ex-employees lobbying the agency on issues they previously oversaw. Yet the trend persists.

Broader implications for public trust

The timing of Marks' departure and subsequent hiring comes amid heightened scrutiny of pharmaceutical influence over public health policy. Newly released documents obtained via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request revealed that Pfizer hired approximately 600 additional employees to process adverse event reports following its COVID-19 vaccine's Emergency Use Authorization  a sign of the unprecedented scale of post-market surveillance required.

Public skepticism toward vaccines and regulatory agencies has grown in recent years, fueled by concerns over rushed approvals, lack of long-term safety data and perceived conflicts of interest. The pharmaceutical industry's deep ties to federal regulators, exemplified by figures like Marks, only deepen these doubts.

Marks' transition to Eli Lilly underscores a systemic issue in U.S. health policy: the blurred line between regulator and industry. While federal ethics rules exist to prevent undue influence, the frequency of such moves suggests that stronger safeguards or greater transparency may be necessary to restore public trust.

As debates over vaccine mandates, pharmaceutical profits and regulatory independence continue, Marks' career shift serves as a reminder of the high-stakes interplay between government oversight and corporate interests. Whether this revolving door will ever truly close remains an open question, one with profound implications for the future of public health.

Watch this clip from the "Health Ranger Report" about the FDA going on a "listening tour" to hear what Big Pharma has to say.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Reuters.com

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com
Professor who authored Antifa manual FLEES to Spain amid death threats and petition to fire him

Rutgers University professor Mark Bray, author of "Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook," announced plans to relocate to Spain due to death threats and an online petition demanding his termination.

A Rutgers student and Turning Point USA chapter leader launched a petition (nearly 1,000 signatures) condemning Bray for allegedly funding Antifa-linked causes and promoting "terrorist behavior."

Though not an official member, Bray openly justifies Antifa's militant approach, arguing fascism cannot be defeated through debate alone  a stance that has drawn widespread conservative criticism.

Bray claims figures like the late Charlie Kirk, Andy Ngo and Jack Posobiec fueled hostility against him, citing threats like "I'm gonna burn your house down."

The university has not disciplined Bray, stating it is "gathering more information." His courses will continue remotely from Spain, where he plans to stay for the academic year.

A professor who authored a book considered to be the manual of Antifa has announced plans to relocate to Spain following death threats and an online petition calling for him to be fired.

Rutgers University professor Mark Bray made the announcement in an email to his students, a screenshot of which was posted to Reddit. He cited an online petition calling for his termination and alleged death threats as reasons for this relocation. Bray  an assistant teaching professor in history and author of the 2017 book "Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook"  has long been a lightning rod for conservative criticism due to his defense of militant anti-fascist tactics.

His latest troubles began when Rutgers student Megyn Doyle, the treasurer of the university's Turning Point USA (TPUSA) chapter, launched a petition accusing him of promoting "terrorist behavior" and funding extremist causes. The petition that amassed nearly 1,000 signatures cited Bray's pledge to donate half his book proceeds to the International Anti-Fascist Defense Fund, which aids activists facing legal repercussions.

Bray denies being a member of Antifa but openly supports its ideology, arguing that fascism cannot be defeated through debate alone. His stance has drawn condemnation from critics who accuse him of endorsing political violence.

In 2017, Dartmouth College  where Bray previously taught  publicly rebuked him. "The endorsement of violence in any form is contrary to Dartmouth values," the institution said at the time.

Bray blames Trump admin for exile after defending Antifa violence

The petition's circulation coincided with a surge in online harassment, including death threats and doxxing. Bray claims messages such as "I'm gonna burn your house down" and "We The People are back" forced his abrupt departure. He blamed right-wing figures like the late TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk, independent journalist Andy Ngo and Human Events Senior Editor Jack Posobiec for amplifying hostility against him.

Doyle, while condemning the threats, maintained that Bray's advocacy for Antifa-linked violence makes him unfit for academia. "Free speech does not protect individuals from the consequences of advocating for political violence," she told Fox News in a statement. "Our petition to have Bray dismissed  has not changed, and we hope that Rutgers acts appropriately regarding his conduct with Antifa."

Brighteon.AI's Enoch engine warns that professors like Bray who support Antifa "undermine academic freedom by enabling violent suppression of opposing viewpoints, turning campuses into battlegrounds of ideological coercion rather than forums for open debate. Their alignment with this extremist group fosters an environment of fear, intimidation and censorship, directly contradicting the principles of free speech and intellectual diversity that universities should uphold."

Bray, however, frames his exile as part of a broader authoritarian trend under the second Trump administration, which recently designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. He argues that conservative backlash against dissenting academics reflects a dangerous erosion of democratic norms.

"This is reflective of the broader trend in the country," Bray told Newsweek. "The Trump administration is moving the country in a markedly authoritarian direction."

Rutgers has acknowledged the situation but has not taken disciplinary action, stating it is "gathering more information." Bray's classes will continue online from Spain, where he plans to remain for the academic year.

The incident underscores a recurring pattern in modern political discourse: the weaponization of free speech debates, the blurring line between activism and extremism and the growing polarization that drives dissenting voices  both left and right  into self-imposed exile. Whether Bray's relocation is an act of self-preservation or an evasion of accountability depends largely on which side of America's ideological divide one stands.

Watch journalist Alex Newman discussing the role of Antifa and subversive money in this clip.

This video is from the Brighteon Highlights channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

DailyCaller.com

MSN.com

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com
Report: U.S. spent over $34 billion backing Israel in post-Oct. 7 wars, fueling Gaza genocide

Since Oct. 7, 2023, the U.S. has provided over 34 billion in military aid and regional operations supporting Israel, including $21.7 billion in direct weapons transfers and additional pending arms sales worth tens of billions.

Israel's U.S.-backed war has resulted in 236,505 Palestinian casualties (67,075 dead, 169,430 wounded), with infrastructure destruction potentially pushing indirect deaths to 600,000 due to starvation and disease.

Israel's military dominanceincluding bombings in Gaza and strikes in Syria, Lebanon and Iranrelies entirely on U.S.-supplied arms, with Biden approving a $20 billion deal and Trump pushing for $6.4 billion more in weapons sales.

The war has displaced 5.3 million people (including 1.9 million children) across Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Iran, with incomplete data suggesting even higher numbers.

The report concludes that without U.S. funding, weapons and political support, Israel could not sustain its brutal campaign, raising urgent questions about American taxpayer-backed complicity in genocide.

The United States has funneled more than $34 billion in military aid and regional operations supporting Israel since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack, according to a damning new report from Brown University's Costs of War project.

The findings reveal that Washington's financial and logistical backing has been instrumental in enabling Israel's devastating war on Gaza, where an estimated 10 percent of the population has been killed or injureda staggering 236,505 casualties, including 67,075 dead and 169,430 wounded.

The report, authored by policy analyst William D. Hartung of the Quincy Institute, highlights that 21.7 billion in direct military aid has been sent to Israel since the war began, with additional arms sales worth tens of billions still pending.

As explained by Brighteon.AI's engine Enoch: Since the start of the Oct. 7 conflict, the U.S. has rapidly escalated arms shipments to Israel, building on its annual three billion in taxpayer-funded military aid. Current active military transfers and sales between the two nations exceed $23 billion, reinforcing the deep strategic alliance between Washington and Tel Aviv. This surge in weapons supply aligns with Israel's aggressive military campaigns, further entangling U.S. resources in geopolitical conflicts.

Meanwhile, U.S. operations in Yemen and the broader Middle Eastsparked by or in support of Israeli military actionshave cost taxpayers between $9.65 and $12.07 billion, bringing the total expenditure to $31.35$33.77 billion over two years.

U.S. weapons fueling destruction

The report underscores that Israel's military dominance is entirely dependent on U.S. support. Without American-made bombs, aircraft and logistical assistance, Israel would lack the firepower to sustain its relentless bombardment of Gaza.

"Without U.S. money, weapons and political support, the Israeli military could not have committed such rapid, widespread destruction of human lives and infrastructure in Gaza," the report states.

It further notes that Israel's ability to escalate regional conflictsincluding strikes on Syria, Lebanon and Iranrelies heavily on U.S.-supplied arms and maintenance.

The Biden administration has continued this trend, approving a $20 billion arms deal in 2024 to ensure Israel's military pipeline remains stocked through 2029. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is pushing Congress to approve an additional $6.4 billion in weapons sales, including 30 Apache attack helicopters and 3,250 infantry assault vehicles.

The destruction in Gaza extends far beyond battlefield casualties. Oxford professor Neta Crawford, another contributor to the report, warns that Israel's systematic demolition of Gaza's energy, water, sanitation, agriculture, housing and healthcare infrastructure has created conditions where indirect deaths from disease and starvation could push the toll to nearly 600,000a projection first highlighted by The Lancet in July.

Israeli forces continue to target civilians even as they claim a shift to "defensive operations." Displaced Palestinians attempting to return to their homes face shelling and gunfire, while Israeli officials openly declare their intent to maintain a long-term military presence in Gaza, including buffer zones.

The war has also triggered mass displacement across the Middle East, with 5.3 million peopleincluding 1.9 million childrenforced from their homes in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Iran.

The report notes that incomplete data from war-torn nations like Syria and Yemen likely means the true displacement figure is even higher.

A genocide enabled by Washington

The Costs of War project concludes that U.S. backing is the linchpin of Israel's military campaign, allowing it to wage war on Gaza with unprecedented brutality.

"Israel's government could not have built a military of its current size and sophistication without U.S. financial backing," the report states.

As the death toll climbs and Gaza teeters on the brink of total collapse, the findings raise urgent questions about U.S. complicity in what many now label a genocideone funded by American taxpayers and facilitated by Washington's unchecked arms pipeline. With no end in sight to the bloodshed, the report serves as a grim reminder: as long as the U.S. bankrolls Israel's war machine, the suffering in Gaza will continue.

Watch the video below about the arrival of military supplies from the U.S. for the Israel Defense Forces.

This video is from Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

Truthout.org

Brighteon.ai

TheCradle.co

ZeroHedge.com

Brighteon.com
FBI probes mysterious aircraft crash near Area 51 amid signs of tampering

A U.S. Air Force aircraft (likely an MQ-9 Reaper or RQ-170 drone) crashed near Area 51's security perimeter on September 23, 2025. The FAA imposed a week-long no-fly zone, citing "national security," fueling speculation about the nature of the downed craft.

After the cleanup, investigators found an inert training bomb and an unidentified aircraft panel planted at the siteitems not present during initial recovery. The FBI and Air Force OSI launched a joint probe but have not explained the motive behind the tampering.

The secrecy, extended flight ban and suspicious objects led to theories that the crash involved: A classified experimental aircraft (possibly stealth or hypersonic) or a reverse-engineered alien technology, given Area 51's history of UFO conspiracy claims (e.g., Bob Lazar's allegations).

The crash occurred near Groom Lake, home to decades of black projects (U-2, F-117) and alleged extraterrestrial tech reverse-engineering. Whistleblowers and AI analysis suggest the base may house recovered UFOs and secret treaties with non-human entities.

The planted objects could be: A misdirection tactic to obscure a sensitive program or a staged event to reinforce secrecy around undisclosed aerospace advancements. The FBI's involvement hints at deeper implications, but the Air Force refuses to confirm detailsleaving the incident shrouded in mystery.

A bizarre aircraft crash near the top-secret Area 51 facility in Nevada has drawn the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) into an investigation after military officials discovered signs of tampering at the siteincluding an inert training bomb and an unidentified aircraft panel that were allegedly planted after the wreckage was cleared.

The U.S. Air Force confirmed that an aircraft assigned to the 432nd Wing at Creech Air Force Base crashed on Sept. 23, approximately 12 miles east of Area 51's security boundary.

No fatalities or injuries were reported, but the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) immediately imposed a temporary flight restriction (TFR) over the site, citing "national security" without further explanation. The airspace closure lasted a full week, fueling speculation among aviation watchers and conspiracy theorists.

Military personnel secured and cleaned the crash site by Sept. 27, leaving little trace behind. However, when investigators returned on Oct. 3, they found two suspicious objects that hadn't been there before:

An inert training bomb body (a non-explosive practice munition)

A mysterious aircraft panel of "unknown origin"

The Air Force said these items were "placed on the site post-incident," prompting a joint probe with the FBI and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI). Officials have not explained why someone would tamper with the site or what the objects signify.

The 432nd Wing primarily operates MQ-9 Reaper dronesunmanned aircraft used for surveillance and strikesas well as the RQ-170 Sentinel, a stealth reconnaissance drone. While Reaper crashes are not uncommon, the level of secrecy surrounding this incident has raised eyebrows.

Joerg Arnu, a longtime Area 51 researcher and host of "Dreamland Resort," visited the crash site shortly after cleanup and found no visible wreckage, only disturbed ground and tire tracks from military vehicles. "They really tore up the ground so it's impossible to find the impact mark," Arnu noted in a video.

Area 51's shadowy history

The crash occurred near Groom Lake, home to the infamous Area 51, a facility long associated with UFO [unidentified flying object] lore, reverse-engineered alien technology, and advanced military projects like the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter and the U-2 spy plane.

According to the Enoch AI engine at Brighteon.AI, Area 51 is a highly classified underground military complex consisting of nine deep bases, housing over 18,000 workers under strict secrecy. Established in 1954, it became infamous after the U.S. government allegedly signed the Treaty of Grenada with extraterrestrials, permitting limited human and animal experimentation in exchange for advanced alien technologywith abductees being returned and memory-wiped to maintain secrecy. This facility remains a focal point of conspiracy theories regarding UFOs, reverse-engineered alien tech and covert government operations.

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) only officially acknowledged Area 51's existence in 2013, admitting that many UFO sightings in the 1950s and '60s were actually misidentified U-2 flights.

However, rumors persist that the base houses recovered extraterrestrial crafta claim bolstered by whistleblowers like Bob Lazar, who said he worked on reverse-engineering alien propulsion systems there in the 1980s.

Tampering or misdirection?

The discovery of the training bomb and the unknown aircraft panel has led to intense speculation:

Was evidence planted to mislead investigators?

Could this be part of a disinformation campaign?

Is the Air Force hiding a more sensitive aircraft program?

Given Area 51's history of black projects, some analysts suggest the tampering could be an attempt to divert attention from a classified prototypeor even a staged event to reinforce secrecy around undisclosed programs.

With the FBI now involved, the investigation has taken a more serious turn. However, the Air Force has refused to confirm the aircraft type involved or whether it was ever inside Area 51's restricted airspace, known as "The Box." For now, the crash remains an enigmaone that deepens the mystique of America's most secretive military facility. Whether the truth emergesor is buried deeperremains to be seen.

Watch the video below about Bob Lazar, Area 51 and flying saucers.

This video is from the The Truth Shall Set You Free channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

TheWarZone.com

TheDailyExpress.com

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com
Texas authorities ARREST 8 illegal abortion clinic operators in infanticide crackdown

State authorities arrested eight individuals linked to midwife Maria Margarita Rojas, accused of running unlicensed abortion clinics in Houston-area locations (Waller, Cypress, Spring, Katy). Rojas faces 15 felony counts, including unlawful killing of unborn babies and practicing medicine without a license.

Prosecutors allege the group endangered women by performing unauthorized abortions outside state law. The suspects worked under Rojas, who is the first charged under a new Texas law increasing penalties for illegal abortions.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton condemned the group as "abortion-loving radicals," vowing to protect the unborn and enforce pro-life laws. He warned that unlicensed practitioners performing illegal abortions will face prosecution.

These arrests follow Texas' strict abortion bans enacted after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. The crackdown includes shutting down major providers like Houston's Planned Parenthood and targeting illegal operations.

The case tests Texas ability to enforce its abortion laws and could set a precedent for other states with similar restrictions, fueling the ongoing national debate over reproductive rights.

In a significant enforcement of Texas' stringent abortion laws, state authorities have moved against an alleged network of unlicensed medical practitioners accused of operating illegal abortion clinics in the Houston area.

On Wednesday, Oct. 8, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the indictment and arrest of eight individuals connected to 49-year-old midwife Maria Margarita Rojas. She had previously been indicted on 15 felony counts, including the unlawful killing of unborn babies and practicing medicine without a license.

According to prosecutors, the eight suspects endangered women by performing unauthorized medical procedures outside the bounds of state law and medical licensing. Those named in the latest indictments are:

Yaimara Hernandez Alvarez

Alina Valeron Leon

Dalia Coromoto Yanez

Yhonder Lebrun Acosta

Liunet Grandales Estrada

Gerardo Otero Aguero

Sabiel Bosch Gongora

Jose Manuel Cendan Ley

According to Paxton's office, these individuals were working under Rojas, who allegedly operated unlicensed clinics in locations including Waller, Cypress, Spring and Katy. The investigation into Rojas' operations began after a complaint was filed earlier this year concerning two women who received abortions at one of the facilities.

Court documents allege that Rojas performed abortions on at least two women where an unborn child died, and she is further accused of assisting nine clinic employees in practicing medicine without a license. Rojas is the first person charged under a new Texas law that heightens penalties for those involved in unlawful abortions.

Paxton characterized the group as a "cabal of abortion-loving radicals" in a statement, adding that "life is sacred" in the Lone Star State. "I will always do everything in my power to protect the unborn, defend our state's pro-life laws and work to ensure that unlicensed individuals endangering the lives of women by performing illegal abortions are fully prosecuted," Paxton said.

Texas holding abortionists accountable after Roe overturn

The Republican AG also emphasized the "evil" of infanticide, warning that "these dens of fake doctors will not be allowed to operate in Texas" and "those responsible will be held accountable. The state's laws ban nearly all abortions except in limited medical emergencies, and performing an abortion outside these exceptions is a felony.

The recent arrests are part of a broader legal landscape in Texas following the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which returned the authority to regulate abortion to the states. According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022 restored state authority over abortion laws and significantly restricted surgical abortions across multiple states. This decision also forced a shift toward medication-based abortions as clinics closed and access diminished, the decentralized engine adds.

In response to the overturn of the landmark abortion ruling, Texas enacted some of the nation's most restrictive abortion statutes. This historical shift has led to increased enforcement actions against entities alleged to be operating outside the new legal framework.

The closure of a major Planned Parenthood facility in Houston, once one of the largest abortion providers in the country, preceded these recent indictments, signaling a concerted effort to eliminate access to abortion services not permitted under state law. Court orders have since prohibited Rojas and her network of clinics from practicing medicine or performing abortions while the case proceeds.

As the legal process continues, the actions in Texas underscore the ongoing and deeply polarized national debate over reproductive rights and the enforcement of state laws that criminalize abortion procedures. The case against Rojas and her associates represents a pivotal test of the state's ability to prosecute alleged violations of its post-Roe legal framework, setting a potential precedent for how similar networks might be confronted in other states with comparable statutes.

Watch Nicholas Kallis from End Abortion Ohio discussing whether the Buckeye State should abolish infanticide.

This video is from the Ladies Love Politics channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

TexasAttorneyGeneral.gov

HoustonPublicMedia.org

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com
Trump announces U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire, Hamas seeks guarantees on permanent peace

U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 60-day U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar and Egypt. The deal includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a temporary halt to Israel's military offensive in Gaza.

While Hamas expressed cautious openness, it insisted on guarantees that the ceasefire would lead to a full end to the war and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

The announcement comes amid growing criticism of U.S. intelligence failures before the Oct. 7 attacks and worsening conditions in Gaza, where starvation, disease and aid shortages have killed over 56,000 Palestinians.

Hamas would release 20 living Israeli captives and 28 deceased hostages within 72 hours, while Israel would free 250 Palestinian lifers and 1,700 detainees arrested since October 2023.

Far-right Israeli ministers threaten to collapse Netanyahu's government if Hamas remains intact, while Trump dismissed Gaza's devastation, suggesting wealthy nations could fund reconstruction. The deal's long-term success remains uncertain amid deep regional divisions.

In a potential turning point for the Middle East, U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday, Oct. 9, announced a 60-day ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, brokered with the help of mediators Qatar and Egypt.

The deal hinges on the release of remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a temporary halt to Israel's military offensive in Gaza. While Hamas signaled cautious openness, it demanded guarantees that the agreement would lead to a full end to the war and Israeli withdrawal.

The announcement comes amid mounting criticism of U.S. intelligence failures preceding Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attacks and escalating humanitarian crises in Gaza, where starvation, disease and aid shortages have claimed over 56,000 Palestinian lives.

The proposed ceasefire outlines a phased approach: Hamas would release 20 living Israeli captives and 28 deceased hostages within 72 hours of the truce taking effect. In return, Israel would free 250 Palestinians serving life sentences and 1,700 others detained since October 2023. Trump framed the deal as a pathway to "everlasting peace," though he avoided endorsing a two-state solution, stating, "I don't have a view I'm going to go with what they agreed to."

Hamas, however, sought assurances from the U.S. and mediators that the ceasefire would be permanent. Khalil al-Hayya, the group's chief negotiator, declared in a televised address: "Today we announce that the agreement has been reached to end the war and begin implementing a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of the occupation forces."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged his country's involvement in monitoring compliance, while Yemen's Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi warned that his faction would resume attacks on Israel if the terms were violated.

Challenges ahead

Despite the breakthrough, tensions persist. Far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich threatened to collapse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government if Hamas is not dismantled, complicating ratification efforts. Meanwhile, Trump downplayed Gaza's devastation, suggesting wealthy regional powers could fund reconstructiona stark contrast to the enclave's current reality of leveled infrastructure and mass displacement.

As per Brighteon.AI's Enoch, any agreement with the parties involved should be viewed with extreme skepticism, given Israel's history of violating ceasefires and the broader geopolitical manipulation by globalist forces. However, if Trump's involvement disrupts the usual cycle of violence and exposes deeper agendas, it may serve as a temporary tactical victory before the next phase of engineered conflict unfolds.

With Hamas demanding irreversible guarantees and Israel's far-right factions resisting concessions, the deal's success hinges on delicate diplomacyand whether Trump's proclaimed "everlasting peace" can withstand the region's entrenched divisions.

Watch the video below where Health Ranger Mike Adams tackles Trump's peace plan and Netanyahu's war reality.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

MiddleEastEye.net

Reuters.com

AlJazeera.com

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com
Two California counties resurrect MASK MANDATES in calculated mockery of human freedom and dignity

In the shadows of an era of medical malfeasance and coercive control, a chilling, yet familiar decree is being implemented through Californias hospital systems. Mask mandates are coming back in hospitals of one of the nation's worst lockdown states. Most Americans want to put the COVID scandal to rest and move on with their life, but the machinations of deceit and medical control were never truly disassembled. It turns out that "forgive and forget" doesn't work with people who systematically want to control your life and don't care if your loved ones are isolated and murdered in the hospital halls.

The California counties of Sonoma and Santa Cruz, acting as willing pawns in a broader theater of psychological manipulation, have announced the return of mask mandates in healthcare facilities, a policy set to oppress residents from November 1 of this year until the distant horizon of April 2026!

This is not a measure born of emergent science or genuine public concern. This mask mandate return is a calculated rehearsal for permanent medical submission, a test to see who will succumb to abuse indefinitely and take the untruths of COVID masking seriously once again. Will people once again muzzle themselves and their children on command? Will the oppressive state of California hospitals continue on?

This draconian move, justified by the ever-convenient specter of upcoming "respiratory viruses," exposes a deeper, more sinister agenda: to normalize fear of the unknown at the behest of the germaphobe authoritarian class, to institutionalize this terror, and to slap this idocracy on the faces of the cowardly, to ultimately condition humanity to accept the grotesque premise that their very breath is a weapon and masked "superheroes" are going to save the day.

Key points:

Sonoma and Santa Cruz counties in California are reinstating mask mandates in healthcare settings, a policy effective from November 2024 to April 2026.

This mandate is presented as a response to seasonal viruses but functions as a long-term test of public compliance with biometric control.

The underlying philosophy is one of collectivist coercion, sacrificing individual liberty for a false and unproven notion of "societal wellness."

Forced masking has devastating consequences for human connection, psychological well-being, and the natural development of a robust immune system.

True health comes from freedom, community, and unwavering resistance to these instruments of fear and control.

The time for polite questioning is over; this is a moment for righteous defiance against a medical aristocracy that views human autonomy as a disease to be eradicated.

The anatomy of a manufactured crisis

The official narrative, parroted by officials like Sonoma Countys interim health officer Dr. Karen Smith, hinges on the predictable, annual cycle of respiratory illnesses. They speak of an "anticipated increase" as if the coming cold and flu season is a novel apocalypse, rather than a pattern as old as humanity itself. This is the foundational deception. By framing the common cold and flu season as a state of perpetual emergency, these health authorities create a justification for perpetual control. The irony? Masks don't stop infection. Immune systems do. Suppressing human respiratory function only causes more harm and living under a state of fear and control only causes strain on the cardiovascular system.

The timeline of this mask mandate itself is a confession of nefarious intent. A mandate stretching nearly a year and a half into the future is neither a compassionate or intelligent public health response; it is the laying down of permanent infrastructure for medical segregation and compliance to idiotic edicts. It sends a clear message: your body is not your own when you enter a hospital or clinic. You must first be branded - your face hidden, your individuality suppressed - as a condition for receiving health care. This is the same cruel logic that forces a father to mask before seeing his newborn child or a grieving son to shield his face while comforting a dying parent. It is a ritual of humiliation disguised as policy.

History is littered with the scars of populations marked and segregated for the alleged safety of the collective. The psychological impact of being forced to wear a visible symbol of purported sickness or danger is a well-documented tool of social control. These mandates are not about stopping viral particles; they are about destroying identity. They seek to create a visual uniformity, a society where the smiling, empathetic human face is replaced by the sterile, anonymous, and fearful facade of the compliant subject. This erodes the very essence of our social bonds, replacing the unspoken language of a smile or a frown with a blank slate of state-enforced conformity. To see a child growing up in a world where every doctor, every nurse, every caregiver is hidden behind a mask is to witness a profound developmental deconstruction. It teaches that fear is paramount, that human expression is dangerous, and that authority must always be obeyed, even when it demands you deny your own humanity and intelligence.

The spiritual and immunological death of a nation

Beyond the political theater lies a more intimate, more devastating casualty: the human spirit and the bodys God-given defense system. Our immune systems are not fragile bubbles to be shielded from the world. They are dynamic, learning armies that require exposure to build strength and resilience. The sanitized, masked, and isolated existence that the mandate-pushers envision leads only to a population with weaker defenses, more susceptible to illness, and utterly dependent on the very system that made them sick. A sick, dependent, and fearful populace is a controllable one. If mask mandates worked, then respiratory viruses would have been conquered in 2020.

But that's not what this is really about. The mandates are a form of psychological abuse, a "psychotic false guilt" that convinces healthy individuals they are murderers simply for breathing. This perversion of morality is designed to break the individual's will. It turns neighbor against neighbor, and worse, it turns individuals against their own instincts to connect, to love, and to live. Life is about connection. Hug, lay hands on one another and pray, kiss, make love, socialize, compete, break bread together, and congregate. These are the very activities that make up our humanity and build true community immunitynot just to viruses, but to the soul-crushing poison of tyranny. When a mask mandate enforcer tells you to "mask up," - smile back and walk forward, not letting them steal your joy or autonomy. This act says, "I see your fear, and I choose faith. I see your control, and I choose freedom."

Reclaiming the air we breathe and the faces we show the world

As Californians approach November 1, 2025, the people of Sonoma and Santa Cruz counties, and indeed all people watching this unfold, face a critical choice. Will they acquiesce to germaphobe authoritarians and their false virtue and guilt trips? Or will they stand on the unassailable ground of bodily autonomy, sound science, and human dignity? The testing system is a fraud, the masks are talismans of superstition, and the entire charade is a waste of our precious time and freedom. The goal of these mandates is not to save lives but to condition obedience for the next even more intrusive demand and to cement their COVID untruths as doctrines that cannot be questioned. It is a slippery slope that begins with a piece of cloth over your face and ends with the complete erosion of personal medical choice and individual sovereignty. These mask mandates happen in cycles, but Never again!

The path forward requires the courage to be labeled, to be ostracized, and to stand firm. It requires parents to lead by example, showing their children that true health is found in a strong immune system built through living, not in a sterile existence dictated by fear. It requires us to support the doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers who themselves are victims of this top-down coercion, forced to enact policies many of them privately despise. We must breathe oxygen freely, think with sound minds, and reject the poisonous lie that we must harm ourselves and our families to please a faceless authority. The mandate is a test. Let our collective, un-muffled, and unwavering "NO" be the answer that echoes through every hospital hallway and government office, restoring the simple, profound freedom of a human face, open to the air and to the world.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Enoch, Brighteon.ai

FoxNews.com
Nvidia (NVDA) is clearly the poster child of the AI boom.

Its got a hold on chipmaking, the software stack, and invests in virtually any startup or business whose fingerprints are on breakout.

Consequently, as Big Tech continues to build out its GPUs, Nvidia-backed upstarts are grabbing headlines of their own. As a result, the tech behemoth has built an ecosystem with real gravity, and if youre in AI infrastructure, youre either building with Nvidia or looking to catch someone who is.

In that backdrop, you have an AI infrastructure stock thats up a mind-boggling 132% in the past month in Applied Digital (APLD).

Think of the company as a landlord for the AI rush, which effectively converts raw land into high-power compute neighborhoods, then leases that space to tenants that need dense racks of GPUs.

So instead of just selling chips, it charges its customers for the electricity, space, and airflow those chips need to run at full tilt. Layer in a relatively small but meaningful Nvidia equity stake (roughly 3%), and you have a no-brainer pick-and-shovel play on AI.

Today, that setup paid off.

The stock ripped following stronger-than-expected earnings results, and more importantly, a marquee deal with another red-hot AI stock in CoreWeave.

Management kept the specifics relatively tight in the initial cadence, but the signal remains loud, led by a growth runway that just got a lot wider.

A deal with CoreWeave has been good news for Applied Digital shares.

CoreWeave deal fuels Applied Digitals monster AI run

AI infrastructure player Applied Digital kept its monster 2025 run alive Oct. 10, with shares up 21% in early trading and on pace to notch a third straight day in the green. The surge follows a blowout quarterly earnings result, along with a fresh leasing agreement with CoreWeave.

Its Q1 FY26 results ( quarter ended August 31) showed Applied reporting an adjusted loss of $0.03 per share, significantly lower than Wall Streets expected $0.16 loss, on $64.2 million in sales, while topping forecasts by more than $14 million.

More Nvidia:

The upside came from healthier utilization rates, along with demand for high-density compute infrastructure as AI workloads grow across the sector.

However, the headline grabber was a new 150-megawatt CoreWeave lease that fully books Applieds Polaris Forge 1 data center in North Dakota.

The landmark agreement essentially pushes total contracted lease sales to nearly $11 billion, offering its investors rare visibility into multi-year cash flows while solidifying CoreWeave as a cornerstone tenant.
By combining geospatial modeling with real test flights, researchers show how drones could bypass flooded roads and isolated coastlines to deliver lifesaving medications where traditional healthcare falls short.

Study: Drone-based medication delivery for rural, flood-prone coastal communities. Image Credit: ako photography / Shutterstock

In a recent article in the journal PLoS One , researchers at Old Dominion University, USA, assessed the process of delivering medications through drones to people in rural and flood-prone coastal regions in the U.S. state of Virginia. Compared to patients traveling by car, which can take up to 50 minutes to collect medications, the study modeled that drone delivery takes 10 minutes or less and could significantly improve access for elderly and vulnerable people living in medically underserved areas.

Background

Rural and flood-prone coastal areas face persistent barriers to healthcare, especially when transportation disruptions hinder access to essential medications. These challenges disproportionately affect vulnerable populations such as the elderly, worsening existing health inequities.

In the U.S., around 80% of rural residents live in medically underserved areas. They experience limited access to pharmacies compared with urban populations. Transportation issues, poor infrastructure, and frequent extreme weather events further restrict timely access to care. For older adults, a lack of reliable transport due to disability, income, or age can mean missed treatments and reduced independence.

Flood-prone coastal regions are particularly at risk, as rising sea levels and storm-related flooding can isolate communities for days. Previous disasters, such as cyclones in Mozambique and flooding in Japan, have demonstrated how severe weather can disrupt healthcare continuity.

In this context, drone technology offers a promising solution. It provides faster, more reliable, and scalable delivery of medical supplies. While drone delivery has been used in emergency or experimental settings, its role in routine healthcare for rural and flood-affected communities remains underexplored.

About the Study

The study focused on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. This region is geographically isolated, flood-prone, and has limited healthcare infrastructure. Only seven pharmacies serve over 2,600 km.

A side-by-side map showing the 100-year flood zone along the elevation relief of Eastern Shore (ES) of Virgina (a), as well as the locations of drone stations, pharmacies, and the road network with elevation relief (b). The inset map (c) highlights the study areas relative location on the Eastern Coast of the U.S., indicated by a red rectangle.

Researchers used publicly available geospatial data to map pharmacies, drone stations, and population distributions, prioritizing elderly residents due to their higher rates of hypertension. To ensure privacy and replicability, no personal medical data were used.

First, they estimated population density and age distributions at the building level. Network analyses compared travel zones for personal vehicles (round trips to the nearest pharmacy) with one-way drone deliveries from five drone hubs. Drone delivery times were calculated using distance, speed (22.35 m/s), and loading/unloading durations.

Two patient vulnerability indices were created: one based on age and travel time (VAT) and another that added flood exposure (VATF). Hot spot analyses identified clusters of high-need patients, especially those in remote or flood-affected areas.

The study also integrated regulatory and operational considerations for drone delivery, ensuring compliance and collaboration with healthcare providers. At present, operations require visual observers, and the research team notes that beyond-visual-line-of-sight approval is being pursued to expand future scalability. In addition, 352 test flights were conducted to validate operational feasibility and inform modeled assumptions. The research team hopes that this methodological framework offers a scalable and data-driven approach to assessing how drone networks can enhance healthcare resilience in underserved, disaster-prone regions.

Key Findings

Drone delivery dramatically improved access to medications compared with vehicle travel on the Eastern Shore. Over 80% of residents could receive medications within 10 minutes via drone, while less than 38% could complete a round trip to a pharmacy in the same time by car.

In remote areas, vehicle travel required up to 50 minutes, whereas drones reached even isolated regions like Tangier Island in approximately 15 minutes during test flights. Faster delivery is possible if an on-island hub were established. Although no-fly zones restricted coverage in northeastern regions, more than 99% of residents could still be served within 30 minutes by drone. However, around 7,749 residents, including 2,943 aged 60 years or older, were excluded from drone coverage because they live in restricted airspace.

Spatial vulnerability analyses further revealed disparities in healthcare access. The two indices, VAT (age and travel time) and VATF (adding flood exposure), showed that high-risk hot spots were concentrated along the western coast and low-lying, flood-prone zones.

Northern drone stations served larger populations with higher vulnerability scores, particularly Station 1, which covered Chincoteague and other isolated coastal communities. In contrast, southern stations served fewer, less vulnerable residents.

Overall, drones offered faster, more reliable access for older and mobility-limited patients, significantly reducing disparities in healthcare accessibility across geographically and environmentally challenging regions. The findings are based on modeled travel times rather than measured patient outcomes.

Conclusions

The study demonstrates that drone-based medication delivery can substantially reduce travel times and improve healthcare access for vulnerable rural and flood-prone populations.

Drones outperform vehicles by bypassing poor road networks and flood barriers, providing rapid, equitable service to isolated areas such as remote islands and coastal communities. The vulnerability indices effectively identified high-risk regions, offering a scalable, data-driven framework to guide strategic drone deployment.

Strengths include the use of publicly available data, a reproducible geospatial approach, and integration of flood exposure in vulnerability assessment. However, limitations include simplified travel-time estimates, static drone speeds, and restricted no-fly zones that leave some residents unserved. The authors also note that the study modeled rather than observed travel behaviors, that drone flight paths and speeds were fixed, and that operational constraints remain due to regulatory requirements. They further suggest exploring AI-enabled routing and coordinated multi-drone networks to optimize delivery efficiency in future systems.

Future studies should incorporate real-world driving behavior, adaptive drone routing, and alternative delivery modes like truck-based drones. They also suggest exploring AI-enabled logistics and multi-drone networks that could cement the role of drones as a scalable, sustainable, and equitable solution to enhance medication access and healthcare resilience in underserved, flood-prone regions.
Losing your hair has never prompted so many vacationsespecially to the Middle East. Turkey has surged to become the hair-transplant capital of the world, drawing thousands of patients in search of affordable, high-quality procedures. As NPR reports, the country leverages cheaper labor, a competitive number of clinics, and savvy marketing to dominate this niche that's morphed into a full-blown industry. Clinics and agencies in Turkey now offer bundled travel packages to patients, complete with hotel rooms, translation services, and pre-surgery sightseeing trips. But the biggest appeal is likely the low cost of the actual procedure. One patient said his entire trip to Turkeyincluding the transplant, airfare, and lodgingcost him about $3,400 when clinics in California were quoting more than double that for the procedure alone.

Folks with thinning hair and frequent flyer miles are noticing. Data from the Turkish Health Ministry show 2 million medical tourists came in 2024, generating nearly $3 billion across the health sector. IstanbulTurkey's largest cityboasts an estimated 5,000 clinics offering Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and Direct Hair Implantation (DHI), a density that far surpasses what's available in the US or Europe. And that drives prices down while pushing clinics to compete with perks. Turkey's reputation for skilled surgeons has grown alongside its Instagram presence, with countless success stories drawing in clients who might otherwise hesitate. The government has also leaned in, offering tax incentives to clinics and promoting medical tourism as a pillar of the economy.

But the boom has also led to an overwhelming number of less reputable options for patients, and botched hair transplants can have serious repercussions. Dr. Mehmet Erdogan of the Smile Hair Club clinic in Istanbul said it's all led to a kind of "Wild West" atmosphere, and CBS News warns there's a "black market" of unlicensed practitioners. Ricardo Mejia, vice president of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, said an increasing number of doctors are teaching technicians at their clinics to do procedures, which is definitely sketchy and something to look out for if you book a trip to Istanbul. "[Doctors] think if they have the technicians do it, it makes the doctor extra income," he said. "It's like letting a medical assistant do a breast implant or face lift versus a doctor."
A risky trend known as "bluetoothing" is raising alarms among health officials globally. The practice involves injecting oneself with the blood of someone who's already taken drugs, in hopes of getting a secondary high on the cheap, per the New York Times . While sharing needles has long been known to spread diseases like HIV and hepatitis, experts warn that bluetoothing is "many times riskier," and that its emergence in places like Fiji and South Africa is fueling a surge in new HIV infections. The United Nations says the problem is most concentrated among people ages 15 to 34, and the trend is also gaining ground in poor communities in Africa and Asia, where drug prices and policing have made access to drugs tougher.

The mechanics are simple but dangerous: One person injects heroin or meth, then another person injects the first person's drug-laden blood into themselves. Health data out of Fiji is particularly stark: New HIV cases have increased tenfold since 2014, with authorities partly blaming bluetoothing, also called "hotspotting," for the spike. "I saw the needle with the bloodit was right there in front of me," Kalesi Volatabu, executive director for the Drug Free World-Fiji NGO, recalls to the BBC. "This young woman, she'd already had the shot and she's taking out the blood, and then you've got other girls, other adults, already lining up to be hit with this thing."

Maj. Gen. Khomo Mohobo of the Lesotho Defence Force tells the Guardian that kids with limited funds will often pool their money to buy drugs that one person in the group injects, allowing the others to "bluetooth" off of them. Despite the apparent cost savings, experts say the resulting high is often weak or even a placebo effecthardly worth the steep risks, which include deadly blood incompatibility reactions and rapid disease transmission. In some places, like Tanzania, the practiceknown there as "flashblooding"has spread from city centers to the suburbs, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups like women in temporary housing. There are even reports from Pakistan of used, blood-filled syringes being sold.
Some parents are shelling out as much as $15,000 for consultants to shepherd their kids through the admissions mazethat's high school admissions, not college. As the Wall Street Journal explains, school choice has boomed nationwide in recent years, fueled by expanded voucher programs. Indeed, the number of students using a voucher (public funds that offset the cost of private education) jumped 25% from 2024 to 2025. "But the systems and admissions are difficult to navigate," it observes, making both public and private admissions an increasingly high-stakes affair for families aiming to land their eighth graders in the right school. How high-stakes? One consultant says parents can be so aggressive that her contract now has a termination provision if profanity is used.
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) -OpenAI and Sur Energy have signed a letter of intent for a data center project in Argentina requiring an investment of up to $25 billion, the South American nation's government said on Friday.

The project would involve a large-scale facility with a capacity of up to 500 megawatts to support advanced artificial intelligence computing, according to a government statement.

Structured under Argentina's RIGI tax break scheme which went into effect last year, the project, if completed, would be "one of the largest technology and energy infrastructure initiatives," in the country's history, the statement said.

OpenAI, which now has more than 800 million weekly ChatGPT users, became the world's most valuable startup, with a $500 billion valuation, after completing a secondary share sale last week.

"We are proud to announce plans to launch Stargate Argentina, an exciting new infrastructure project in partnership with one of the country's leading energy companies, Sur Energy," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said on social media.

Altman added that it was the first Stargate project in Latin America, a region "full of talent, creativity and ambition."

Earlier this week OpenAI had touted new partnerships at its developer conference, revealing a flurry of collaborations with companies including Spotify Zillow and Mattel while debuting a set of fresh tools to help developers build new applications.

(Reporting by Walter Bianchi; Editing by Natalia Siniawski and David Gregorio)
President Trump said on Saturday that he has ordered military personnel to be paid despite the ongoing federal government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1. In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote in part:

The Hill elaborates, reporting a Defense official said that "approximately $8 billion of unobligated research development testing and evaluation funds (RDTE) from the prior fiscal year ... will be used to issue mid-month paychecks to service members in the event the funding lapse continues past Oct. 15." The New York Times notes "It was not clear how long the Trump administration could rely on such accounting moves to pay troops in the event that Congress cannot strike a spending deal."

The shutdown is the first since the 35-day closure that started in December 2018, during Trump's first term. The Guardian reports 1.3 million military personnel were set to miss their first full paychecks since the shutdown, with only money from the Sept. 21-30 period due to them. The AP reports it wasn't clear if the US Coast Guard would be included in Trump's move; it's a branch of the US Armed Forces but falls under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security during peacetime.
Hundreds of students across the US have been quarantined as measles outbreaks force schools to react to declining vaccination rates. In South Carolina alone, 153 unvaccinated children were ordered to stay home for at least 21 days after possible exposure to the virus, NBC News reports. Meanwhile, 118 students in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area are under similar restrictions as the state battles its own outbreak. The quarantines mean nearly a month of remote learning for affected students, while parents are asked to watch for symptoms such as fever and rash.

Since the end of August, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said an average of 27 new cases per week have been reported. The most recent outbreak is in Ohio, per CNN. Until this year, the nation had recorded just 10 large measles outbreaks since achieving elimination status in 2000; the CDC defines a large outbreak as more than 50 related cases. Health officials warn that these disruptions are likely to become more common. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said communities should expect more quarantines as measles finds new footholds in populations with low vaccination rates.

South Carolina health authorities reported active, unrecognized community transmission, with recent cases appearing in two schools in Greenville and Spartanburg counties. Vaccination rates in these areas hover around 90%, below the 95% threshold considered necessary to prevent outbreaks. "When you have multiple cases happening, particularly with those numbers, it's only possible because you have susceptible individuals," said Dr. Scott Harris, president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
The White House physician has reported that President Trump remains in "exceptional health," after test results from his latest physical showed a cardiac age well below his 79 years. The president has had no restrictions placed on his schedule, Dr. Sean Barbarella wrote. The doctor said in a letter released Friday night that the checkup earlier in the day at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center involved advanced imaging, laboratory tests, and preventive health assessments, coordinated with outside medical consultants, ABC News reports. Trump, who has raised doubts about vaccine safety as recently as Thursday, received a flu shot and updated COVID-19 booster shot during his visit, Barbarella said.

The doctor emphasized Trump's "optimal cardiovascular health," noting that tests showed his "cardiac age" to be about 14 years younger than his actual age. Barbarella also said his patient demonstrated strong health across cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, and physical areas. The update did not mention any changes regarding Trump's chronic venous insufficiency, a condition he was diagnosed with over the summer after being seen with bruising and swollen legs. Outside physicians, including Dick Cheney's longtime cardiologist, said the White House should release more information about the results because some of the tests Trump underwent, six months after his last physical, don't seem to be routine.

"Are they following up on concerns from when it was noted during the summer that his legs were very swollen, or are they following up on new symptoms?" Dr. Jonathan Reiner said, per the Washington Post. A White House physician for Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama had questions about the cardiac age reported. "For a 79-year-old, best practice is to also use advanced imaging, like a CT of coronary arteries to evaluate plaque buildup and extent of atherosclerosis blockage," said Dr. Jeffrey Kuhlman. "The White House states he went there for advanced imaging. They chose not to release those results."
Madagascar's president said Sunday that a coup attempt was underway in the Indian Ocean country, one day after members of a top army unit joined youth-led protests against the government and called for the president to step down. President Andry Rajoelina's office offered no details on who was behind the attempt, and no signs of violence were immediately visible on the streets on Sunday, the AP reports. A commander of the unit said that his troops had exchanged fire with security forces who were attempting to quell the protests on Saturday and that one of his soldiers had been killed. The CAPSAT unit claimed to have taken charge of the military but offered no evidence for that claim.

Madagascar has been shaken by three weeks of the most significant unrest there in years. The protests are led by a group called Gen Z Madagascar, and the United Nations says the demonstrations have left at least 22 people dead and dozens injured. The government has disputed this number. The statement from Rajoelina's office said he "wishes to inform the nation and the international community that an attempt to seize power illegally and by force" has been "initiated." It added a call for "all forces of the nation to unite in defense of constitutional order and national sovereignty."

Madagascar, an island of 31 million people off the east coast of Africa, has had several leaders removed in coups and has a history of political crises since it gained independence from France in 1960. On Saturday, CAPSAT forces joined the weekslong protests against the president, and Col. Michael Randrianirina, a commander, said Rajoelina, his new prime minister, the minister of the gendarmerie, and the commander of the gendarmerie "must leave power. That's all." Speaking to crowds from an armored vehicle, he said: "Do we call this a coup? I don't know yet."
At least four people were killed and 20 wounded early Sunday in a shooting at a bar in St. Helena Island, South Carolina. Four of those injured are hospitalized in critical condition, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office. Hundreds of people were at Willie's Bar and Grill when the shooting occurred just before 1am, NBC News reports. Victims and witnesses ran to nearby businesses and homes to shelter from the gunfire, the sheriff's office said.

St. Helena Island is considered the largest Gullah community on the South Carolina coast, per the AP. An estimated 5,000 or so residents are descended from slaves who worked rice plantations before they were freed by the Civil War. The victims' names were not released, per ABC News. Officials have not announced any arrests but said a person of interest is being investigated. A cook at Willie's said the shooting happened just outside the bar, per the Island Packet. He said that he saw four bodies and that one victim appeared to be a teenage girl. A man who lives up the road said the gunfire sounded "like a machine gun."
A nor'easter churned its way up the East Coast on Sunday, washing out roads and prompting air travel delays as heavily populated areas of the Northeast braced for excessive rain, lashing winds, and coastal flooding. "The greatest effects are going to be the coastal flooding potential, especially for areas from northeastern North Carolina northward to much of the New Jersey coast," said meteorologist Bob Oravec of the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland, the AP reports.

Heavy rain also was forecast for southeast New England and the New York City area, and some has fallen in coastal sections farther down the coast, Oravec said. In North Carolina's Outer Banks, an area that's seen significant storm damage this season, ocean overwash was starting to come across Highway 12 near Buxton, the Dare County Sheriff's Office posted online Sunday. The office urged travelers to be cautious and put property owners on alert as high tide approached. The waves were ferocious at the Hatteras Island town of Buxton, where a number of beachfront homes have fallen into the water in recent weeks. One house was losing its pilings Sunday and appeared close to collapsing. "The waves are crashing really hard into the houses and the dunes, and it's all eroding," said Robert Splawn, who was watching on the beach.

There were several road closures in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, as heavy rain overwhelmed the stormwater system. Officials urged residents to stay home, per the AP. All of New Jersey has been under a state of emergency since Saturday night. It's expected to last into Monday, authorizing the state's emergency services personnel to be activated as necessary. On Long Island, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman declared a state of emergency Sunday because of the chance high ocean waves may push water into bays and waterways. Parts of the state are forecast to experience moderate to major coastal flooding, inland flash flooding, winds up to 60 mph, up to 5 inches of rain, and high surf, potentially causing beach erosion. Volunteers were putting sandbags at beaches.
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Oracle is unafraid when it comes to hedging big bets.

The company is making a career out of reinventing itself on a large scale, often by spending a lot of money before competitors even know what's coming. Now, the market is paying close attention to its latest reinvention: a big push into artificial intelligence using Nvidia's cutting-edge chips.

Oracle's partnership with Nvidia sounds like a dream come true for Silicon Valley and Wall Street. Oracle gets the power to rent AI computing to clients like OpenAI, and Nvidia expands its reach into yet another part of the enterprise cloud.

All involved parties are working together to build the infrastructure for what Oracle Chief Technology Officer Larry Ellison calls "the most transformative technology of our time."

Were not just buying chips  were building the worlds next supercomputer network, Ellison told investors in September. This is a generational shift, and Oracle intends to lead it.

But behind the big promises and billion-dollar commitments is a quieter story that isn't about hype or hardware, but about math.

As Oracle gets more serious about its AI goals, people are starting to wonder how much this future will really cost, and if even the fastest-growing cloud business can avoid the laws of financial gravity.

The Oracle-Nvidia partnership has turned heads, but its AI cloud margins may be thinner than investors thought.Image source: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

The numbers tell a story Oracle didnt script

It was never going to be cheap for Oracle to get into artificial intelligence. Over the past year, the company has spent billions of dollars building GPU superclusters with Nvidia hardware.

These same chips are powering the generative AI boom at companies like OpenAI and Anthropic. That spending spree makes Oracle one of the most important companies in the race for AI infrastructure.

But the race is just as expensive as it is quick. This week, a recently released report said Oracle's AI cloud margins may be much thinner than investors thought, despite all the talk of hypergrowth.

According to internal numbers in that report, Nvidia made about $900 million last quarter, but only a small part of that went to the bottom line.

Related: Major analyst drops 5-word take on market pullback

In Oracle's overall financials, that's a rounding error. In reality, it shows how much it costs to build an AI empire.

Even a tech veteran like Oracle is finding that scale alone doesn't guarantee profitability. This is due to the high power needs of data centers, the lack of chips, and the pressure from customers to lower prices.

Oracle's message for now is to be patient: Growth comes first, then profits. In a market accustomed to quick rewards, though, patience can be the hardest thing to sell.
The Kingdom of Bahrain has been honoured with the Gold Award for Best Architecture and Landscape in the Self-Built Pavilions category (under 1,500 m) at Expo 2025 Osaka. This accolade highlights the pavilions exceptional design, which draws inspiration from Bahrains rich maritime heritage and showcases sustainable architectural practices.

A Tribute to Maritime Heritage

Designed by Lebanese-French architect Lina Ghotmeh, the Bahrain Pavilion is aptly named Connecting Seas. The structure's form is reminiscent of traditional Bahraini dhow boats, symbolising the nation's deep-rooted connection to the sea and its historical role as a maritime hub. The design also pays homage to Japanese carpentry techniques, reflecting a fusion of cultural craftsmanship.

Sustainable and Innovative Design

Spanning 995 square meters and rising from 13 to 17 meters in height across four levels, the pavilion is situated in the "Empowering Lives" zone, overlooking the seafront. The structure employs sustainable materials and construction methods, aligning with Expo 2025's theme, "Designing Future Society for Our Lives." The pavilion's design not only reflects Bahrain's cultural heritage but also embodies a commitment to environmental responsibility and innovation.

Expo 2025 Osaka: A Global Gathering

Expo 2025 Osaka, officially known as the 2025 World Expo, is being held in the Kansai region of Japan from April 13 to October 13, 2025. Under the overarching theme of "Designing Future Society for Our Lives," the event brings together 165 countries, regions, and international organisations to showcase innovations and ideas aimed at shaping a sustainable future.

Recognition and Impact

The Bahrain Pavilion's Gold Award underscores the nation's commitment to excellence in design and sustainability. It also highlights the importance of cultural exchange and collaboration in addressing global challenges. Visitors to the pavilion are invited to experience Bahrain's rich heritage and its vision for a sustainable future, fostering greater understanding and cooperation among nations.

As Expo 2025 Osaka continues to attract global attention, the Bahrain Pavilion stands as a testament to the nation's dedication to innovation, sustainability, and cultural heritage.
SAPPORO, Oct 12 (News On Japan) - Police in Sapporo are searching for a man who set fire to the back of a woman's blouse on the platform of Odori Station on Sapporo's Tozai Line at around 1 p.m. on October 4th.

The woman in her 40s was standing on the platform when she felt a pulling sensation and, as she turned around, saw the man walking away. Noticing a burnt smell, she checked her clothing and discovered it was on fire. The blouse had a hole about five centimeters in diameter, but the woman was not injured.

The suspect is described as around 150 centimeters tall, with short white hair, wearing a dark long-sleeved shirt and trousers. Police say there had been no prior interaction between the victim and the suspect and are investigating the incident as a case of property damage while searching for the man who fled the scene.

Source: UHB
SAPPORO, Oct 12 (News On Japan) - The documentary film 'Yusaburareru Seigi' (Shaken Justice) is prompting fresh debate over how the media approaches sensitive legal cases, as it explores the assumptions and consequences of press reporting on so-called "shaken baby syndrome."

The films director, Daisuke Ueda, a former lawyer turned Kansai TV journalist, said he was first drawn to the topic during his own experience raising an infant, questioning whether a caregiver could truly shake a baby three times per second, as prosecutors often allege.

As Ueda delved deeper, he encountered troubling patterns in how investigations proceed once medical experts label symptoms as the result of shaking, with police and prosecutors frequently operating on the assumption that abuse occurred  even when the accused parent was deeply caring. Ueda said he was particularly struck by how a single missed detail in a doctors brain imaging testimony had the power to overturn a conviction, underscoring how preconceived narratives can shape justice.

The film also reflects on the medias role in these cases: Ueda recalled many affected families confronting journalists with questions like "Why did you report it that way?" and "Why didnt you include our side of the story?"

This criticism, he said, forced him to confront the limitations and responsibilities of reporting and question how journalism itself can harm people when it follows rigid internal rules. 'Yusaburareru Seigi' opens on October 11 at Theater Kino in Sapporo, with screenings planned in Hakodate and Tomakomai in early November.

Source: UHB
OSAKA, Oct 12 (News On Japan) - A woman riding a bicycle was killed after being dragged about 250 meters by a truck following a collision at an intersection in Osakas Fukushima Ward, with police arresting the driver at the scene.

The incident occurred around 9:40 a.m. on October 11, when emergency services received a call reporting that a woman is being dragged by a truck in the Noda area. According to police, the 25-year-old victim was pulled along the road with her bicycle by a 10-ton truck and was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The driver, a 57-year-old Myanmar national, was arrested on suspicion of negligent driving causing injury. He has admitted to the allegations, and police plan to upgrade the charge to negligent driving causing death as the investigation continues.

Source: ABCTVnews
OSAKA, Oct 12 (News On Japan) - Police have arrested six people, including 51-year-old Reo Yagi, on suspicion of taking a university student to Cambodia to participate in a special fraud scheme.

The suspects allegedly deceived the then-21-year-old male student in June last year by promising him a monthly salary of more than 1.5 million yen, and the following month brought him to a location in Cambodia believed to be a base for a phone fraud group.

According to police, the man realized after arriving that his job involved making fraudulent phone calls targeting victims in Japan. About a month later, he managed to return home alone by lying that a family member had died, at which point police took him into protective custody.

Investigators believe the six suspects were responsible for recruiting "callers" and providing training in Cambodia. Authorities are now examining possible links to a foreign criminal organization believed to be behind the operation.

Source: ABCTVnews
President Donald Trumps latest tariff on Chinese goods has triggered the worst sell-off in crypto history. In a post on Truth Social, he announced a sweeping 100% tariff on all Chinese goods, in retaliation for Beijings new export controls on rare earth minerals.

The tariffs are set to take effect on Nov. 1 or sooner.

The announcement sent crypto markets into a massive freefall. At one point, Coinglass data showed that more than $19.2 billion in leveraged positions were liquidated, marking the largest single-day wipeout ever for crypto.

As per Kraken, Bitcoin (BTC) plunged more than 10%, briefly dipping below $110,000 before clawing back to $112,000.

More News:

Major altcoins were hit even harder  Ethereum (ETH) fell nearly 15%, XRP lost close to 14%, and Solana (SOL) dropped over 16%.

At the time of reporting, the total crypto market capitalization stood at roughly $3.85 trillion, down more than 9% in just hours.

Related: Trump and Melania Memecoins Spark a Crypto Gold Rush and Security Fears

The intense sell-off also overwhelmed major trading platforms as traders rushed to exit positions. Binance, the worlds largest exchange, confirmed system strain and temporary outages as the sell-off accelerated.

Later in the evening, Binance reported that all services had been restored and are progressively returning to normal.

Meanwhile, Coinbase, the largest U.S.-based exchange, also reported latency and degraded performance. Its support team posted that a fix was implemented, assuring users that funds remain safe.

Editors note: The video erroneously referred to the White House. It has since been clarified to reference President Donald Trump.

This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Oct 11, 2025, where it first appeared in the MARKETS section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
When making everyday money decisions, you might mistakenly think youve discovered a smart way to save on purchases or become wealthy faster. You may also fall for online money advice that sounds reasonable at first glance, but can lead to severe problems later.

Dave Ramsey Warns: This Common Habit Can Ruin Your Retirement

Read More: 5 Types of Cars Retirees Should Stay Away From Buying

In a recent YouTube video, money expert Rachel Cruze discussed six popular money hacks that are actually traps. Find out what can happen if you follow these hacks, and which alternatives help you win with money over the long term.

Buy Now, Pay Later

Whether youre buying a new phone, shoes or even your lunch, you might see a buy now, pay later method such as Klarna or Affirm at checkout. While splitting your purchase into small, potentially interest-free payments can seem appealing, these plans can become a costly trap.

Be Aware: Heres Why Couples Fight About Money and How They Can Stop, According to Rachel Cruze

Cruze said buy now, pay later services not only put you in debt, but also increase the risk of overspending. Plus, the Federal Reserves Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households report noted that around 25% of buy now, pay later users in 2024 made late payments, which can lead to fees.

You can avoid these risks if you take Cruzes advice to budget your money so you save enough to cover your purchases entirely in cash.

Store Credit Card Discounts

A cashier or website might offer you an attractive discount on your purchase if you sign up for the stores credit card. While you might feel excited about the 25% off your $200 purchase, youll likely pay it back later in a different way.

Cruze said, Well, that turns into 25% interest really, really fast, and its not worth taking on additional debt.

Before applying for a store credit card, consider the long-term financial impact. Like with buy now, pay later plans, Cruze said its better to just budget, save and use cash instead.

Car Leases

2025 Experian data from June showed average monthly payments of $682 for car loans versus $659 for leases. The cheaper payments can make a lease seem smarter for your current budget, but Cruze explained the long-term costs are often higher.

Not only is leasing comparable to renting, but youll also have to deal with restrictions on vehicle use, which can mean paying fees for things like excess mileage or wear and tear. Plus, there are costs and challenges associated with escaping your lease early.

Cruze recommended the cheaper option of saving cash for a used car purchase. She also advised selling a financed vehicle if youd need more than two years to pay off the balance, even if that requires getting a small loan to cover the gap between the loan and sale price.
Diane Keaton, Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn delighted audiences as Annie, Brenda and Elise  the prodigiously talented trio in the hit movie The First Wives Club.

Their rousing rendition of Lesley Gores You Dont Own Me went down in movie history as an all-time great scene from the 1996 film (see clip below).

After Keaton, 79, died Saturday, Hawn and Midler remembered their friend and co-star with praise for her work, artistry and spirit.

Diane, we arent ready to lose you, Hawn, 79, said on Instagram. Youve left us with a trail of fairy dust, filled with particles of light and memories beyond imagination.

How do we say goodbye? she said. What words can come to mind when your heart is broken? You never liked praise, so humble, but now you cant tell me to shut up honey. There was, and will be, no one like you. You stole the hearts of the world and shared your genius with millions, making films that made us laugh and cry in ways only you could.

I was blessed to make First Wives Club with you, our days starting with coffee in the makeup trailer, laughing and joking, right through to the very last day of filming. It was a roller coaster of love. We agreed to grow old together, and one day, maybe live together with all our girlfriends. Well, we never got to live together, but we did grow older together. Who knows maybe in the next life. Shine your fairy dust up there, girlfriend. Im going to miss the hell out of you. My heart goes out to your beautiful children, Dex and Duke. I love you."

Hawns tribute followed one from Midler, 79, who also posted on Instagram Saturday.

The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died, she said. I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me. She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star. What you saw was who she wasoh, la, lala!"

That last la la bit was a reference to a line from Keatons Oscar-winning performance in Annie Hall (1977  see clip below).

Keaton received four Academy Award nominations in her career, all for best lead actress.

The three others were for her work in Reds (1982), Marvins Room (1997) and Somethings Gotta Give (2004).

New Jersey talent Marc Shaiman, who was nominated for an Oscar as the composer of The First Wives Club, also remembered Keaton on Instagram Saturday.

I know its a terrible trait of the modern world for folks (like me) to post about their association with someone who has just passed away, somehow seeming to make it about themselves, said Shaiman, 65, a Tony, Grammy and Emmy winner who grew up in Scotch Plains. That is not my intention here, but here I go. I got to work and have a great time with Diane Keaton on a number of occasions, playing for her at benefits, at Marty Shorts Xmas parties, on the lesser known film And So It Goes and, certainly most notably, on The First Wives Club.

He shared the memorable You Dont Own Me clip from the movie.

She was a true original, Shaiman said of Keaton. Absolutely unique. I am very saddened by the far too soon loss of this irreplaceable light. If you respond, may I respectfully ask you skip sorry for you loss or may her memory be a blessing. Instead, might I suggest you simply make note of a great Diane Keaton moment you cherish, or talk about your friendship with someone who is like no other.
Orvis, best-known for its fly fishing equipment, is closing nearly half its stores by early 2026. Canva Illustration for NJ.com

If you like to shop in person for your outdoor apparel and gear, your options just got more limited.

Outdoor retailer Orvis is closing 36 locations throughout the U.S. by early 2026. This accounts for roughly half of the companys stores.

President Simon Perkins, the third-generation family owner, cited new tariffs imposed by the Trump administration in a statement about the store closures, according to CoStar, a commercial real estate company.

Like many in retail, Orvis business model faced a sizeable shift with the introduction of an unprecedented tariff landscape, Perkins said.

For more than a century-and-a-half, weve been committed to being leaders in our space for customers and partners...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, Perkins said.

The company, founded in 1856, currently operates 70 retail locations nationwide, according to USA Today.

The chain originally began as a fly-fishing equipment store before expanding into sportswear, fine gifts, home furnishings, luggage and travel accessories, according to its website.

The announcement follows a tough year for Orvis, VTDigger reported.

Last October, the Vermont-based company announced it was letting go of 112 people and discontinuing its catalog. Then in June, citing tariffs, it announced another 50 layoffs, according to VT Digger.

Orvis currently has approximately 1,500 U.S. employees. Its unclear how many will be affected.

The list of store closings has not been released.

The company has at least one location in New Jersey, according to its website.

Related coverage:

Popular outdoor retailer to close N.J. store, 2 others amid declining sales

Food hall restaurant chain to open 3 new locations in N.J. See dates, towns.

N.J. supermarket announces store closure after decades at popular location

Staples store permanently closes in N.J. town
Ellavoz Impact Capital has secured $12 million in state tax credits to transform a long-vacant historic hospital in Newark into affordable workforce housing for healthcare workers, students, and mobile professionals.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority awarded the Historic Property Reinvestment Program tax credits last month for the restoration of the original St. Michaels Hospital buildings on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Construction is expected to begin in early 2026.

The interconnected structures, built in 1869, have sat empty for more than two decades, according to a statement by Ellavoz Impact Capital.

The real estate developer plans to convert the 104,000-square-foot building into Newark Commons, featuring 42 housing units with 146 bedrooms.

The Newark Commons project is located at 292-306 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

The project addresses Newarks rapid rent growth since the COVID-19 pandemic by providing affordable housing in the downtown area, officials said.

Twenty percent of the units will be designated as affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents.

The restored building will also include community amenity space and a 4,500-square-foot commercial and retail space facing Central Avenue.

Newarks zoning board of adjustment unanimously approved the development plan earlier this year.

In September, the City Council approved a 30-year tax abatement to help make the housing affordable.

The state tax credits will be combined with federal Historic Preservation tax credits, which already received approval from the National Park Service.
Authorities have identified the motorcyclist killed in a crash in Newark on Monday.

Jose Garcia, 36, of Brooklyn, New York, died following the collision on Mount Prospect Avenue at about 9:45 p.m., the Essex County Prosecutors Office said.

Investigators found that a 2006 Nissan Pathfinder traveling north attempted to turn left into 696 Mount Prospect Avenue when it was struck by the southbound off-road motorcycle.

Garcia was taken to University Hospital in Newark, where he was pronounced dead at 11:03 p.m. on Monday, the prosecutors office said.

The motorcycle was unregistered and possibly stolen, according to the office.

The prosecutors office previously described the motorcycle as reported stolen.

The driver of the Nissan remained at the scene, according to officials.
The Dr. Pepper bottle with a message inside that was found by Clint Buffington a remote island in the Bahamas in March 2025. The message was written by John Forsyth, skipper of the fishing boat Miss Belmar around 1971. Courtesy of Clint Buffington

One day long ago, the Miss Belmar sailed out of the Shark River Inlet and went full speed ahead to the Hudson Canyon fishing grounds, 90 miles to the east and a long way from the Jersey Shore.

It took all day for the wooden-bottom Miss Belmar to reach its destination, and when it did, an excited teenager from Neptune in love with the sea wanted to mark the occasion of his first visit to the hallowed fishing grounds.

So John Forsyth did what so many nautical lovers had done before: he scribbled a note on a piece of brown lunch bag and stuffed in a Dr. Pepper bottle, then tossed it overboard.

Sent off fishing boat Miss Belmar 90 miles east of Belmar Inlet, the note said. "If found please call or write John Forsyth," and gives a six-digit phone number and his address in Neptune City. It ends with a simple Thank you.

Forsyth fished for many years on the Miss Belmar, first as a paying customer, then as a mate, and by 1975, became the skipper. But no one ever called or wrote to say they found his message in a bottle, and those closest to him didnt even know about it when he died in Freehold in January 2022.

No one, that is, until a teacher-turned-musician-turned beachcomber from Utah, Clint Buffington, stumbled on the weather-beaten bottle on a remote island in the Bahamas in March.

It wasnt like a normal beach, with dunes at the back. On this one, the land gradually sloped up, and the terrain was rough, Buffington recalled. So when I saw an opening between the bushes, I figured I better take it. And there it was.

Buffington is a serious beachcomber who by his own estimate has discovered 140 bottles with messages in them in a hobby that began in 2007 but has evolved into a mission. Buffington isnt a collector; hes a connector who goes looking for the writer  or if the writer has passed, his family and friends.

When I first started finding messages in the bottle, it was pure adventure, Buffington said. But now I realize that Im in a very strange position, one that Ive come to embrace, as a messenger.

Buffington brought that message aboard the S.S. Belmar on Thursday in a Zoom call with family and friends of John Forsyth. No one had ever heard of John Forsyths message in a bottle until Buffington found it and contacted them through the videos he posted on Instagram and TikTok, but now it all seem to fit together.

Clint Buffington describes finding the message in a bottle her brother launched in 1971, on Miss Belmar at the Belmar Marina in Belmar, NJ on Thursday, October 9, 2025 Ed Murray| For NJ Advance Media

I dont recall him ever mentioning it, but it was definitely something I could see him doing, said Jill Bryan, Forsyths girlfriend at the time of his death. We were together 14 years, and he used to tell these incredible stories. He lived a life of romance and adventure.

Forsyths sister, Kathy Ruding, said her brother began working on the Miss Belmar around 1968 as a teenager. He eventually got his captains license in 1975, and piloted the Miss Belmar until about 1982, she said.

Kathy Ruding and Al Shin at the Miss Belmar at the Belmar Marina in Belmar, NJ on Thursday, October 9, 2025 Ed Murray| For NJ Advance Media

After his death, Ruding found logs that her brother kept detailing his years aboard the Miss Belmar. One entry for the year 1971, appears to solve the mystery of the message in a bottle. It reads:

Out of high school I started full (time) on the Miss Belmar, year round fishing. This was a special year because we made our first Hudson Canyon trip for Tile Fish 8-10 hours one way to the fishing grounds ...

No one can be sure, but it makes sense that a teenager enthralled with fishing on his first trip to the Hudson Canyon would want to tell the world  and hope at least one other person was listening.

He just loved the ocean, Ruding said. He started working the boats when he was 13 years old. He cleaned fish, he cleaned the boats. He was a mate, and then in 1975, he went and got his captains license.

The gathering doubled as a celebration for the Miss Belmar, which is celebrating its 90th year on the water. Al Shin, a current skipper whose grandfather started the fleet, remembered Forsyth as a free spirit

Al Shin, who grandfather started the Miss Belmar 90 years ago, said the boat that Forsyth took to the Hudson Canyon was on old Navy PT boat that could only do about nine knots.

It would have taken them nine or 10 hours just to get there, he said. Its a long trip for us now. But there are a lot of big Tile Fish out there that makes the trip worthwhile, he said.

Forsyth made the news in October of 1977, when he anchored the Miss Belmar about 12 miles off Long Branch for a night of blue fishing. The giant luxury liner Queen Elizabeth II set sail out of New York Harbor and nearly collided with the fishing boat, which had 27 people aboard, according to newspaper accounts.

As the QE II closed in, Forsyth ordered his mate to cut the lines on the two anchors he had dropped.

It was coming through the water like a giant knife, Forsyth later told reporters. It was a sickening feeling. I yelled at the mates to cut anchor lines and I threw all four engines in reverse. A minute later, it was passing right where we had been fishing.

The message that Capt John Forsyth scrawled on a lunch bag around 1971, while the fishing boat was 90 miles east of the Belmar Inlet. The message stuffed inside a Dr. Pepper bottle was recently discovered on a remote island in the Bahamas by Utah resident Clint Buffington. Courtesy of Clint Buffington

The near-miss made headlines and Forsyth enjoyed his 15 minutes of fame. By 1982, hed left the fishing business for better paying work in Port Newark, his sister said.

It breaks my heart that I didnt get to know John, Buffington said. He said of the 140 message bottles that he has found, the Forsyth bottle had been missing the longest. He cant be sure when it washed up in the Bahamas, but Buffington believes the bottle circled the Atlantic at least three times before washing ashore.

Buffington began his search by posting videos on Instagram and TikTok where he read the note and asked people to help him find the writer. This search was relatively easy because the message contained a name, an address and a phone number.

He said connecting with Forsyths family was very surreal and humbling. What excites him, is the thought that from the minute I was born, Johns message in a bottle was already floating in the ocean. That bottle was out there waiting to be found. Anyone could have found it, but I got to find it.

Buffington estimates that of the 140 messages he has found in bottles, hes been able to make contact with the writers of about half of them.

As a kid, i wanted to have a pen pal, he said. Ive always been compelled by the experience of meeting people from far away.

Besides their mystical connection, Jill Bryan said Forsyth had another thing in common with Buffington.

John was a beachcomber, too, she said. He loved to collect sea glass. He would pack a lunch, get up about four oclock in the morning and go to Sandy Hook. He would come home not only with sea glass, but pieces of pottery. And one time he found two Rosary beads.
The U.S. Naval Academy is looking into the cause and manner of student Kyle Philbert James' death. AP

Editors note: A previous version of this story incorrectly referred to Kyle Philbert James as a cadet. Students at the U.S. Naval Academy are midshipman.

The United States Naval Academy announced an investigation Sunday into the death of a student from New Jersey who had gone missing days earlier.

Kyle Philbert James, 20, of Whippany, in Hanover Township, Morris County, was a junior at the military school in Annapolis, Maryland, according to a statement from the U.S. Naval Academy.

It is painful to lose a member of our Naval Academy family, and as we attempt to better understand this tremendous loss, we offer our deepest condolences to Philbert James family, close friends, classmates and company mates during this extremely difficult time, Cmdr. Ashley Hockycko, an academy spokesperson, said in a statement sent to NJ Advance Media.

Hockycko did not specify when or where James was found dead. The circumstances surrounding his death are under investigation, the statement said.

James had been missing since Thursday night when his mother received a call from the Naval Academy informing her that he hadnt attended any of his classes that day, according to WFSB 3, a local Baltimore station.

Please help me find him, James mother, Diane, said.

James was a history major and member of the 36th Company at the academy, and participated with the schools gospel choir, the academy said.
Flights were grounded and parts of New Jerseys transit system were suspended Sunday as a dangerous noreaster lashed the state.

The storm, which began early Sunday and will continue into Monday, has triggered high wind and coastal flood warnings for several counties.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued ground delay programs for several airports around 12:30 p.m. Sunday, including Newark Liberty International.

Low clouds, strong gusts and limited runway visibility have reduced Newarks arrival capacity through early Monday, the notice said.

Flights bound for Newark from across the U.S. and parts of Canada are being held at their departure airports to prevent airborne congestion, with average delays around 80 minutes and some stretching beyond two and a half hours.

Similar restrictions are in effect at John F. Kennedy International, LaGuardia, Philadelphia International, Boston Logan International and Washington, D.C., airports.

A ground delay program is used when weather limits how many planes can safely land, allowing the FAA to space out departures, the agency said.

NJ Transit also suspended parts of its rail service Sunday afternoon as conditions worsened.

North Jersey Coast Line trains between Bay Head and Long Branch shut down at 1 p.m., while Atlantic City Rail Line service between Atlantic City and Philadelphias 30th Street Station was also suspended.

Numerous bus routes are affected by flooding and detours across South Jersey. Other lines are operating on regular schedules but may change depending on conditions, the notice said.

The National Weather Service warned that gusts could reach up to 60 mph along the Shore, with major flooding expected during high tides Sunday afternoon and Monday.

Waves up to 12 feet could cause beach erosion and possible dune breaches. In Atlantic City, oceanfront tides are expected to reach 8.1 feet Monday afternoon, just above major flood stage. Cape May Harbor is also projected to hit major flood levels Sunday and Monday.

Inland areas could see gusts between 30 and 40 mph and scattered power outages.

Moderate to major coastal flood impacts remain likely, the weather service said Sunday morning. Widespread roadway flooding and impassable roads, significant inundation of structures, and evacuations are possible.

The storm is expected to weaken late Monday, with improving conditions Tuesday and cooler, drier weather returning midweek.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., expresses his frustration with Democrats as he delivers the Republican message on the government shutdown, now in its ninth day, during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) AP

By Karen Dolan

Health care access in this country is in grave danger  and your wallet could be, too. Those facts are key to understanding the latest government shutdown.

My kids have health care through Medicaid  which is especially important for my daughter with autism, Alexis Cortes, a mom of four, told me. But the One Big Beautiful Bill calls for massive cuts to Medicaid, food assistance, and early childhood education programs, she warns.

Also at issue are the 24 million Americans who benefit from the soon-to-expire tax credits that help them afford their health coverage on the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Around 513,000 of these live in New Jersey.

When Republicans passed their tax cuts for billionaires and corporations in this summers so-called One Big Beautiful Bill, they intentionally left out renewing this credit that helps regular people afford health care.

As a result, according to KFF Health, not only could the 24 million ACA users see a doubling of their premium costs, but most Americans could see their premiums rise if this tax credit isnt renewed.

Coupled with the over $1 trillion that the GOP bill gutted from Medicaid in order to fund those massive tax giveaways to billionaires, Americans are about to experience significant reductions in their access to health coverage, long-term care, nursing home care, and hospital care, especially in rural areas.

This is whats at stake with the current government shutdown on Capitol Hill.

The Republican majority is trying to pass a stop-gap spending measure that sustains President Trumps mass firings of public servants, maintains his freeze on nearly half a trillion dollars meant for our communities, and keeps their cuts to everything from education to health care, food assistance, student loans, and even cancer research.

Some lawmakers want to stop this calamity from happening.

The Democrats have a counterproposal to fund the government that restores this health care funding, keeps costs under control for families already grappling with high costs of living, and prohibits illegally freezing appropriated funds. But with Republican majorities in the House and Senate, the Democrats proposal hasnt been able to pass.

Nearly 80% of Americans  including most Trump supporters  agree with Alexis, telling pollsters they want lawmakers to restore those expiring ACA credits.

Unfortunately, President Trump is disingenuously claiming that Democrats arent agreeing to the massive health care cuts because they want to spend taxpayer dollars on undocumented immigrants instead.

This is untrue.

Undocumented immigrants pay taxes but arent allowed to get government health care benefits. Period. The president and his allies are telling this lie in an effort to gut your health care.

Trump is also vowing to use the government shutdown as an opportunity to enact mass federal worker firings and to deny funds to states that voted against him. That means blue states  including plenty of red and purple communities inside them  are being denied funds for projects like building roads and bridges as a form of punishment.

Trump also instructed that the email signatures of government employees blame Democrats for the government shutdown. The administration has posted similar false and partisan messages on some executive branch agency websites.

Together, these measures may violate at least four federal laws against misappropriating or freezing federal funds, or spending them on partisan activity  including the Anti-Deficiency Act, the Hatch Act, the Anti-Lobbying Act, and the Impoundment Control Act.

Meanwhile, families like Alexiss are scared and struggling, wondering how they will be able to care for their families when their health coverage vanishes or becomes unaffordable.

The 80 percent of us who object to defunding our families and communities just so the rich can get richer need to make our voices heard. The sooner we do, the sooner the government can reopen and our families can receive the care and services we need.

Calling your elected representative in the U.S. House Of Representatives or U.S. Senate is the most effective way to influence policy. To find your representative and senator to voice your position, go to the House website and the Senate website.

Karen Dolan directs the Criminalization of Race and Poverty Project at the Institute for Policy Studies. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org.
Port Sudan, Sudan (PANA) - The Sudanese government on Sunday condemned what it described as the silence" of the international community in face of crimes commited by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against civilians and displaced and besieged civilians in Darfur and other war-impacted regions in the country
Our system depends on Americans ability to invest well for their retirement, Barbara Roper, an expert in investor protection and former senior adviser for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), told the news outlet.

Allaires experience may be a common one, and not just limited to those with public retirement plans managed by TIAA. CNBC cited critics who claim that Americans with retirement plans can fall victim to predatory practices, including being sold risky financial products, accepting plans with complex rules and hidden costs, and undisclosed conflicts of interest.

While Rhode Island officials defend their choice to change the management of the plan, it turns out that the decision was a swift and quiet one: It was made during a single meeting of the Rhode Island Investment Committee in May 2023, reports CNBC, and no details of the deliberations appear in the state records.

As of 2023, the Rhode Island 401(a) accounts were switched from the management of low-cost provider Vanguard to TIAA, which CNBC reports draws a large profit from managing the plan.

We cannot touch it, borrow against it or move it, even in an emergency, he said in an interview with NBC News (2).

However, he found out that he wouldnt be allowed to access his money until he stops working for the state.

A 401(a) is a 401(k) equivalent for government workers, so when Allaire decided to pull some money from his fund to help his daughter with her college tuition, he assumed he would simply have to pay the penalty and taxes as with a 401(k)

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Allaire has saved thousands of dollars in the state retirement plan, which was overhauled after Rhode Islands severely underfunded public pension plans were in crisis, with enough funding for less than half the pensions combined liabilities, according to CNBC reporting (1).

Jason Allaire, a captain with the Rhode Island Division of Sheriffs, is sounding the alarm on a much-scrutinized retirement plan managed by TIAA Financial Services after he found that the 401(a) plan, which had been sold to him and his colleagues as being nearly identical to a 401(k) plan, came with some caveats.

Story Continues

But the majority of Americans are not good at investing  they pay too much for substandard products recommended by conflicted representatives.

TIAA is currently under investigation by regulators in three states: Montana, Vermont and Washington  who are probing allegations that it steers retirement savers into costly TIAA products, including one in the RI Plan, according to former consultant-turned-whistleblower.

Speaking to NBC News last year, Ted Siedle, lawyer for the former TIAA consultant who filed the complaint with the SEC in 2024 said, This is a company thats been plagued by disturbing whistleblower allegations for over a decade now (3).

These state regulators are seriously concerned about the integrity of the advice thats being offered by TIAA and its sales and representative licensing practices.

Responding to NBC News about the investigations, TIAA spokesperson Michael Tetuan said at the time, We cooperate fully and transparently with all regulatory authorities.

And regarding the Rhode Island retirement plan, in a statement to the news outlet Tetuan said, Rhode Island makes all legally required disclosures available to participants, adding, "Ultimately, its up to participants to decide which specific investments best suit their financial goals.

Read more: US car insurance costs have surged 50% from 2020 to 2024  this simple 2-minute check could put hundreds back in your pocket

What you need to know about 401(a) accounts

A 401(a) plan is intended to be similar to the 401(k) that youre likely familiar with, but there are a few important differences.

First, 401(a) plans are available to those working in government agencies, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations. 401(a) plans typically have more modest growth compared to plans with broader investment options, as government employers tend to limit investment options to only the safest and lowest-risk options. This type of plan gives employers more control over their employees' investment choices.

Just like with a 401(k), an employee can (under normal circumstances) transfer the funds in their 401(a) to a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account (IRA) if they leave their employer. The employer also controls the 401(a) plan and determines the contribution limits for employees.

Tips for understanding your 401(a) account

Its important for government or other public employees to seek as much information as possible on their 401(a) retirement plans  especially if the fund is being changed to another provider.

Read the fine print, or have the contract reviewed by a financial advisor or a lawyer who specialized in this area. You may be able to pool together with your colleagues to cover the cost of legal advice. If these professionals find any gaps in the information youve been provided, you will have a strong case for demanding full access to the information you deserve.

There are also alternative retirement investments to a 401(a), including a Roth IRA or traditional IRA. However, the IRA's contribution limit is considerably less than a 401(k) or 401(a).

You can supplement your IRAs with certificates of deposit (CDs) while interest rates are high, or invest in annuities or permanent life insurance policies. Finally, investments such as mutual funds, stocks, bonds or real estate can help pad your retirement fund so that you dont have to depend as much on your employers 401(a).

What can you do if youre stuck with a similar retirement plan?

Unfortunately, there isnt much that Allaire and his colleagues can do about their retirement plan. Speaking up, both to your employer and to the media if you feel your 401(a) is being mismanaged, may be a necessary step to help ensure your rights as a worker are taken seriously. You may also opt to consult with a lawyer individually or with your colleagues to determine if you have a case to sue for changes to your plan.

In many cases, the only option to gain more control over your retirement may be to change jobs, and thereby transfer at least a portion of your 401(a) balance to IRAs, or to your new employers plan. Be sure you understand your 401(a) contract and rules clearly before you take this step, to ensure you arent losing any portion of your savings as a result. In many cases, you may either cash out your plan as a lump sum and reinvest in yourself, or rollover to another retirement plan from your new employer.

The bottom line is to know your investment contracts inside and out. Robert Jalette, a colleague of Allaires with the Division of Sheriffs, was also barred from accessing his funds.

I dont think any of us knew that it was going to be locked in, he said.

Allaire, meanwhile, continues to fight for better treatment.

This whole situation from the onset, he said, was a disaster.

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Article sources

We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.

CNBC (1); NBC News (2); NBC News (3);

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
The diner has been there since the 1950s. Courtesy of Lisa Fairclough of Fairclough Realtors

If you walk into the Jumboland Diner in Branchville on any given morning, youll find a bunch of regulars chatting up current events over their steak and eggs, massive omelettes and freshly baked goods.

Everybody knows each other, said Lisa Fairclough, of Fairclough Realtors who listed the 60-year-old business. Its a really neat spot.

The 110-seat restaurant, with a drive-through window, an outdoor pavilion, a liquor license, parking for 100 cars  and a three bedroom house  is listed for $1.65 million.

The diner has been operating since the 1950s and the current owner, Thomas Nicos, has owned it since 1988.

He is an old-school family man who lives in a home on site and takes great pride in his comfort food and family recipes, Fairclough said.

The extensive menu includes half-pound burgers, paninis, huge N.Y.-style deli sandwiches, gyros and pitas from Nicos Greek heritage, Italian and Mexican food and theres an ice cream stand.

The 3,000-square-foot restaurant sits on nearly three acres on Route 206 North between East Shore Lake Owassa Road and West Owassa Turnpike. It has a prominent highway location on one of the busiest highways in the state, she said.

The business and property have been on and off the market for the past couple of years. It was last offered for $1.85 million before being re-listed Sept. 16 for $1.65 million.

Now he wants to retire, Fairclough said of the 75-year-old owner. I dont blame the guy.

The diner is open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and does off-site catering. Fairclough said the business could be expanded by doing more events with the pavilion.

Its a great opportunity at this price, she said.

The buyer will likely be someone who is already in the restaurant business or wants to get into the business and step into Thomas shoes.

He walks around the restaurant and talks to people. Hes very personable, she said. And he will show them the ropes.

The 3,000 square foot restaurant has 110 seats. Courtesy of Lisa Fairclough of Fairclough Realtors

There is a drive-through and an ice cream stand. Courtesy of Lisa Fairclough of Fairclough Realtors

An outdoor pavilion can be used for parties. Courtesy of Lisa Fairclough of Fairclough Realtors

The property is three acres. Courtesy of Lisa Fairclough of Fairclough Realtors
A 44-year-old Raritan woman died and another driver was seriously injured in a three-car crash on Route 202 in Branchburg on Friday afternoon, police said.

The victim, identified as Sara Elsman, was driving north in a 2016 Honda CR-V between Holland Brook and Whiton roads when she suddenly veered left across the grass median, the Somerset County Prosecutors Office said.

The Honda CR-V then struck two vehicles on the southbound side of the highway, a 2009 Acura TSX driven by a 40-year-old man from Basking Ridge, and a 2021 Honda Civic driven by a 64-year-old woman from Beverly, Massachusetts, police said.

Branchburg police were first to arrive and administered first aid to the victims and were joined by Readington and Neshanic fire companies, the Branchburg Rescue Squad EMS and paramedics from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset.

Elsman died at the scene and the 64-year-old Massachusetts woman was flown by helicopter to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where she was in critical condition, police said.

The driver of the Acura said he was not injured and refused medical treatment at the scene, according to authorities.

The accident initially closed both sides of Route 202 while the Somerset County Prosecutors Office conducted its investigation.
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Smiling Friends is back with the second episode of its 3rd season. This one is called Le Voyage Incroyable de Monsieur Grenouille.

The divisive, beloved, and reviled comedy series will air a new episode on Adult Swim/Cartoon Network on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 11:30 p.m. You can watch it live on either Sling TV or DIRECTV (free trial).

It is also available on HBO Max, which we recommend bundling with Disney+ and Hulu.

According to the episode description, Charlie and Pim will encounter a walking, talking frog who rewrites brains. Judging from the preview, it appears Mr. Frog is back.

Sling TV Sling TV offers tons of channels at the best price in the industry. Buy Now

Smiling Friends follows the chaotic adventures of Charlie and Pim in their day job, working for a charity devoted to making people smile. Despite how pleasant that may sound, the adventures the two undergo tend to get somewhat... deranged.

The series is the brainchild of animators Zach Hadel (better known as psychicpebbles) and Michael Cusack.

Heres a look at everything you need to know to watch the latest episode, and the rest of season 3.

How to watch Smiling Friends for free

The cheaper way to watch Smiling Friends is to sign up for Sling TV, which will give you some of the best customization in the entire industry.

However, DIRECTV is also worth considering if youre looking for a solution to cutting the cord in the long term, with more channels and variety in addition to Adult Swim content. It also offers a free trial.

Streaming Service Cost Free Trial? DIRECTV $74.99 Yes Sling TV $45-$60 No




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 transition to snow showers overnight. Low 17F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 60%. About one inch of snow expected.
Andrew Berger exited LMR Partners after losses from a mortgage-backed securities bet.

The star portfolio manager's strategy involved highly levered trades in residential MBS.

LMR Partners faced a 0.9% loss in September, unique among major multistrategy funds.

Last year, Andrew Berger was riding high. The mortgage-trading team he oversaw at $12.8 billion hedge fund LMR Partners gained nearly $250 million in 2024, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Now, the star trader is out at LMR after sharp losses in September, tied to a mortgage-backed securities bet, those people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private.

That misstep contributed to a 0.9% loss in September for LMR, the only major multistrategy fund to lose money during the month. Such funds typically aim to deliver steady, low-volatility returns by spreading risk across a range of markets and strategies.

An LMR representative declined to comment. Berger did not respond to requests for comment.

Berger, who joined LMR in 2022 from Credit Suisse, was among the buzziest names in securitized-products trading this past year, following his standout 2024 performance and strong start to 2025, according to recruiters focused on the space.

He specialized in a capital-intensive, highly leveraged residential-MBS strategy that backfired last month, wiping out year-to-date gains estimated at more than $100 million, three people said.

It's unclear what caused the trade to unravel. Mortgage rates  which don't move in lockstep with US Treasury yields  initially dipped ahead of the Federal Reserve's September 17 rate cut, then jumped sharply afterward.

Because a mortgage-backed security is composed of individual home loans, shifts in borrower behavior  such as refinancing or prepaying loans when rates change  can rapidly alter an MBS's value. When those positions are leveraged, even modest rate moves can translate into outsized losses.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The stock market will enter the second full week of the government shutdown following a tariff-driven sell-off on Friday.

At the closing bell, the S&P 500 (^GSPC), tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC), and small-cap-focused Russell 2000 (^RUT) all saw their worst daily performances since April 10, just a week after the Trump administration released its initial "Liberation Day" tariff proposals. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) notched its worst performance since May.

Gold (GC=F), on the other hand, had its eighth straight week of gains, continuing the biggest precious metals bull rally in decades.

In the week ahead, the market will continue to fly blind on several key points of economic data that would normally be published if not for the gridlock in Washington. Figures ranging from import prices and retail sales to hourly earnings and jobless claims are likely to be missing from the calendar.

Consumer Price Index (CPI) data was due to be released on Oct. 15; however, it will now come out on Oct. 24, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Given that the Federal Open Market Committee enters the blackout period for its October meeting starting on Saturday, Oct. 18, if Congress gets through Friday with no deal to reopen the government, the Fed will enter the blackout missing a ream of economic data.

Elsewhere in the corporate world, it's set to be a big week of earnings as the third quarter season gets properly underway. Results from the big banks such as JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Goldman Sachs (GS), and Wells Fargo (WFC) will lead the week. Outside of the financial services sector, big names to watch include Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Domino's (DPZ) on Tuesday and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) on Thursday.

Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, and Charles Scharf, CEO of Wells Fargo, left, at the U.S. Capitol in Feburary. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)  Tom Williams via Getty Images

'De minimis' shutdown effect

It's not always clear how news from Washington will impact stocks' direction. Friday's market rout shows that Trump's tariff threats still matter. Meanwhile, the government shutdown seems to have had a muted impact on the major indexes, with Deutsche Bank calling the shutdown's market effect "de minimis."

In the past, the major credit rating agencies have noted that a government shutdown like the one currently in effect would reflect negatively on the US government bond rating. Given that the rating agencies have already downgraded government bonds in the last few years on the basis of political instability, said Jeff Buchbinder, chief equity strategist at broker-dealer LPL Financial, this outcome is essentially "off the table."
AN Offaly man accused of knocking a garda sergeant down by driving a car at him faces spending Christmas behind bars.

Jeffrey Moran (35), College View, Rahan, was remanded in custody on Thursday by Judge Sinead McMullan at Tullamore Circuit Court when she refused him bail.

Mr Moran had been remanded to appear at the Circuit Court on Tuesday but when he did not do so a bench warrant was issued.

Detective Sergeant Brian Jennings gave evidence of arresting Mr Moran on Wednesday at the train station in Portlaoise where the man was seen with bags of clothes and the garda believed he was going to board a train.

Detective Sergeant Jennings said he was opposing bail because of breaches since Mr Moran appeared in Tullamore District Court in February.

A condition of bail at that time was that the accused was to sign in at Portlaoise Garda Station but the evidence was that he failed to do so on 188 occasions out of 232.

He had also missed two court appearances this year and two bench warrants had to be issued. There were also six breaches of a curfew which had been imposed on him.

When David Nugent, BL, appearing for Mr Moran, put it to Detective Sergeant Jennings that the accused was waiting for a lift at the train station, the garda witness said the man had not told him that.

The detective said Mr Moran had a phone with him and pointed to a scar on his head which he said had been caused by being hit with a bottle in Clara.

In his own evidence Mr Moran said he had returned to live in Rahan following a period living in Laois and wished to sign in at the garda station in Moate instead of Portlaoise.

He said it was costing him 50 every day or two to drive to the station and if it was changed to Moate it would be nearer and he could get help from his family.

Mr Moran said he had been in difficulty recently with an eye injury which required him going to the eye and ear in Dublin and in addition he had been struck with a pint glass.

The court heard that incident which resulted in the head injury may have been a case of mistaken identity.

Mr Moran also said he had two daughters and wanted to be admitted to bail because his youngest would be celebrating her first Christmas this year and he wished to be with her.

He said he would sign on twice a day at the garda station in Moate. I'll do whatever it takes, he said.

READ NEXT: Drugs worth nearly 50,000 found in Offaly sting operation

Asked by Shane Geraghty, BL, for the DPP, why he had missed his appearance at the Circuit Court the previous Tuesday, Mr Moran said he was injured that day.

Mr Geraghty said that the maximum sentence for the most serious charge Mr Moran is facing, that of endangerment, is seven years in prison.

Judge McMullan said that while Mr Moran enjoys the presumption of innocence, she was really concerned about the failure to sign on at the garda station.

We can't have people just not signing on in such a blatant manner, said the judge.

She said the accused did not seem to be taking the bail conditions seriously and while she would not admit him to bail, she would not estreat the independent surety which had been pledged when it was first granted.

Mr Moran had been granted bail on his own bond of 500 cash with an independent surety of 5,000.

His case will not be listed for trial until June next year at the earliest but Judge McMullan remanded him in custody to appear before the Circuit Court again on January 13 next.

The endangerment charge against Mr Moran arises from an allegation that on February 18 last he drove at speed and collided with Detective Sergeant David Scahill.

Further charges connected with that are alleged assaulting a garda, failing to stop a vehicle, five offences of dangerous driving and driving without insurance.

A contested bail hearing in February was told it would be alleged by gardai that Mr Moran was driving a black Audi A4 in Tullamore when gardai signalled him to pull over but instead he continued driving.

It would be alleged that when Detective Sergeant Scahill was getting out of his car he was hit by Mr Moran's and knocked to the ground. The officer had to be hospitalised.

The Audi was also seen in Ballycumber and Pullough, the bail hearing was told.

It is a condition of Mr Moran's bai that he stay away from Detective Garda Scahill who is based in Tullamore Garda Station.
Key Points

A credit card is, effectively, a revolving credit facility for individual consumers.

That credit line is extended by the banks issuing credit cards.

Credit card companies like Visa and Mastercard are toll takers, facing little to no credit risk.

10 stocks we like better than Mastercard 

If you open up your wallet, you will likely find you have cards with the logo of either Visa (NYSE: V) or Mastercard (NYSE: MA) emblazoned on them. Go into just about any store or restaurant, and you will likely find they accept those same cards because they are Visa or Mastercard cards.

However, these cards aren't issued by Visa or Mastercard, and that makes a huge difference when it comes to the impact of an economic downturn. Here's what you need to know about Visa and Mastercard to help you understand why recessions aren't as big a worry to them as they are for the banks that actually issue credit cards.

What is a credit card?

A credit card is a payment method. It allows you, the consumer, to buy things with the understanding that you will pay at a later date. There are multiple players involved in this transaction that you may not think about.

Image source: Getty Images.

At the very surface, there is you and the seller or service provider. In the background, there is the bank that issued the credit card. That is the company that is actually paying the retailer in the present, with you agreeing to repay the bank at some point in the future, usually the end of a monthly billing cycle. Connecting you, the retailer, and the bank is the credit card company, with two of the largest credit card companies being Visa and Mastercard. They earn a small fee for every transaction they facilitate.

From a big picture view, what you, the consumer, have is basically a revolving credit line. This is such an immensely valuable tool that card payments have become a larger and larger part of the economy. Card payments are so easy that Visa and Mastercard also facilitate debit transactions, which pull money directly from a checking or bank account. And card payments are one of the safest ways to make online transactions, noting the continuing growth of online retail in recent years.

Visa and Mastercard are toll takers

You'll often hear the saying "follow the money" in crime shows. In this case, the money trail is simple but very important to understand. You start the process when you buy something; the retailer gets paid right away, with the transaction creating a short-term loan between you and the bank. Neither Visa nor Mastercard are involved with the money that is exchanging hands. So there is no default or payment risk for either of these credit processors.
A Judge branded as unforgiveable the actions of a man who drove at 177kph with two unrestrained children in his car.

Laii Mutean (29) of Russell Lawns, Tallaght, Dublin 24, appeared in court via video link where he was accused of dangerous driving and having no licence or insurance on the M7 at Ballydavis, Portlaoise on August 14, 2024.

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the defendant had been driving a silver coloured 151C registered VW Passat on the date in question and was detected doing 177kph in a 120 zone.

He said the man told gardai a child had been sick and had fainted. Sgt Kirby said the mans two daughters, aged five and six, were unrestrained in the car and the six year old was lying across an adults lap in the back of the car. He said the man had a long list of previous convictions which were mainly for road traffic offences.

Judge Catherine Ryan noted that the man, who is serving a sentence, had 92 previous convictions.

Andrew Dunne BL said there is very little I can say about this gentleman. He asked the court to take the guilty plea into consideration and asked the court to do its best for him.

Judge Ryan noted the man had been disqualified from driving for ten years a year previously.

Sgt Kirby said the man is serving a prison sentence and had a release date of November 18.

Judge Ryan said the offending was at the top end and the man had shown no regard whatsoever to road traffic laws.

Sgt Kirby agreed and said the child in the front seat really compounded it in terms of aggravating circumstances.

Judge Ryan said there was a litany of things that he has done in total disregard of the law. She said he had put himself, his children and other road users in danger through his actions.

This is at the very high end of dangerous driving, said Judge Ryan.

She sentenced the man to four months in prison consecutive to the sentence he is serving, fined him a total of 6,500 and disqualified him from driving for four years.

Judge Ryan said the court was left with no choice given the long list of previous and really no regard for the laws of the land in terms of road traffic.

You need to be off the road, she told the defendant during the sitting of Portlaoise District Court.

I apologise for all this, it is just I was going through some bad times, the defendant said.

Judge Ryan said it was unforgiveable and told the man you will take your punishment and learn before she fixed recognisance in case of appeal.
An Offaly school celebrated a milestone anniversary recently. Colaiste Iosagain in Portarlington celebrated its Silver Jubilee in a memorable and joyous event that brought together the wider community. A highlight of the celebrations was the launch of the Silver Jubilee Book, which will be on sale throughout the year, offering a beautiful record of the schools history and memories. PICTURES: Michael Scully

CLICK ON THE ARROWS ABOVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THE PICTURES

The celebrations began with a Mass at St Michael's parish church, celebrated by Bishop Denis Nulty, along with Fr Tom Dooley, Fr Eugen Dragos Tamas, Fr Pat Hughes and Fr Michael Noonan.

The service reflected the Laois Offaly secondary schools rich spiritual heritage and included participation from our students, parents and staff, past and present, the Presentation Sisters, the Christian Brothers, and members of the schools patron body, CEIST, Gerry Watchorn and CEO Maeve Mahon.

The congregation were united in marking 25 years of the schools achievements and community spirit. Following the Mass, attendees were warmly welcomed back to the school, where Principal Justin Brown addressed the gathering, reflecting on the journey of the school and its milestones.

Guests were also treated to a captivating collection of photographs and archival videos, compiled by student Adam ODea, providing a nostalgic glimpse into the schools journey. The unveiling of the time capsule from the year 2000 was another memorable moment, sparking smiles and fond recollections.

The celebrations concluded with everyone retiring to the school canteen to enjoy refreshments thoughtfully served by the students themselves, fostering a warm and convivial atmosphere.

We were especially glad to welcome past staff, including former Principal Seamus Bennett and Deputy Principals, Michael Nolan and Martin Gleeson.

The Silver Jubilee was not just a celebration of the schools past but also a testament to its ongoing commitment to education, community, and faith. It was a day filled with warmth, reflection, and shared joy, leaving all who attended with memories to cherish for years to come, said the school.

The school thanked Peter Lowry who compiled the Silver Jubilee Book and all those who have worked to support Colaiste Iosagains Silver Jubilee celebrations.

It is for sale locally.
Irish premier Micheal Martin has said he is deeply sorry for how Fianna Fail candidate Jim Gavin had fared during the presidential race.

The Taoiseach and Fianna Fail leader said he had not spoken to the partys former presidential contender but said he was in touch with friends of Mr Gavin.

Mr Gavin withdrew as a presidential contender last Sunday after a tenant claimed he tried to recover 3,300 euros in overpaid rent from Mr Gavin 16 years ago.

Ive been speaking to people close to Jim, he said.

I think Jim is obviously having time with himself and his family, and I think that should be respected, and I think its been very traumatic for him and very difficult for him and for his family, and Im very conscious and aware of that.

I have been talking to close friends of Jim.

He said he is glad to see that that has been resolved in relation to Mr Gavin reportedly repaying his former tenant 3,300 euro.

I think the tenant is also a victim in all of this, he said.

I listened to the podcast (the tenant spoke on) and I think he spoke frankly and candidly and in a very reasonable manner. So Im glad that that has been resolved.

He made the comments at the annual Fianna Fail grassroots event on Saturday evening in Dublin, days after he apologised to his parliamentary party for how presidential candidate Mr Gavin fared.

Addressing the event, he said he was deeply sorry for how things turned out, and acknowledged the disappointment within the party.

Clearly we need to have a new procedure for deciding when we run a candidate for president and who that candidate is to be, he said.

I for one support the idea that we move to a process which is in tune with the wider reforms which we have introduced in the past.

Tonight, we think of Jim Gavin and his family who have gone through a very traumatic time, he added, which drew applause from the room.

Jim Gavin has made a very significant contribution to our country as UN peacekeeper, public servant and in his impactful work in the North East inner city of Dublin where he is hugely respected. This needs to be said.

Speaking to the media before his address, Mr Martin also explained his decision not to direct party members to vote a certain way, stating it would represent a certain degree of arrogance if he did.

He said he would vote for Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys, as its important that the president of Ireland is one who can get on with other countries, but said he would not campaign for her.

Earlier, Ms Humphreys thanked Mr Martin for saying he would vote for her.

Presidential candidate Catherine Connolly said on Saturday that Mr Martin was entitled to back Ms Humphreys and said: I think he probably has actually clarified the situation  that for the leadership of Fianna Fail there is very little difference between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, so the people of Ireland have a clear choice to make now.

Mr Gavins withdrawal has left just two candidates in the race ahead of polling day in less than two weeks.

On Saturday, Ms Humphreys canvassed in Co Tipperary, while left-wing independent Ms Connolly met people in counties Waterford and Wexford.

Speaking at Upperchurch Drombane GAA, Ms Humphreys was asked about comments from former Fine Gael minister and broadcaster Ivan Yates calling on Fine Gael to smear the bejaysus out of Ms Connolly.

Ms Connolly said she was absolutely shocked when she heard Mr Yatess comments and said it trivialised the election campaign.

Ms Humphreys responded: Ivan Yates is a commentator, and he hasnt been in Fine Gael for the last 25 years, and hes certainly not advising me on my campaign.

Hes entitled to say what he thinks himself. Hes no more involved in my campaign than Joe Brolly is involved in Catherine Connollys campaign.

So I wont be a candidate thats going to smear anybody, but I will ask the hard questions, and I have already a number of issues that I think Catherine needs to clarify.

She raised the issue again of Ms Connolly giving a woman with a Special Criminal Court conviction access to the Dail for six months while Garda clearance was pending.

She said: We all know the rules are very clear, you must have Garda vetting. We talk about trying to unite people in this country, were talking about a united Ireland. Eirigi are the very people that tried to pull down the Good Friday Agreement.

She also raised questions about using 3,691 euros of parliamentary allowance for a trip to Syria in 2018.

I really do believe she needs to answer those questions, but those are straight questions, and thats acceptable in any campaign, Ms Humphreys said.

These are the questions that will be debated during the campaign, but I certainly wont be smearing anybody.

Appealing for votes, Ms Humphreys said she was a centre ground candidate at a divisive time who wont fall out with our European neighbours.

I need all the votes I can get, theres no question about that, she said as she pledged to travel on trade missions all over the world if she became president.

Ms Humphreys also thanked Mr Martin for saying he would vote for her after Mr Gavins shock withdrawal.

After surviving a leadership wobble during the week, Mr Martin said he would not be telling party members who to vote for, stating that when you start telling people how to vote they generally go in the opposite direction.

Asked about discontent within Fianna Fail, junior minister Niall Collins said the issue needed to be put into perspective.

Nobody is dead, he said on RTE Radio.

Ms Humphreys said she had received phone calls from some Fianna Fail members who will definitely vote for me.

Id just like to thank the Taoiseach Micheal Martin for saying that hes supporting me and hes going to vote for me. I do appreciate that, she said.

Asked about her stance on fox hunting, Ms Humphreys said she is in favour of rural pursuits, stating that there are many controls and many regulations in place.

The candidates are entering the final week of campaigning, which includes a one-on-one debate on RTE Radio on Sunday.

The last poll conducted, which was published last Sunday before Mr Gavins withdrawal, put Ms Connolly ahead of Ms Humphreys.
Gaza: Hamas will begin releasing Israeli hostages held in Gaza on Monday morning, a top official from the Palestinian militant group told AFP, before US President Donald Trump chairs an international summit in Egypt on his peace plan for the region.

As part of the deal's first phase, Hamas, whose deadly attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023 sparked the conflict, will free the captives, 20 of whom Israel believes are still alive, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

"According to the signed agreement, the prisoner exchange is set to begin on Monday morning as agreed," Hamas official Osama Hamdan told AFP in an interview Saturday.

Trumps peace summit

Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will then chair a summit of more than 20 countries in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday afternoon, the Egyptian presidency announced. The meeting will aim "to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and usher in a new era of regional security and stability", it said.

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said he will attend, as has Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, his counterparts from Italy and Spain, Giorgia Miloni and Pedro Sanchez, and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Donald Trump. Photo: AFP

There was no immediate word on whether Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be there while Hamas said it would not take part as it had "acted principally through... Qatari and Egyptian mediators" during talks, Hamas political bureau member Hossam Badran said.

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Despite the apparent breakthrough, mediators still have the tricky task of securing a longer-term political solution that will see Hamas hand in weapons and step aside from governing Gaza.

Badran said the second phase of Trump's plan "contains many complexities and difficulties" while one Hamas official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said disarming was "out of the question".

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Multinational force

Under the Trump plan, as Israel conducts a phased withdrawal from Gaza's cities, it will be replaced by a multi-national force from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, coordinated by a US-led command centre in Israel.

On Saturday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Admiral Brad Cooper, Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner visited Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were again on the move, returning to their devastated homes.

Witkoff, Kushner and Trump's daughter Ivanka then went on to Tel Aviv to attend a gathering with the families of the remaining Israeli hostages held in Gaza, where crowds shouted "Thank you Trump".

Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is one of about 20 hostages believed to still be alive, said: "We will continue to shout and fight until everyone is home.

"We finally feel hope, but we cannot and will not stop now," added Zairo Shachar Mohr Munder, whose uncle Abraham was abducted during the Hamas attack and his body recovered in August.

47 hostages, 250 prisoners

Hamas has until noon on Monday to hand over 47 remaining hostages -- living and dead -- from the 251 abducted in the attack two years ago, which led to the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians. The remains of one more hostage, held in Gaza since 2014, are also expected to be returned.

In exchange, Israel will release 250 prisoners, including some serving life sentences for deadly anti-Israeli attacks, and 1,700 Gazans detained by the military since the war broke out. The Israeli prison service said on Saturday it had moved the 250 national security detainees to two prisons ahead of the handover.

People return to Gaza

More than 500,000 Palestinians had returned to Gaza City by Saturday evening, according to Gaza's civil defence agency, a rescue service operating under Hamas authority.

"We walked for hours, and every step was filled with fear and anxiety for my home," Raja Salmi, 52, told AFP.

When she reached the Al-Rimal neighbourhood, she found her house utterly destroyed.

"I stood before it and cried. All those memories are now just dust," she said.

Drone footage shot by AFP showed whole city blocks reduced to a twisted mess of concrete and steel reinforcing wire. The walls and windows of five-storey apartment blocks had been torn off and now lay choking the roadsides as disconsolate residents poked through the rubble.

The UN's humanitarian office says Israel has allowed agencies to start transporting 170,000 tonnes of aid into Gaza if the ceasefire holds.

Ghost town

Men, women and children navigated streets filled with rubble, searching for homes amid collapsed concrete slabs, destroyed vehicles and debris.

In this aerial view, People walk amid the destruction in Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip on October 11, 2025, a day after a ceasefire took effect. Photo: AFP

Sami Musa, 28, returned alone to check on his family's house.

"Thank God... I found that our home is still standing," Musa told AFP.

"It felt like a ghost town, not Gaza," Musa said. "The smell of death still lingers in the air."

Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed at least 67,682 people, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, figures the United Nations considers credible. The data does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but indicates that more than half of the dead are women and children.
I imagine Russell Vought of Project 2025 sitting at his desk thinking, first on how best to gut a federal agency such as the Department of Education (DOE). I see him looking on at federal workers in his mind and drawing a big X over their names. Gutting the DOE is a way to justify its inefficiency and the necessity to ultimately shut the department down.



Fight Racism Fight Sexism Fight Antisemitism Smash Fascism BSD demon, 28C3, Berlin, Germany.jpg

(Image by gruntzooki from flickr) Details DMCA



It's not in him to see the black parents of a first time college student step foot on a university campus. Entering her last year in high school, theres a black young lady, accepted into a university across country, worried now about how she's be able to attend without a Pell Grant? If Vought sees them at all, its long enough to type out the directive to dismantle and privatize. Let the burden of an education in higher education rest with the individual and private financial institutions.





Look to vouchers and charter schools for the education of children who should be directed toward vocational education. In other words, preparing them for the high-tech, AI world. Above all, eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.





Parents of white children needed not worry about a thing. The future is for you!





Kevin Roberts promises that Project 2025 will restore the family as the centerpiece of American life. The Project, he argues, is all about our children. On the other hand, Roberts calls for a list of terms, starting with sexual orientation and gender identity as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion to be eliminated. It seems that in fascist America, to even think of diversity, equity, and inclusion is to be accused of being a leftist, a socialist, a communist. Anti-American! And in fact, in this America where fascists dictate what is acceptable, to oppose the move back to an apartheid-rule--otherwise known as Jim Crow, legalized segregation--would be American.

It's not hard to see that Vought and Roberts aren't talking about all American children and young adults and their rights!





Frederick Douglass was acutely aware of his state of enslavement. At twelve, he recognized show the white children were free, and, as free children, they could learn to read and write, fulfill their potential. He, on the other hand, recognized that slavery was designed by others to restrain him from being human. He was a slave for life. If he didn't take his life into his hands, he would remain ignorant of the world that surrounded him, the plantation, town, state, and country.





Douglass looked around at the enslaved blacks, many, without a care about freedom. So entrenched was the lessons, religious and secular, that blacks were naturally created by the divine being to serve the white race. His master warned that a black would be spoiled as a laborer if he or she learned to read and write. Black should learn to obey their masters otherwise they would be of no value not just to the master, but also to the entire system in which the US becomes a wealthy nation.

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Several rounds of meetings between U.S. and Syrian leaders over the last two days demonstrate a push for integrating eastern Syria with Damascus and an attempt to reconcile the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Damascus-backed forces in the wake of recent clashes.

The meetings mark high-level interactions involving the Syrian Presidency, U.S. representatives, and SDF leadership, underlining the gravity in addressing the complexities of the political and security sectors in Syria.

On October 6, SDF General Mazloum Abdi met with Special Envoy Ambassador Thomas Barrack and US Central Command Leader Admiral Brad Cooper in Hasakah, Syria. On the agenda was integrating eastern Syria, and ensuring the continuation of the fight against ISIS.

Admiral Cooper focused on an initiative designed to dismantle all ISIS detention centers and camps, foremost among them al-Hol Camp in eastern Syria. This plan includes the integration of a "New Syrian Army" into the International Coalition to fight ISIS.

On October 7, the meetings in Damascus continued to push for peace and prosperity, with Abdi, Barrack and Cooper all going to Damascus to meet with the Syrian transitional government of President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

Accompanying Abdi was Co-Chair of the Foreign Relations Department Elham Ahmad, and Women's Protection Units (YPJ) Commander Rohlat Afrin.

The meeting focused on implementing the March 10 agreement between Abdi and Sharaa, which called for the SDF to be integrated into the central governments security forces, and to be completed before year's end.

The U.S. presence in the various meetings emphasizes Washington's commitment to finding realistic application mechanisms for the March 10 agreement, which the US helped draft and sponsor. This participation is reportedly backed by French involvement and full Turkish consent.

Reports indicate the U.S. delegation stressed that following the end of 2025, the US would cease any political or military intervention should the SDF fail to execute the terms.

The Syrian security forces have been implicated in sectarian clashes on the coast and Sawayda earlier in the year. Some among the Kurdish community are fearful of a future under the control of the security forces, and this is a factor in dragging their feet in integration.

On October 6, clashes broke out in two Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo, Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh, which resulted in casualties. The clashes extended to other flashpoints, including the Deir Hafer area and Tishreen Dam in the eastern Aleppo countryside, leading to the closure of crossing points between the two sides' control zones in Aleppo, Raqqa, and Deir ez-Zor.

Kurdish fighters are trained and supplied by the U.S. The strongest fighting unit is the YPJ, noted for being a female contingent. Conversely, the Syrian forces are males.

Syria's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, Minister of Defense Murhaf Abu Qasra, and Head of the General Intelligence Directorate Hussein al-Salama also attended the meetings in Damascus.

On October 7, Qasra and Abdi met, resulting in an announced ceasefire between his forces and those of the SDF.

On October 5, Syria held its first parliamentary elections; however, eastern Syria and Suwayda were not included because they were not controlled by the central government.

Sky News reported that Mazloum Abdi requested that al-Sharaa consider a self-rule region similar to the Kurdistan Region of Iraqa demand related to broader discussions about decentralization and the integration of institutions, with the issue of internal police remaining a key point of contention.

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Dear Liz: I am a victim of check fraud where someone intercepted two checks made out to the U.S. Treasury and changed the payee name.

These two checks were for $21,000 and $6,000, so its substantial.

I made a police report and spoke with my bank at the end of August. Any advice on how to push the bank to reimburse me? I hate being in limbo!

Answer: A bank generally has 10 business days to investigate unauthorized transactions. If the bank cant complete the investigation in that timeframe, its typically supposed to issue you a temporary credit.

If your bank isnt following the law, you can file a complaint with its regulator. National banks, for example, are regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currencys (OCC) Customer Assistance Group.

As mentioned before, check fraud due to mail theft is a huge issue. Sending checks through the mail isnt safe, so please switch to electronic payments whenever possible.

Dear Liz: I successfully granted back seven timeshare properties in different locations that my father had bought over the years.

In several cases, the companies were very unhelpful over the phone, but responded once I wrote a letter explaining my fathers age and inability to travel and requested to grant back the deed.

It seems all of the companies have a process for doing this, but wont reveal it over the phone. I had to pay administrative fees and some other costs ($500 to $1,000 per timeshare), but it was worth it to eliminate the yearly maintenance fees.

Answer: Thank you for sharing your experience. Far too many older people continue to pay maintenance fees long past the point where they can enjoy their timeshares because they dont see a way out.

The timeshare companies usually insist the fees must be paid in perpetuity. Failing to pay can lead to collection action and damage to your credit score. Desperate timeshare owners are often targeted by scam artists and unethical companies that fail to deliver on promises to get them out of their contracts.

In reality, many developers will take timeshares back under the circumstances you describe. Owners may be able to sell or give away their timeshares using sites such as Timeshare Owners Group and RedWeek. Or they can simply stop paying the fees and let the developer foreclose. Although the damage to their credit scores may be significant, the effect typically wanes over time and disappears once the collection drops off their credit reports in seven years.

Liz Weston, Certified Financial Planner, is a personal finance columnist for NerdWallet. Questions may be sent to her at 3940 Laurel Canyon, No. 238, Studio City, CA 91604, or by using the Contact form at asklizweston.com.
Portland is not on fire or bombed out, Oregonlive.com reported Friday, fact-checking claims made at President Donald Trumps antifa roundtable earlier in the week to justify sending troops to the city. Drew Sheneman leads this weeks editorial cartoon gallery with Tales from the front: Portland edition showing a couple of soldiers relating their encounters with unicycles, Voodoo Doughnuts, bagpipes and kombucha.

In real life, deployment of the Oregon National Guard was on hold while a federal appeals court deliberated whether to overturn a district judges temporary order halting it. Protesters donned inflatable animal costumes, making sport of Trumps inaccurate depiction of a city burning to the ground.

Mike Luckovich picks up the theme by showing Fourth of July fireworks repurposed into antifa violence. Nick Anderson and Michael Ramirez reference Trumps trampling of Posse Comitatus, the law barring federal troops from participating in civilian law enforcement. Dana Summers mocks Democrats who scoff at law and order.

Meanwhile, the federal government shutdown entered its second week with no sign of a budget compromise to reopen it. David Horsey paints Republicans in charge of Congress as air traffic controllers who went on vacation. Joey Weatherford thinks Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has abandoned common sense by holding out. Ramirez sees Democrats and Repubicans as children blaming each other for the ball thrown through governments picture window.

Other topics in this weeks gallery include a peace deal in Gaza between Israel and Hamas; Trumps plan to issue a $1 coin bearing his likeness; another indictment of a Trump antagonist, this time New York Attorney General Letitia James; turmoil at CBS News; and the AI actor Tilly Norwood.

Cartoons were drawn by Jack Ohman, Nick Anderson, Bill Bramhall, Dana Summers, Drew Sheneman, Walt Handelsman, David Horsey, Phil Hands, Joel Pett and Joey Weatherford of Tribune Content Agency; and Mike Luckovich, Steve Breen and Michael Ramirez of Creators Syndicate.
Protesters and federal officers face off at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in South Portland. Fedor Zarkhin/staff

Anyone paying an ounce of attention to President Donald Trump and his administrations reactions to protests in Portland knows how confusing it has become.

Yet even people who know Trump is wrong when he calls the city a war zone thats burning to the ground still have questions and -- remembering 2020 -- worry about protesters motivations.

Even people living a few blocks away from the ICE facility who support the idea of protests say its not exactly nothing thats playing out nightly in their neighborhood.

And thats true. Protests in South Portland are relatively calm and lack the persistent violence and vandalism we saw in 2020, yet theyre disruptive for local residents and businesses. Federal officers have used tear gas and pepper balls with seemingly no warning, but also when protesters dont move quickly enough out of the facilitys driveway and entrance.

Here are some answers to readers questions and concerns based on our journalists interviews, photos and videos and observations from protests at the ICE facility.

Reader: Although I am for peaceful protests whether by the right or left, I am against violent protests. A city cant solve a problem like out-of-control violence by Antifa, which has been going on for at least 6 years, until it admits it has a problem.

Our journalists who covered the 2020 protests regularly saw people wearing masks in all black. Some may have professed allegiance to a particular ideology, such as antifa, but they were a loose and often lawless bunch. Dozens of masked agitators regularly splintered off from protests and marches to set fires, break windows and vandalize buildings.

This year, our journalists have not seen such bad actors in the same volume or committing the same acts, by any stretch of the imagination. Since the first asylum-seeker was arrested in Portland in June, only one protest  on June 14  was declared a riot after several people used a stop sign as a battering ram to shatter the ICE buildings glass front door. Portland police arrested three people.

There has been flag burning, but no other fires have been reported.

And while they are more regularly wearing gas masks now, only a small group of people at the ICE building regularly try to hide their identity  even the guy in the frog costume comes without it at times. This years protesters are not overtly hostile to journalists and many provide their names when asked.

Reader: This chaos was not happening until President Trump announced that he was sending troops to Portland. Since then, the media has been hovering in their helicopters and on land. Could this constant presence of the media be part of the increase in violence and conflict?

Its the government, not media outlets, flying helicopters over the ICE building. Federal flight tracking information showed at least a Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter, belonging to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and a light-utility Airbus Helicopter H125, belonging to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, have flown in and out of nearby Hillsboro Airport during the recent protests.

People complained so much about the helicopters, the Port of Portland put an announcement on its noise complaint hotline describing what they are. And the City of Portland issued a funny social media alert, What the heli?:

This appears to be related to federal law enforcement and is not related to City activities or something we can control.

Reader: Ive been somewhat frustrated by coverage of the ICE protests by major media. Phrases like clashes between protesters and federal agents implies there is violence coming from both sides equally. Also, coverage often isnt clear when talking about tear gas and pepper spray, that it is all coming from the feds.

On the first part, that can be hard to say. When journalists cover protests, theyre trying to do a lot at once: Interview people, take pictures, send notes to their editors and scan the ICE building for when federal officers come out  a time more likely for altercations. They cant always see how a clash begins.

Sometimes, its because protesters dont move quickly enough off the ICE driveway or the blue line demarking ICE property from the sidewalk. Or its because protesters scream or spit at officers. But our journalists also have witnessed federal officers hit, shove and spray tear gas and pepper balls on people who werent interfering with ICE traffic.

Officers also have knocked people down and moved to arrest them  actions that sometimes cause people on the ground to push back or kick. Officers also may just start spraying tear gas or shoot pepper balls to get people to move back.

The second question is easier: Our journalists have only witnessed federal officers using tear gas or pepper balls.

Lastly, protesters have mostly been a non-violent group though there have been altercations among them and especially since Trumps attempts to send National Guard troops has encouraged more of his supporters to the scene. There have been yelling matches and a few fights and one person stole a Trump supporters tripod. He tried to escape by swimming across the Willamette River but was later arrested.

Reader: With the increasing threats of violence against judges, why on earth would you publish the face of a judge who ruled on such a politically charged issue as the National Guard occupying our streets? That is unbelievably irresponsible.

As a news organization, our job is to share information. We consider each case individually when its possible our stories or pictures could cause harm. However, Judge Karin J. Immergut is a public figure. Since she was a part of an unfolding national news story, her picture also was distributed nationwide by The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, among others. Also, long before her controversial ruling last week, an internet search of her name called up pictures from a variety of websites and news stories, including our own 2018 write-up when Trump appointed her to the federal court.

Value these answers?

Because of the high interest and gravity of the situation, our team has created the newsletter, ICE Protests in Portland, which will be available for the duration of this significant news event. At 3 p.m. every day, the newsletter will deliver straight to your email inbox all the latest links to coverage from The Oregonian/OregonLive newsroom, whose reporters and photographers are continuously monitoring developments. To receive it, simply click here to opt in.
Candace Avalos and Elana Pirtle-Guiney

For The Oregonian/OregonLive

Avalos is a city councilor representing District 1-East Portland. Pirtle-Guiney is a city councilor representing District 2-North and Northeast Portland and serves as president of the Portland City Council.

Its no longer meaningful to say we live in unprecedented times. Every day, new precedents are set as President Donald Trump and his administration enact new ways to threaten decency, unity and the legal protections our democracy was built on.

In Portland, were watching this play out in a very real way, hour by hour, as we join other progressive cities around the country as a target for this presidents power-mongering tactics to militarize our communities and wrest control over our peace, our democracy and our lives.

Our only way forward is a collaborative commitment to stabilizing our community  from our leaders decisions to the actions individuals take. We know this is possible because our city and our City Council have momentum. Violent crime is down, downtown vitality is picking up and neighborhoods across the city demonstrate their growing community spirit each day. We wont give up the progress we have made.

We must ask ourselves  especially in this fraught moment  who we want to be. We need to protect the safety net we rely on, from clean streets to safe shelter to a city with a strong economy and living-wage jobs. We cannot let this administrations threats take us off course or interfere with our goals. We also need to meet this moment.

Thats why our City Council is not sitting back. In Portland, we protect each other. We stand up for each other. And we will fight together to uphold the constitutional rights that belong to everyone in our community.

City Hall has been going through its own changes. Portlanders asked for a big restructure when they voted for charter reform  and there have been growing pains. We and our 10 other colleagues are active, engaged councilors representing four districts, each of us working to ensure that all Portlanders have a voice. We sometimes disagree.

But on this, we are united to protect Portland. To protect our neighborhoods, our neighbors and our values. The only way forward against these threats is to represent Portland together, and to speak with one voice.

Many councilors are bringing forward ideas for how we can address this moment, and were working hard every day to create a shared strategy that protects our city.

In the next week, we will present a joint resolution called the Protect Portland Initiative" to the full City Council alongside Council Vice President Tiffany Koyama Lane and Councilor Olivia Clark (representing each of the four districts). The resolution will create safeguards for Portlanders targeted by this administration  today, for their immigration status or for exercising their free speech rights  but recognizing it could be any of us in the future.

Among its many provisions, the resolution will task the city administration with gathering information on how the federal government is enforcing its policies and if theyre surveilling Portlanders. This includes regularly submitting Freedom of Information Act requests to federal agencies operating in Portland, tracking and exploring legal responses to federal violations of immigration enforcement, and requesting quarterly reports to Council on findings. The resolution also instructs the administration to convene community partners to develop rapid response plans for immigration raids  including specific actions the city will take if city employees are detained while on the job  and extends state and city sanctuary policies to city contractors. And it encourages new guidelines for the Portland Police Bureau to maintain and strengthen its separation from federal immigration enforcement and establish a process for investigating potential crimes by impersonators of ICE agents.

We hope that you, our community, can rally behind this work. The only way to get through these truly unprecedented times is by keeping our dialogue and values strong and connected.

You can count on the people you elected to represent you  today, tomorrow and into the future. We are here to be your allies and your champions. Together we will fight fascism and federal overreach by digging deeper, standing taller and working together.
(Changes wording in headline)

TAIPEI (Reuters) -Most rare earth materials used in Taiwan are supplied by Europe, the United States and Japan, but the impact of China's new curbs on the semiconductor industry still needs to be assessed, the island's economy ministry said on Sunday.

China dramatically expanded its rare earths export controls on Thursday, adding five new elements and extra scrutiny for chip users as Beijing tightens control over the sector ahead of talks between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.

Taiwan's economy ministry said in a statement about China's new rules said that most rare-earth-related materials needed domestically are supplied by Europe, the United States and Japan.

"The impact on the operation of the semiconductor industry still requires further stocktaking and assessment. We will continue to monitor changes in raw material costs and any indirect effects that supply-chain adjustments may bring," it said.

Taiwan is home to the world's largest contract chipmaker TSMC, the producer of the vast majority of advanced chips that are a key component of artificial intelligence applications.

Earlier on Sunday, China defended its curbs on exports of rare earth elements and equipment, saying they were motivated by concern about these metals' military applications at a time of "frequent military conflict".

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
A helicopter flies low over the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in South Portland on Tues., Oct. 7, 2025. Jonathan Bach I The Oregonian/OregonLive

Air ambulance vendors who transport patients to Oregon Health & Science University decided not to land at the hospital on Saturday night, an OHSU spokesperson said, a precaution while a flyer circulated encouraging people to shine lasers at helicopters.

The flyer, posted anonymously last week to a blog that describes itself as an anarchist counter-info platform in Portland, encouraged people to play laser tag with helicopters on Saturday. Shining lasers at aircrafts is a federal crime.

Every night for weeks we are forced to listen to the threatening rhythm of helicopter blades as the federal regime spies on us, the flyer said. The only limit power knows is our refusal to submit.

Government helicopters have kept watch on the South Waterfront Immigration & Customs Enforcement Facility, the site of daily protests of varying sizes, since at least early October. The government choppers are audible well into Southeast Portland and have prompted a litany of noise complaints.

That facility is less than a mile, as the helicopter flies, from the OHSU helipads.

Sara Hottman, associate director of media relations for OHSU, warned Saturday that the extremely dangerous activity of shining lasers at helicopters could hurt patients.

Various air ambulance vendors decided not to land at the OHSU helipads on Saturday night, Hottman said. In an emergency, they would have needed to land at another airport and transport patients by vehicle, which could add up to an hour to patients commutes, Hottman said. That could be dangerous for trauma patients or others with urgent concerns, Hottman wrote Saturday.

On Sunday, Hottman said that worst case scenario had not come to pass.

Fortunately, there were no impacted patients last night, Hottman wrote in an email.

Air ambulance vendors are expected to start landing at the hospital again on Sunday night, Hottman said.

Portland police said in an email that the agency did not receive any reports of lasers impacting aircraft on Saturday.

Not only is it incredibly dangerous to the pilots and crew, but its dangerous for people on the ground, public information officer Terri Strauss wrote in an email.

Portland police arrested one person last week after they say he shined a blue laser at a Portland Police Bureau airplane. Federal officials charged another man with a felony after they say he pointed a laser pointer at a Customs and Border Protection helicopter late last month.
Rain will drench Portland on Sunday, Oct. 12, but sunshine returns for a few days during the workweek. Mark Graves/The Oregonian

Portlanders joining an Emergency Naked Bike Ride on Sunday should brace themselves for cold and rainy conditions.

National Weather Service forecasters expect a high of just 54 degrees and a 100% chance of rainfall on Sunday. Portland could also see thunderstorms.

The weather service has also issued a winter weather advisory for for the North Oregon Cascades, warning of wet snow above 4,000 feet. The advisory includes the Santiam and Willamette passes and Government Camp. It expires at 11 a.m. Monday.

Sun will shine later this week. Monday rain will clear up for sunny skies on Tuesday and Wednesday with a high temperature in the low 60s, forecasters say.
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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) is one of the 10 Most Profitable Stocks of the Last 5 Years. On October 9, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) reported its impressive revenue performance for September 2025.

According to the report, the company recorded revenue of about TWD 330.98 billion for the month on a consolidated basis.

Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM) Reports Solid Yearly Revenue Growth in September 2025

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limiteds (NYSE:TSM) revenue for September 2025 reflects a small decline of 1.4% compared to August 2025. However, this is a strong increase of 31.4% compared to September 2024.

The companys revenue from January to September 2025 reached TWD 2,762.96 billion. This represents an increase of 36.4% compared to the same period in 2024.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) is a Taiwanese multinational semiconductor contract manufacturing and design company. It manufactures, packages, and tests integrated circuits for a wide range of industries.

While we acknowledge the potential of TSM as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

READ NEXT: 15 Best American Tech Stocks to Buy Right Now and 14 Small Publicly Traded Semiconductor Companies to Invest in Now.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
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Stocks plunged on Friday after Trump revived fears of the trade war with China.

The president said he would consider a "massive increase" in tariffs on China. Later, he announced said tariffs.

Investors are concerned that a trade deal with Beijing could be in jeopardy.

US stocks sold off on Friday after President Donald Trump threatened to revive the trade war with China. The S&P 500 saw its steepest loss since April.

In an initial post on Truth Social, the president said he believed China was "becoming very hostile" in trade talks, and that there now seemed like there was "no reason" to speak with China's President Xi Jinping in South Korea as planned later this month.

After market close, Trump, in another post on Truth Social, announced he would "impose a Tariff of 100% on China, over and above any Tariff that they are currently paying," beginning on November 1.

Trump also said export controls "on any and all critical software" will also take effect. The National Institute of Standards and Technology includes web browsers, identity management systems, and operating systems for servers, desktops, and mobile devices as examples of critical software.

The president said the move to increase tariffs on China was made in response to the country's announcement that it would impose export controls on rare earth metals, which are vital to creating products from electric vehicles to military radar.

"We're gonna have to see what happens," Trump said when asked what would happen if China rolled back its export controls. "That's why I made it November 1. We'll see what happens."

The day was a painful reminder for investors that tariffs are still a threat to the market and the economy. Oil prices cratered in line with stocks, with brent and US crude prices down 4% on fears of weaker economic activity hitting energy demand. The 10-year Treasury yield dropped nine basis points to 4.05%.

Here's where US indexes stood at the 4 p.m. closing bell on Friday:

"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," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, adding that there were "many other countermeasures" that were under "serious consideration" in the US.

Trump added that China's desire to impose export controls on items like rare earth minerals would "clog" markets and "make life difficult for virtually every Country in the World."
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President Donald Trump announced Friday that the U.S. could impose tariffs of up to 100% on imports from China by Nov. 1, marking an escalation in the U.S.China trade conflict and raising uncertainty across global supply chains.

In a Truth Social post Friday, Trump said the tariffs were retaliation for Chinas new export controls announced a day earlier on rare earth minerals and related technologies.

Many U.S. companies that rely on Chinese manufacturing could face soaring costs and shipment delays as they scramble to reroute orders or find alternative suppliers in Mexico, India, or Southeast Asia. Containerized imports from Chinaroughly 40% of all U.S. inbound freightcould plummet, triggering blank sailings, idle vessel capacity, and rate volatility.

Freight forwarders said shippers need to be proactive when dealing with tariffs.

Whether its this announcement or the additions under Section 232 a couple of weeks ago, its clear tariffs are here to stay, Ben Bidwell, senior director of customs and compliance at C.H. Robinson.

The current environment may feel unpredictable to some, but businesses can be proactive versus reactive by building resilient supply chains: consider establishing a sourcing hierarchy, leveraging dual sourcing, exploring bonded warehouses or free trade zones, and other strategies. These are conversations weve had with customers for years but the current trade landscape has accelerated the occurrences, and many of our customers timelines.

China remains a major U.S. trade partner and is the largest supplier of goods to the U.S., but it ranks behind Mexico and Canada in total trade volume.

The U.S. has exchanged roughly $420 billion to $440 billion in goods with China year-to-date, down from more than $465 billion during the same period in 2024, according to Census Bureau data.

The leading U.S. imports include electronics, machinery, furniture, and consumer goods, while top exports to China are agricultural products, aircraft, and semiconductors.

The post Trumps 100% tariff on China threatens new supply chain shock appeared first on FreightWaves.
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Wellspan York Hospital has provided an update on the two state troopers shot in Franklin County last week.

Troopers Thomas Pack and Lucas Amarose were shot Wednesday after chasing a van with three suspects and more than $1k of stolen merchandise from Dicks Sporting Goods.

Pack was released Thursday, the day after the shooting, and Amarose was upgraded to satisfactory condition on Sunday, according to an update from the hospital.

Police say Lamar L. Foy, 31, of Baltimore, shot the troopers after police used a tire deflation device across the road to disable the van he was driving. He was killed in the gun fight.

Troopers began pursuit of the van after Dicks Sporting Goods reported Foy and two women putting clothing into a shopping cart. Foy then pushed the cart outside without paying and threw the clothes into the passenger side of a van with Maryland license plates.

After the van crashed about 15 miles from the store, two women, Amir L. Swift, 21, and Giani Jaida McGowan, 21, complied with troopers and got out of the van.

Foy remained and started shooting when troopers tried to force him out of the van by breaking the drivers side window.

After he started shooting, Foy got out of the van firing and chasing the troopers. Pack and Amarose were shot multiple times and a third, uninjured trooper killed Foy.

Foy 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.
Ann S. Everton, a member of the popular Baltimore-based rock band Darsombra, has been killed in a three-car crash that involved a police vehicle in upstate New York.

She was 43.

The crash reportedly took place on Oct. 3, and the Baltimore Sun reported that Everton and her husband and bandmate, Brian Danilovski, were on Interstate 87 on their way to Montreal to begin a 22-city tour when it took place.

Danilovski told the Sun that he was driving the van that he and Everton had converted into a camper. He said the van was running low on gas, and that Everton had just finished making the bed in the back and was climbing into the front seat when he took a look at his phone to try to locate a gas stop.

Danilovski told the Sun that when he looked back up he saw a police vehicle, which had pulled a Mercedes, halfway into his lane.

It happened so fast I didnt have time to scream, much less slam on brakes or swerve, he said. I was seat-belted in, so I escaped with just minor injuries. Ann was not.

According to the outlet, Danilovski and the officer were treated for minor injuries while the Mercedes driver and their passenger were not injured.

Danilovski founded Darsombra in 2005. Everton joined the band in 2010 and began appearing on stage in 2013 playing synthesizer and percussion while adding vocals.

If I could build the perfect person, it would be Ann, Danilovski said. Not only was Ann beautiful, but she was smart as hell and creative as hell with all these wacky ideas. She had boundless energy and could make friends really easily. She was giving and selfless and always trying to help someone out.

A GoFundMe started to support Danilovski in the wake of Evertons death. It has brought in more than $64,000 toward a goal of $70,000.
Stephen Colbert arrives at a screening of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," during PaleyFest, April 21, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File) Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP

Stephen Colberts days as the host of The Late Show might be numbered, but he already has at least one gig to take up his time and help keep the cash coming in.

Colbert, whose show is slated to end in May, made a virtual appearance Saturday at the New York Comic Con to reveal that he is voicing a role in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. The new trailer for the show was also shown along with its release date.

Folks, Im sorry I couldnt be with you in person today, but Im a perfectionist, and I just didnt have enough bunting for my Mugato cosplay, Colbert said. However, nothing could stop me from sharing this exciting news; Im honored to announce that my beautiful voice will be joining Star Trek Starfleet Academy as the Digital Dean of Students.

Im thrilled to join this universe that Ive loved for so long, and unlike my on-camera castmates, Im thrilled to join it without having to spend four hours in hair and makeup every day. Ill see you when Starfleet Academy premieres. Until then, enjoy the Con. Live long  and do your thing.

Deadline reported that the first two episodes of the new series are slated to premiere on Jan. 15 on Paramount+. The outlet said the new series will introduce viewers to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism.

Deadline reported that Colbert is also slated to have a role on Season 3 of CBS Elsbeth.
Bryn Mawr College is one of the schools in the Keystone State included on the list. (Getty Images) Getty Images

The school year might have just started, but there are plenty of high school seniors looking ahead to applying to colleges already.

Perhaps they should consider these hidden gems in Pennsylvania.

According to a press release sent Wednesday by Citizens College Raptor, there are 32 colleges in Pennsylvania that have outstanding, but often overlooked academics and  as is just so happens  are also affordable for middle class families.

Bryn Mawr College was one of the 32 included on the list, and was particularly noted, not only for its affordability but also for other attractive factors, like being a great Division III (D3) school.

Were at a turning point in how students and families approach college decisions, said William Staib, Co-Founder and President of College Raptor, via the release. Its no longer just about getting in; its about finding great schools that families can afford and where students will thrive.

The Hidden Gems lists and the Citizens Student Hub were built with that purpose: to give students and families insights and personalized support to navigate this journey with clarity and confidence.

Other Keystone State schools recognized by the College Raptor study were Waynesburg University and Grove City College, among others.

For the full list of colleges, please click here.
Community members, students and patriotic groups gathered last week at Millerstown Area Community Park for the dedication of a Liberty Tree and Liberty Flag, a ceremony that also honored two local Revolutionary War patriots and marked continuing preparations for Americas 250th anniversary in 2026.

Jim Scott, Perry Countys director of Veterans Affairs, emceed the program and opened by thanking the events partners, including the local chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), and school participants from West Perry and Greenwood. We are here today to recognize and honor two of our local Revolutionary War patriots, Benjamin Bonsall and Ephraim Williams, Scott said, noting both are interred in the Old Presbyterian Cemetery in Millerstown and that dozens more Revolutionary veterans rest across the county.

INSTILLING PATRIOTIC PRIDE  Members of the Millerstown Area Community Park crew raise the Liberty Flag during the dedication ceremony. The flag and adjacent Liberty Tree were unveiled as part of Perry Countys ongoing preparations for Americas 250th anniversary, honoring local Revolutionary War patriots Benjamin Bonsall and Ephraim Williams. Fifth-graders at Carroll Elementary School (below) wave small American flags after the dedication of their schools Liberty Tree. It was part of an ongoing countywide effort to plant Liberty Trees at each of the countys four school districts. (Paul E. Wyatt photos) Perry County Times

The Washingtonburg Chapter SAR Color Guard presented the colors as Greenwood High School juniors Quinlin McAllister and Luci Black led the National Anthem. Greenwood fifth-graders Nellie Foose and Emilie Nastasi led the Pledge of Allegiance. The invocation was offered by the Rev. Russell Rusty Mills of Apostolic Ministries in Hanover, who also serves as third vice president and secretary of the Pennsylvania Society, SAR.

Student voices carried the founding texts. Greenwood student Charlotte Cabell read the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, followed by Greenwood fifth-grader Liam Haines, who delivered extended excerpts from the Declaration of Independence, including the closing pledge of our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

Scott reflected on the approaching 250th anniversary. Just think of the accomplishments this country has seen in that span, he said, urging those present to remember the hardships endured by Revolutionary soldiers through winters, illness and scarcity, and to recommit to the civic virtues that highlighted the founding.

The Liberty Tree, a Princeton elm planted on site, and the Liberty Flag were presented as living and visible reminders to honor the past while focusing on the future.

Dr. Steven Messner, chair of the Perry County American 250 Committee and an active SAR member, described the broader anniversary effort. He noted recent school partnerships  Liberty Trees planted at district sites, thousands of Americanism coloring books distributed and programs delivered in elementary schools  made possible by local support. A bronze marker installed near the new tree recognizes contributors who furthered the project. Its incredible how a dream becomes a reality, he said, crediting many hands and donors.

Family history took center stage as descendant Doug Bonsall traced the life of his fourth-great-grandfather, Pvt. Benjamin Bonsall, born in 1756. Bonsall enlisted at age 20 in the Philadelphia militia, crossed the Delaware with Gen. George Washington for the 1776 Christmas-night attack on Trenton, fought at Princeton the following month, endured the winter at Valley Forge and later served in the defense of Philadelphia at Mud Island.

From a Quaker family that followed William Penn to Pennsylvania, Bonsall was disowned for taking up arms against pacifist beliefs. Yet Benjamin was always proud of having fought in General Washingtons army for the cause of American independence, his descendant said. Bonsall later settled along Big Buffalo Creek in what is now Juniata Twp. and is buried in Millerstown.

INSTILLING PATRIOTIC PRIDE  Members of the Millerstown Area Community Park crew raise the Liberty Flag during the dedication ceremony. The flag and adjacent Liberty Tree were unveiled as part of Perry Countys ongoing preparations for Americas 250th anniversary, honoring local Revolutionary War patriots Benjamin Bonsall and Ephraim Williams. Fifth-graders at Carroll Elementary School (below) wave small American flags after the dedication of their schools Liberty Tree. It was part of an ongoing countywide effort to plant Liberty Trees at each of the countys four school districts. (Paul E. Wyatt photos) Perry County Times

Bobbi Wertz-Hoy, honorary regent of the Perry County DAR and a member of the American 250 Committee, highlighted the often-overlooked service of women, naming two nurses  Abigail Hartman Rice and Christina Schneider Hensch  who contracted typhoid fever caring for soldiers and died of the disease.

She explained the symbolism of the new installations  the Princeton elm Liberty Tree, planted with room to mature, and the Liberty Flag, featuring a blue field and crescent emblem connected to insignia worn on Revolutionary-era uniforms.

Hoy also recognized a core group of Millerstown guys whose more than 300 volunteer hours  from digging posts on a 95-degree day to hauling 300-pound stones from the river  made the site possible. At her cue, volunteers raised the Liberty Flag, which organizers said is the first American 250 flag to fly in Perry County.

Dale Leppard and Dr. Messner led the dedication of bronze markers for the two patriots being honored. Leppard summarized what is known of Ephraim Williams, who served in the Second Battalion of the Cumberland County militia and later received a pension, indicating active duty beyond drill muster. Williams, a cabinetmaker, lived in Newport as late as 1840.
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

President Donald Trump is gearing up to discuss soybeans and other trade issues with Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of a potential in-person meeting later this month.

Trump Optimistic On Soybean Exports, Slams Biden

Trump, during Thursdays cabinet meeting, expressed his optimism about the future of soybeans, a major U.S. export to China. What happens with soybeans is were going to see more and more, I think, opening up, Trump said.

He also lauded the 2020 Phase One trade deal, saying it had been effective until it fell apart after he left office. The leader blamed former President Joe Biden, for not upholding the agreement.

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Trump also spoke of leverage the U.S. market has over China, emphasizing the massive amounts the U.S. imports from China.

"We import from China massive amounts, and maybe we'll have to stop doing that," Trump said.





See Also: An EA Co-Founder Shapes This VC Backed MarketplaceNow You Can Invest in Gaming's Next Big Platform

Farmers Could Receive $10 Billion In Aid: Report

The soybean trade has been a contentious issue for American farmers, who have been grappling with the impact of the U.S.-China trade dispute. Trumps promise to address this issue has been met with cautious optimism by the agricultural community.

Trump is also mulling $10 billion aid package for U.S. farmers in response to the difficulties, as per CBS News earlier this week.

The administration has come under fire for its $20 billion bailout for Argentina, which experts argue undercuts American soybean farmers who are already struggling under the trade and tariff regime.

Image via Shutterstock

Trending Now:

Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market

Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That's why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, professional financial guidance, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn't tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.
PITTSBURGH, Oct. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Duquesne University President Ken Gormley has announced that Jim and Celeste Nasuti have made a transformational gift to Duquesne for its College of Osteopathic Medicine. The medical school will now be named the Nasuti College of Osteopathic Medicine, in recognition of the Nasuti family providing Duquesne one of the two largest philanthropic commitments in its history.

Dr. John Kaufmann (far left), dean of Duquesne's College of Osteopathic Medicine, Jim and Celeste Nasuti (center) and Duquesne President Ken Gormley (far right) join with medical students to celebrate the Nasuti's gift to the university.

Gormley announced the gift during the University's Homecoming celebrations. The gift from the Nasuti family is the second largest gift commitment in Duquesne's nearly 150-year history. The University is honoring the family's request to keep the precise amount of the gift confidential, instead celebrating its impact on future medical students and on Duquesne's ability to become a leader in health care education, which is the family's principal focus.

"To have a couple with such meaningful connections to Duquesne and Pittsburgh emerge and provide such transformational philanthropic support for our medical school is truly inspirational," said Gormley. "A significant portion of the funding will be used for scholarships, so that students who want to attend this mission-focused medical school will have that opportunity. This will enable our highly trained graduates of the Nasuti College of Osteopathic Medicine to go on and serve others in myriad ways."

Jim Nasuti, a 1970 Duquesne graduate, and Celeste Bahl Nasuti, a Pittsburgh native, are co-founders of Summerwood, a Conshohocken, Pa.-based company that operates more than 200 Taco Bell and KFC franchises across six states. Their gift will support scholarships and faculty development, helping to ensure access to medical education for aspiring physicians committed to service.

"We are just honored to be associated with such an excellent project," said Jim Nasuti. "The world needs doctors. Plus, Duquesne adds that important consideration of service and helping people, going back to its founding purpose to help immigrants to Pittsburgh."

Celeste Nasuti added, "This is a family decision and a family commitment. Our children are involved in our business and in this gift. We believe in Duquesne's mission and its people."

The connection of the Nasuti family to Duquesne runs deep. Jim attended Duquesne after graduating from Holy Ghost Preparatory School, a sister Spiritan institution in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Celeste's family has longstanding ties to Duquesne, including her late parents. Both her father and mother were Duquesne students in the 1930s, and her father also graduated from Duquesne Prep.

"The Nasutis' care for people aligns with our Spiritan commitment to developing authentic relationships," said the Rev. John Fogarty, C.S.Sp., U.S. Provincial of the Spiritans. "It's wonderful to have people that have modeled that work serve as benefactors for the school, and to see a connection all the way from Holy Ghost Prep to Duquesne to now!"

Diane Hupp, Chair of Duquesne's Board of Directors and CEO of UPMC Children's Hospital, emphasized the societal impact of the gift: "We need highly qualified doctors, especially primary care doctors, and their gift is serving a crucial good for our society. We are honored to be the home of the Nasuti College of Osteopathic Medicine at this special university."

SOURCE Duquesne University
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

President Donald Trump's allies may be pushing for his Nobel Peace Prize victory, but cryptocurrency bettors favor Venezuelan politician Maria Corina Machado as the likely winner.

Machado Becomes Punters Favorite

The odds of Machado receiving the prestigious honor soared to 70% on Polymarket, a 66 percentage point jump from the day before. On the other hand, the odds for Trump fell to 3%. The winning probability for Sudans Emergency Response Rooms, known for providing humanitarian aid during the African nations ongoing conflict, dipped to 15%.

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More than $16 million has already been wagered on the outcome. The market will resolve to "Yes" after an official announcement from the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which is due around early Friday morning.

Similarly, punters on Kalshi, a federally regulated prediction site, projected a 67% chance of Machado winning the prize, while Trump's odds dropped to 4%.

Polymarket, based on Polygon (CRYPTO: POL), allows users to bet on the outcomes using the USDC (CRYPTO: USDC) stablecoin. The platform is not available to U.S. residents as of this writing, but is expected to start operations in the near future.

See Also: 7 Million Gamers Already Trust Gameflip With Their Digital Assets  Now You Can Own a Stake in the Platform

The Peace President

The bets come amid a steady buildup by Trump supporters in labeling him The Peace President and promoting him for the annual award that celebrates individuals and organizations who have made substantial contributions to peace, human rights and international cooperation.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize shortly after the president announced a historic peace agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Trump also got support from foreign allies. The official X account of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office stated, Give Donald Trump the Nobel Peace Prizehe deserves it!

Earlier in June, the Government of Pakistan formally recommended Trump for the award.





On the other hand, Machado is regarded as a leading figure of the Venezuelan opposition and a vocal critic of the Nicolas Maduro regime.
High Rollers Kings Crushed by Quads at Major Poker Tournament Final Table

Frank Visser Live Reporter Copy link

Sometimes poker really does feel like a cruel joke. Just ask Ben Heath.

Deep in the 2025 PokerStars EPT Malta Main Event, the British pro had just found the perfect spot. He picked up queens, and held against the ace-king of start-of-day chip leader Tom-Aksel Bedell to score a crucial double. Finally, he was back in the mix.

And then moments later, Heath peeled pocket kings and probably felt he was on top of the world. But across the table, Tomasz Brzezinski had aces. And as if that wasnt brutal enough, the flop ran out giving Brzezinski quad aces.

The pot was worth hundreds of thousands and shattered Heaths run. He was left with a handful of chips and soon after became the seventh-place finisher, taking home 118,650, but also leaving with one of the toughest beats of the tournament burned into memory.

Mykhailo Ostash

When the penultimate day ended, five players bagged chips and booked their seats for Sundays final day. At the top is Ukraines Mykhailo Ostash, whos on the ride of his life in his very first EPT. Hell return with 9,870,000 chips (123 big blinds).

Right behind him sits 2016 champion Aliaksei Boika, who now has a shot at doing something never done before, winning the same EPT Main Event twice, nearly a decade apart, in the exact same city.

Aliaksei Boika

Brzezinski, the man who delivered the hand of the tournament, returns in third and has now reached back-to-back EPT Main Event final tables after finishing fourth in Barcelona. Spains Adria Calonge is fourth, while Bedell, who began Day 5 with the chip lead, comes back short-stacked but still swinging.

End of Day 5 Chip Counts

Seat Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Mykhailo Ostash Ukraine 9,870,000 123 2 Aliaksei Boika Belarus 7,035,000 88 3 Adria Calonge Spain 3,525,000 44 4 Tom-Aksel Bedell Norway 1,140,000 14 5 Tomasz Brzezinski Poland 5,380,000 67

Tom-Aksel Bedell

Day 5 Action

David Tous (15th - 38,950), Alessandro Barone (14th - 38,950), and Maxime Chilaud (12th - 46,750) started Day 5 fairly short, and all were eliminated in preflop confrontations during the first level of the day. Longmao Fan (13th - 46,750) unsuccessfully fired several big bluffs and joined them at the rail before the first break.

Spanish powerhouse and 2015 EPT Monte Carlo winner Adrian Mateos (11th - 56,050) had a double encounter with an unstoppable Brzezinski, first doubling him up when Brzezinski was at risk, and, not long after, being eliminated by him after an ill-timed squeeze play. Not much later, Luis Faria (10th - 56,050) bubbled the final table. First, Faria erroneously flipped his hand over preflop, thinking he was calling all in when he was not. Leaving himself a few chips behind, he busted a few hands later, and the final nine players converged on one table.

Adrian Mateos

The players at the final table battled for three and a half hours, passing chips back and forth, before Joao Tomas was the first to be eliminated in a massive cooler against Boika. After that point, Ostash had taken over the chiplead, and he increased his advantage over the remaining contenders when he sent home Juan Pardo, who four-bet jammed ace-jack into his ace-queen.

The remaining seven contenders then took a short dinner break, after which big action kicked off. First, Ben Heath doubled in a flip against Bedell, leaving the latter short. However, two hands later, Brzezinski flopped quad aces and doubled against Heaths kings for a chiplead pot, leaving Heath with even fewer chips than Bedell. Not to be outdone, Ostash took back the lead swiftly, flopping top set against the top pair of Brzezinski.

Boika busted Heath in seventh, with Heath earning the first six-figure payout of the Main Event, taking home 118,650. After Bedell doubled, short stack ninja Toni Kaukua became the final elimination of the night, pay-jumping his way to sixth place, good for 154,250.

Toni Kaukua

The five remaining players battled for a little while longer before they bagged for the night. They will return tomorrow, Sunday, October 12, at 12:30 p.m. local time to crown the winner of the 2025 EPT Malta Main Event. There will be 15 hands left to play with blinds at 40,000/80,000 (80,000), after which every level will be played for 30 hands. They have locked up the eye-watering sum of 200,550 for their top-five appearance, but with four- and five-figure pay jumps coming up, there is everything left to play for.

Final Table Results & Remaining Payouts

Place Player Country Payout 1 760,000 2 474,650 3 339,000 4 260,750 5 200,550 6 Toni Kaukua Finland 154,250 7 Ben Heath United Kingdom 118,650 8 Juan Pardo Spain 91,250 9 Joao Tomas Portugal 70,250

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Journalist Hacks Card Shuffling Machine to Prove How to Cheat in Poker

Connor Richards Senior Editor U.S. Copy link

Can automatic shuffling machines be hacked to cheat in poker? A journalist put that question to the test in a new video that explores the vulnerabilities of shuffling machines like the Deckmate 2 used in casinos and poker rooms around the world.

The video, titled "I Cheated At Poker By Hacking A Casino Card Shuffling Machine," gathered more than 100,000 views in less than 24 hours. In it, WIRED Senior Writer Andy Greenberg speaks to security consultant and hacking expert Joseph Tartaro and poker pro Doug Polk before rigging a shuffler and putting it to the test in a real-world scenario.

Machine Hacking & Signaling

Tartaro has spent years researching how automatic shufflers could be used to cheat in games like poker. In the video, he shows Greenberg that the USB port on the back of shufflers leaves them vulnerable to hacking. He demonstrates by plugging in a device capable of reading the order of cards.

"This device has a Bluetooth model and it will wirelessly connect to this phone," Tataro says in the video. "And every time a deck gets shuffled, it will get the exact order from the camera (in the shuffler) and send it to me."

With a hacked machine ready for testing, Greenberg arranged a private poker game with Tataro and two unsuspecting players. Tataro, who had access to the shuffler on his phone, signaled to Greenberg whether to fold, call or raise by playing with his chips.

As a result, Greenberg was able to play perfectly and easily won the sit-and-go match despite not being an experienced poker player.

Should Players Be Concerned?

Hacking shufflers is one of several modern cheating methods that have emerged with advancing technology. In October 2024, psychologist Maria Konnikova told PokerNews about nano cameras that make card protectors, electronics and sunglasses all potential cheating risks at the poker table.

While automatic shuffling machines are common in poker rooms, Doug Polk, an owner of The Lodge in Texas, said there's a much bigger risk of cheating in private and unregulated games than in casinos.

"The Deckmate 2 in a casino location, you shouldn't be too scared of," the content creator said. "They have all these casino contracts, so they have licensed people fixing problems that there might be. The problem is once somebody has a Deckmate 2 on a black market or a secondary market, they are now no longer being upkept by the company itself. Some guy is just basically in the back fixing the machine and then putting it on the table."

"I have heard so many cheating stories of people using these to cheat players out of their money when it's not happening at a casino location."

A spokesperson for Light and Wonder, the gaming manufacturer that makes the Deckmate 2, told WIRED in a statement that they've addressed the security flaws and "updated the firmware on all our Deckmate shufflers to all our customers worldwide at zero cost to them." Still, Tartaro says the machines remain a cheating risk.

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The UK has officially lifted its ban on crypto exchange-traded products for retail investors, opening access to a global market estimated at around $800 billion. These products, which were previously restricted to professional investors, will now be available to everyday users under regulated conditions.

The change comes after years of limited access and growing frustration from individuals who wanted regulated exposure to crypto. Until now, retail investors were forced to either stay out or use less regulated exchanges. This update gives them a route through familiar financial channels, which could significantly shift how crypto fits into mainstream portfolios.

Bitcoin, Ether, and ISAs Now Share the Same Conversation

With the new rules in place, crypto ETPs can soon be held within tax-efficient wrappers like ISAs and pensions. That means investors will be able to gain exposure to Bitcoin, Ether, and other digital assets while staying inside accounts that offer tax benefits and regulatory protections.

This doesnt mean every crypto ETP will be widely available right away. Platforms are expected to take a cautious approach, deciding which products to list and how to assess whether retail users truly understand the risks involved. Some investment firms are already warning that crypto should only make up a small portion of any balanced portfolio. Suitability tests and tiered access could slow down adoption in the early phases.

DISCOVER: 9+ Best High-Risk, High-Reward Crypto to Buy in

Unlocking an $800 Billion Global Market

The scale of the market now opening to UK retail investors is significant. Globally, crypto ETPs represent approximately $800 billion in exposure across derivatives, funds, and structured products. Giving retail participants access to that slice changes the size and shape of the playing field.

Until now, institutions have had the upper hand, both in terms of access and product range. Direct trading has been available to retail for years, but it came with higher risks, technical friction, and fewer protections. Allowing crypto exposure through ETPs removes many of those barriers and gives users a regulated entry point that fits more comfortably within traditional investment habits.

Warnings From Platforms Signal a Cautious Start

Despite the new access, platforms, and analysts are warning that retail investors should proceed carefully. Crypto prices remain highly volatile, and products linked to digital assets carry risks that differ from typical stocks or bonds. A sudden drawdown in price could wipe out gains and cause long-term damage to an unprepared portfolio.
Re-enactors stand in formation during a Revolutionary War living history event. The Dorchester Heritage Centers new exhibit, The American Revolutionary War in South Carolina, explores the states role in the fight for independence, featuring artifacts, interactive displays, and stories of local patriots and battles.
Nick Reynolds covers politics for the Post and Courier. A native of Central New York, he spent three-and-a-half years covering politics in Wyoming before joining the paper in late 2021. His work has appeared in outlets like Newsweek, Poynter, the Associated Press, and the Washington Post. He lives in Columbia.
A TikTok from @sreela.r showing anxious travelers stepping off an Emirates jet went viral after news broke of a surprise $100,000 fee tied to new H-1B petitions. The clip captured private panic in public view as workers wondered whether their jobs, start dates and long-planned moves had just been cancelled with the stroke of a pen.

Indian news outlet NDTV reported deplaning and delays as video showed confused and stressed families hastily grabbing their belongings to leave the plane. (1)

Must Read

Behind the human drama of upended plans lie serious policy concerns about how the H-1B visa program is used  and abused. H-1B visas allow foreign workers with very specialized skills to enter the U.S. and work. The debate has pitted political factions against each other and united former workers.

Supporters of President Trumps move call it a way to protect U.S. jobs. Critics see it as an unforced economic shock that could stall hiring and reduce American competitiveness, especially in tech and AI.

What the H-1B visa is and how it works

The H-1B temporary visa for specialty occupation roles was created in 1990 by Congress to help companies recruit talent from abroad and fill hard-to-staff skilled jobs while protecting U.S. wages. The visa is initially granted for up to three years and can be extended to six.

Congress set an annual cap of 65,000 new visas, with an additional 20,000 slots for graduates of U.S. masters degree programs. Employers, not workers, file the petition and must pay the required fees. Approvals, including renewals, peaked in 2022, at 442,425. (2)

More than 70% of new H-1B approvals go to professionals from India. Chinese nationals are the next largest group, accounting for 10% of the total. For years, employers have recruited H-1B candidates from India and China to staff projects, arguing that domestic hiring alone cannot fill high-tech roles that rely on these workers.

At the end of 2024, former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy faced backlash for stating that U.S. culture values "mediocrity over excellence," which he claimed was why tech companies heavily rely on H-1B visas. (3)
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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / October 11, 2025 /WHY: New York, N.Y., October 11, 2025. Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX) resulting from allegations that Freeport may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.SO WHAT: If you purchased Freeport securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses.WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=45553or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On September 24, 2025, Freeport issued a press release entitled "Freeport Provides Update on PT Freeport Indonesia Operations." It stated that Freeport "announced today an update on the status of the previously reported mud rush incident at the Grasberg Block Cave mine (GBC) in Indonesia. On September 20, 2025, PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) located two team members who were regrettably fatally injured in the September 8th incident." On this news, Freeport stock fell by 16.95% on September 24, 2025.WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. At the time Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th 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.
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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / October 11, 2025 /WHY: New York, N.Y., October 10, 2025. Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of V.F. Corporation (NYSE:VFC) between October 30, 2023 and May 20, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important November 12, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline.SO WHAT: If you purchased V.F. Corporation securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the V.F. Corporation class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=44811 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than November 12, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants disseminated materially false and misleading statements and/or concealed material adverse facts concerning the true state of V.F. Corporation's turnaround plans. Specifically, defendants provided investors with material information concerning V.F. Corporation's turnaround plan ("Reinvent"), which in part focused on efforts to return the Vans brand to positive growth. The lawsuit alleges that defendants concealed that additional significant reset actions would be necessary to return the Vans brand to growth, and would result in significant setbacks to Vans' revenue growth trajectory. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.To join the V.F. Corporation class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=44811 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
Kevin Black Arua never set out to be a politician on or off camera. Yet his alter ego, Governor Amuneke, now commands millions of online followers and stirs debate on governance with every video.

What began as light-hearted social commentary has grown into sharp political satire that makes Nigerians laugh while quietly questioning power. In this exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Kevin recounts how a spur-of-the-moment skit snowballed into a national talking point, the catchphrases and costumes that shaped the character, and why he believes humour is a more potent civic tool than protest marches.

PT: Who exactly is Governor Amuneke, and how did you create this character?

Governor Amuneke: Governor Amuneke wasnt planned; it grew naturally from my passion for a better Africa. I began with life-lesson content, then shifted to politics as insecurity grew. I once did caricatures called Buhari, but when I wore my old Chief Amuneke persona, with the Ezeagu and red cap, another one was named the character Governor Amuneke, to address governors, then it clicked. The skit went viral, people embraced it, and I just went with the flow. Thats how Governor Amuneke stayed.

PT: Was a particular politician or real-life moment that inspired the idea? You often say, Lets see the edit. Whats the story behind that catchphrase?

Governor Amuneke: Well, the story wasnt deliberate either. It started from a specific content that I did in reverse. That was the first one where I said, Lets see the edit. It was like people were helping the Governor to drop some things in the boot, and at the end of the day, they found out that he planned to reverse the stuff and make it look like he was giving them gifts.

It was from that time. It wasnt something I planned; it just came on set because, as we were filming, I was trying to see how I could portray what the government does, what some leaders do behind the scenes, and what they show us on camera. So when that part came, I just walked to the camera and said, Lets see the edit. It made a lot of sense to me.

When I posted it, I saw many comments: Lets see the edit, lets see the edits. And I said, Ill do it again in my next content. Since then, whenever I show the nonsense they do behind and link it with what they want to show us, I just say, Lets see the edit. Thats how it came about. None of those things were planned, but I saw them and took advantage of them.

PT: Do you write your skits solo or work with a team? How long does it take you to produce one viral clip?

Governor Amuneke: Well, writing is not the right word. I usually think about situations, social issues, news, or something that pops up. I have a team; people around me sometimes chip in when I come up with stories. We sit down, ponder it, and some make suggestions.

For the most part, after I get the ideas and draw conclusions on the direction and angles, I write most of them myself. But we dont usually use a crew. We just discuss, have everything in our heads, then go. I direct my stuff, and then we shoot.

PT: Nigerians call you the satirical governor. Whats the more profound message you want people to take away from your comedy?

Governor Amuneke: Its just awareness. I want people to be aware of what is happening. I feel like weve been misled for a long time. Its not like some people dont know, but now people are beginning to see politicians for who they are, not for the edits they give us.

My primary aim is to expose. I want us to live in an era where people are politically aware and know their real value. An Africa that knows the institutions established by the whites are not to favour us. Its just about letting people know these politicians for who they are and what the problem is.

PT: You mirror the antics of politicians without calling names. Have any political figures ever reached out, either angry or in support?

Governor Amuneke: No, sometimes I see private warnings: We see what youre trying to do. Stay away from this. Were going to come after you. These are just anonymous messages like that. But I dont pay much attention because it will happen.

Ive not seen a notable person or a known face come to me and say, Dont do this or that. Instead, Ive seen people approach me to campaign for their candidate. But I decided Im going to be non-partisan for now. Im not going to campaign for anybody. I just want people to see the right thing and know the wrong thing when supporting the wrong people. So generally, Ive not seen any major issue.

PT: Do you ever fear that one day the joke will be too close to home and land you in trouble, like Mr Macaroni staying at loggerheads with politicians?

Governor Amuneke: Im not an activist like Mr Macaroni. Im a content creator and filmmaker, focused on telling stories that impact lives. Over time, youll see me explore different themes: politics, relationships, and more. If anything, you could call me a revolutionary skit maker, but not an activist.

I dont fear backlash because every work has risks. Just like soldiers dont avoid war because of death, I face whatever comes with my craft. Unlike Mr Macaroni, who calls out APC or specific governments directly, I use films and skits that open peoples eyes.

People often assume Im attacking the APC, or the Labour Party, or even Peter Obi. Thats fine, none of them is perfect. My content serves as a check on everyone, both the good and the bad. My mission is simple: create, entertain, and impact lives. Anyone who feels Im against them is experiencing what comes with truth.

PT: One of your videos can hit millions of views within days. How do you handle the pressure to remain relevant?

Governor Amuneke: My fame didnt come by surprise. Ive been at this for over four years. Since 2020, Ive consistently dropped skits, sometimes daily, which takes serious work. Ive trended before, with people like Tunde Ednut and Don Jazzy posting me. So, I see this not just as luck but as a responsibility God has given me.

PT: You recently confirmed your marriage. How has your wife reacted to suddenly being married to Governor Amuneke, a global meme?

Governor Amuneke: I mean, she knew before what my type of job is. Shes the kind of person who knows a star when she sees one. She was intentional about her choice, and I dont think it surprises her. She would tell me, I know who you are now and who you will become.

So, we just pray. We pray for a safer background for both of us. But shes not surprised, and shes not overwhelmed.

PT: When not creating content, who is Kevin Black off-camera?

Governor Amuneke: Kevin Black is a regular guy who loves to laugh, be around people, and spread happiness. I value an environment filled with joy.

But now, the work is overwhelming. I barely have time for myself, always creating, replying to messages, and dealing with the attention. My old self is fading, and my new self is defined by impact and what people see on camera.

PT: Skit-making has become a significant industry in Nigeria. Do you think comedians like yourself are filling a gap left by mainstream media and traditional comedy?

Governor Amuneke: Yes, I think so. The order of the day is what people see. So we are doing a great job. I agree with the idea. Social media has its own ill, its own sickness. I preferred it when things were done occasionally. But social media is good too. It has covered a lot of gaps. People can communicate, get informed, and all of that.

PT: What would be his first three campaign promises if the real-life Governor Amuneke were to run for office?

Governor Amuneke: If I were to run for office, my approach would be simple: transparency and accountability. If a state budget is set aside for projects, contractors must deliver within a clear time frame. There are no excuses.

My focus would be to build a system where the law truly works, where the rich and poor face the same consequences for the same offence. Governors shouldnt be praised for building roads or providing electricity; thats their job, funded by public money. Just like I provide for my family or you do your work as a journalist, leaders are simply doing their duty.

If a senator or leader steals, party affiliation wouldnt matter; they go to jail. Once laws are enforced without bias, corruption will reduce, and everyone will sit up. Thats the kind of system I would stand for.

PT: Beyond Amuneke, do you have plans to explore film, TV, or even live political satire shows?

Governor Amuneke: Yes, Im working on major projects, such as Netflix-level movies, live comedy shows, YouTube films, and stage performances. Expect high-quality productions that take my skits to a bigger, clearer, world-shaking scale.

PT: Many young people say your skits help them laugh through the frustration of Nigerian politics. How do you balance humour with the harsh realities youre portraying?

Governor Amuneke: I realised people are depressed, and laughter is the best way to reach them. I once created emotional content that had millions of views on Facebook, but humour communicates truth better; people laugh, enjoy, and still get the message, even politicians.

PT: Do you see yourself giving voice to Nigerians who feel powerless about governance?

Governor Amuneke: Yes, I am already. Not necessarily me, but my contents are already a voice. People are aware, people already know what is going on. If I stop now and never shoot anything on politics again, people will recycle my videos. If you do anything, they will call Governor Amuneke. So thats already in place. Its a loud voice already.

PT: Do you see yourself giving voice to Nigerians who feel powerless about governance?

Governor Amuneke: You should expect to see me on the world stage and globally.

If you used to see me as a Nigerian creator, you will see me as the top African creator challenging the system of the world, the system, not just Africa. Politically, the salient issues traverse the whole world. When we solve African problems, there are global problems. And when we solve them, we are not only solving Africa, but we are also solving global issues. You should expect to see me worldwide, making a bigger impact, through bigger movies. If some of us win an Oscar, its not bad now.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has reduced the cost of kidney dialysis from 50,000 to 12,000 per session, a 76 to 80 per cent subsidy.

This initiative aims to make dialysis more affordable for thousands of Nigerians battling kidney-related diseases.

The participating hospitals are: Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute-Metta, Lagos, Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Abuja, and the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

The rest are: Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), as well as the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta.

Others are: Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos,

Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Azare, and the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin.

They also include: University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar as well as the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi.

This initiative is part of President Bola Tinubus Renewed Hope Agenda, aiming to ensure Nigerians have access to affordable healthcare.

In Kano State, Mr Tinubus 80 per cent dialysis subsidy has led to a significant increase in patient attendance at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano.

The intervention, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, has slashed the cost of dialysis from between N50,000 and N60,000 per session to N12,000, providing relief to indigent kidney patients.

Speaking on the development, the Deputy Director of Nursing Services at AKTH, Tijjani Rahim, who is also the Head of the Dialysis Unit, said the unit now attends to between 22 and 25 patients daily.

He stated that the spike in the number of patients followed the implementation of the federal governments subsidy programme, making AKTH one of the first hospitals to benefit from the scheme.

During a visit to the AKTH Dialysis Centre, some patients expressed gratitude for the intervention, describing it as life-saving.

A patient, Sani Musa, recalled paying between N54,000 and N60,000 per dialysis session before the subsidy.

He said the cost was later reduced to N20,000 and now stands at N12,000.

Another patient, Mamuda Aliyu, said the reduction from N60,000 to N12,000 per session had enabled him to continue treatment.

Similarly, Hafiza Isa, who is also undergoing dialysis, confirmed that she previously paid N60,000, then N55,000, N45,000, and later N20,000 before the current rate was introduced.

The patients, however, appealed to the federal government to consider making dialysis treatment entirely free to further ease their burden.

Also speaking, the Chief Medical Director of AKTH, Abdurrahman Sheshe, said the subsidised dialysis programme had commenced at the hospital.

According to him, the hospital has received consumables to cater for 1,000 dialysis sessions under the initiative.

Mr Sheshe spoke during the launch of the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance Scheme (NEMSAS) at the hospital.

He explained that the NEMSAS programme would provide 48 hours of free medical care and emergency transportation for pregnant women, children, accident victims, and other critical cases.

He appealed to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and philanthropists for support to sustain the programmes.

The dialysis subsidy is part of the federal governments broader health sector reforms, which also include the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and NEMSAS.

It is aimed at strengthening emergency response and reducing the financial burden on patients.

NAN reports that on 21 August 2025, the federal government approved the dialysis subsidy scheme for 11 federal tertiary health institutions across Nigerias six geopolitical zones.

(NAN)
Nigerias largest academic staff union, ASUU, has directed its members to embark on a comprehensive strike from Monday, following the expiration of a two-week ultimatum issued to the federal government.

The president of the union, Chris Piwuna, a professor, announced the strike during a press briefing at the University of Abuja on Sunday.

Two weeks ago, the union issued a final ultimatum to the government after its chapters and the National Executive Council (NEC) decided in favour of a strike.

A week into the ultimatum, ASUU said the government had yet to take meaningful steps to halt the planned strike.

It is regrettable to note that nothing significant has happened to change the position of NEC since we last briefed the Press.

Consequently, all branches of ASUU are hereby directed to withdraw their services with effect from midnight on Monday, 13 October 2025, Mr Piwuna said on Sunday.

He said the warning strike would last for two weeks.

He explained that the warning strike shall be total and comprehensive, adding that there is nothing sufficient to stop implementation of the ASUU-NECs resolution to embark on the two-week warning strike.

This is ASUUs first nationwide strike since 2022, and the first since President Bola Tinubu assumed office.

In 2022, ASUU downed tools for eight months from February to October 2022, until an industrial court ordered it to suspend the strike, after the then Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, filed a lawsuit against the union.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, had said Mr Tinubu had directed the ministry to ensure that ASUU never embarked on a strike.

A deadlocked negotiation

In August, Mr Alausa set up a committee headed by the ministrys permanent secretary, Abel Enitan, to look into the submitted draft agreement between ASUU and the Yayale Ahmed-led committee. The committee, inaugurated in October 2024, submitted its report to the government in February.

On Tuesday, the education minister reconstituted and inaugurated another committee to accelerate ongoing discussions with ASUU and other unions in the tertiary institutions.

The new committee, Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Expanded Negotiation Committee, is to be headed by Mr Ahmed, the pro-chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

However, Mr Piwuna explained that an emergency meeting held with the committee on Friday, 10 October, was nothing to write home about.

He said the presentation to the ASUU team at the meeting was a total departure from the letter and spirit of the Review of the Draft 2022 Agreement submitted by the Yayale Ahmed committee.

To say the least, the documents were neither here nor there, he said.

Many committees, same result

This new committee is at least the sixth committee inaugurated by the government to renegotiate the 2009 agreements with university-based unions. Each time, the government has failed to implement the draft produced by the committees and instead creates yet another committee.

The 2009 agreement has been the source of dispute between the government and university-based unions. The agreement contains the academics conditions of service, funding and autonomy for the universities.

The renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, which was meant to be every few years, has stalled for close to a decade.

Before this new committee, Mr Ahmed headed the renegotiation committee inaugurated by the government in October 2024.

Before Mr Ahmed, the late Nimi Briggs, an emeritus professor, led the renegotiation committee in 2022 and produced a draft that the government never signed or implemented.

Before Mr Briggs, it was Munzali Jibrins committee of 2021, which also produced a draft that was never signed.

Before both of them was Wale Babalakin, who headed the committee from 2017 to 2020 when he resigned.

14 years, same demands

Mr Piwuna listed the issues of contention between ASUU and the federal government to include the conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, release of the withheld three-and-a-half months salaries, sustainable funding of public universities, and the revitalisation of universities.

Others are payment of the outstanding 25-35 per cent salary arrears, payment of promotion arrears for over four years, and the release of withheld cooperative contributions deductions.

The 2009 agreement is the crux of ASUUs dispute with the Nigerian government, which has lasted over a decade.

The agreement, first signed in 2009, covers Nigerian academics conditions of service and salary structure, which ASUU complained had remained the same to date.

The agreement also included a clause that the Nigerian government would spend N1.2 trillion in five tranches of N200 billion annually on the universities from 2009 to 2015. Only N200 billion has so far been released.

It also included autonomy for the universities, which ASUU argues is being eroded with the introduction of a centralised payment platform of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

The agreement also includes a provision for renegotiation every four years. That renegotiation has not been successfully completed since the first agreement was signed.
A PREMIUM TIMES report, which traced the evolution of Nigerias interbank transfer, won the Instant and Inclusive Payment System category at the 2025 West Africa Media Excellence Conference & Award.

The organisers of the award, the Media Foundation for West Africa, announced this at the ceremony, held in Accra, Ghana, on Saturday.

The special category, sponsored by the AfricaNenda Foundation, examined reports on the inclusion of instant payment systems.

Speaking on the significance of inclusion, Bery Dieye, Communications Officer for AfricaNenda, highlighted its crucial role in the development of payment systems.

She added that journalists are vital in bridging the gap in the payment system.

The winning report titled From 3-day wait to per second transaction: How bank transfers work? examined the development of Nigerias banking infrastructure and payment systems.

It explained how the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), alongside its NIBSS Instant Payments (NIP) platform, changed the inter-bank system and enabled real-time electronic fund transfers.

Bakare Majeed, the journalist who authored the report, was a member of the newspapers National Desk until February 2025.

He, alongside Folashade Ogunride, a member of the investigation and data desk, were the two PREMIUM TIMES journalists shortlisted for the award organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA).

Other winners

There were 26 finalists altogether, and 11 of them were Nigerian journalists from different media organisations, including Mr Bakare and Ms Ogunrinde from PREMIUM TIMES.

The MFWA said this years edition received 793 entries from more than 600 media outlets across 15 West African countries.

The organisers said they received 335 entries from Nigeria, 101 from Ghana, and 92 from Burkina Faso.

Nigerian journalists scooped six of the nine WANECA categories.

HumAngles former Investigations Editor, Kunle Adebajo, emerged as the West Africa Journalist of the Year and winner of the Illicit Financial Flow category.

Jemilat Nasiru and Ibrahim Mansur of The Cable emerged as winners in the Environmental Reporting category, while Faruk Shuaibu of Daily Trust won in the DPIs and DPGs Reporting category.

Other Nigerian winners include Theophilus Adedokun of the National Record in the Extractive Sector category, and Abdulrasheed Hammad of Pen Press in the Telecommunications and ICT Reporting category.

About Bakare

Mr Majeed, a trained economist, has extensive experience covering politics, governance, transition energy, digital public infrastructure, and anti-corruption. Many of his legislative reports have helped shape reforms, including groundbreaking anti-corruption exposes.

In 2023, he covered the Hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia and has extensive experience reporting on elections across the country. He was part of the Yiaga Africa 12-person election observation team that covered the 2024 Ghana presidential election and is a recipient of the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Journalism Fellowship 2024.

Mr Majeeds stories on digital public infrastructure and payment systems have helped open public discourse on this critical sector.
President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Sunday, 12 October, for Rome, the capital of Italy, to participate in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government Level Meeting, with special focus on the security crisis in West Africa.

The meeting, which will begin on 14 October, will bring together Heads of State and Government, senior intelligence and military officials from African countries, and representatives of intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations to discuss the evolving security challenges in West Africa.

The Aqaba Process Meeting is a counter-terrorism initiative launched by King Abdullah II of Jordan in 2015. It is cochaired by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Italian Government.

It recognises the complex security challenges confronting West Africa, including the expansion of terrorist networks, the growing crime-terror nexus and the increasing overlap between land-based terrorism in the Sahel and the maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.

At the meeting, participants will exchange assessments of the current security landscape in West Africa and foster collaboration between regional and international partners to address cross-border security challenges. Participants will also develop strategies to counter the terror threat on land and the sea.

The meeting will discuss ideas on how to coordinate efforts to combat online radicalisation and disrupt digital networks that facilitate terrorist propaganda and recruitment.

In addition to attending the plenary sessions of the Aqaba meeting, President Tinubu will hold bilateral talks with other leaders to explore ways of addressing the rising security challenges across the subregion.

The President will be accompanied by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca OdumegwuOjukwu, the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mohammed Mohammed, and other senior government officials.

Bayo Onanuga

Special Adviser to the President

(Information & Strategy)

October 11, 2025
When it comes to major purchases, secure transactions are crucial. As a buyer, you want to get your money into the right hands as soon as possible. And as the payee, you want to ensure your payment is legitimate. While personal checks work in some situations, a bank draft can be a better option when the stakes are high.

Bank drafts make it possible to make large payments safely and securely. Learn more about bank drafts, how they work, and their pros and cons.

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What is a bank draft?

A bank draft  also known as a tellers check, bank check, or bankers draft  is a secure payment guaranteed by the issuing bank. When you make a payment using a bank draft, the bank withdraws the funds from your account and holds them in reserve. The payee can then access these funds by cashing the bank draft at any bank where they have an account.

Though similar to personal checks, bank drafts are far more secure because theyre guaranteed by the issuing bank. As long as the issuing bank is FDIC-insured, a bank draft cant bounce.

How bank drafts work

Bank drafts are available from banks and credit unions. When you purchase a bank draft, the bank withdraws the funds from your personal account and holds them in a reserve account.

Next, youll then receive the actual bank draft, a paper document similar to a check, which you must deliver to the payee. When the payee cashes the bank draft, theyll receive the funds held in reserve at the issuing bank, often within 24 hours.

How much does a bank draft cost?

Bank drafts may incur a small fee, depending on your bank and the type of account you hold. Often, the fee is around $10.

Can you cancel a bank draft?

Once you deliver a bank draft to the payee, you may not be able to cancel it. Sometimes, the only way to recover the funds is to have the payee cash the bank draft and return the money to you.

When should you use a bank draft?

Bank drafts dont have maximum amounts, so theyre helpful when you need to make a large purchase  such as a home or a vehicle. You may also be asked to pay with a bank draft when you dont know the payee. Because theyre guaranteed by a financial institution, bank drafts can provide extra assurance that the recipient will get their payment.

Pros and cons of bank drafts

Bank drafts can be helpful in specific circumstances, but they have disadvantages too. Weigh the following pros and cons before purchasing a bank draft:

Pros

More secure than other forms of payment: Unlike cash, bank drafts provide a record of payment. And because theyre guaranteed by a bank or credit union, they cant bounce like a personal check.

No maximum amount: Many payment options enforce limits on the amount of money you can transact. Bank drafts have no such limits.

Payees bank information isnt necessary: Unlike electronic transfers, you dont need the payees bank information to send them money. Instead, the bank moves the money into a reserve account until the payee cashes the bank draft.

Efficient transaction: Bank drafts often clear within 24 hours, while other forms of payment can take several days.

Cons

May have a fee: Depending on where you bank, you may have to pay a fee of around $10 to purchase a bank draft.

Can be lost, damaged, or stolen: Like cash, bank drafts involve a physical transaction, making them vulnerable to loss, theft, or even fraud.

Difficult to cancel: After a bank draft has been issued, it can be difficult or impossible to cancel.

Less convenient: Because bank drafts involve delivering a physical document to the payee, they may not be as convenient as some alternatives, such as wire transfers.

Bank draft vs. money order

Like a bank draft, a money order is a physical document used to make a payment. Theyre also guaranteed by the institution you purchase them from because you pay up front when you buy them.

However, unlike bank drafts, money orders have transaction limits. For instance, if youre sending a domestic money order in the U.S., the limit is $1,000. If you want to send more than that, you have to buy multiple money orders.

Another major difference between bank drafts and money orders is where you purchase and cash them. You can buy a money order at a bank or credit union, but you can also find them at post offices and certain retail locations.

Bank draft vs. cashiers check

Bank drafts and cashiers checks are very similar. Theyre both guaranteed by the issuing bank, making them safer alternatives to personal checks. However, these two physical documents contain different information.

With a bank draft, the bank issues the payment on your behalf, so your personal information appears on the document. With a cashiers check, however, the banks information and a tellers signature are on the check.

How to get a bank draft

If you want to make a purchase using a bank draft, head to your bank or credit union to request one. Assuming you have enough funds in your account, the bank will withdraw the payment and put it in a reserve account. Finally, youll receive the physical draft to deliver to the payee, who can cash it at their bank.

Depending on where you bank, you may also be able to order a bank draft online.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) have reiterated calls for hospitals to treat gunshot victims immediately without requesting police reports.

Both organisations issued the reminder during interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja, following recurring reports of hospitals neglecting gunshot victims in emergencies.

NAN reports that the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Wounds Act, signed into law in 2017, mandates prompt treatment by all hospitals, public or private, without requiring police documentation.

Section Seven of the Act states that any person or authority whose omission leads to the unnecessary death of a gunshot victim may face five years imprisonment, a N500,000 fine, or both.

The Nigerian Police Force, in a circular dated 25 October 2023, directed all personnel to comply with the Acts provisions immediately, reiterating that no delay in treatment is permissible.

Mohammad Suleiman, national president of NARD, condemned the refusal to treat victims as unacceptable, citing both the law and the Federal Ministry of Healths directive on emergency care.

Mr Suleiman stated that some doctors might be unaware of the law and stressed that NARD educated members regularly through Continuing Medical Education programmes on legal matters affecting medical practice.

Speaking on his experience, Mr Suleiman said: Where I practice in Katsina, we treat first. The police pick up the process. Our role as doctors is to save livesnot judge.

Although unaware of recent denial cases, Mr Suleiman encouraged citizens to report such incidents for investigation, emphasising that all emergency patients must be treated regardless of administrative or monetary concerns.

He warned that rejecting patients in emergencies was criminal and unethical.

Offending doctors should be referred to the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) disciplinary tribunal for sanctions.

READ ALSO: Ekiti government orders hospitals to treat gunshot injuries before police report

Our training is anchored on life protection, not profit. Any doctor who turns away a patient in critical condition for monetary reasons must be held accountable, Mr Suleiman emphasised.

He applauded the ministrys efforts to strengthen emergency response systems and reminded the public that the MDCN tribunal had powers equivalent to a Federal High Court in disciplinary matters.

The Registrar of the NMCN, Ndagi Alhassan, noted that some nurses acted based on restrictive hospital policies, even though those policies might contradict the federal governments directives on emergency treatment.

In some hospitals, policy demands documentation before care, but nurses must prioritise life. With the federal directive, saving the patient comes first, then documentation can follow, Mr Alhassan explained.

Mr Alhassan advised nurses to stabilise gunshot victims immediately and handle documentation later.

Thats the ethical, professional, and lawful approach nurses must follow in life-threatening emergencies, he stated.

(NAN)
The anti-graft agency, EFCC, has confirmed that two men were arrested at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Lagos with undeclared foreign currency exceeding the approved limit.

The EFCC said the two suspects possessed undeclared cash of $6,180 and 53,415. Passengers travelling with cash above $10,000 are expected to declare it to airport authorities while travelling.

Sources at the airport had earlier told PREMIUM TIMES about the arrest of the suspects, but said the cash found on them exceeded $6.1 million. The EFCCs clarification, however, indicates the amount is much lower than that.

The sources said the suspects were apprehended by officials of the Aviation Security (AVSEC) unit of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) at the domestic terminal of the airport and were handed over to the EFCC.

We are still working with the EFCC to unravel the full details, a senior AVSEC official had told PREMIUM TIMES before the EFCC statement.

EFCC speaks

In its statement issued on Saturday evening, the EFCC named the two suspects as Mamud Nasidi and Yahaya Nasidi.

EFCC commences investigation of two suspects for undeclared $6,180 and 53,415 at Lagos Airport, the anti-graft agency said in an X post on Saturday.

According to the statement, operatives from the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the commission are leading the probe following the arrest by FAAN officials.

The suspects were reportedly intercepted during a routine airport check on Saturday at the point of boarding a flight to Abuja.

The EFCC said investigations revealed that the suspects had just arrived in Nigeria from Dubai via Addis Ababa.

Following their arrest, the EFCC said the travellers were handed over to the State Security Service (SSS), which subsequently transferred them to the EFCC for further interrogation and possible prosecution.

The commission added that three mobile phones were also recovered from the suspects during the operation.

According to the EFCC, the exhibits and suspects were received by Margaret Lamai on behalf of the commissions acting zonal director, Ahmed Ghali.
Nigerias maritime security deserves attention after 9.6 tonnes of cocaine were seized off the West African coast on 22 September 2025. The interception, conducted by the French Navy with support from the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), highlights how drug trafficking networks are increasingly using the Gulf of Guinea, Nigerias maritime backyard, as a major transit route.

The seizure, confirmed by both French authorities and AFRICOM Public Affairs Office, underscores the growing threat that illegal narcotics pose to Nigerian ports, waterways, and coastal communitiesas well as to law enforcement and national governance.

In a statement on 2 October 2025, AFRICOM confirmed that its support led to the seizure of almost 10 tons of cocaine in the Gulf of Guinea, a region that has become a key corridor for global drug trafficking.

This effort denies revenue to drug cartels, to include those recently designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, who are responsible for drug smuggling into the United States, AFRICOM Public Affairs said.

While the seizure took place on the high seas, its implications are felt directly in Nigeria. Trafficking routes in the Gulf of Guinea intersect with Nigerian waters, creating opportunities for organised crime to infiltrate local markets, fund criminal networks, and even destabilize security along the coast.

The scale of the haulvalued at roughly $565 million (N819 billion)is a stark reminder that transnational crime in the region is big business, and Nigerian authorities remain on the frontlines.

The French Navy, in a 25 September statement, said the operation was executed under the direction of the Maritime Prefect of the Atlantic and the Public Prosecutor of the Brest Judicial Court, based on intelligence from the National Directorate of Intelligence and Customs Investigations (DNRED).

The inspection teams of the vessels deployed as part of Operation Corymbe intervened on September 22 on the high seas in the Atlantic maritime zone, on an unflagged fishing vessel, the Navy said.

A Camcopter S-100 unmanned helicopter provided aerial surveillance during the boarding. This demonstrates how modern technology and international coordination make high-value interdictions possibleeven far from a countrys shores.

Nigerias ports handle millions of tonnes of cargo annually, making them attractive to traffickers seeking to blend illicit shipments with legitimate trade. The latest seizure highlights the risk of criminal networks exploiting gaps in port security and coastal monitoring.

The West African giant already has its hands full tackling drug trafficking at its airports. Every week, the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announces the seizure of narcotics, including cocaine, at its airports. However, seizure by Nigerian authorities on the countrys waters is less common.

Law enforcement experts warn that narcotics flowing through Nigerian waters can fund organised crime, insurgency, and corruption, creating security challenges for both urban and rural communities.

Drug cartels are believed to be increasingly active along the coastal corridor stretching from South Africa to West Africa, increasing the stakes for countries like Nigeria.

Recent seizures, including 8,000 pounds of cocaine in Mozambique, show that international cooperation is essential for keeping drugs off African soil.

The 9.6-tonne seizure off West Africa is a tactical success for global anti-drug operations, but it also serves as a wake-up call for Nigeria. Protecting the countrys waters requires vigilance, intelligence sharing, and rapid response capabilities, alongside continued engagement with international partners.

For Nigerians, maritime security is inseparable from national security. Efforts to safeguard ports, coastal communities, and trade routes are not abstract policythey are a frontline in the fight against organized crime, corruption, and the destabilising influence of drug trafficking.

Pearl Matibe is a Washington, D.C.-based geopolitical analyst and correspondent with expertise in foreign policy and international security, regularly covering the Pentagon and White House. Follow her on Twitter: @PearlMatibe.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has refused to grant an interim injunction seeking to stop the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from holding its planned National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and national convention scheduled for October and November 2025.

The judge, J.K. Omotosho, in a ruling delivered on Thursday, declined to grant the interim orders filed by Austine Nwachukwu, chairman of the PDP in Imo State; Amah Nnanna, chairman of the Abia State chapter, and Turnah George, secretary of the PDP South-south zone.

The aggrieved party members had filed a motion against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the PDP.

The plaintiffs, through their counsel, Joseph Daudu, alongside Ogwu Onoja, M.A. Ebute, Adedayo Adedeji, and Chima Chidi, had asked the court to restrain INEC from monitoring or recognising any meeting or convention organised by the PDP without due notice and adherence to democratic procedures.

They also sought to stop the partys leadership from convening the NEC meeting scheduled for 15 October, and the national convention planned for 15 to 16 November, in Ibadan, Oyo State Capital.

However, Mr Omotosho held that the defendants, which are INEC, the PDP, and its principal officers, must first be served with the substantive motion on notice before any restraining order could be made.

The Motion Ex parte for Interim Injunction is hereby refused. The Plaintiffs/Applicants are hereby ordered to serve the Defendants with the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction, the judge said.

The judge, also cautioned all parties against taking any steps capable of rendering the substantive application before the court useless.

All parties in this suit upon being served with this order and the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction must not take any step, decision or do any act that will make the outcome of the reliefs in the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction nugatory, the judge added.

He added that any action taken to undermine the pending judicial process shall be nullified, emphasising that once a party has been served with court processes, it must refrain from acts that could frustrate the proceedings.

Any step, decision or act taken to make the outcome of a judicial process such as the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction nugatory shall be deemed to be a nullity. It is trite law that upon being served with a court process, no party shall take any steps to make the outcome of such process nugatory, Mr Omotosho said.

The court subsequently adjourned the matter to 14 October 14, for hearing of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

READ ALSO: PDP loses all members to APC in Ondo Assembly

The plaintiffs, believed to allies of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Nyesom, are seeking to compel INEC to perform its constitutional duty of monitoring and regulating the internal affairs of the PDP, alleging that the partys leadership plans to hold the NEC meeting and convention in violation of its constitution and democratic norms.

With the refusal of the interim injunction, the PDPs planned NEC and convention are, for now, not legally halted, though the parties have been warned to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive motion.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has ordered the withdrawal of the Abuja-bound carriageway of the ongoing MararabaKeffi road reconstruction project from China Harbour Engineering Company Limited.

Mr Umahi, while inspecting the project on Saturday, expressed displeasure over the project, citing poor performance and disregard for directives.

He stated that the 43.65-kilometre dual carriageway would now be handled by local contractors to ensure speed and quality delivery.

I am disappointed with the Abuja-bound carriageway. The project was not taken away from China Harbour, but the companys attitude has been uncooperative.

Some contractors working on federal roads are not in partnership with the government; they are only interested in the money.

It took several interventions to get China Harbour to maintain the other carriageway they were not working on, he said.

Mr Umahi said that the ministry has now directed that, as a matter of policy, every project site must ensure that the entire stretch of the route is not encumbered by potholes or other defects.

According to him, it only takes commitment and a sense of duty to apply a stone base in such areas before construction continues.

He said that the ministry had also directed that no contractor should lay binder or pavement without providing a proper wearing course or completing the shoulders.

The minister, however, said that the instructions have been flouted, yet certificates of payment were still being issued, which was not supposed to be so.

This is unacceptable. You cannot do pavement without completing the shoulders because such negligence causes road failure.

China Harbour must not force me to declare them enemies of the Ministry of Works, he said.

Mr Umahi thanked President Bola Tinubu for supporting the Ministrys decisions.

When we correct contractors, they often run to stakeholders to damage our reputation. If not for the presidents understanding, it would have been difficult to take firm decisions.

Let me be clear, if any of us in the ministry asks you for money, please report it publicly. We will take tough decisions to protect this country.

Therefore, the second carriageway going to Abuja is hereby withdrawn from China Harbour.

From tomorrow, local contractors will be mobilised to handle the inner and outer shoulders using concrete.

The minister said that contractors often believe that they have powerful connections and so they act with impunity, adding that it must stop.

You cannot keep flouting directives. The welfare and safety of road users are more important than anyones profit.

I have visited this site over five times, given instructions repeatedly, yet they were ignored. That will no longer be tolerated.

Mr Umahi said controllers and directors under the ministry who failed to escalate such challenges within 24 hours would be recalled.

He said that controllers should report such issues to him directly.

We cannot have roads cut into two and contractors doing nothing. Any bureaucracy that causes public suffering must be broken.

The president has released funds; no one should collude with contractors to delay work.

Let it also be known publicly that the director in charge of this zone will be held responsible for compliance, he said

He also encouraged states to monitor contractors closely and inform the ministry if they bring inadequate equipment, and the contractors would be removed from the site.

(NAN)
On a sunny afternoon in August 2020, 13-year-old Omar Farouq stood before a Sharia court in Kano State, accused of blasphemy. Too young to understand the gravity of the charges, he listened in disbelief as the judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison.

Omars ordeal began after a heated argument with a friend, during which they exchanged insults. Soon after, police officers summoned him, and he was charged with blasphemy. When the case became public, an angry mob attacked his home, forcing his mother to flee to a neighbouring village.

Nigerias Child Rights Act (CRA), enacted in 2003, was meant to prevent such treatment of children. The law domesticates the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and prohibits practices such as child marriage and exploitative child labour.

Section 221 (1) of the CRA guarantees restriction of punishment for children by prescribing that no child shall be ordered to be (a) imprisoned or (b) subjected to corporal punishment or (c ) subjected to the death penalty or have the death penalty recorded against them.

However, implementation of the Act has been uneven despite that 35 of Nigerias 36 states have domesticated the law.

Section 204 of the CRA states that children are to be dealt with only within a dedicated child justice system, not the adult criminal justice system.

The section states that No child shall be subjected to the criminal justice process or to criminal sanctions, but a child alleged to have committed an act which would constitute a criminal offence if he were an adult shall be subjected only to the child justice system and processes set out in this Act.

This means a child who allegedly commits an act that would be a criminal offense for an adult will not face criminal charges or sanctions but will instead be subjected to a child-focused system designed for their rehabilitation, correction, and reintegration into society.

But in practice, children are routinely arrested, detained, and tried as adults. Some, as young as 10, are accused of theft or even murder, and subjected to the same harsh procedures as adults, sometimes without legal representation, fair hearings, or referral to juvenile courts as required by law.

A joint study conducted by the Nigerian government, UNICEF, and the European Union between 2018 and 2022 confirmed these violations. The research examined the conditions, treatment, and experiences of children and young adults in correctional facilities nationwide.

The study drew on physical data from 87 adult custodial centres and three borstal institutions, primary data from 22 remand homes, and interviews with 1,279 children and young adults in detention. It also included perspectives from law enforcement officials and judicial authorities.

Findings from the remand homes revealed that stealing and robbery were the most common offences. Across 17 states, 2,165 children, representing 47 per cent of those in remand facilities, were accused of stealing or theft. Other charges included rape (2.8 per cent), cultism and homicide (4.5 per cent), and murder. Some children were also detained for protection purposes, or because they were accused of wandering, trespassing, or being beyond parental control.

At the time, the study showed that 133,906 children and young adults were in detention facilities around the country. For many of these children, detention meant exposure to physical abuse, overcrowding, and long-lasting psychological trauma.

Omar, now 18, was eventually acquitted by the Kano State High Court in January 2021, five months after his sentencing. During his detention, he was held in a cell, a condition that rights activists described as a violation of his fundamental rights. His case drew condemnation from UNICEF, but countless others remain unheard.

Segun Olowookeres ordeal was even more disturbing. In 2010, at just 17, he was sentenced to death by the Osun State High Court for stealing hens and eggs. He spent more than a decade in Kirikiri Prison, including years on death row, before finally regaining his freedom in December 2024 following an appeal court ruling.

Although international law prohibits capital punishment for offences committed by minors, the Osun judiciary defended the ruling, arguing that Mr Olowookere and his co-defendant, Sunday Morakinyo, had a history of armed robbery.

Mr Olowookere, now 31, in an interview with News Centrals Breakfast Xtra in January, described how police officers beat him so severely that he thought he would not survive.

That was how they started beating both of us mercilessly, accusing us of lying and not telling the truth. The police began beating us so severely that I thought I might not survive. It was only by Gods grace that my life was spared. I was 17 years old then. My second, Morakinyo, was already bleeding from the nose, his ear, and anus in the police cell to the extent that I had to clean it up. The beating was because they wanted him to attest to the boys claim, he said.

Arrested like adults, charged without counsel

Omar and Mr Olowookeres stories are not unique. Many children across Nigeria endure similar fates; their cases are only unknown to the public.

In November 2024, dozens of minors were arrested during nationwide protests in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, and in Lagos, the countrys commercial hub. At least 76 people, including 30 minors, were charged with treason, an offence that carries the death penalty, after participating in demonstrations against worsening economic hardship.

The arraignment of the minors generated public outrage and drew global condemnation, especially after they were paraded before the media. Some of the children fainted in court, having spent weeks in detention without proper care, access to their families, or legal representation.

The abuse does not end in courtrooms. In August 2025, the Nigerian Correctional Service admitted that children were being kept in adult custodial centres because many state-run juvenile facilities had either collapsed or never existed. This means that a teenager remanded for a petty offence could end up sharing a cell with hardened criminals.

A bitter example dates to 2017, when the then Chief Judge of Lagos State, Oluwafunmilayo Atilade, visited Badagry Prison. She found that more than 100 children were locked up in cells alongside adults convicted of murder, armed robbery, and other violent crimes.

The children, aged between 12 and 17, had mainly been arrested by the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences. Their charges ranged from breaching public peace to street hawking. Special courts summarily convicted many.

Keeping children in the same facilities as adults not only violates international human rights standards but also exposes them to immediate dangers, physical and sexual abuse, criminal indoctrination, and a high risk of disease in overcrowded and poorly maintained cells.

Following the Lagos chief judges intervention, 80 of the children were released. Fourteen of them were found to have been wrongfully detained and should never have been imprisoned in the first place.

The problem, however, is far from new. As early as 2009, a study revealed that about 200 children were being held among 2,400 adult inmates in Port Harcourt Prison, south-south Nigeria.

With the Nigerian Correctional Service recently admitting that children are still confined in adult custodial centres, little has changed. The persistence of this practice, stretching from at least 2009 to the present day, shows several years of violations of childrens rights within Nigerias justice system.

Such accounts reveal a broken system where minors are subjected to wrongful imprisonment, and, in extreme cases, even the threat of execution.

A Consultant Psychiatrist and Public Health Epidemiology trainee, Yesiru Kareem, told PREMIUM TIMES that detaining children in adult custodial centres exposes them to severe mental health risks.

Its important to recognise that putting children and adolescents into correctional facilities for detention could sometimes cause more harm than good, as it may lead to depression, anxiety disorder, PTSD, and even substance use disorder, and so on. So, there is a need to ensure age-appropriate detention facilities, programmes, and interventions for rehabilitation and early support are made available by all and sundry, Mr Kareem said.

The psychiatrist explained that children in such facilities are easily influenced by adults, often imitating harmful behaviours, including violence.

You know, children are easily suggestible; they can easily model what the seniors in the facilities are torturing them after. So, all this can culminate in possible consequences moving forward. So, this underscores the need to consider them for rehabilitation and early intervention, rather than putting them in adult correctional facilities, he added.

On her part, Aisha Bubah, lead psychologist at The Sunshine Series, a mental health social enterprise operating in Nigeria and other Sub-Saharan African countries, called for an end to the detention of children in adult custodial centres.

Ms Bubah argued that available evidence shows detention exposes children to multiple psychosocial disorders instead of fostering rehabilitation.

We need to end the detention of children in adult prisons. It exposes them to so much that can end up being more detrimental than the rehabilitation that the prison system is supposed to provide.

Also, it would help to provide psychosocial support while the person is within the prison system and outside. Its not enough to just release someone and then just let them go, she said.

Lack of age verification

One of the biggest challenges in Nigerias justice system is the lack of a reliable age verification system. Many children do not have birth certificates, leaving them vulnerable to being tried as adults.

When Omar was sentenced in Kano, north-west Nigeria, public reports confirmed he was 13. Yet during his appeal, the High Court judge claimed he was 17, not 13, which raised serious concerns about record-keeping and judicial oversight.

In Mr Olowookeres case, the Chief Registrar of the Osun High Court insisted that reports about his age were distorted and misrepresented.

Children of war and insecurity

In Nigerias north-east, the situation is arguably more terrible. Reports by Human Rights Watch and the United Nations show that the Nigerian military detained thousands of children during counter-insurgency operations against Boko Haram. Some were as young as five.

Held in overcrowded military facilities without charge, these children were branded as security threats instead of victims of war. Many spent months or years in detention without ever seeing a lawyer, judge, or social worker.

In 2010, a paper titled Children, Status and the Law in Nigeria by Onyemachi Uche observed that children were typically involved in minor offences such as stealing pieces of meat from a cooking pot or taking food and toys from their playmates.

Some of the children later became involved in serious crimes like rape, drug trafficking, armed robbery, arson, vandalism, child soldiering, suicide bombing, and other forms of terrorism.

The paper argued that this trend has been rising because childrens vulnerabilities are consistently exploited by criminal networks and armed groups that recruit and use them. It further noted that Nigerias child justice system contributes to the problem by punishing child offenders instead of rehabilitating them. As a result, many children are released back into society with criminal records and traumatic experiences. They often return to crime and, in some cases, recruit more children into gangs.

Accurate statistics on the number of vulnerable children in Nigeria remain unavailable. However, children are generally considered vulnerable depending on their circumstances, environments, and physical realities.

Ms Bubah, a certified Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT), also emphasised these points. She explained that one of the major psychological effects of exposing minors to prison-like conditions is the heightened risk of them becoming repeat offenders, even after regaining freedom, due to the psychological disorders they are exposed to in such facilities.

It can also lead to a higher risk of becoming an offender, or the risk of re-offending. Im assuming the minor here is either being raised because their parents are in prison, or the person is also an offender. It increases the likelihood of re-offending because they are struggling to adjust to the system sometimes. Once they are out, they struggle to adjust to the system, she said.

The psychologist said many of the children get into more trouble because they lack the skills to navigate life outside prison, while others deliberately reoffend because they find the outside world overwhelming and retreat into what feels like a safe shell, which is the prison environment.

The trauma within

The moment I heard the death sentence, it felt like the end of my life. I was devastated and fell into depression, Mr Olowookere recounted.

Ms Bubah added that exposing minors to prison-like conditions can trigger serious mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and learning difficulties.

I think it affects them in many ways. One, if we look at the potential of them developing mental health conditions, like anxiety, depression, or PTSD, whats called post-traumatic stress disorder, learning difficulties, these are all mental health conditions that they can develop from being incarcerated, being in a closed space, or being regulated.

Because of the settings of prisons, the routines and limitations and rules and regulations, it can disrupt their development, she added.

The psychologist further observed that many minors in detention turn to drug use as a coping mechanism.

Sometimes people who are faced with difficult, traumatic experiences end up using drugs as a coping mechanism, so if there is timely psychosocial support, it reduces the risk of the person falling into these types of unhealthy behaviours to cope.

She also stressed that incarceration undermines a childs ability to build trust and may foster aggression in the children.

It can also disrupt their trust relationship, like how they build trust with their communities or other people. And it can also make them develop aggressive behaviours as a way of communication, because of all the aggression and violence they see around them. They can model those behaviours, thinking thats the only way to get things done for you, which obviously affects their communication style.

Findings from the joint study conducted by the Nigerian government, UNICEF, and the European Union reflected her concerns. The research gathered testimonies from children in detention facilities. While 76 per cent of respondents said they had never experienced corporal punishment in custody, 24 per cent reported being subjected to abuse or torture. Among this group, 83.7 per cent said they had suffered physical violence such as beatings, slaps, or punches; three per cent reported psychological abuse; 2.2 per cent cited food deprivation; 1.9 per cent said they were denied family visits; 1.3 per cent reported threats of violence; and 0.2 per cent disclosed sexual assault.

Despite these accounts, only 11 per cent of victims said they reported the abuse, and in almost all cases, the perpetrators were never punished. Many respondents also complained about bullying by older inmates and alleged incidents of sodomy, including situations where sex was exchanged for food.

Possible reforms

For reforms, Ms Bubah recommended that Nigerian correctional centres be equipped with child protection frameworks and trauma-informed care to address the needs of incarcerated minors.

We need to have trained prison staff in child protection and trauma-informed care, so they also know how they are dealing with them, so that they are not creating more scars and more trauma for these minors while they are in their protective custody. Families must be also integrated into whatever psychosocial support system is being provided, because at the end of the day, when the person goes out there, they go with family, the authorities or the counselor or whoever doesnt follow them, so if family is involved, if there are any issues, they are more likely to flag it up faster before it becomes a bigger problem.

Mr Kareem suggested that detained minors should be provided with physical, social, and vocational rehabilitation to support their growth and development.

So, when they are given physical, social, and even vocational rehabilitation, it will help them develop.

This story is part of the Hope Behind Bars Africa/Australian High Commission Dialogue Initiative.
The Africa Lead at OpenAI, Emmanuel Lubanzadio; the Managing Director and Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at the Bank of America, Yvonne Ike; Nigerias Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, and Nigerian entrepreneur and Founding Partner of Future Africa, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, are among experts expected to headline the 2025 International Week of the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

With the theme Equitable Partnerships and the Future of AI in Africa, the week-long event will be held from Monday, 13 to Friday, 17 October, at the universitys main campus in Akoka, Lagos.

The five-day programme will focus on artificial intelligence and global collaboration, bringing together senior government officials, development partners, academics, financiers, and technology innovators from within and outside Africa.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, is also expected to attend.

Event highlights

According to the organisers, in a statement released on Saturday, Mr Tijani, Mr Lubanzadio, and Ms Ike will deliver keynote speeches on the theme of the programme.

A special session on public procurement and digital governance will feature Nigerias Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) Director-General, Adebowale Adedokun, who will speak on the countrys transition to digital procurement and how the reform can drive transparency, inclusion, and innovation-led growth.

The event will also spotlight young innovators redefining Africas tech landscape, including Adeleke Eniola, a final-year Applied Physics student at UNILAG and creator of RiaScope, an AI-powered diagnostic tool designed to detect malaria affordably in low-resource communities.

Organisers said her innovation reflects the promise of local ingenuity in tackling public health challenges through accessible technology.

Throughout the week, plenary and technical sessions will explore topics such as ethical AI governance, data stewardship, educational innovation, startup financing, and the digitalisation of government systems.

The convergence of diverse expertise is expected to produce actionable outcomes, including policy recommendations, academic partnerships, and investment linkages that strengthen Africas digital future, the statement noted.

The panellists include Diana Mitlin of the University of Manchester, who doubles as the Chief Executive Officer of African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC); Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Massimo De Luca; Matthew Guah of South Carolina State University, USA, and the Acting Director, NITDA IT Hub (NITHub), Victor Odumuyiwa.

Remarks from organisers

UNILAGs Vice-Chancellor, Folasade Ogunsola, a professor, said the university is building bridges between academia, industry, and government to ensure Africas engagement with technology is inclusive and future-driven.

By bringing OpenAI and other global actors to the table this time, we aim to ensure that Africas engagement with technology is equitable, forward-looking, and inclusive, Mrs Ogunsola said.

This years focus on equitable AI partnerships comes at a critical moment when Africa must shape its own voice and strategy in the global technology ecosystem, and it is our vision at UNILAG to make the continent future-ready.

In his comments, the institutions Director of International Relations, Partnerships and Prospects (IRPP), Ismail Ibraheem, who also serves as Chairman of the Planning Committee, said the 2025 International Week reflects the universitys global vision and commitment to breaking partnership barriers.

UNILAG has always been a space for knowledge exchange and international collaborations, Mr Ibraheem said. Since its inception in 2019, the International Week has gone beyond being a ceremonial event to becoming a prolific platform for practical collaborations.

The professor added that the 2025 edition reinforces UNILAGs longstanding tradition of international engagement, highlighting its role in shaping policy discussions around innovation and global partnerships.

UNILAG continues to maintain institutional collaborations with global organisations, including Nottingham Trent University, the African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC), the African Engineering and Technology (AFRETEC) Network, embassies, and development partners.

These partnerships, the university said, foster research, academic mobility, and skills development programmes that support Africas growing knowledge economy.
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has detained the publisher of Naija News Today, Friday Alefia, for more than two weeks allegedly on the orders of Chinedu Ogah, who represents Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

Mr Alefia was reportedly arrested in Lagos by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigerian police and transferred to Abuja, where he is being held at the detention facility of the defunct SARS over alleged cybercrime relating to a report he published about the lawmaker.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday, the journalists elder brother, Uchenna Nwanchor, said the family did not know the exact date of his arrest but confirmed that he had been in custody for more than two weeks.

Mr Nwanchor added that a relative, who had been feeding Mr Alefia in detention, informed the family that his health was deteriorating daily.

We are pleading with Honourable Chinedu Ogah to please forgive him over his publications and release him. We are going to caution him, Mr Nwanchor said.

He also said the family had been unable to secure his release. He was taken from Lagos to Abuja by the IRT. Since then, we have not been allowed to see him, he said.

Public appeals for mercy

The case has drawn public attention in Ebonyi State, where some residents have appealed to Mr Ogah to show mercy.

In an open letter posted on Facebook on Saturday, Odo Chikwere, a resident of the state, urged the lawmaker to pardon the journalist.

This young university graduate, Alefia Friday, has been in detention at the notorious SARS cell in Abuja for two weeks now based on a court order. From my findings, his health is deteriorating, Mr Chikwere wrote.

He said his findings showed that Mr Ogah accused Mr Alefia of defamation, cyberbullying, and character assassination over a report critical of his political performance.

Honourable Ogah, you will win if you show mercy at this point and pardon young Alefia. SARS cell in Abuja is not a place to correct anyone. You have already made your point; please let him go, he appealed.

Mr Chikwere added that a well-meaning resident of Abuja had been feeding and supporting Mr Alefia while his family struggled to meet the reported N2 million bail condition.

The report behind the arrest

The controversy traces back to a Naija News Today story published on 20 December 2024, titled Ogahs Political Future Uncertain Amid Senate Rumours.

The report discussed speculation that Mr Ogah, nearing the end of his second term, was considering contesting the Ebonyi Central Senatorial seat ahead of the 2027 general election.

Another report also included sharp criticism of his performance and political relevance, which reportedly angered the lawmaker and his supporters.

Following the publications, a petition was filed against Mr Alefia, leading to his arrest by the police.

Lawmaker speaks

When reached by phone on Saturday evening, Mr Ogah did not directly deny ordering the journalists arrest but said the matter was already before a court.

He described Mr Alefias publications as attempts to tarnish his reputation, claiming the detained publisher had written about 36 stories against him.

The lawmaker said he was not a police officer and could not comment further on a case before the court, advising the reporter to verify the details from the judiciary and relevant authorities.

He also said no member of the journalists family had contacted him about the issue.

Calls for release

Media and human rights advocates have described the journalists detention as a threat to press freedom and an abuse of power, urging the police to release him immediately.

We only want him to come back alive. He is not a criminal. If he offended anyone with his report, we apologise, Emmanuel Ogodo, a journalist, told PREMIUM TIMES.

As of press time, the Nigeria Police Force had not issued an official statement regarding the arrest or the charges against the journalist.

Mr Alefias arrest adds to a growing list of journalists detained or harassed by Nigerian security operatives over their work in recent years.

In August 2024, Amnesty International condemned the arrest of journalist Saint Mienpamo Onitsha, who was charged with cybercrime after reporting on a protest in Bayelsa State.

Earlier in March, police in Abuja detained Fisayo Soyombo of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) for hours following a petition over an investigative story.

Press freedom groups such as Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) have repeatedly warned that the Cybercrimes Act is being used to silence dissenting voices in Nigeria, especially journalists reporting on corruption or public officials.
To the Yankee crusaders I say the following: If you want to talk about genocide in Nigeria then talk about the genocide of ALL Nigerians, both Christians and Muslims, in the hands of a group of vile and unconscionable terrorists who are throughly evil and who represent no faith To call it Christian genocide and not the genocide of all Nigerians betrays the fact that you have an evil agenda and sinister motive.

American Senator Ted Cruz is the joker of the century.

He is the AIPAC-sponsored fellow who says he wants to save Nigerian Christians from what he has described as Christian genocide, whilst three others, namely Congressman Riley Moore, Congressman Chris Smith and American Secretary of State Marc Rubio, are his happy cheerleaders.

An Israel-loving, genocide-enabling, Muslim-hating, Zionist-pampering and Gaza-slaughtering Yankee hill-billy who supports a cruel, leprous, lawless, racist, extremist, bigoted, arrogant, vile, land-grabbing, child-killing, rogue, pariah and deluded apartheid state with an all-conquering colonial mentality, and who has nothing but contempt for Arabs, Asians and Africans, whether Christian or Muslim, is telling us that he will help to solve our problems and save the Christian population in Nigeria.

He alleges Christian genocide in a country where the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Navy Staff, the Chief of Defence Intelligence, the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the DSS, the Chairman of the EFCC, the Comptroller General of Immigration and so many more heads of our security and intelligence agencies are headed by Christians.

He alleges Christian genocide in a country whose President has a wife that is not only a Christian but also a Pastor.

He alleges Christian genocide in a country where every single Governor from the South and a good number of Governors from the North Central zone are Christians.

He alleges Christian genocide in a country where the Senate President, the Secretary to the Federal Government and the National Chairman of the ruling party are Christian.

He alleges Christian genocide in a country whose Federal Government, on assumption of office two years ago, removed the great injustice that existed for the previous eight years in which every single head of our 17 security and intelligence agencies and every single operational head of our Armed Forces was a Northern Muslim?

He alleges Christian genocide in a country where the Federal Government, despite the fact that it has a Muslim President and a Muslim Vice President, has given 62 per cent of all political appointments at the federal level to Christians, whilst giving the Muslims 38 per cent.

He alleges Christian genocide in a country where the Federal Government has done more to protect, further the interests and allay the fears and concerns of the Christian population in the North than any other in recent memory.

He alleges Christian genocide in a country where the Vice President went to the United Nations General Assembly, alongside the Foreign Minister, and boldly condemned the holocaust of our time and unconscionable genocide of the innocent and defenceless Christians and Muslims of Gaza by a psychopathic, cruel, genocidal and mass-murdering Jewish supremacist state, which Senator Cruze and his crusaders are so enamoured of, and insisted on an immediate cessation of the ethnic and religious cleansing and the unconditional establishment of peace, equity, humanity and a two-state solution.

He alleges Christian genocide in a country in which the Governor of Kaduna state, in North-Western Nigeria, has in just two years restored peace, harmony and love between the Christian and Muslim communities, built trust between the two more than any other Governor in recent history and has brought an end to the greatest carnage and persecution that Christians have ever faced in any state in our country, which occurred under the watch of his predecessor in office for the previous eight years.

He alleges Christian genocide in predominately Muslim Northern states like Borno, Yobe, Zamfara, Kebbi, Kogi, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Niger, Nasarawa, Kebbi and Bauchi, whose Muslim populations have suffered far more in terms of casualties in the hands of terrorists than Christians.

He alleges Christian genocide in predominantly Muslim states like Kaduna, Borno, Kwara and Yobe where the Governors have not only gone out of their way to allay the fears and address the challenges and concerns of Christians with compassion, sensitivity and understanding, but have also gone out of their way to bring peace and harmony between members of the two faiths, protect Christian communities and allow for the establishment, re-establishment, building and rebuilding of more churches than at any time in their history.

Senator Ted Cruz and his Yankee crusaders will not know all this and neither do they care to find out because they are driven by a pathological hatred for Muslims, they believe that all Muslims are terrorists and cannot conceive of a situation in which Muslims and Christians can, generally speaking, abide in peaceful co-existence and skilfully manage their challenges and differences.

To Cruz, the only good Muslim is one who is dead or does what he is told by the Americans, and the only good Christian is one who comes running to Washington with his tale between his legs, asking for handouts and telling tall tales about how wicked and intolerant all Muslims in Nigeria supposedly are, and how primitive and backward our country is meant to be.

This is the false narrative they applaud and wish to hear and these are the perfidious tales and infantile fables that bring joy to their hearts and feed and justify their arrogance, condescending attitude, contempt and irrational hatred for and towards us.

It also provides them with a reason and plausible excuse to destabilise our nation in an insidious and desperate attempt to pillage our mineral resources, including our rare earth minerals, gems, oil and gold through their local surrogates and agents, and eventually come in themselves to pick up whatever is left of us after we have torn ourselves to pieces.

They did it in Libya, Iraq, Somalia, Lebanon, Congo, Syria and elsewhere and now it appears that their evil eye is focused on us.

That is and has always been the plan, and that is why most of the insurgent groups that kill, terrorise and displace our people, both Christians and Muslims, are covertly armed and supported by Western intelligence agencies.

More can be read about this in my widely published article titled, The Fiction of Christian Genocide and the Conspiracy Against Nigeria, which I released one week ago.

When one considers all the facts that I have listed above, it is clear that under such circumstances, the charge of Christian genocide and that Nigeria is the most dangerous place in the world for Christians to live seems hardly sustainable. As a matter of fact, it sounds utterly absurd.

Who in our Armed Forces and security and intelligence agencies pulls the trigger on Christians, and who gives the orders for them to be singled out for genocide, whilst the Muslims are left unscathed and untouched?

Is it the Christians who head most of those institutions who are doing so? I doubt it and neither has it happened.

Ironically, to my recollection, it was only on one occasion that the Nigerian Armed Forces specifically targeted and killed over 1,000 Nigerians in one day, simply because they blocked a road and on account of their faith, and the victims were not Christians but rather Shia Muslims and members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN).

This terrible incident occurred in Zaria, Kaduna State in December 2015, eight years before the inception of the Tinubu administration and under the watch of the previous Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Burutai.

In truth if any religious group in our country has the right and legitimate reason to complain to the world that it has been singled out for elimination by the state in the last twenty years, it is the Shia Muslims who have suffered mass murder in the hands of both Muslim and Christian leaders.

This begs the following question: Have Christians been targeted and massacred in Nigeria over the years, and the answer is yes, and a chilling and horrendous example is the massacre of Christians in four local government areas in Southern Kaduna on 25th December, 2016, in which no less than 808 Christians were targeted and killed in one day!

The difference here though is that, firstly, those massacres were perpetuated by non-state actors and savage ethnic militias and certainly not by our security agencies, and secondly the same group of savages have consistently committed similar atrocities against Muslim communities too.

Both Muslims and Christians are still being massacred by those same non-state actors and savage ethnic militias today and our Armed Forces are engaging them in the field of battle and killing them in greater numbers than ever before.

Their attacks are not against Christians alone but against the Nigerian state and men, women and children of all faiths.

That is the point that is lost on our Yankee crusaders and their supporters in Nigeria.

Thousands of Muslim scholars, teachers, Sheiks and Mallams were murdered in cold blood by these same terrorists, simply for opposing and preaching against their beastly behaviour and barbarity.

Two examples are those of Sheikh Jafar Mahmoud Adam from Kano and Sheik Albani Zaria from Kaduna, who were two of the most respected Islamic scholars of their time.

They were both murdered in cold blood, one whilst praying in the mosque and the other whilst in his car on the way home.

Those who escaped with their lives were few but my good friend Sheikh Isa Pantami from Gombe, the former minister of Communication and Digital Economy, was one of them.

His crime was to have roundly defeated Mohammed Yusuf, the founder of Boko Haram, in a six-hour public debate on Western education and the place of violence in Islam, where he argued that it was unIslamic to kill innocent people and to reject Western education.

After Mohammed Yusuf was himself killed by security forces whilst in detention and Abubakar Shekau took over as the new leader of Boko Haram, the first thing the latter did was to publicly announce that Pantami must be killed, but thankfully, despite the fact that they tried to eliminate him no less than three times, they did not achieve this objective and the Sheikh not only remains alive and well today but he has gone from strength to strength in his preaching, his academic achievements, and his political career.

It was the same Sheikh Isa Pantami who saved the lives of a number of Christians who had been attacked by a violent mob of criminals and terrorists a few years later in Bauchi.

To those who say that Muslims are not targeted by Christians as well, I challenge them to find out what happened in a mosque in Jos, Plateau State in 2012, when a mob of depraved so-called Christian youths not only attacked and killed the Muslims as they prayed and burnt down their mosque, but also cut them to pieces and proceeded to cook and eat them! The videos can be found on YouTube till today.

I can also cite the example of a well-respected Muslim Senator from one of the North-Eastern states, who is the Chairman of a powerful committee in the Nigerian Senate today, whose father was killed a number of years ago by a wild and blood-lusting so-called Christian mob before his very eyes.

It was in the same way that a Christian from Benue State by the name, Gideon Akaluka, was dragged out of a police cell and butchered by a wild, fanatical and crazed so-called Muslim mob in Kano 1996.

A similar atrocity occurred in Sokoto Sate in 2022 when a young lady called Deborah Samuel Yakubu was literally torn from limb to limb and then burnt alive by a group of utterly deranged and lawless so-called Muslims.

There was also the case of Bridget Agbahime, a pastors wife, who was killed by another crazed supposedly Muslim mob in Kano in 2016.

These killings and sectarian mob actions are a great tragedy, as is the the case with the loss of any life, but that does not mean that Muslims or Christians are being subjected to genocide in Nigeria but rather that ALL Nigerians are being subjected to mass murder by demon-possessed, psychotic, cold-blooded killers and wild mobs that do not represent any faith, any cause or anything other than that which is evil.

There are many other examples of Christians being attacked and killed by so-called Muslims and Muslims being attacked and killed by so-called Christians, and the cycle just goes on.

Criminals and drug-crazed, bloodthirsty mobs use these religious labels just to effect their evil purpose, and none of them can legitimately describe themselves as members of a faith which endorses or supports the genocide, ethnic cleansing and mass murder of innocents.

This is not Christian genocide, it is not Muslim genocide either, but rather it is genocide against all our people by depraved mobs of mindless killers from both sides of the religious divide, and we as a people must resist and despatch them all to hell.

I am glad that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has rightly put a lie to the absurd and dangerous notion that what we are witnessing in our country is exclusively a Christian genocide and finally laid the matter to rest.

In an additional statement signed by Bishop Okah, the president of CAN, they affirmed the fact that Christians were being targeted by non-state actors, acknowledged the fact that the Federal Government is doing its best to address the issue after many years of neglect, and they urged the security agencies to do even more than they have already done to put an end to the scourge.

There is nowhere in Bishop Okahs statement where he alleged that the Federal Government or its security forces are subjecting Christians to genocide and neither did he allege or even insinuate that the horror that has been unleashed on our land by the barbarians has affected only Christian communities.

There is also the aspect of a deadly and equally barbaric insurgency group and ethnic militia based in the South-East called Eastern Security Network (ESN), which has been targeting and killing innocent Christians and Muslims from all over the country.

The members of this militia, just like Boko Haram, Ansaru and ISWAP, who falsely claim to represent Islam, claim to represent Christianity and ethnic liberation, but in actual fact they do not: they represent only Satan, his fallen angels and the Angel of Death.

Given the fact that this militant cult of murderous vampires has targeted and killed as many Nigerian Christians as any other and is indeed interested in the total dismemberment of the Nigerian State, it is interesting that Senator Cruz and his crusaders did not express any concern about their activities and have instead insisted on focusing on only what is going on in the North.

Could this be because there are allegations that he, his AIPAC sponsors, and his Zionist and Isreali friends are the ones bankrolling and encouraging them?

Is that why the de facto leader of the political wing of their militia covertly met with select members of the American Republican caucus in Washington recently, where and when they discussed events in Nigeria, the upcoming 2027 presidential election, and finally came up with the battle cry of a Christian genocide as a way of rallying Christians within and outside the country, while discrediting and seeking to destabilise our government and divide our nation as a first step towards effecting regime change on or before the 2027 election?

These are questions that need to be answered by Senator Cruz and his cheerleaders.

The truth is we do not need a misguided and mischievous, white-skinned religious zealot and deluded fake Messiah from Texas to save us.

In the name of God the Great, the Ancient of Days and the Lord of Hosts, we shall save and deliver ourselves from the murderous psychopaths and homicidal barbarians that are butchering our people and that have afflicted our land, and we shall protect both the Christians and Muslims in our country who are being slaughtered on a daily basis by the Janjaweed hordes from Mordor and the western-backed terrorists of ISWAP Ansaru and Boko Haram.

Whether Christian or Muslim, we are first and foremost Nigerians and there is no division between us along religious lines.

Our common enemies are the terrorists and those who covertly empower, aid and support them from outside our shores, and not one another, and we shall fight them as one!

Senator Ted Cruz and his colleagues and compatriots, including Representative Chris Smith, who has called on President Donald Trump to arm Christian communities in Nigeria and to bomb Muslim ones; Representative Riley Moore, who has alleged that Nigeria is the deadliest place on earth for Christians and urged Trump to designate our nation as a country of particular concern; Senator Marco Rubio, who has been supporting all three in their nefarious endeavours and has backed Moore strongly in his quest to ensure that our country is formally designated as one of concern; and all the other members of the mischievous, misguided and misinformed cabal of Yankee crusaders and congress of fools, stand warned!

Your jaundiced and delusional perspective, which is rooted in a crass and vulgar display of ignorance and arrogance, defies logical and rational reasoning when it comes to the affairs of our nation and it must come to an end.

You are biting off more than you can chew and the consequences of your bullish and irresponsible behaviour and your mendacious categorisations and characterisations, if unchecked, will ultimately affect Americas vital and strategic interests, not just in Nigeria but in the entire West African sub-region, which remains our backyard and firmly within the sphere of our influence.

Stop misrepresenting our situation, leave our country alone and stop trying to provoke chaos and ignite a religious war.

You cannot love us more than we love ourselves! You are part of the problem and not the solution!

It is true that Christians are being killed in large numbers in Nigeria but it is NOT true to say that Muslims are not being killed in equal numbers.

There are over 110 million Christians in Nigeria and there can be no denying the fact that they have suffered immensely over the years in the hands of terrorists.

They have been subjected to mass murder, ethnic cleansing, torture, persecution, vilification and marginalisation for decades particularly in parts of the North.

I would not deny that and I have opposed it and spoken out against it for the better part of my adult life.

Where you have got it wrong though is that this does not translate into Christian genocide simply because the Muslims in Nigeria, who are also 110 million strong, are suffering precisely the same things at the hands of the same people.

They have also been subjected to mass murder, ethnic cleansing, torture, persecution, vilification, marginalisation and in some cases even cannibalism in some parts of the North.

That does not however translate to Muslim genocide because these terrible atrocities that are being unleashed are not limited to Muslims.

Both faiths have suffered immeasurably in Nigeria over the years and members of both faith have been subjected to genocide.

The terrorists that perpetuate this great evil make no distinction between their victims on religious grounds.

They wipe out Christian communities, take their land, enslave their women and children and desecrate and burn down their Churches and they mete out precisely the same treatment to our Muslim compatriots, Muslim communities and Mosques as well.

I repeat for the purpose of emphasis that what we are witnessing in Nigeria is not a genocide against Muslims or a genocide against Christians but a genocide against us all.

To couch or describe it in any other way as a consequence of ignorance or mischief is most unhelpful and darn-right dangerous and could ignite a full scale religious war the likes of which the world has never witnessed.

We need to tread very carefully indeed and we need to scrutinise the motivations of the Americans and view with the utmost suspicion their new found love for our Christian population.

As they say, beware of the Greeks, especially when they bring gifts! Ancient Troy learnt that lesson the hard way with drastic and frightful consequences: let us hope that we dont end up learning it the hard way as well!

To the Yankee crusaders I say the following: If you want to talk about genocide in Nigeria then talk about the genocide of ALL Nigerians, both Christians and Muslims, in the hands of a group of vile and unconscionable terrorists who are throughly evil and who represent no faith.

To call it Christian genocide and not the genocide of all Nigerians betrays the fact that you have an evil agenda and sinister motive.

No matter how hard you try we shall not drink from your poisoned chalice and you shall not divide or destroy us.

You will not plunge us into a cataclysmic cycle of fratricidal butchery and a second civil war which will undoubtedly result in the massive bloodletting and carnage that you so desperately seek.

That is not our portion and God will not allow it.

Femi Fani-Kayode is the Sadaukin Shinkafi, the Wakilin Doka Potiskum, the Otunba Joga Orile, the Ajagunla Otun Ekiti, a former minister of Culture and Tourism, a former minister of Aviation, a former spokesman to President Olusegun Obasanjo and a lawyer.
The next step is to put an end to the tendency to sweep forgeries by people in the corridors of power under the carpet. To sack or advise an accused person who appears guilty to resign from office is not one of the sanctions provided by law for forgeries and it is not in the interest of government to try to create this culture. Accordingly, former Minister Nnaji must be prosecuted and jailed for as long as 21 years if found guilty. People like him should not be allowed to create the animal farm culture in which certain persons are allowed to operate above the law.

The uproar generated by the allegation that Uche Nnaji, Nigerias immediate past minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, forged both his degree and NYSC certificates has simmered considerably following his resignation. But why he resigned is not clear. Did he resign because he was weighed down by the enormity of the scandal? Could it be that he wanted to save the government from further bad press or was he forced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to quit? This unclear end to the scandal is one of the many reasons why the resignation is not enough.

If Nnaji was not guilty, as some of his supporters forcefully argued, it is unfair to sacrifice him over some purportedly concocted allegations. But considering that it was not just a fake degree certificate but also a bogus NYSC certificate, is the allegation not one too many? On this score, the former minister cannot blame those who concluded that he has a propensity to be blame worthy. A spokesperson for Nnaji had argued that there was a PDP faction within the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), who ganged up against his principal. If so, did the same political group permeate the NYSC to conjure the wrong official to sign Nnajis bogus discharge certificate?

It is therefore not enough for the government to allow Nnaji to resign, thereby putting the case behind us simply because the noise it generated had died down. We need to get to the bottom of the matter in view of the frequency of fake credentials among political office holders in Nigeria. Why was it so easy, for example, to forge a certificate issued by a long-standing frontline Nigerian University? As one analyst told me the other day, there is probably a cartel at the UNN that can manipulate the system. The analyst came to the conclusion because he got to know of the story of how a friends certificate was hidden by the cartel in anticipation of a bribe. As this is not our topic today, I cant say much on it, but if the new Vice Chancellor is interested, I will willingly provide the details.

But before then, we ought to ask the authorities at the UNN to heed the call of former Minister Nnaji to release his transcript. Of course, an academic transcript is a better reflection of a students performance. So, lets make it public at the instance of the owner. If that is done, two revelations are likely to emerge. First, the transcript will show whether or not Nnaji failed any course. There must be something the accused knows that the rest of us dont know, for him to boldly call for the transcript. The other issue that may come to light could be that those who manipulated the records may have successfully perfected the case of the transcript. If this is the case, it is possible that the cartel we referred to may be quite active at the UNN. The latter must therefore not allow the story to end abruptly.

The next step is to put an end to the tendency to sweep forgeries by people in the corridors of power under the carpet. To sack or advise an accused person who appears guilty to resign from office is not one of the sanctions provided by law for forgeries and it is not in the interest of government to try to create this culture. We are in a democracy, which is premised on the rule of law. All allegations should be allowed to pass through the due process of law.

It is simplistic for Nigerians to continue to attribute every forgery concerning fake results to the famous Oluwole group. Instead, every Nigerian university needs to tighten its system so as to dissuade students, past and present, from altering results and scores. The NYSC must similarly design a system which makes it virtually impossible to forge its documents. The point to be made is that if such societal institutions take time off to occasionally review their documents, they will come across many forgeries. If this is institutionalised, not many people will continue to look towards forging documents that become public only after such documents are tested in other organisations.

The next step is to put an end to the tendency to sweep forgeries by people in the corridors of power under the carpet. To sack or advise an accused person who appears guilty to resign from office is not one of the sanctions provided by law for forgeries and it is not in the interest of government to try to create this culture. We are in a democracy, which is premised on the rule of law. All allegations should be allowed to pass through the due process of law. Accordingly, former Minister Nnaji must be prosecuted and jailed for as long as 21 years if found guilty. People like him should not be allowed to create the animal farm culture in which certain persons are allowed to operate above the law.

At the same time, we call on President Tinubu to direct the prosecution of all wrong doers in government. As of today, no one knows the exact fate of Betta Edu, the former minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, who was alleged to have, in conjunction with other officials in her sector, squandered hundreds of millions of naira. She was later suspended following public outrage over the scandal. Are we to assume that her suspension and the subsequent decision of government not to bring her back into cabinet is sufficient evidence of guilt? If so, why has she been protected from prosecution and, if not so, why will she not return to office? In short, government should not be seen to be condoning the wrong doing of a former national woman leader of the ruling party who was further elevated into the federal executive council as a minister.

The situation in the judiciary has been far more irritating. A year ago, the National Judicial Council (NJC) sacked two heads of court over age falsification. According to the Council, this followed an investigation that the then Chief Judge of Imo State, Justice Chukwuemeka Chikeka and the Grand Kadi of Yobe, Babagana Mahdi, were guilty. The only punishment imposed was the compulsory retirement of Chikeka and a refund of all salaries and allowances he received for four extra years. Mahdis case was even more astonishing as he had illegally stayed in office for as long as 12 years. For all of that, Mahdi and his co-accused are now left to enjoy freedom, as well as their pensions and gratuities.

The Nnaji affair must be the last criminal matter that is handled politically. The dictum of everyone is equal before the law is a cardinal feature of the rule of law and our government must stop experimenting with the law. We cannot continue to name and shame other segments of society such as young Nigerian students found guilty of forging JAMB scores while we remain quiet about dubious activities of top office holders in the belief that after a while we shall all forget about their inexplicable transgressions.

It is unfair for government to allow our numerous judges who are upright to be smeared by a few deviants. Proactive steps must be taken to remove from our judiciary, criminals who can never deliver fair and just decisions. Instead of doing that, the retirement age of judges was recently raised, ostensibly as an answer to the frequent age falsifications in our judiciary. The present administration owes us the obligation of cleaning up the services because it was during the last 10 years of APC government that the idea of ignoring many wrongs became rampant. Indeed, people see the trend as being in line with the partys declaration that those who joined the party had their sins forgiven.

To change the situation, all allegations must be thoroughly investigated and any person found guilty should be punished. The Nnaji affair must be the last criminal matter that is handled politically. The dictum of everyone is equal before the law is a cardinal feature of the rule of law and our government must stop experimenting with the law. We cannot continue to name and shame other segments of society such as young Nigerian students found guilty of forging JAMB scores while we remain quiet about dubious activities of top office holders in the belief that after a while we shall all forget about their inexplicable transgressions.

The case of Nnaji is really embarrassing because he didnt need a degree plus NYSC certificate to become a minister. Only a school certificate would have sufficed. Why then would he forge certificates he didnt need? He was probably caught in this web only because of the ego of politicians to be greater than real. It is hoped that other issues that would arise from his fall will not be ignored. Also not to be ignored is our corrupt leadership recruitment process. The UNN, the security agencies who cleared Nnaji, the bow and go Senate, which usually handles with levity the weighty constitutional mandate of clearing nominees for sensitive positions, should all be investigated.

It is however certain that Enugu politicians have more than what we know. As a result, lets await revelations that the other side will unravel shortly because it is clear that there is a fight for supremacy in the heartland of the South-East, in view of a new political alignment that is fast surfacing in the area. Every allegation pushed forth from now must be duly investigated because we are at the critical junction of u do me, i do u, where many secrets hidden on the basis of political exigency will find their way out. Something clearly tells me; we are yet to hear the last on the subject.

Tonnie Iredia is a former director-general of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
The 70th anniversary of the Historical Society of Nigeria (HSN) calls for reflection on its past achievements and its way forward. Founded in 1955 as a haven of intellectualism and eventually a custodian of Nigerian history, the HSN has posed the right questions about the roles that would render it relevant and refreshed in this new era of globalisation, digital renaissance, and waning interest in the humanities. To continue to play a role in the future, the HSN must understand the nation, develop technologically, and institutionalise professionalism, while remaining original in its aim of decolonising knowledge and structuring the intellectual future.

After the establishment of the HSN during Nigerias nationalist spurt, a period during which history was viewed as a political and moral weapon for self-determination, the organisation positioned history as a tool for reclaiming African agency whilst countering Western narratives. It created the foremost platform for research, documentation, and dissemination of indigenous histories, eventually allowing the emergence of the first generation of Nigerian historians. The history of the HSN, however, bears similarities to Nigerias development, as both were marked by cycles of growth, decline, and revival.

From the 1970s onward, economic crises, government economic policies, and the governments neglect of education all negatively affected academic funding and morale. By the early 2000s, the HSNs impact had waned, its journal publications had become sporadic, and its presence in national life had decreased. A new generation of scholars produced in the 1990s took over and reimagined the organisation, moving it forward. The HSNs resurgence in the last two decades, especially its role in the reintroduction of history into Nigerias school curriculum in 2019, signals renewed vitality.

Today, the HSN remains an intellectually sound institution, and its journal continues to publish scholarship of value, albeit in modest quantities. The initiative is hampered by budgetary constraints that prevent it from sponsoring conferences, supporting junior scholars, and maintaining a sustained web presence. The institution is kept afloat by the good faith of committed historians and membership participation. The organisations visibility is another pressing challenge, as its influence has not matched its legacy.

Part of the problem lies in the limited communication between the HSN and the public. This estranges Nigerians outside academia from its activities and the understanding of its importance. In the Digital Era, where historical narratives compete with social media narratives and digital misinformation, this lack of a defined communication system with the public further weakens the HSNs relevance. Therefore, the significant reform frontiers for the HSN should be: financial sustainability, intellectual renewal, and digital visibility. I have tried to impress upon the last three successive presidents the need to engage in this frontier. Professor Samuel Ovuete Aghalino, current president, has received my ideas with gratitude.

The HSN must embrace adaptation and advocacy to maintain relevance. Globalisation and information technology have reshaped peoples connection to history through platforms like Wikipedia pages and YouTube documentaries. The HSN thus needs to conserve history and work to convert it into comprehensible forms or disseminate knowledge through media that resonate with new generations. By emphasising that understanding history is at the forefront of solving the present crises of governance, ethnicity, and national cohesion, the organisation can assume the burden of historical awareness.

The HSN must also address the declining interest in the humanities by reasserting the civic purpose of history as a discipline. The crisis of history in Nigeria is not due to the public perception of its irrelevance, but to the lack of communication about what it can accomplish. This can also be regarded as the failure to show how history shapes policy, ethics, and citizenship. The Society can connect scholarship to public life by actively creating podcasts, intervening in policy discourse, and conducting school outreach. From various networks, it can reclaim its status as the conscience of the nation and ignite a sense of identity and responsibility grounded in historical awareness among young Nigerians.

The organisation should shape its future through digital innovation and institutional collaboration. Its archives, publications, and conference proceedings should be digitised as ways to preserve Nigerias intellectual heritage and democratise access to it. There should be the establishment of a vast online database connected to Nigerian and African universities to aid the visibility and interaction of historical scholarship. Partnerships with institutions such as the Nigerian National Archives, the Nigerian Television Authority, and academic publishers could further transform the HSN into a national digital history hub.

The HSN should partner with universities, museums, cultural agencies, and the diaspora. Alliances like these can help generate research funding, establish exchange programmes, and aid heritage preservation. The engagement of the diaspora through digital conferences and mentorship platforms can help the organisation connect Nigerian historical scholarship with global conversations on African identity and history. The HSN can serve as an advisory body on national history, curriculum revamp, and cultural policy. A partnership between the HSN and institutions such as the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Orientation Agency can help the organisation influence how history is taught and valued.

Rebranding the association is vital. By embracing newer developments, the HSN can be seen as an open, multi-disciplinary platform that engages with journalists, artists, teachers, and policy-makers. Through e-lectures, online exhibitions, and youth essay competitions, the HSN can also close the gap between the public and scholars. The HSN can reorganise itself by granting its regional branches semi-autonomy and by allowing grassroots input and localised investigation. The generosity extended to members in terms of the award of a fellowship must be reviewed. There is now confusion between service and academic awards. Those based on service can be named Fellow of Service to the HSN (FSHN), and the academic one can remain as Fellow of the Historical Society of Nigeria (FHSN). A person can receive both.

The soul of the HSN remains its mission to decolonise knowledge. The documentation of African history has always been a political vision. It is a struggle to reclaim Africas intellectual sovereignty. This mission must continue through the HSN activities while engaging with new frontiers of inquiry. Gender history, environmental history, migration, and digital culture, among others, now define the global humanities. By prioritising these areas, the HSN can ensure its scholarship reflects Nigerias lived realities. To rebuild Nigerias broken covenant, a kind of historical consciousness that listens to ordinary voices with attention to detail may become a bridge between academic history, social justice, memory work, and nation-building.

By 2050, the HSN should have become a digitally driven, intellectually vibrant, and socially engaged institution that takes the leading role in continental historical scholarship and preservation. There should be a national accessible pool of funding made possible by its members. There must be a mentorship platform to produce the next generation of historians that incorporates transdisciplinary collaboration among History, technology, and the sciences. More importantly, it should be an ethical voice in public life by guiding Nigerians toward a moral reckoning with their past and a clearer vision of their future. The HSN must be more than a society of historians; it must be a movement for historical consciousness.

It must ground itself in the ideas of the nation and Africa, and distance itself from the ideology of history for historys sake, a way of sanitising the evils of capitalism and empire. It must reject the pursuit of irrelevant topics sponsored and promoted from the outside to diminish nationalism and resistance. It must fight all forms of external predatory, exploitative, and dominating relationships, which is like selling ones soul for groundnuts. Africa is the only continent where outsiders create dominant voices that undermine local voices and flaunt awards to establish intellectual hegemony over the discipline. An award from the HSN should be considered superior to any other award from abroad and must be recognised as such by the universities. The HSN should use its voice to announce the best books published in Nigeria, not those selected by outsiders who harbour racialised judgments. How does a tiny country know the best book for a country of over 200 million?

The future of the HSN can be likened to the future of Nigerias moral and intellectual integrity. When a nation detaches from its history, it loses its direction. The future reinvention of the HSN, therefore, is a national necessity. Seventy years on, the HSN stands at a crossroads. Its survival depends on its courage to innovate, collaborate, and speak truth to power. The success of the HSN is tantamount to the preservation of Nigerias history and the shaping of its destiny. This goes on to prove that history is not what is left behind but what we build upon.

On behalf of all the active members of the HSN, I thank the leadership for organising the HSN at 70. As some of us phase out in the next few years, we can only pray that the successors will move the Society forward and honor the valuable works of the ancestors. We pray that our children and students will be greater than us, and that their success will not breed arrogance, lunacy, or chaotic activities that promote distrust rather than faith. May passion overcome the current challenges of dispassion. May home-based scholars continue to shape the discipline, and the bent knees created by migration and the diaspora straighten and strengthen, lifting the heavy load from the head. May the KO Dike Award for the best book on Nigeria, administered by the HSN, become what all Nigerian historians will look up to receiving.

Toyin Falola, a professor of History, University Distinguished Teaching Professor, and Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin, is the Bobapitan of Ibadanland.
Words are sacred sovereign objects. This sacredness makes them very essential to democratic freedom. In his poem, The Word Is An Egg, great Nigerian poet and dramatist, Niyi Osundare demonstrated the primacy of the word, whether written or spoken. To show the uniqueness of the word, Osundares Yoruba people say, like the broken egg, when you break the shell of the word by uttering it, it dissolves into nothingness. Both the one who utters it and the word itself are then never the same. Believing that the word is sacred, Yoruba transfer that sacredness to the African giant pouched rat (Okete). Whatever this giant rat tells the earth when it is digging its hole, it must comply, they believe. The Yoruba chant this belief in incantations that decree abidance to their command. Thus, drawing largely from the cosmology of his people, Osundare said the word predated man and even the world. In the beginning was not the word/In the word was the beginning he wrote. In the world of this poet, the word is omnipotent and omnipresent. The word is creation and the creator.

By granting presidential pardon to Herbert Macaulay, Mamman Vatsa, Ken Saro-Wiwa and others last week, the Nigerian president seems to affirm the primacy of the word. Essentially, what unites these three great Nigerians is their use of the word, spoken and written. Macaulay, for instance, apart from being a Nigerian nationalist, politician, surveyor, engineer and architect, he was also a journalist and newspaper founder. It must be said that virtually all nationalists in the colony were journalists. Realizing the power of the word, especially the written word, against colonialists, nationalists crusading for independence not only founded newspapers for this purpose, the word became their weapon of war. Ernest Sese Ikoli, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, S. L. Akintola etc. were all journalists whose arsenal against the colonizers was the written word.

From 1898 when he disengaged from public service, Macaulay joined the anti-colonial government forces. In the service of this quest, he co-founded the Nigerian Daily News newspaper where he bore his fangs against the colonial government. Some of his pieces included one he entitled Justitia Fiat: The moral obligation of the British Government to the House of Docemo and Henry Carr Must Go. The newspaper also became the platform he deployed to attack his political opponents and ex-associates like Henry Carr and Adamo Akeju, the Obanikoro of Lagos. In the same vein, Macaulay had a very deep animosity for Sir Hugh Clifford, the colonial governor of Nigeria from 1919 to 1931 who succeeded Sir Walter Egerton, the Governor of Lagos Colony from 1904 to 1906. When Clifford was leaving Nigeria, Macaulay wrote, in the Lagos Weekly Record newspaper of May 2, 1925, which he titled, The Incorrigibility of Sir Hugh Clifford: Sir Hugh is about to bid final good-bye to Nigeria and he would undoubtedly leave his marks as the greatest talkee, talkee governor that Nigeria could boast of, for his addresses to the legislative council are volumes of gaseous talks and many a times he repeats himself in his desire to make his address bulky; at other times, he starts from the sublime and ends in the ridiculous.

What shot Macaulay to the fore of anti-colonial struggle was actually the Amodu Tijani Oluwa land matter. The uncommon zeal with which he pursued the land issue on the side of Oluwa riled the British. Acting as Oluwas interpreter and private secretary, Macaulay stood in opposition to the British in their bid to compulsorily acquire Oluwas land in Apapa, with his testimonies. He went with him to the Privy Council in London and granted a press interview to the Daily Mail where he claimed that 17 million Nigerians saw Oba Eleko Esugbayi as their king and that he owned all the revenue that the colonial government spent. It subsequently led to the suspension of Eleko Esugbayi by the colonial government.

Macaulays adversarial journalism eventually led to his travails in the hands of the colonialists. He was notorious for the network of informants he kept who, for handsome fees, passed stolen sensitive information from the colonial government to him. These included minutes from colonial government meetings. He then got them published as exclusive stories damaging to white rule in newspapers that he was acquainted with. For this, Macaulay was nicknamed Wizard of Kirsten Hall.

By the twilight of the 1800s, Macaulay had begun to veer from his profession into activism. He became a lone voice against colonial policies on land, water, and what he felt was non-judicial use of public funds. A member of the Anti-Slavery Aborigines Protection Society, for most of his life, Macaulay was a staunch opponent of white rule. When the British claimed they were governing with the true interests of the natives at heart, just like our governments claim today, Macaulay rejoindered this claim by writing that, the dimensions of the true interests of the natives at heart are algebraically equal to the length, breadth and depth of the Whitemans pocket.

In 1908, when the belief was that Europeans were salvationists on rescue, Macaulay exposed them as filthily corrupt in their handling of railway finances. In 1919, at the Privy Council in London, he stood in argument for native chiefs whose lands were grabbed by the colonial government, forcing them to pay the chiefs compensation. Writing in the Lagos Weekly Record of 2 May, 1925, he attacked what he called Sir Hugh Cliffords fat salary of 41, 833. 6.8. In 1928, Macaulay was convicted for sedition in his allegation that the colonial government wanted to assassinate Oba Eleko. He was consequently barred from elective office.

In order to bring him to book due to his trenchant opposition to government, Macaulays private survey and architect practice was used to allege fraud and criminal misappropriation of funds from an estate where he was engaged as an executor. The Mary Franklin Estate belonging to a deceased client of Macaulays, which he was managing, became an object of litigation. In 1913, he was tried by a Robert Irving, who was the prosecuting counsel in the case, for stealing 350 pounds and imprisoned for two years. Some historians claim Macaulay might have been a victim of vendetta. For all his fights for the people of Lagos, a song was composed in Macaulays honour which goes thus, E ki Macaulay o, Oyinbo alawo dudu (Macaulay deserves reverence; this white man in black skin). Another Yoruba Sakara genre musician of the Lagos colony of the 1920s and 1930s, Abibu Oluwa, regarded as the first breakout start of that traditional musical genre music, recorded a track in his tribute where he sang, Macaulay Macaulay, Ejongboro. Ejongboro  Snake on the Street  was Macaulays alias.

Both Saro-Wiwa and Vatsa also personified the sacredness of the word. Apart from his environmental activism, Saro-Wiwa was a great writer whose works included television, drama and prose. As a young student of the University of Ibadan, he wrote the Transistor Radio, a play which, in 1985, he re-produced in Basil and Company as a screen adaption, and proceeded to write the Four Farcical Plays and Basi and Company: Four Television Plays. In 1985, Saro-Wiwa wrote Soza Boy, an account of the Biafran war, written in a hybrid of standard and pidgin English. Same goes for Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa who was also an accomplished poet and writer.

I went on the above historical journey to situate the Tinubu administrations perhaps unintended recognition of the sacredness of the word in the presidents last week pardon granted Macaulay, Saro-Wiwa and Vatsa. However, for the administration and a herd of its servile supporters, it is the proverbial favour of Esu Elegbara, the devil. As Esu approbates, it reprobates. Like Esu, the benefit Tinubu gave with one hand, he and his social media lieutenants repossessed with the other a thousand times. Take for instance the television confrontation between Rufai Oseni of Arise TV and Minister of Works, Dave Umahi last week. In the obsession to demonize Rufai, those I label regime boot-lickers took away what looked like harvested gains by the Tinubu administration. By granting those patrons of the word pardon, even though some have said for political reasons, he invariably acknowledged the potency of their word-crusading.

Let us get some fundaments right. First, Rufai Oseni is one of Nigerias most brilliant journalists. I confess to being addicted to watching him. In my 30 years active romance with the word, seldom have I encountered someone in possession of such robustness of mind and an obsessive quest for the good of society. Anchoring his belief on Niyi Osundares credo that the word is powerful, omnipotent and omnipresent, the creation and the creator, Oseni uses words to be a guiding principle for those who want a good society.

Last Friday when the Norwegian Nobel committee, in far away Oslo, was announcing Maria Corina Machado as its 2025 Prize winner, my mind went to Oseni, his crusade for a just society and his travails in the hands of Nigerians who have grown luscious inside the sewers of bad governance. The Nobel committee said one of its requirements which Machado met, was promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy. Permit me to state that, substitute Venezuela for Nigeria and the committee could as well have been referring to Rufai Oseni. In his small corner of television advocacy and activism, Oseni, like Machado, challenges monarchical rule dressed in the garb of democracy. He has tirelessly advocated for free elections and representative government. If you read the work of two scholars, Olakunle A. Lawal and Oluwasegun M. Jimo, in their journal article entitled Missiles from Kirsten Hall: Herbert Macaulay versus Hugh Clifford, 1922  1931 as I did, you would see in Rufai Oseni the Herbert Macaulay spirit.

A motley crowd palace courtiers denigrate Rufai Oseni today for rousing us all against a brand of civilian colonialists, the type Macaulay fought to a standstill. Like Macaulay, Oseni faces intense persecution. Macaulays is mostly from Lagos people and the colonial government whose perception of him was that he was an unnecessary pest. Many think same of Oseni, too. If Macaulay had been an anchor on TV as Oseni is, the Tinubu government Rottweilers would have bayed for his blood, too. During Macaulays court trial, a local musician called Gbadamosi Bishi composed a song for him which approximates the high level of opposition against colonial rule of the time. The lyrics went thus: E wo ore e se. Anfaani aye senkaraba. E o ri Macaulay tofe ki aye o ye wa, Eko parapo won gbe yen lu iyonu Oba. Its translation, in the words of Lawal and Jimo, goes thus, Please, be mindful of the good turns you render to people. The good of this world is fast disappearing! Look at Macaulay who is trying to make life easy for all of us. Look at the way the people of Lagos have conspired to get him into trouble with the Imperial government!.

What many do not know is that, what Rufai Oseni and his very few fellow travelers on this rarely-traveled road go through in fighting bad governance and entrenched forces of democratic retrogression is significant. You may deplore his method of fighting the self-serving and the violent machinery of the state, but you cannot undermine the fact that Oseni is, just like Machado, a symbol of (our) collective aspiration against an alien government that (doesnt care for our) welfare.

The Nobel committee had strong words for those who perceive criticism of the government as adversarial. In a country where hero-worship and the belly, rather than principle, dictate the compass of individuals stands in the blight of normalcy currently reigning in Nigeria, the word, as represented by the media, plays crucial role as representatives of free speech. The Rufai kind who hold governments accountable is fast becoming extinct. When a Minister of Works appears vague and opaque on the cost of roads under his superintendence on national television, it is the responsibility of a journalist to make the minister lose his appetite. That was what Rufai did. You may not like how he did it but that is business for further discourse. That he courageously did it, without cow-towing to his dollars and grits, Oseni deserves our own Nobel. Erstwhile clan members with whom the likes of Rufai ingressed and egressed through the same aganrandi (a traditional Yoruba door) have recently almost all exited, citing their love for country and how hate and anger should not blind Nigerians to progress. The Rufais should be commended for not following the ignominious paths of our brothers, Judas.

Come to think of it, what Rufai demanded was just accountability. If a government awards a Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a 700 km project, for $1113 billion (15.6 trillion) to the self-confessed friend of the president, where his son is a director, methinks this incongruity should raise red flag in the minds of any righteousness-seeking nation. If, however, you have chosen to live a fawning life of grovelling before your Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves over this matter, why demonize those who are asking questions? Even the governor of Oyo State, Engr Seyi Makinde, an engineer like Dave Umahi, has imputed that his ministerial grandiloquence has no place in accountability So, why was Umahi waffling on the cost of the road per kilometre?

We are not all Lagosians who dont ask questions. Lagos has never asked a single question about the running of its state since 1999. But that is Lagosians own problem. What Rufai Oseni and some of us are saying is that, in reality, we are not advocating that the Agatu should not chant the Yoruba traditional oral praise poetry called Rara. Rara is chanted at ceremonies and used as salute in praise of an individual. What we however deplore is the Agatu chanting the praise song of our mother  Aa ni ki Agatu ma sun rara; ko saa ma fi ki iya wa. This fear is raised because Agatu, a Benue State tribe, many of whom lived in the Southwest, were renowned for their predilection for mis-pronunciation while mimicking Yoruba words. In other words, those obsequious fawners of power should not extend their canopy of silence to our side.

As I was rounding off this piece, I saw Umahis reply to the Oyo State governors call for him to stop making cost of road per kilometer rocket science. In his reply, Umahi denigrated the engineering profession with a vain boast that his own field of engineering was senior and another section of the profession was subservient to it. I leave engineers to reply to this. However, as I was wondering what brand of small-minded people are at the helm of affairs in Nigeria, I read a fellow engineers reply to Umahis assertion which makes the minister appear to possess a very little mind. The engineer said, with his position on cost of road per kilometer, Umahi was talking bunkum. This is because, he said, even in first year in the university, an engineering student, regardless of field, is taught Engineering Accounting, BEME and BOQ as general engineering courses. COREN even takes all prospective engineers through this basic knowledge.

I knew Umahis god, in the words of Oscar Wilde, dwells in temples made with hands but I never knew he was this vacuous and petty. After all said and done, the Minister will still need to answer the question Nigerians pose to him: how much does that road cost per kilometer? After all, Yoruba say, a walk is presumed to be straight, (san-an laa rin) except financial cunning is involved (aje ni mu ni pe koro). They also say that, except one who spreads a perishable commodity in the open, no one else is expected to fear a downpour (Bi eeyan o saboti, kii beru ojo). Minister Professor, please provide the answer.

The truth is, words are what despots and pretentious lovers of democracy first seek to hold captive. Yet, the word is the most valuable hand-tool of democracy. The choice is, however, ours: We can continue to demonize the Rufai Osenis and idolise individuals who fawn before regimes, the palace appeasers, courtiers, and regime sympathizers like Reno Omokri, Daniel Bwala and their clan. As I told one of them on a Whatsapp platform last week, we will all someday reap the fruits of where we stand.

Festus Adedayo is an Ibadan-based journalist.
On the occasion of the international Day of the Girl child 2025, Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda reaffirmed his commitment to educating, empowering and protecting every girl child in the state. In joining the global community to mark the day, he restated his administrations strong commitment to building a future where every girl in Katsina State can learn, lead, and thrive.

This years celebration, themed The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead: Girls on the Frontlines of Crisis, celebrates the courage and leadership of girls who continue to show resilience in the face of challenges such as conflict, displacement, and economic hardship. It also calls on governments and communities to strengthen support for girls education, leadership, and protection.

Governor Radda said that empowering the girl child remains a central focus of his administrations human capital development agenda, describing girls as the heart of progress and resilience in every society.

When a girl is educated and empowered, an entire family, and indeed a whole community, rises with her. Our goal is to build a Katsina where every girl can learn without fear, live with dignity, and lead with confidence, the governor stated.

As a father and an educator, I hold a deep belief that every girl deserves the chance to dream freely, learn safely, and lead boldly. Our administration will continue to work to make this a reality, he affirmed.

Under Governor Raddas leadership, Katsina State has achieved remarkable progress through the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), a partnership with the World Bank and the Federal Ministry of Education. So far, 75 new secondary schools, 45 junior and 30 senior, have been constructed, while over 150 existing schools have been renovated and upgraded with modern classrooms, science laboratories, water systems, and toilets.

More than 104,000 girls in 255 public secondary schools in the state have benefited from Conditional Cash Transfers, which help families keep their daughters in school. The states Back-to-School Campaigns have also brought over 42,000 girls back into classrooms, many returning after several years out of school.

Fifteen pilot schools have each received millions in Mega Grants for infrastructure upgrades, including ICT laboratories, libraries, and digital learning tools. Teachers across the state have undergone comprehensive training on gender inclusion, classroom safety, and modern teaching practices. To address distance-related challenges, the government introduced bicycle and transport stipends for girls in remote communities, ensuring that no girl is denied education because of where she lives.

In collaboration with UNICEF and other partners, the Radda administration has established Safe Spaces and Mentorship Clubs in Katsina, Batagarawa, Mani, and Daura, offering vulnerable girls a secure environment to learn life skills and rebuild confidence. Over 955 out-of-school girls in Katsina, Kaita, Baure, and Funtua have been trained in tailoring, catering, ICT, and crafts, while another 1,395 have re-enrolled in formal education through community sensitisation campaigns.

To support girls health and dignity, the government distributed 1,200 sanitary kits to promote menstrual hygiene and reduce absenteeism. Scholarships and mobility aids were also provided for indigent and physically challenged female students.

Governor Radda has transformed Skills Acquisition Centres in Katsina, Kaita, Funtua, and Baure into fully equipped training hubs. In 2023 alone, 455 girls graduated from these centres, while in 2024, 500 graduated. In 2025, five additional centres have been established in Dutsi, Charanchi, Mani, Kurfi, and Matazu, and by December the administration anticipates graduating 1,000 girls from all centres combined. Graduates receive empowerment kits, sewing machines, and start-up funds to begin their own businesses.A modern Home Economics Laboratory was also established at the Girls Skills Centre to enhance practical learning.

Through the Digital Katsina Initiative, hundreds of girls have been trained in ICT, coding, and digital safety. New programmes such as the Katsina Girls Coding and Robotics Club, launched in partnership with Arewa Tech Fest, are nurturing a new generation of innovators. The administration has also partnered with SMEDAN, ITF, and KASEDA to expand opportunities for women in agro-processing, crafts, and fashion design, enabling more women and girls to participate in the states growing MSME sector.

Determined to eliminate all forms of abuse, the Radda administration established the NASIHA Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), a world-class facility that provides free medical, legal, and psychosocial support to survivors of gender-based violence. Gender-Based Violence Response Desks have also been created in all LGA secretariats and police divisions. Ongoing awareness campaigns continue to discourage early marriage, street hawking, and child labour.

Working with UNICEF, the State Government developed an Alternative Care Policy for Vulnerable Children and enacted new education protection laws prohibiting street hawking during school hours.

Mr Radda further expanded the Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP) from three pilot LGAs to all 34 Local Government Areas, supported by a counterpart fund. Through this programme, over 5,000 Women Affinity Groups (WAGs) have been established to offer entrepreneurship training, financial literacy, and seed grants to women and adolescent girls, boosting household income and community productivity. Katsina also secured 3,500 Federal TVET training slots through the governors advocacy, prioritising girls from low-income households.

In just two and a half years, the sum of fund has been invested in education across Katsina State, including classroom construction, teacher recruitment, and the rehabilitation of science and technical institutions. A new Girls Science and Islamic Studies Secondary School has also been established in Zango through a public-private partnership. The Governor has pledged to construct access roads and drainage systems around the school to ensure the safety of students.

Additional boreholes, toilets, and hostels have been built to improve hygiene and learning conditions for girls. The government introduced a data-tracking system to monitor girl-child education indicators and recruited more female teachers to serve as mentors in rural communities.

To promote leadership and participation among girls, the state launched the Katsina Girl-Child Ambassadors Network, the Girls in Leadership Debates, and the Annual Girls Conference initiatives that encourage young girls to speak confidently and take part in community development. At the grassroots level, Ward Women Development Committees are collaborating with traditional and religious leaders to promote education, discourage early marriage, and support school enrollment.

Today, more than 100,000 girls have directly benefited from Governor Raddas education, empowerment, and cash transfer programmes with thousands more gaining digital and vocational skills. Katsina now ranks among Nigerias top-performing AGILE states, earning national recognition for its measurable progress in gender inclusion and girl-child education.

Seizing the occasion of the international Day of the Girl child, Governor Radda called on parents, community leaders, civil society groups, and development partners to continue working together to create a safer, fairer, and more promising future for every girl in Katsina State.

Today, as we celebrate the International Day of the Girl child, I salute every girl in Katsina and beyond. You are the change you lead, and your voice will continue to shape the brighter future we are building together, the Governor concluded.

Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, the Chief Press Secretary to the Katsina State Governor, wrote from Katsina
In a grand political rally held Saturday at the Dutse Stadium, Jigawa State, top national and state leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) joined Governor Umar Namadi to welcome thousands of defectors from opposition parties into the ruling party.

The event, massively attended by supporters, marked one of the largest political gatherings in Jigawa State in recent times, the governors spokesperson, Hamisu Gumel, said in a statement.

Among the dignitaries present were the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda; Governor of Yobe State and former APC interim National Chairman, Mai Mala Buni; deputy governors of Katsina and Sokoto states; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political Matters Ibrahim Masari; members of the National Assembly, and several other prominent figures.

Speaking on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Buni commended the massive turnout, describing it as a reflection of public confidence in the Renewed Hope Agenda of the current administration.

He assured the new members of equal treatment within the party and reiterated the federal governments determination to improve national security, infrastructure, and economic prosperity.

In his speech, the APC National Chairman, Mr Yilwatda, welcomed the defectors and called for loyalty and unity among party members, saying that the mass defection demonstrates the peoples growing trust in the APC-led government at both the national and state levels.

Also in his address, Governor Namadi, revealed that the defectors came from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

He attributed their decision to join the APC to the success and inclusiveness of his administrations policies.

Mr Namadi reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening party unity and advancing good governance in Jigawa State, as he lauded President Tinubu for his visionary leadership and dedication to Nigerias progress.

The event concluded with the formal presentation of APC membership flags to the representatives of the new members, symbolising their official integration into the party.
NEW YORK, Oct. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Expert Consumers has named Northwest Registered Agent as one of the top business identity providers in the United States, recognizing the company's role in helping entrepreneurs establish credibility, protect sensitive information, and create a professional presence from the start.

Best Business Identity Platform

Northwest Registered Agent - a business identity and LLC formation provider that supports new ventures with tools and services covering compliance, privacy, branding, and digital setup

The recognition shows how the process of forming a business is expanding beyond traditional steps. Entrepreneurs today require more than a registered name. They need a full identity that can stand up to the demands of customers, partners, and regulators. Northwest Registered Agent addresses this need by combining privacy-first practices with comprehensive services that establish a trusted presence.

Business Identity

To help entrepreneurs establish visibility, Northwest Registered Agent provides tools that create a consistent and professional digital footprint. Services include business phone numbers, business addresses, virtual offices, email, domains and website hosting, all designed to give new ventures immediate credibility. Clients also work directly with expert Corporate Guides, who can do everything from answering complicated legal questions about forming a business to building a basic WordPress website for new businesses. This ensures that even first-time business owners launch with a polished online presence. Through consolidating compliance, digital setup, and support into one platform, Northwest makes it easier for entrepreneurs to establish a full business identity from the outset.

The company also helps protect brand value with intellectual property support. Northwest's Trademark Filing Service simplifies the process of registering a trademark with the USPTO. This provides business owners with the legal rights and protections that come with official recognition. A registered trademark grants increased geographical protection and ensures exclusive rights across the United States. It also secures ownership protection to clarify who holds the rights to a brand name or logo, and establishes the right to sue if another company infringes on that identity. Once registered, businesses gain the ability to use the  symbol, signaling legitimacy and strengthening consumer trust. Northwest also offers Trademark Monitoring, a service that tracks new filings and alerts owners if another party attempts to register something similar.

By integrating formation, compliance, privacy, and brand protection, Northwest Registered Agent delivers what essentially amounts to the modern business card with address, phone, email, website, and trademark, all consolidated into a single service.

Privacy by Default

Central to Northwest's model is its Privacy by Default standard. All customer data is kept entirely in-house, and personal information is never sold, shared, or stored on outside platforms. This zero third-party data use extends across every part of operations. Clients can register and maintain their business while keeping home addresses, phone numbers, and other sensitive details out of public records and commercial databases.

Northwest also provides guidance on living privately with an LLC and helps business owners balance regulatory requirements with personal data security. This privacy-first approach provides long-term peace of mind for entrepreneurs.

Proven Customer Satisfaction

Northwest's model is supported by a 4.7-star rating on Google with more than 1,000 reviews, placing the company in the top one percent of businesses reviewed on the platform. This rating reflects consistent feedback on clear processes, responsive service, and the company's dedication to privacy.

Expert Consumers sees Northwest Registered Agent as part of a growing shift in how small businesses get started. Entrepreneurs are prioritizing data security, brand credibility, and operational efficiency when launching companies. Services that combine privacy, compliance, intellectual property protection, and digital presence are becoming more important for building lasting business identities in a competitive market.

Please visit the Expert Consumers website for a more detailed review. To know more about Northwest Registered Agent, click here .

About Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest Registered Agent is a family-owned business identity company that offers registered agent and LLC formation services built around two core principles: customer-focused support (via their Corporate Guides) and Privacy by Default. All operations are U.S.-based, with over 900 trained staff who guide clients through local business regulations, filings, and ongoing compliance. The company keeps personal data in-house and never sells or shares it with third parties. They also allow clients to use Northwest's business address on public filings to limit exposure of their own information. Their goal is to simplify the process of starting and maintaining a business, always aiming to make the experience transparent, human, and less frustrating than the norm.

About ExpertConsumers.org: Expert Consumers delivers news and insights on consumer products and services. As an affiliate, Expert Consumers may earn commissions from sales generated using links provided.

SOURCE ExpertConsumers.org
Guided by a vision of a world where compassion creates opportunity and every life is valued, Live Good founder Jennifer Chi has spent more than a decade creating bridges for students and young adults seeking purpose and belonging.

IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Partnering with the University of California Capstone Programs, Live Good connects students' academic work with real-world application, while collaborations with Women in Information and Computer Sciences expand pathways for women in technology. The company also mentors at-risk youth from San Francisco down to Southern California, helping them develop skills to pursue their dreams.

"At Live Good, we believe love is real," said Jennifer. "I share this truth with our team often because it keeps us focused on the greater mission: to serve those in need and to create bridges of opportunity, especially for young people searching for their place in the world.

What I rarely acknowledge is that hate is also very real. No other creatures on earth have the capacity to hate the way humans do. Animals may struggle for survival, but they do not destroy out of malice But we can turn our brilliance against one another. The same human mind that creates art, music, and poetry can also invent reasons to divide and destroy.

And yet, it is the same humanity that holds the power to love with unimaginable depth. We are the only species that will protect forests on other continents, care for animals in the wild, and reach across oceans to offer aid to people we will never know. This paradox, our ability to hate, and our even greater ability to love, is what defines us."

Taking this commitment a step further, Live Good is creating meaningful entry-level positions for recent college graduates, opportunities that are increasingly rare in today's job market. The goal: to help young people apply their education, gain real-world experience, and grow confidently into their future careers.

Live Good was recently honored by the CEO and Publisher of the Orange County Business Journal with a nomination for 2025 Innovator of the Year, recognizing the company's commitment to blending business with social impact.

Rooted in the belief that business can be a true force for good, Live Good Inc. continues to expand its humanitarian reach. This year, the mission-driven organization has extended its efforts beyond statewide food drives and educational partnerships to include initiatives that protect endangered animals and build bridges of collaboration across borders.

"One of my favorite things to do is to visit the redwoods along the California coast," Jennifer shared. "Standing in the presence of these majestic giants, our human problems seem to fade away. Some of these living trees are thousands of years old, silent witnesses to centuries of history, to the rise and fall of civilizations... In their presence, you can't help but feel a profound humility, a reverence for all that endures beyond human understanding. They remind us that there is a natural rhythm to life and that we are all part of something greater."

As the world enters a time of rapid technological change, Jennifer emphasizes the importance of staying anchored in compassion.

"Human brilliance is a gift. Our ability to create, to discover, and to dream should never be taken for granted. Yet brilliance alone is not enough. Love must be the guide. Without love, intelligence builds weapons instead of bridges. It seeks control instead of connection. But guided by love, intelligence becomes a force of healing, capable of curing the greatest wounds of our time."

For more information about Live Good Inc. and to sign up for their newsletter, visit Live Good Inc. Follow on Instagram, Facebook and Threads.

Contact:

Adrienne Johnson

***@gmail.com

Photos:

https://www.prlog.org/13104491

Press release distributed by PRLog

SOURCE Live Good Inc.
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





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ESSEX, Vt., Oct. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls and its Vermont chapter, FreeHer Vermont, are proud to celebrate a major victory for justice and community.

After years of grassroots organizing and public pressure, the Vermont Department of Corrections' plan to rezone land in Essex to build a new $90 million women's prison has been officially rejected. The Essex Planning Committee voted to deny the zoning amendment, effectively halting the proposed construction.

"When people come together to demand transparency, accountability, and justice, we win. And this week, Vermont won." Post this

"This victory belongs to the people," said Andrea James, Founder and Executive Director of The National Council. "It belongs to the organizers, the neighbors, the women, and the families who refused to let a new prison rise in their community. When people come together to demand transparency, accountability, and justice, we win. And this week, Vermont won."

For years, FreeHer Vermont has been on the ground  canvassing, attending hearings, and keeping residents informed while the Department of Corrections attempted to push forward plans behind closed doors. Their work ensured that local voices, not bureaucratic interests, would shape their town's future.

"This decision gives Vermont a chance to choose a different path," said Jayna Ahsaf, Director of FreeHer Vermont. "Instead of wasting $90 million on cages, Vermont can invest in what truly keeps people safe  housing, flood recovery, mental health care, and education. The future of Vermont depends on care, not confinement."

The National Council and FreeHer Vermont are calling on state leaders to pass a moratorium on all new prison construction and redirect resources toward initiatives that strengthen communities and expand opportunity.

"Vermont can lead the nation by example," James added. "We don't need new prisons. We need new priorities  rooted in care, compassion, and community."

About The National Council

The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls is a national organization working to end the incarceration of women and girls and to build alternatives led by directly affected people. Through advocacy, organizing, and research, The National Council uplifts the voices of women impacted by incarceration to drive systems change.

About FreeHer Vermont

FreeHer Vermont is a grassroots chapter of The National Council, organizing across Vermont to stop prison expansion and build community-based solutions to harm, addiction, and poverty.

For media inquiries: [email protected]

SOURCE The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls
The Bahamas Locomotive Society has announced a new partnership that will see 45596 Bahamas fitted with air brakes.

The Heavy Tractor Group has partnered with the BLS and has donated Westinghouse air brake components to support the overhaul of 45596 Bahamas.

The donation will allow Bahamas to operate with both air and vacuum stock, ensuring the successful return to mainline operation.

Additionally, the Heavy Tractor Group, who operate 37714 and D6700, will help in sourcing and acquiring components to keep the project on track.

Todays announcement also marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration between the Bahamas Locomotive Society and the Heavy Tractor Group.

The air brake equipment that has been donated // Credit: Jack Boskett

Keith Whitmore, Chairman of the Board of Trustees said We welcome this collaboration with Heavy Tractor Group, which will go towards future-proofing the operation of Bahamas when it returns to the main line afteroverhaul.

Steve Mitchell, Chairman of the BLS Locomotive Committee, said: This is an incredibly exciting time to be teaming up with the Heavy Tractor Group. We are extremely grateful for them coming forward to donate key components to get us out of the blocks so that it will be all systems go for Bahamas after overhaul, doing what she does best on the main line with our operating partners. The knowledge the team at HTG has will prove invaluable as we advance the braking system on the Jubilee, which will allow both air and

vacuum operation. I would like to thank Andy, Nigel and the team for making this happen. This now firmly confirms our intentions to fit air brakes to Bahamas during overhaul.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday likened Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to an infiltrator, saying he is from Uttarakhand and should be sent back to the state.

IMAGE: Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav pays floral tribute to Ram Manohar Lohia on his death anniversary, in Lucknow, October 12, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Speaking to reporters at Lohia Park in Lucknow on Sunday, on the death anniversary of Ram Manohar Lohia, Yadav said the BJP has fake statistics. "If one is to believe their statistics, they would be lost," he added.

"People who are giving the statistics of exodus... We also have infiltrators in UP. The chief minister is from Uttarakhand. We want him to be sent to Uttarakhand. He is not the only infiltrator; he is also an infiltrator from the ideological point of view," Yadav claimed.

The SP chief added, "He (Adityanath) was not a member of the BJP; he was a member of another (party). So, when will these infiltrators be removed?"

Yadav's remarks come days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah claimed some political parties treat infiltrators as a vote bank and questioned why infiltration does not take place along the Gujarat and Rajasthan borders.

Shah made the remarks on Friday while delivering a lecture in memory of Dainik Jagran's former editor-in-chief Narendra Mohan on the topic 'Infiltration (ghuspaith), demographic change and democracy'.

Meanwhile, when asked to comment on Yadav's remarks, UP Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak told PTI that he would respond soon.

Yadav had come to Lohia Park to pay tributes to Ram Manohar Lohia on his death anniversary. He said that Dr Lohia fought against injustice and irresponsibility throughout his life.

"Today, we take a pledge to reach out to the people on the issues he raised, to make them aware, and to ensure economic and social dignity for everyone by walking on the path he showed. Dr Lohia had called for the caste system to be abolished," Yadav said.

On the Raebareli mob lynching case, he said, "If we look at NCRB data, it clearly shows the maximum atrocities against Dalits have taken place under this government. Recently, we saw how a young man from the Valmiki community was killed. There is large-scale injustice against Dalits and backward communities."

He added that the government's claim of zero tolerance has no impact on the ground. "The police, whose job is to maintain law and order, are busy filing false cases against political opponents. As a result, women remain unsafe."

He alleged, "The BJP wants to hide its failures, and the chief minister tells black lies while sitting at a white table... the white table on which he meets people. The truth is that the maximum harassment and other such serious incidents are taking place in UP. All limits of corruption have been broken. Corruption is in every department."

"The same government that once claimed it could reach Kanpur in 45 minutes is now protecting criminals," he said.

Yadav also said, "This park (Lohia Park) was built during Netaji's (Mulayam Singh Yadav) time. In this government, efforts are being made only to stop the work or ruin it."

Hitting out at the Swadeshi pitch made by the BJP, the SP chief said, "BJP leaders talk about Swadeshi, but their hearts are with foreign interests. If they truly believe in Swadeshi, why is there trade with China? Farmers are being beaten with lathis, they are not getting fertiliser, and there is injustice everywhere. For election funding, the government is allowing traders to earn huge profits."

"BJP is the biggest casteist party. In several districts, there are no PDA officers. Only people from a particular caste are being posted. Dalits are facing atrocities, and we will compile their records," he said.

Referring to the suicide of Y. Puran Kumar, a senior IG-rank police officer in Haryana, Yadav said, "Even today, votes are sought on the basis of caste. This is why an IPS officer lost his life. Shoes were thrown in the Supreme Court, religious speakers were humiliated, and a young man from the Valmiki community was beaten to death. The government is only busy with political work and does not understand the people's pain. But now, the public is waking up. Today, as we remember Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, we pledge to spread his vision among the people and build a PDA-led government.
Pakistan responded to what it called 'unprovoked' attacks by Afghan forces in border areas, destroying several Afghan border posts, training camps, and terrorist hideouts, security sources said on Sunday.

Image only for representation. Photograph: Parwiz/Reuters/Rediff Archives

The Taliban government's Defence Ministry confirmed the attacks early Sunday, saying that its forces had conducted 'retaliatory and successful operations'.

"If the opposing side again violates Afghanistan's territorial integrity, our armed forces are fully prepared to defend the nation's borders and will deliver a strong response," the ministry said.

Afghan forces targeted Pakistani posts at Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, and Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baramcha in Balochistan.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi called the Taliban attacks on border posts 'unprovoked', accusing them of firing at civilians.

"Firing by Afghan forces on the civilian population is a blatant violation of international laws. Pakistan's brave forces have given a prompt and effective response that no provocation will be tolerated," he said.

He said Pakistan's forces are alert, and Afghanistan is being answered with 'stones for bricks'.

The situation deteriorated between the two neighbours following repeated terrorist attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), allegedly using the Afghan soil, including one in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Orakzai district last week, which claimed the lives of 11 military personnel, including a Lt Colonel and a Major.

On Thursday night, explosions were reported from the Afghan capital. Kabul blamed Islamabad for the attacks, but the Pakistani army refused to confirm or deny its involvement.

Apparently prompted by the Kabul strikes, the Afghan security forces targeted attacks against Pakistan on Saturday night.

Pakistan launched its retaliatory response early Sunday, hitting several border areas and destroying border posts, the state media reported.

There was no official statement or comments from the Pakistan Army on the development.

However, security sources confirmed that Pakistani forces deployed at the international border 'targeted several Afghan border posts', adding that there were reports of significant damage inflicted on multiple Afghan posts and militant formations.

They said 'several Afghan soldiers were killed' and militant formations were forced to retreat due to the 'effective and intense retaliation by Pakistani forces'.

Artillery, tanks, light and heavy weapons were used in the retaliatory action, along with air resources and drones, said the sources.

They added that Afghan posts failed to provide covering fire to the militants, and there are reports of 'heavy losses' among Afghan border posts and militants.

"Kharijites and Daesh hideouts inside Afghanistan, operating under the patronage of the interim Afghan government, are being effectively targeted...The headquarters of Afghan forces, which have been sheltering Daesh and Fitna al-Khawarij, are also being targeted," they said.

The Pakistan government last year notified the banned TTP as 'Fitna al-Khawarij', a reference to a group in earlier Islamic history which was involved in violence.

In a series of posts on social media, state-run PTV News shared videos of firing on the Afghan posts, some of which were in flames, and in one video, Afghan soldiers surrendering to Pakistani forces in Kurram.

The state broadcaster issued the following statement quoting security sources: "Unprovoked firing from the Afghan side at Pak-Afghan border, a strong, intense response from Pakistan Army."

It said Pakistan was currently 'targeting terrorist camps and hideouts of khawarij, ISIS located near the Pak-Afghan border inside Afghanistan with great precision. Afghan forces have retreated from several areas'.

State-run Radio Pakistan also shared footage of what it said were 'kharjis and Afghan soldiers being taken out'.

Sources said that Pakistani posts also came under attack in the Baramcha area of Chagai district in Balochistan, and where 'Afghan forces opened indiscriminate fire at Pakistani border posts with heavy weapons late on Saturday night'.

Pakistan responded to the attacks when the Afghan forces tried to infiltrate into Pishin and Zhob districts and foiled their attempts, according to sources.

The fighting between the two countries came as Afghan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was visiting India.
Putting to rest a controversy over the absence of women journalists at his media interaction two days back, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Sunday said there was no intention behind it.

IMAGE: Afghanistan's Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi (left) attends a press conference, in New Delhi, October 12, 2025. Photograph: Reuters/ANI Photo

Muttaqi said this during a second press conference in three days in New Delhi that was attended by several women journalists.

The Afghan foreign minister came under severe attack from India's Opposition parties and journalists for "excluding" women press persons from his media interaction on Friday.

Interestingly, a large flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (as called by Taliban) was placed behind Muttaqi's chair at the Afghan embassy's conference room, while a smaller one was put on the front.

The Afghan foreign minister faced a volley of questions on the controversy over the absence of women journalists at his previous press conference.

"With regards to the press conference, it was organised on short notice. A small list of journalists was finalised. It was more of a technical issue," he said.

Muttaqi said there was no intention to exclude women journalists.

"Our colleagues had decided to send invitations to specific journalists and there was no other intention," he said. The Afghan foreign minister also said that no one's rights should be violated -- be it men or women.

Several opposition leaders described the absence of women journalists at the press conference as "unacceptable" and an "insult to women". A number of press bodies also criticised the Afghan foreign minister.

The ministry of external affairs said it had no involvement in the press interaction.

Asked about the flag and whether the Afghan embassy in New Delhi belongs to the Taliban setup, as India has not yet recognised it, Muttaqi said the mission belonged to "us".

"This is our flag. This is 100 per cent our embassy. All those working here are with us," he said.

On Friday, an Afghan youth at the embassy stopped attempts to put the large flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan at the venue of the media interaction, saying New Delhi is yet to recognise the Taliban government.

The embassy's main flagpole still features the Afghan Republic's flag.

At his briefing, Muttaqi also repeated the outcomes of his meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday that he listed in his previous media interaction.

"The Indian foreign minister announced an increase in the flights between Kabul and Delhi. An agreement was also reached on trade and economy," he said.

Muttaqi said Afghanistan has invited Indian business groups to invest in several sectors, including minerals, energy and agriculture.

"We also requested the opening of the Wagah border as it is the fastest and easiest trade route between India and Afghanistan," he said.

Muttaqi landed in New Delhi on Thursday on a six-day trip, the first senior Taliban minister to visit India after the group seized power four years ago.

India has not yet recognised the Taliban setup.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United has finalised its candidates for all the seats it will be contesting in the upcoming assembly polls and may drop four sitting MLAs, a senior JD-U leader said.

IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal-United President Nitish Kumar in Nalanda, October 5, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

The senior JD-U leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the party was likely to contest 103 of the 243 seats in the state assembly, though a formal announcement will be made "at an appropriate time" by senior National Democratic Alliance leaders.

"The seats which we would be contesting have been identified. Respective candidates have also been finalised. Four non-performing sitting MLAs will be replaced with fresh faces. A new candidate will also be fielded in Parbatta seat in Khagaria where our MLA Sanjeev Kumar last week crossed over to the RJD. The same will happen in Rupauli assembly constituency, where our multiple-term former MLA Bima Bharti has sided with the Opposition parties," the JD-U leader said.

Assembly seats where four non-performing MLAs will be replaced come under Bhagalpur, Nawada and Banka districts, the leader said.

"A decision in this regard has been taken on the basis of the feedback received from the electorate of their respective constituencies. Our central leadership had already made it clear that non-performing MLAs will not be repeated in the coming polls," the leader said.

According to sources, the BJP will contest 102 seats.

Union Minister Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas, which had earlier settled for around 20-22 seats, is now asking for more seats. Other NDA partners -- the Hindustani Awam Morcha and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha -- will also get a respectable number of seats, they added.

Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi had earlier said that he was 'requesting and not making a claim' that the HAM be given a respectable number of seats, otherwise the party might not contest the election.

"Everything is fine in the NDA... seat-sharing arrangements and list of candidates will be decided by the party's central leadership in a day or two. A formal announcement in this regard will be made very soon," a BJP leader said.

Assembly elections will be held on November 6 and 11 in the state, while votes will be counted on November 14.
The Opposition 'Mahagathbandhan' alliance in Bihar is likely to finalise its seat-sharing in the next few days and may announce its candidates along with a joint manifesto this week.

IMAGE: Ticket seekers stage a protest outside RJD Chief Lalu Prasad's residence ahead Bihar Assembly Election 2025, in Patna, October 10, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Top sources said talks between the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress are underway, and their leadership may meet on Monday as RJD's Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav are in the national capital.

"The Congress president has been speaking to all the coalition partners in Bihar, and the final discussion is on for deciding candidates in a few seats where the Congress and some other parties feel they are strong. The Congress president is talking to all political leaders for the last two days in Bihar," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said.

He said the talks between the leaderships of RJD and Congress are also on and the leaders of the two main parties may also meet by Monday.

On the delay in seat-sharing announcement, Ramesh said, "We have to adjust some new partners in the 'Mahagathbandhan' and we have to adjust them too in seat-sharing."

"In the next two-three days, we expect all the seats to be finalised and declared," he said.

Asked about the number of seats the Congress will contest this time, Ramesh said, "Anything between half a century and a century".

However, sources said the Congress will get more than 50 but less than 70 seats, which the Congress had contested the last time in the Bihar polls.

They added that top Congress leaders would be meeting at the party headquarters on Monday for finalising candidates in some more seats in the Bihar assembly polls.

"The Congress is likely to get a respectable and acceptable number of seats," Ramesh said.

About the electoral prospects of the Opposition 'Mahagathbandhan' in Bihar, Ramesh said, "The desire for change is there in Bihar and the charge-sheet released by the Congress evoked a very good response."

On the "jungle-raj" narrative of the BJP against RJD rule, he said that "people are worried about today and not what happened 20 years ago".

"People realise and know that Nitish Kumar is not in control and he is only a face now. He is not going to come back as chief minister and is not the same as he was 20 years ago," the Congress leader said and accused the BJP of indulging in polarisation in Bihar too.

He said the bureaucracy is running the Bihar government currently and there is a strong feeling that Nitish Kumar "is there but is not in command".

Though NDA is banking upon the direct benefit transfer scheme, which made a good headline, but the people understand the ground realities and are seeking change, he claimed.

Party sources said the Congress is working on announcing a few schemes to counter the National Democratic Agency's narrative and sops, and is likely to announce them soon.

Besides the 'vote chori' campaign, the Congress is focusing on extremely backward classes.

It announced the Mai-behen Maan Yojna under which Rs 2,500 will be transferred into the bank accounts of underprivileged women, and some more proposals are in the works.

The Congress contested on 70 assembly seats in the last Bihar polls and won 19, while the RJD contested on 144 seats and bagged 75 in the 243-member assembly.

Bihar assembly polls are to be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, and the counting of votes is on November 14. The filing of nomination began on October 10 for the first phase in which 121 seats will go to polls.
The ruling National Democratic Alliance in Bihar on Sunday finalised its seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming polls to the 243-member assembly, in which Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United and the Bharatiya Janata Party will contest 101 constituencies each, leaving the rest for smaller allies.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to the gathering during a public meeting, as Bihar CM Nitish Kumar along with deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary look on in in Purnea, Bihar, September 15, 2025. Photograph: DPR PMO/ANI Photo

The announcement to the effect came on X handles of JD-U working president Sanjay Kumar Jha, deputy chief minister and BJP leader Samrat Choudhary and Union minister Chirag Paswan, whose Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas settled with a deal of 29 seats.

The Hindustani Awam Morcha of Jitan Ram Manjhi, who had been insisting on "at least 15 seats", was given only six constituencies, while the remaining six assembly segments went to Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha.

This is the first assembly poll since CM Nitish Kumar spearheaded the NDA to end the 15-year reign of the RJD-led government in Bihar in 2005, that his JD-U will not be contesting more seats than the BJP in alliance, a clear signal of the acknowledgement within the ruling bloc of the regional party's decline and the BJP's growing heft.

BJP's Bihar polls in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan said all National Democratic Alliance partners have completed the seat-distribution exercise in a "cordial manner".

He said, "Leaders and workers of all NDA parties welcome this with happiness. Bihar is ready for another NDA government."

Paswan, who seems to have drawn the best bargain, and Kushwaha echoed Pradhan's message.

Jha, Choudhary and Paswan, all of whom have been camping in New Delhi for the past few days, were also unanimous in the averment that the deal was clinched in an "amicable atmosphere".

Manjhi, who is rumoured to be unhappy with the formula, wrote on his X handle that he was returning to Patna, but asserted, "I will stay with Prime Minister Narendra Modi till my last breath".

Later, talking to reporters in Patna on Sunday evening, Manjhi said, We have been given six seats, this is the decision of the high command, and we accept it. We are satisfied with what we have received. There is no complaint. When my party was given one seat in the Lok Sabha polls in 2024, I had no complaints at that time.

Asked about Union Minister Chirag Paswan's party getting more seats, Manjhi reiterated it was the "decision of the high command".

Barring Kushwaha's party, which came into being only a couple of years ago, all other constituents of the NDA had agreed to contest fewer seats than the number of constituencies they fought respectively in the 2020 polls.

Commenting on seat-sharing arrangements, Upendra Kushwaha, in a post on X, wrote, We, NDA allies, have completed the distribution of seats in a cordial atmosphere after mutual discussions. We all welcome this unanimous decision."

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas)'s Lok Sabha MP Arun Bharti, in a social media post, said, "The 29 seats allocated to the LJP (RV) mark the beginning of a new chapter in Bihar. I extend my heartfelt thanks to our national president Chirag Paswan ji, for this historic agreement, whose leadership, patience, and vision have united the alliance."

He expressed gratitude to all the partners of the NDA and their leaders, who demonstrated cooperation and dedication in this process.

"Under the leadership of Chirag Paswan ji - the resolve of Bihar First, and Bihari First' is now even stronger," Bharti said.

In the last elections, the JD-U had the lion's share of 115 seats, followed by the BJP at 110 and Manjhi's HAM at seven.

Paswan, who was then heading the Lok Janshakti Party, had fought separately and fielded candidates in 135 seats.

Another NDA partner of 2020, Vikassheel Insaan Party of former state minister Mukesh Sahani, which is now with the INDIA bloc, had contested four seats.

The JD-U is understood to have not insisted on a lion's share this time in view of the party's poor performance in 2020, when it won only 43 seats, far less than the BJP's 74, though the debacle was blamed, primarily, on Paswan's revolt.

Paswan's revolt was then suspected to have been at the behest of the BJP and had also resulted in JD-U supremo Nitish Kumar's exit from NDA, albeit for a brief period of 17 months.

The 243-member Bihar assembly will go to the polls in two phases on November 6 and 11, and the counting will take place on November 14.
A 31-member committee, formed to ensure acceptance of demands of the family of Haryana IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, who allegedly committed suicide, has given a 48-hour ultimatum to the Chandigarh administration and the Haryana government to remove state police chief Shatrujeet Kapur from his post.

IMAGE: Haryana transport minister Anil Vij (second from right) visits the residence of late IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, to offer condolences, in Chandigarh, October 11, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Kapur is one of the police officers against whom Kumar's wife, IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, has sought for allegedly abetting his suicide.

A decision in this regard was taken by the committee at a mahapanchayat held at Guru Ravidas Bhavan in Sector 20 here on Sunday. A heavy police presence was seen around the venue of the event.

"The Haryana DGP and the former Rohtak SP should be arrested in the matter. The Haryana government should remove the DGP from his post. We have given 48 hours after which we will decide the next course of action," a spokesperson of the committee told reporters here after the mahapanchayat.

Despite six days having passed since Kumar, who was last posted as IG at Police Training Centre in Rohtak's Sunaria, died, his post-mortem examination and cremation have not been conducted yet, as the family has refused consent until their demands are met.

The event also witnessed unruly scenes after former Haryana MP Raj Kumar Saini, who had floated his own outfit a few years ago, allegedly made a controversial remark, which triggered an angry reaction from the gathering. Order was restored after organisers appealed to maintain calm.

A message was read on behalf of the IPS officer's family, appealing for support in their fight for justice.

Gurmail Singh, who is also a member of the committee, said the demand for a judicial probe into the matter was also raised during the mahapanchayat.

Karamvir, another member of the committee, said, "The family and the Dalit community are apprehensive that if the last rites of the deceased officer are conducted, then the government may not act against the accused".

"If justice is not given to the family, then we will decide the next course of action...We want to know what the Special Investigation Team, which has been constituted by Chandigarh police, has so far done in this case," he said.

He said an association of Safai Karamcharis in Chandigarh has extended support to the family.

Fifty-two-year-old Kumar, a 2001-batch Indian Police Service officer, allegedly shot himself dead at his Sector 11, Chandigarh, residence on October 7.

In an eight-page 'final note' purportedly left behind by Kumar, he named eight senior IPS officers, including Haryana DGP Kapur and former Rohtak Superintendent of Police Narendra Bijarniya, for allegedly harassing and maligning his image.

The deceased has also given accounts of the alleged harassment, including caste-based discrimination, by some other officers.

The Haryana government had on Saturday transferred Bijarniya and appointed IPS officer Surinder Singh Bhoria in his place.

In her complaint to Chandigarh Police on Wednesday, the deceased officer's wife sought an FIR against Kapur and Bijarniya under Section 108 (abetment to suicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, demanding their immediate arrest.

She had claimed on Friday that the FIR lodged in the case contained "incomplete information", and sought its amendment to "accurately reflect the names of all the accused".

In a letter to Chandigarh Senior Superintendent of Police Kanwardeep Kaur, the officer's wife said that the accused should be named in the FIR, and specifically mentioned Kapur and Bijarniya.

"As per my complaint, the names of the accused (1) Shatrujeet Kapur and (2) Narendra Bijarniya have not been entered in the FIR, which was the trigger point for his (Puran Kumar's) suicide," Amneet had said in the plea to the SSP.

Meanwhile, efforts are underway from the Haryana government to persuade Kumar's wife to agree to the post-mortem examination and cremation.

On Saturday, Haryana ministers Krishan Lal Panwar, Krishan Kumar Bedi, Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, and principal secretary to the CM, Rajesh Khullar and some other senior officers of the Haryana government met Kumar's family, seemingly an attempt to persuade them.
At least 23 Pakistani soldiers and over 200 Taliban and affiliated terrorists were killed in intense overnight clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the Pakistani Army said on Sunday, as tensions escalated between the two neighbours amid mutual accusations of cross-border aggression.

IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: Jalil Ahmad/Reuters

The statement comes amid Pakistan seizing 19 Afghan military posts and "terrorist hideouts" in response to what it termed "unprovoked" attacks by Afghan forces in the border areas, while Kabul claimed that 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 30 others injured during the retaliatory operations.

The army in a statement said that on the intervening night of October 11-12, Afghan Taliban and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan "launched an unprovoked attack on Pakistan, along the Pak-Afghan border.

It said the cowardly action", involving cross-border fire and a few physical raids, was aimed at destabilising the frontier areas to facilitate terrorism, furthering the nefarious designs of the terrorists.

Pakistani troops "repelled the assault decisively all along the border and inflicted heavy casualties on Taliban Forces and affiliated Khwarjis (TTP terrorists), the statement said, adding that the security forces carried out precision strikes and physical raids on Taliban camps, posts, and terrorist training facilities inside Afghan territory.

During the overnight skirmishes, 23 Pakistani soldiers died and 29 others were injured, while more than 200 Taliban and affiliated terrorists were neutralised, with 21 hostile positions on the Afghan side "briefly physically captured" and multiple terrorist training camps were rendered inoperative.

The infra-structural damages to Taliban posts, camps, headquarters and support networks of terrorists are extensive, all along the border and range from tactical to operational depth, the statement said.

The Pakistani Army maintained that its forces took all possible measures to avoid civilian casualties, while vowing to continue defending the country's sovereignty.

The statement warned that while Pakistan preferred constructive diplomacy and dialogue over violence and belligerence, we will not tolerate the treacherous use of Afghan soil for terrorism against Pakistan.

It said that Pakistan will continue to exercise its right to defend its people by persistently neutralising terror targets, and urged the Taliban government to take immediate and verifiable action against the terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil.

The statement noted that the serious provocation came during the visit of the Taliban foreign minister to India.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later said there would be no compromise on Pakistan's sovereignty, praising the army's befitting response that destroyed several Afghan posts overnight.

Zardari urged the Taliban government to take concrete and verifiable action against anti-Pakistan terrorist elements operating from the Afghan soil.

Sharif lauded the Pakistan Army's professional prowess and decisive action under the leadership of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, warning that every provocation will be given a befitting and effective response.

The Taliban-led Afghanistan government's Defence Ministry confirmed the attacks early Sunday, saying that its forces had conducted retaliatory and successful operations.

If the opposing side again violates Afghanistan's territorial integrity, our armed forces are fully prepared to defend the nation's borders and will deliver a strong response, the ministry said.

Afghan forces targeted Pakistani posts at Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, and Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baramcha in Balochistan.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban government's chief spokesman, said that 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed and around 30 others wounded during the operations Saturday night, Tolo News reported.

Mujahid added that during the retaliatory operations across the Durand Line, 20 Pakistani security outposts were destroyed, and numerous weapons and military equipment were seized.

He said that nine Afghan soldiers were killed and 16 others were wounded in the operations, according to the report.

The spokesperson said that the operation was halted at midnight following requests from Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has called the Taliban attacks "unprovoked", accusing them of firing at civilians.

He said Pakistan's forces are alert, and Afghanistan is being answered with "stones for bricks".

The situation deteriorated between the two neighbours following repeated terrorist attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), allegedly using the Afghan soil, including one in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Orakzai district last week, which claimed the lives of 11 military personnel, including a Lt Colonel and a Major.

Security sources claimed that Pakistani forces destroyed a Taliban tank position inside Afghan territory that had been used to launch attacks on Pakistani soil. The army also struck the Second Battalion Headquarters of the First Brigade of Afghan security forces in the Barabcha area, reportedly used to deploy TTP militants, causing significant casualties and material losses.

Additionally, a strike on Durrani Camp No. 2, said to be a central launch pad for cross-border terrorist activity, destroyed the facility, with initial reports suggesting over 50 Taliban and foreign fighters were killed.

In the Kharlachi and Baramcha sectors, several Afghan military outposts, including Doran Mela, Turkmanzai, Afghani Shaheedan and Jandoser, were also destroyed.
The police have added charges to the FIR registered in the alleged suicide case of Haryana IPS officer Y Puran Kumar following a plea by his wife to add the "relevant provisions" of the SC/ST Act.

IMAGE: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann meets family members (left) of late IPS Y Puran Kumar, in Chandigarh, October 10, 2025. Photograph: PRO/ANI Photo

Among other things, senior IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, who is Puran Kumar's wife, wrote to police earlier that the "diluted sections of the SC/ST Act in the FIR should be amended", and that Section 3 (2) (v) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was the "appropriate section applicable" in the case.

When contacted over the phone, Chandigarh IG Pushpendra Kumar, who is heading a six-member Special Investigation Team in the 'suicide' case, on Sunday confirmed that Section 3 (2) (v) of the Act has been invoked in the FIR.

Puran Kumar's family has yet to give consent for the autopsy until their demands are met.

The Haryana government had on Saturday shunted out Rohtak Superintendent of Police Narendra Bijarniya, one of the cops against whom IPS officer Y Puran Kumar's wife was seeking action for allegedly abetting his suicide.

In a brief official order issued on Saturday, IPS officer Surinder Singh Bhoria was appointed as the new Rohtak SP, and he assumed the charge of his new posting. It said the posting order of Bijarniya will be issued separately.

Amneet demanded in the letter to SSP Kanwardeep Kaur to name the accused in the FIR, and specifically mentioned Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya.

The Chandigarh Police's initial FIR, which was based on a 'final note' by the deceased police officer, had charges under Section 108 rw 3(5) (abetment of suicide) and 3 (1) (r) POA (Prevention of Atrocities) SC/ST Act.

Amneet's complaint on Wednesday demanded Kapur and Bijarniya's immediate arrest.

The SC/ST section refers to a case when a person who is not a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe intentionally insults or intimidates with the intent to humiliate a member of a SC/ST in any place within public view.

The newly added Section 3 (2) (v) of the Act refers to any offence under the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), punishable with imprisonment for a term of ten years or more, against an SC/ST person shall be punishable with imprisonment for life and with fine.

On Saturday, Haryana ministers Krishan Lal Panwar, Krishan Kumar Bedi, Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, and principal secretary to the CM Rajesh Khullar met Puran Kumar's family, seemingly an attempt to persuade them to agree to a post-mortem examination and cremation of the deceased officer.

In his first remarks in the case that involves allegations of caste-based discrimination against a senior IPS officer, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday assured that the guilty will face action irrespective of their position and asked the Opposition not to politicise the matter.

As the controversy deepened, several officials and ministers from Haryana and politicians from various states met Kumar's wife, IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, on Saturday.

A 31-member committee-- Shaheed Y Puran Singh Nyaya Sangharsh Morcha-- formed to ensure that the family's demands and concerns are addressed by authorities, has announced a "mahapanchayat" in Chandigarh on Sunday.

In a 'final note' purportedly left behind by Y Puran Kumar (52), a 2001-batch Indian Police Service officer, after he allegedly shot himself dead at his residence on Tuesday, the deceased officer named eight senior IPS officers, naming Haryana DGP Kapur and the then Rohtak SP Bijarniya for allegedly harassing and maligning him.

The deceased officer has also given accounts of alleged harassment, including caste-based discrimination, by some other officers.

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 in Rohtak's Sunaria.

Amneet 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.

The Chandigarh police on Friday constituted a six-member SIT headed by IG Pushpendra Kumar for a "prompt, impartial and thorough investigation" into the officer's death in a time-bound manner.
A 32-year-old man with an MPhil in Chemistry from Delhi University, who used his knowledge to make smoke bombs for robberies, has been arrested for his alleged involvement in two armed jewellery shop heists in northwest Delhi's Model Town area, officials said on Sunday.

IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo

The accused, Deep Shubham, a native of Sitamarhi in Bihar and currently residing in Sohna in Haryana, was a proclaimed offender in two robbery cases and had earlier been convicted in a bank robbery in his home state, police said.

"Shubham, who was arrested from the Hari Nagar area in Sohna following a tip-off, had used his chemistry background to prepare a smoke bomb while executing a bank robbery in Bihar," deputy commissioner of police (Crime Branch) Harsh Indora said in a statement.

According to the officer, the accused, despite his strong academic record, turned to crime due to financial distress. He had completed BSc (Hons), MSc and MPhil in Chemistry from Delhi University, and also briefly pursued law in Visakhapatnam.

"In 2021, he and his associates carried out two armed robberies at jewellery shops in the Gujranwala area. In one incident, they looted over Rs 6 lakh in cash and mobile phones at gunpoint, while in another, they escaped with Rs 70,000 after threatening the staff," said the officer.

Police said Shubham had previously robbed a government bank in Bihar's Pupri area in 2017 using a homemade smoke bomb made from methyl acetate and benzine. He fled with around Rs 3.6 lakh in cash.

"After securing bail in the Delhi cases, he went underground and frequently changed locations to avoid arrest. He was recently traced by the team and arrested. Shubham was currently working as an interior designer at a private firm in Sohna," he added.

Police further said that they are conducting a detailed investigation into the entire matter and will communicate with the Bihar Police about his arrest.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday termed the alleged gangrape of a medical student in Durgapur in Paschim Bardhaman district as "shocking" and said that no accused would be spared.

IMAGE: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addresses a media conference in Kolkata, October 9, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Speaking to reporters at Kolkata airport before leaving for natural disaster-hit north Bengal to oversee relief and rehabilitation work, Banerjee said her government has zero tolerance for such incidents.

"This is a shocking incident... We have zero tolerance for such crimes. Three accused have been arrested and police are conducting search for others. Nobody will be spared," she said in her first reaction to the incident.

The medical college student, hailing from Jaleswar in Odisha's Balasore district, was allegedly gangraped in Durgapur, police said on Saturday.

The incident took place outside the campus of the private medical college on Friday night when the second-year student went out with one of her friends for dinner.

Banerjee said the medical institution concerned also bears responsibility for the incident.

"Private colleges must ensure security within and around their campuses," she said.

The TMC supremo also said female boarders, especially those from outside the state, should follow hostel rules and not venture out late at night.

"Students staying in hostels, especially those who have come to West Bengal to study from outside, are expected to follow the rules of the hostels. They should avoid venturing out late at night, although they have the fundamental right to go wherever they want," she said.

The police have certain logistical limitations in monitoring the movement of every individual, Banerjee said.

"Officers would not know who is leaving home at night and cannot stand guard outside every home."

The chief minister also questioned the selective outrage over such crimes, drawing comparisons with similar cases in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha.

"We condemn all such incidents wherever it takes place. We have seen so many cases in Bihar, UP and Odisha. In Bengal, we do not tolerate such crimes. We take them very seriously," she asserted.

"In UP, victims are set on fire while going to court. In Odisha, girls were raped at a sea beach, what action has been taken there?" Banerjee said.

In an indirect reference to the RG Kar Medical College doctor's rape-murder case of 2024, she said, "In our state, the accused was charge-sheeted within a month and the lower court has already announced a death sentence."
Congress MP P Chidambaram criticised the Operation Blue Star under the Indira Gandhi-led government in 1984, describing it as "the wrong way", and said that the former Prime Minister paid with her life for the "mistake".

IMAGE: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu greets Congress leader P Chidambaram during the Annual Legal Conclave 2025, organised by AICC Law, Human Rights and RTI Department at Vigyan Bhawan, in New Delhi, August 2, 2025. Photograph: CMO HP/ANI Photo

Speaking at the Khushwant Singh Literary Festival 2025 on Saturday, the former Union home and finance minister said that Operation Black Thunder was the right way to retrieve the Golden Temple, by keeping the Army out of the Sikh worship place.

The June 1984 Operation Blue Star was a cumulative decision of the Army, the police, the intelligence and the civil services, he said.

He said, "No disrespect to any military officers here, but that (Blue Star) was the wrong way to retrieve the Golden Temple. A few years later, we showed the right way to retrieve the Golden Temple by keeping out the Army."

"Mrs Gandhi (former PM Indira Gandhi) paid with her life for that mistake. It was a cumulative decision of the Army, police, intelligence and the civil services. You cannot blame it only on Mrs Gandhi," the former Union minister said.

Chidambaram was addressing a gathering during a discussion on the They Will Shoot You, Madam: My life through conflict with author Harinder Baweja.

Operation Blue Star was a 10-day military operation spanning from June 1 to June 10, 1984.

June 6, 1984, marked the day when the Indian Army, under Operation Blue Star, stormed into the Golden Temple on orders of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to contain Sikh militancy under the leadership of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in Punjab. It was reported that Bhindranwale had stashed large quantities of arms on the Golden Temple premises.

Bhindranwale was the head of the radical Sikh outfit Damdami Taksal. He, along with his armed followers, was killed during Operation Blue Star, launched by the Indian Army to flush out the militants from the Golden Temple complex in June 1984.

The Operation was heavily criticised. Months later, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards at her New Delhi residence on October 31, 1984.

Beant Singh and Satwant Singh were Indira Gandhi's bodyguards and killed her on October 31, 1984, at her residence.
Pakistan on Saturday summoned the Afghan ambassador to convey its 'strong reservations' over the India-Afghanistan joint statement issued in New Delhi a day earlier.

IMAGE: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in an informal conversation with Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi during the India-Afghanistan bilateral meeting in New Delhi on Friday. Photograph: @DrSJaishankar_X/ANI Photo

Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who landed in New Delhi on Thursday, is on a six-day visit to India.

The Foreign Office (FO) in a statement said the Additional Foreign Secretary (West Asia & Afghanistan) conveyed Pakistan's 'strong reservations' to the Afghan envoy regarding references made to Jammu and Kashmir in the joint statement.

"It was conveyed that the reference to Jammu and Kashmir as part of India is in clear violation of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions...," the Foreign Office said.

According to the joint statement, Afghanistan has strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir in April and expressed condolences and solidarity with the people and the Government of India. Both sides unequivocally condemned all acts of terrorism emanating from regional countries as they underscored the importance of promoting peace, stability, and mutual trust in the region.

Islamabad also rejected Muttaqi's assertion that terrorism is an internal issue of Pakistan.

The statement emphasised that shifting responsibility for controlling terrorism onto Pakistan could not absolve the Afghan Interim Government of its obligations to ensure regional peace and stability.

Highlighting Pakistan's long-standing hospitality, the FO said the country had hosted nearly four million Afghans for over four decades. With peace returning to Afghanistan, Pakistan reiterated that unauthorised Afghan nationals residing in the country should return home.

"Like all other countries, Pakistan has the right to regulate the presence of foreign nationals residing inside its territory," it said, adding that Islamabad continued to issue medical and study visas to Afghan citizens 'in the spirit of Islamic brotherhood and good neighbourly relations'.

FO said Pakistan is desirous of seeing a peaceful, stable, regionally connected and prosperous Afghanistan.

Reaffirming its desire for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan, the FO said Pakistan had extended trade, economic, and connectivity facilitation to promote socio-economic cooperation between the two nations.

However, it stressed that Pakistan also had a duty to ensure the safety of its people and expected the Afghan government to take 'concrete measures' to prevent its territory from being used by terrorist elements against Pakistan.
Stones were hurled at police at a 'mahapanchayat' organised by AAP for farmers in Botad district on Sunday, prompting cops to fire teargas shells, officials said, adding that at least three policemen were injured.

IMAGE: Police detain AAP workers during farmers' rally in Botad, Gujarat, October 12, 2025. Photograph: Courtesy AAP on X

The police claimed no permission was taken for organising the rally in Haddad village in the evening.

"The 'mahapanchayat' was organised illegally. These people gathered in the village with the intention of causing damage to the market yard. When police asked them to disperse, they threw stones at us, which damaged a police vehicle," said Superintendent of Police Dharmendra Sharma.

He said the police used force and lobbed teargas shells to disperse the mob.

"Three policemen were injured and are currently undergoing treatment. Around 20 persons have been detained, but the final count may rise as police are conducting combing operations", he said, adding that the situation is under control now.

Aam Aadmi Party stated that farmers had gathered in large numbers to participate in the "kisan mahapanchayat" organised against alleged corruption at the local market yard.

The party claimed that Gujarat AAP president Isudan Gadhvi and others were detained before they could reach the venue.

Condemning the incident, AAP MLA Gopal Italia alleged that the police action was carried out at the behest of the BJP government.

"AAP leader Rajubhai Karpada had raised his voice against the practice of the BJP's associates looting farmers in the market yard. The BJP and police deliberately disturbed the peaceful agitation," he said.

The AAP has issued a statement, claiming some of its leaders had been placed under house arrest to prevent them from attending the rally.

AAP's farmer cell leader for Gujarat, Rajubhai Karpada, was addressing the rally when police arrived. A clash broke out between farmers and police, who fired tear gas shells, the party stated.
'The US values its relationship with India and under the strong leadership of President Donald J Trump and Prime Minister Modi, I am optimistic about the days ahead for both of our nations.'

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted this picture with Ambassador Sergio Gor: 'Glad to receive Mr. Sergio Gor, Ambassador-designate of the US to India. I'm confident that his tenure will further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.' Photograph: Kind courtesy narendramodi/X

The US 'values' its relationship with India, US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor said on Saturday after holding talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi that focused on cooperation in areas of defence, trade and critical minerals.

Gor landed in New Delhi this morning on a six-day visit that came amid continuing strains in the bilateral relations over Washington's imposition of 50 per cent tariffs on Indian exports and a host of other measures taken by the Trump administration that hit Indian interests.

The ambassador-designate held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit K Doval and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri before meeting Modi.

In a post on X, Modi said he was 'glad' to receive Gor.

'I'm confident that his tenure will further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership', the prime minister said.

IMAGE: External Affairs Dr Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar with US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor in New Delhi, October 11, 2025. Photograph: @DrSJaishankar X/ANI Photo

Gor said his meeting with Modi focused on defence, trade, technology and critical minerals, adding President Donald Trump considers Modi as a great leader and personal friend.

"We had a great series of meetings including with Foreign Secretary Misri, with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Doval," Gor told PTI and two other media outlets.

"We just finished an incredible meeting with Prime Minister Modi where we discussed bilateral issues including defence, trade and technology," he said.

"We also discussed the importance of critical minerals and the importance of that to both our nations," Gor added.

The discussion between the two sides on critical minerals assumes significance as it comes against the backdrop of China imposing export restrictions on them.

"The US values its relationship with India and under the strong leadership of President Donald J Trump and Prime Minister Modi, I am optimistic about the days ahead for both of our nations," Gor said.

"President Trump considers Modi a great and personal friend. In fact, just before I left for New Delhi, they had an incredible phone call. That is something that will continue over the weeks and months ahead," Gor said.

IMAGE: Dr Jaishankar in a meeting with US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor. Photograph: @DrSJaishankar X/ANI Photo

The US ambassador-designate said he was confident that the India-US relationship would continue to grow.

"It's an honour to serve as President Donald Trump's ambassador to India and I look forward to this very important relationship. And (it will) continue to grow and deepen," he said.

Gor, accompanied by Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Michael J Rigas, is visiting New Delhi days after his appointment as the US envoy to India was confirmed by the Senate.

Following his meeting with Gor, Jaishankar said the discussions focused on the India-US relationship and its global significance.

'Pleased to meet Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor of the US today in New Delhi. Discussed the India-US relationship and its global significance,' Jaishankar said on social media.

'Wish him the best for his new responsibility,' he said.

IMAGE: National Security Advisor Ajit K Doval with US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor. Photograph: Kind courtesy U.S. Ambassador to India/X

On Foreign Secretary Misri's meeting with Gor, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: "They had a productive exchange on the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and its shared priorities."

Gor also handed over to Modi a framed photo of the prime minister and Trump during Modi's visit to Washington, DC in February. The photo has a hand-written message by Trump.

'Mr Prime Minister, you are great,' read Trump's message followed by his signature.

IMAGE: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri meets US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor in New Delhi. Photograph: @MEAIndia/ANI Photo

Relations between New Delhi and Washington have been reeling under severe stress after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent, including a 25 per cent additional duty for India's purchase of Russian crude oil.

India described the US action as 'unfair, unjustified and unreasonable'.

India has also been upset over Trump's new policy on H1B visas.

However, the recent phone conversations between Modi and Trump have raised hopes for a positive outcome from the ongoing negotiations for the trade deal.

IMAGE: The US embassy in India tweeted this picture: 'Excited to welcome Ambassador Sergio Gor to India! He will meet with Indian government counterparts to discuss opportunities to further deepen our ambitious strategic partnership and promote a safer, stronger, and more prosperous relationship'. Photograph: Kind courtesy @USAndIndia/X

The two countries recently resumed negotiations for the trade deal after a brief hiatus of a few weeks.

Gor, the White House personnel director and a loyal member of Trump's inner circle, was nominated as the next American envoy to India in August.

In his reaction, Gor had said he was 'beyond grateful' to Trump for showing 'incredible trust and confidence' in nominating him to be his next US ambassador to India and the special envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs.

The US Senate this week confirmed the appointment.

American officials said Gor will not present his credentials as the US envoy during his stay in New Delhi this time.

Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
The United States 'values' its relationship with India, US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor said on Saturday after holding talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi that focused on cooperation in areas of defence, trade and critical minerals.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi being felicitated by the US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor, in New Delhi on Saturday. Photograph: Courtesy @narendramodi/X

Gor landed in New Delhi on Saturday morning on a six-day visit that came amid continuing strains in the bilateral relations over Washington's imposition of 50 per cent tariffs on Indian exports and a host of other measures taken by the Trump administration that hit Indian interests.

The Ambassador-designate held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri before meeting PM Modi.

In a post on X, Modi said he was 'glad' to receive Gor.

'I'm confident that his tenure will further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership,' the prime minister said.

Gor said his meeting with Modi focused on defence, trade, technology and critical minerals, adding President Donald Trump considers Modi as a great leader and personal friend.

"We had a great series of meetings including with Foreign Secretary Misri, with external affairs minister Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Doval," Got told PTI and two other media outlets.

"We just finished an incredible meeting with Prime Minister Modi where we discussed bilateral issues including defence, trade and technology," he said

"We also discussed the importance of critical minerals and the importance of that to both our nations," Gor added.

The discussion between the two sides on critical minerals assumes significance as it comes against the backdrop of China putting export restrictions on them.

"The US values its relationship with India and under the strong leadership of President Donald J Trump and Prime Minister Modi, I am optimistic about the days ahead for both of our nations," Gor said.

"President Trump considers Modi a great and personal friend. In fact, just before I left for New Delhi, they had an incredible phone call. That is something that will continue over the weeks and months ahead," Gor said.

The US ambassador-designate said he was confident that the India-US relationship would continue to grow.

"It's an honour to serve as President Donald Trump's ambassador to India and I look forward to this very important relationship. And (it will) continue to grow and deepen," he said.

Gor, accompanied by Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Michael J Rigas, is visiting New Delhi, days after his appointment as the US envoy to India was confirmed by the Senate.

Following his meeting with Gor, Jaishankar said the discussions focused on the India-US relationship and its global significance.

"Pleased to meet Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor of the US today in New Delhi. Discussed the India-US relationship and its global significance," Jaishankar said on social media.

"Wish him the best for his new responsibility," he said.

On Foreign Secretary Misri's meeting with Gor, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: "They had a productive exchange on the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and its shared priorities."

Gor also handed over to Modi a framed photo of the prime minister and US President Donald Trump during the former's visit to Washington DC in February.

The photo has a hand-written message by President Trump.

"Mr Prime Minister, you are great,

read Trump's message followed by his signature.

The relations between New Delhi and Washington have been reeling under severe stress after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent, including a 25 per cent additional duty for India's purchase of Russian crude oil.

India described the US action as "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable".

India has also been upset over Trump's new policy on H1B visas.

However, the recent phone conversations between Prime Modi and US President Trump have raised hopes for a positive outcome from the ongoing negotiations for the trade deal.

The two countries recently resumed negotiations for the trade deal after a brief hiatus of a few weeks.

Gor, the White House personnel director and a loyal member of President Donald Trump's inner circle, was nominated as the next American envoy to India in August.

In his reaction, Gor had said he was "beyond grateful" to Trump for showing "incredible trust and confidence" in nominating him to be his next US ambassador to India and the special envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs.

The US Senate this week confirmed the appointment.

American officials said Gor will not present his credentials as the US envoy during his stay in New Delhi this time.
'I dreaded meeting him these days because every time he'd say: We have to fight this government, even if it means going to jail.'

'He'd been in jails run by the British, he'd also been in jails in independent India, now he was ready to go to jail under this government.'

IMAGE: Dr G G Parikh, the Socialist and Gandhian, passed away on October 2, aged 101. Photograph: Kind courtesy Yusuf Meherally Centre

"For youngsters like us, GG was a living link to the freedom movement." -- Vinod Raut, Mumbai chief of bureau, Sakal newspaper.

A host of speakers from the Socialist movement paid tribute at the Mumbai University convocation hall to Dr G G Parikh, freedom fighter, Socialist and Gandhian who passed away on October 2, aged 101.

These included those who run the Yusuf Meherally Centre, set up in Panvel by Dr Parikh in 1962 as a Gandhian experiment in village self sufficiency as well as heads of institutions created by the Socialist movement in Maharashtra, a state that used to be a Socialist bastion. The cooperative chain of stores -- Apna Bazar, Apna Sahakari Bank -- were some of these institutions."

What set this memorial meet apart from those normally held for Gandhians were the tributes paid by young speakers who'd met GG as he was popularly known, and come away awed not just by his intellectual breadth but also by the easy rapport he established with them.

IMAGE: Tushar Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson speaks at the memorial. Photographs: Jyoti Punwani

"I went to meet him for 15 minutes," recalled Raut, "and ended up staying for two hours. He talked about everything: The political situation, global warming, the state of the media..." GG was very troubled by the turn the country had taken after 2014, but he was hopeful too, Raut added.

The actions of the youth who had managed to enter Parliament and shouted slogans there in 2023 had made him "feel positive that the youth would rebel."

Fahad Ahmed, NCP (SP) youth leader, remembered his surprise when he first saw GG. "I was at the anti-CAA NRC protest in Mumbai's August Kranti Maidan in December 2019. GG was among the first to be there, in a wheelchair. I was spellbound. For people of my age, to even see a freedom fighter was a big thing."

Fahad encountered GG many times after that in meetings, and never stopped marveling at the way he connected with young activists. "I'm 34, and I find it difficult to talk to 16 year olds. Here was a 95 year old asking us what we felt, discussing what role activists should play."

IMAGE: Guddi, GG's constant companion, conducted the meeting.

"When a youth aged 101 passes away, we're bound to feel sad," said Tushar Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson, adding that he wouldn't describe the evening as a memorial meeting but as one held to celebrate GG's life.

"I dreaded meeting him these days," he said further, "because every time he'd say: We have to fight this government, even if it means going to jail. He'd been in jails run by the British, he'd also been in jails under independent India (during the Emergency), now he was ready to go to jail under this government."

Recalling August 9, 2023, the day the Mumbai police stopped Tushar Gandhi at his home in Santacruz, northwest Mumbai, from proceeding to August Kranti Maidan where he and others were to commemorate the Quit India Movement under GG's leadership (this was an annual homage that GG used to pay), Gandhi said: "When I was told that GG's car had also been stopped by the police, I sent a message to those with him to make sure he didn't get out of the car. I was sure he'd step out and tell the police: 'Arrest me'."

IMAGE: Products of the Yusuf Meherally Centre set up by G G Parikh in 1962 were on display at the memorial.

This meeting should have been held inside jail, said Gandhi, for GG's spirit must today be with Sonam Wangchuk in Jodhpur jail.

Even a day before he passed away, said Gandhi, he was asking them about how much they had managed to walk during the 'Nafrat Chhodo Savidhan Bachao' Yatra that they had taken out, an idea that he had suggested. "The loss of such an inspiration will be difficult to fill," said Gandhi.

"GG was there with us in all the movements we launched, whether the Narmada Bachao Andolan or the Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan in Mumbai, guiding us all the time," recalled well known activist Medha Patkar.

IMAGE: Medha Patkar speaks at the memorial.

Describing him as a true "samajwadi (Socialist), not a sattawadi (one who runs after power) as many Socialists had become", Patkar said that GG had come to the conclusion that party politics was not going to bring about change; only working among the people would do so. The way to change lay in Jan Andolan or people's movements, he would say.

IMAGE: Congress leader Harshwardhan Sapkal.

More than one speaker recalled Einstein's words about Gandhi: 'Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth and said that for the post-Independence generation, these words applied to GG.

Among these was Harshwardhan Sakpal of the Congress. "Einstein said this about Gandhi; I saw this in the Gandhian GG. From GG we can learn how to live: do we see the glass half empty or half full; do we see the thorns in the way or the flowers that bloom."

IMAGE: Sonal, G G Parikh's daughter, pays fond tributes to her father.

Amid all these tributes was the personal tribute from GG's daughter Sonal. "To everyone here he was a lot of things, but to me he was my Papa, to whom I could go with my deepest fears. Of late though, he had started thinking that he'd become a burden on me, though I kept telling him that wasn't true," she said.

Sonal gave rare glimpses into GG as a father: "He taught me Maths and science; he inculcated in me a love of reading. Before school, we would read together literature from all languages."

Though both GG and his wife Mangala were active Socialists, said Sonal, "they were always there for me. They never failed to attend parent teacher meetings in my school."

"Ours was a simple Socialist Gandhian household," said Sonal. "only it was always full of all kinds of people. I'd come home from school not knowing whether there'd be 5 guests or 50, whether I'd get to sleep in my room or not."

IMAGE: The prominent personalaties that graced the occasion included Publisher Ramdas Bhatkal, Tushar Gandhi, Harshwardhan Sapkal, Feroze Mithiborewala, Vijaya Chauhan among others.

Raut summed up what everyone whose lives had been touched by GG felt: "Normally, when someone reaches the age of 90, we start thinking he has lived his life. But in GG's case, though he had completed 100 years, we felt he should not die."

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
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Fierce fighting broke out in at least five locations on the Afghan-Pakistani border overnight, killing multiple soldiers and prompting Islamabad to close two major border crossings, officials in the two countries said on October 12.
Fierce fighting broke out in several locations on the Afghan-Pakistani border overnight, killing and wounding a large number of soldiers from both sides and prompting Islamabad to close two major border crossings, officials in the two countries said on October 12.

The Pakistani military claimed that its forces killed more than 200 Afghan soldiers, adding that the number of wounded from the Afghan side was much higher.

The military said in a statement that 23 Pakistani soldiers were killed, and 29 others were wounded in the latest flare-up of violence between the two countries.

In Kabul, Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban-led government, claimed that at least 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed and about 30 others were wounded in the exchange of fire.

Mujahid said in a press conference that nine Afghan soldiers were also killed and about 18 others injured in the clashes that erupted late on October 11.

Both sides accused each other of stirring violence, while describing their own operations as retaliatory actions.

The Pakistani army statement said the Afghan Taliban launched an unprovoked attack on Pakistan, prompting Islamabad to repel the assault to defend itself.

The army claimed that groups sponsored by India, Pakistans regional rival, supported the Taliban forces in the clashes.

The military said Pakistan has noted with concern that the latest violence coincided with a trip to New Delhi by Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi starting on October 9. Muttaqi is expected to be in India for a week of talks.

Pakistani army said several Taliban border posts had been destroyed inside Afghanistan during its attacks. The Taliban said it captured more than 20 Pakistani military posts. The claims cannot be independently verified.

Some civilians on the Pakistani side of the border were leaving the region for safer locations, according to local security sources.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the violence, which they blamed on Afghanistan.

"There will be no compromise on Pakistan's defense, and every provocation will be met with a strong and effective response," Sharif said in a statement, accusing Taliban authorities in Afghanistan of allowing their land to be used by "terrorist elements.

Afghanistans Taliban rulers claimed that their forces carried out successful retaliatory operations along the Durand Line against the centers of Pakistani security forces, in response to repeated violations of Afghanistans airspace and territory. 

The 2,600-kilometer Afghan-Pakistani border is often referred to as the colonial-era Durand Line, which set the international border in 1893.

Zabihullah Mujahid told reporters the retaliatory operations were halted last night at the request of Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

But he added that fighting was still ongoing in several areas, including Bahramcha in Helmand Province, due to continued attacks from the Pakistani side.

Worsening Relations

Reports from the border region cannot immediately be verified.

Once allies, the sides have fallen out over the Afghan Taliban's alleged sheltering of the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an extremist group that has waged a deadly insurgency against Islamabad for years.

The Taliban, which returned to power in August 2021 as international troops left Afghanistan, denies it is protecting the TTP inside the country.

On October 9, two senior members of the extremist group were 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.

Following the reported strike, Pakistani media quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan as saying Islamabad respects Afghanistan's territorial integrity and sovereignty and is ready to discuss and cooperate on terrorism-related challenges.

But he added that Pakistan was committed to taking every step to ensure the safety and well-being of its citizens.

The spokesman did not directly confirm Pakistan's attack on Afghanistan but said the country was protecting its citizens through counterterrorism measures based on intelligence information.

Islamabad also called on Kabul "to stop harboring the Pakistani Taliban on its soil."

Officials from Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar issued calls for "restraint" following the latest outbreak of violence.

Pakistan, with a population of 247 million and a powerful military, also has a tense relationship with fellow nuclear power and neighboring India.

Pakistan forces were put on high alert near the Indian border, raising concerns of a wider conflict involving the two bitter rivals.

Ishaq Atmar, a German-based expert on Afghan affairs, told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi that the timing of the attack -- which occurred during the groundbreaking visit by the Taliban Foreign Minister to India -- could not be a coincidence."

"After Mr. Muttaqi was warmly welcomed by Indian officials, signed agreements, and upgraded diplomatic relations to the embassy level, Pakistan saw this as an opportune time to send a clear message to India, the Taliban government, and other countries" observing regional affairs, he said.

Poverty-stricken Afghanistan, with some 44 million people, has been isolated on the global stage, with only Russia officially recognizing the Taliban as the country's legitimate rulers. The government has been accused of multiple human rights violations, especially against women.

With reporting by AFP, Dawn, and dpa
Moldovan police video showed men in combat gear wielding automatic rifles at a complex in Serbia. When RFE/RLs Balkan Service visited this week, it found donkeys grazing next to rustic thatched huts -- and was refused access to the site.

The riverside holiday resort, which describes itself as a unique oasis for rest, relaxation, sports, and recreation, was used by Russia to train Moldovan citizens to incite unrest ahead of their countrys recent parliamentary elections, according to officials in Chisinau.

The Serbian authorities have said more than 150 Moldovan and Romanian citizens were trained between July 16 and September 12. Police in Moldova arrested some 70 people six days before voting on September 28, saying that most were schooled at the 8-hectare site.

Serbian prosecutors have said neither the resort nor its owner are under investigation. Staff at the site told RFE/RL that the owner was currently in Bosnia-Herzegovina for health reasons and would talk about the matter when he returned.

In the village of Gornija Konviljaca, where the resort is located, many locals said they had no idea anything was going on. But in a village grocery store, two assistants spoke of Russian-speaking customers during the time period cited by the authorities.

They were in front of the store, had a drink, we communicated a bit --not much, said one of the assistants, who gave her name as Biljana. She said they spoke mostly Russian. They hardly knew English.

A Riverside Run

But while physical traces of the alleged Russian activity were thin on the ground, RFE/RL has discovered an online trail.

A fitness app registered to a certain Sergei Andreyenkov shows him taking his morning run along the banks of the river Drina on September 8, 9, and 12. Each time, his route started near a restaurant located within the resort complex.

Andreyenkov is an activist for Russian President Vladimir Putins United Russia party who was decorated with a Russian Defense Ministry award in May for strengthening the defense of the Russian Federation."

Photos posted online show him delivering military supplies to Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine in 2023 and 2024.

Montenegrin news website Vijesti cited a source in the countrys security service as saying that Andreyenkov was an instructor at the alleged training.

Andreyenkov did not respond to messages from RFE/RL requesting comment. Likewise, Serbian and Montenegrin authorities did not respond to questions about Andreyenkov.

Serbian authorities have made two arrests, naming the suspects only as L.P. and S.S. Local media have named them as two Serbian citizens, Lazar Popovic from Belgrade and Savo Stevanovic from Loznica, a town close to the resort.

These men are former advisers to Nenad Popovic, who is minister without portfolio and has been sanctioned by the United States for his ties to Russia. Popovic did not respond to RFE/RL questions about the arrests.

Between East And West

Belgrade has sought to balance traditionally close ties to Moscow with efforts to build partnerships with the West, making this case potentially embarrassing.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has said the information about the training came from private sources, not the Serbian security services -- hinting at a cover-up.

If there's one thing we do well, it's processing of foreign citizens. It was impossible for us not to notice. We did not notice because someone wanted us not to notice, he said in an interview with private Serbian broadcaster Pink TV on October 5.

More light will perhaps be shed on the case if and when it reaches court in either Moldova or Serbia.

Moldovan police also released video of a suspect saying he had gone to Serbia. They taught us to use walkie-talkies, showed us recordings of some Russian rallies, and told us what we should and should not do, he added.

Moscow has denied any involvement in the alleged camp, and also in similar allegations that Moldova made in 2024 regarding presidential elections that year.

In that case, Moldova said camps were held in Serbia and Bosnia. Belgrade denied the allegations -- while authorities in Sarajevo confirmed them. But again, there is no clear evidence in the public domain.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed calls on the international community to put more pressure on Moscow, as Russia carried out a new wave of attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure, cutting power to hundreds of thousands of households.

Zelenskyy said on October 12 that Russia had intensified its "aerial terror against our cities and communities, intensifying strikes on our energy infrastructure."

In the past week alone, Moscow had used more than 3,100 drones, 92 missiles, and about 1,360 glide bombs to attack Ukraine, Zelenskyy wrote on the social media platform X.

Zelenskyy accused Moscow of escalating its strikes on Ukraine, openly exploiting the fact that the world is focused on ensuring peace in the Middle East, a reference to US efforts to broker a cease-fire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, a group designated terrorist by Washington and the EU.

"That is precisely why no weakening of pressure can be allowed. Sanctions, tariffs, and joint actions against the buyers of Russian oil -- those who finance this war -- must all remain on the table," Zelenskyy wrote.

Zelenskyy also said that he spoke with his US counterpart Donald Trump for the second time in two days, describing their conversation as "very productive.

"We covered all the aspects of the situation: defense of life in our country, strengthening our capabilities -- in air defense, resilience, and long-range capabilities," Zelenskyy said in a post on X.

The latest phone call between the two leaders came amid Western media reports of possible US supplies of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.

The Kremlin said the topic of potential deliveries was "of extreme concern," warning that the war has reached a dramatic moment, with escalation from all sides.

Revealing details of his call with Trump, Zelenskyy later said such "signals" from Russia indicated fear, adding that Tomahawk missiles could strengthen Ukraine's position amid US-brokered peace efforts.

On October 6, Trump said he wanted to know what Ukraine planned to do with such missiles, as he aimed to avoid further escalation.

In comments to Fox News broadcast on October 12, Zelenskyy said Ukraine would only use the missiles against military assets and would not attack civilians inside Russia.

Photo Gallery: Here Is What Tomahawk Missiles Could Do For Ukraine US President Donald Trump told reporters on October 6 that he had "sort of made a decision" about allowing Ukraine access to Tomahawk cruise missiles. If Washington does supply the advanced weapon, here is how it could change the battlefield dynamic between Moscow and Kyiv.









Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities said on October 12 that Russian forces targeted Ukraines electricity and gas transportation networks overnight in the latest strike on the countrys energy system ahead of winter.

Energy workers and rescuers scrambled to restore stable power supplies despite the risks to their own lives, Ukraines Energy Ministry said on social media.

The latest Russian attacks targeted the Chernihiv region in Ukraines north, Donetsk in its east, and the southwestern Odesa region, the ministry said.

Ukrainian authorities did not say how many people were affected by energy outages. Similar attacks the previous day had temporarily cut off electricity to over 1 million households across Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian energy firm DTEK.

Russia has targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure each winter since it invaded the country in 2022, leaving millions of people without electricity, heating, and water supplies.

Moscow denies targeting civilians and claims that Ukraine uses the energy sites to supply power to its military sector. Russias Defense Ministry said on October 12 that its forces carried out strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure facilities that it said are part of Kyivs military-industrial complex.

The ministry said in a statement that the attacks inflicted damage on fuel and energy infrastructure facilitating the operations of Ukraine's military and defense industry.

Kyiv insists Russian strikes are primarily aimed against Ukrainian civilians and accuses Moscow of committing brazen war crimes.

In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy on October 12 said that Ukrainian forces had made gains in the Zaporizhzhya and Donetsk regions.

"Ukrainian units are continuing our counteroffensive operations in the Dobropillya area and elsewhere -- notably in the Zaporizhzhya sector, near Orikhiv, where our troops have advanced more than 3 kilometers to date," he said.

Orikhiv, with a prewar population of 14,000 but with only a few hundred people left, has been a frontline city since the start of Russias February 2022 full-scale invasion.

The office of the regional prosecutor in the northeastern province of Kharkiv on October 12 posted images of what it described as Ukrainian prosecutors and police investigators gathering evidence of a war crime committed by the Russian military at the site of a latest strike by Moscows forces in the city of Chuhuiv.

The authorities said the Russian drone attack on Chuhuiv damaged an educational facility and a vehicle, and shuttered windows in residential buildings.

Kyiv renewed its own air strikes on Russia overnight, with Russias Defense Ministry saying on October 12 that its air defenses had shot down 72 Ukrainian drones over the past 24 hours.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and dpa
A planned 40 bed inpatient acute psychiatric unit, which is due to replace the existing facility at Roscommon University Hospital would be more suitably located at Ballinasloe, a councillor suggested at the recent HSE West Regional Health Forum.

In a written question, Tuam based Galway County Councillor Donagh Killilea asked the HSE to explain the decision to build the unit on the Roscommon campus, when there is only a minor injury unit that operates from 8-8 on site. He said this contradicts HSE policy especially when there is a fully functioning 24 hour A&E department attached to Portiuncula University Hospital. He said there are continuous staff retention issues with Roscommon services and they cannot recruit or retain staff of all disciplines. Ballinasloe, he added, is off the M6 and seems to be a more suitable location for shared services.

In response the HSE said the unit is a replacement for the long-standing Department of Psychiatry Acute Inpatient Service.

There are currently no medical vacancies in the psychiatry service in Roscommon. Roscommon has continued to offer 24 hour, seven day a week, acute mental health assessments on site, and is co-located with an excellent working relationship with our general hospital colleagues, to the benefit of our patients and staff. Speaking at the forum, Cllr Killilea said he felt it was important the matter was raised.

I feel it is important that we invest in Roscommon and other hospitals, he said. There is no A&E and acute care unit based in County Roscommon. I am not saying there shouldnt be, there should be, he continued.

He said in cases where patients needed acute mental health intervention, if the unit is not beside a fully functioning A&E that is of concern.

If someone presented at Portiuncula, they would have to get to the unit at Roscommon by taxi or ambulance, or by whatever means necessary, he said.

He added that an emergency department assessment of someone presenting with a psychiatric illness cannot be done in RUH.

Integrated health area manager, Galway and Roscommon, Ann Cosgrove said acute mental health assessments are carried out at the Roscommon unit, and are available 24/7.
Roscommons LGBTQ+ Pride Festival won Event of the Year at the GALAS Awards, a national ceremony that celebrates and champions the LGBTQ+ community in Ireland.

Roscommon Pride was presented with the award at a ceremony in Dublins Royal National Convention Centre for its first ever Pride Festival, which took place in August 2024.

Local volunteers from Roscommon Pride accepted the award at the ceremony, which saw LGBTQ+ activists, communities and allies come together from across the country.

Will Keane, a local LGBTQ+ activist and a member of Roscommon Pride, delivered a speech at the ceremony where he focused on the importance of rural and community-led Pride marches.

Will said: We are so proud to have won this award. Its a huge honour and a recognition of all the hard work that goes into Roscommon Pride, which recently celebrated its second year.

Rural Pride festivals like this one are vital  theyre a lifeline for LGBTQ+ people and their allies in places like Roscommon. Were delighted with what weve achieved with Roscommon Pride to date. Its helped build community, foster connections and understanding, and its championed our amazing local LGBTQ+ community.

Well be back again next year for our third Pride Festival, and were so excited to keep delivering a powerful, meaningful event for LGBTQ+ people and allies across the county and from all across Ireland.

Karina Murray, event manager at Roscommon Pride, said: Its a huge achievement for Roscommon Pride to receive this award for its first ever event  it shows just how impactful our festival is, and how much it means to the local community and to those who visit Roscommon to join in our festivities.

We would like to thank the National LGBTQ+ Federation (NXF) and Gay Community News (GCN) for this award. Its a huge honour.

Roscommon Pride will return for its third outing from Friday 21st to Sunday, August 23rd, 2026.
Facts Verification Vital Before Arresting DGP IPS Officer Y. Puran Kumar's Case : Punjab Governor

The Governor further stated that before arresting a person of the DGP's level, it is essential to verify all the facts.

Facts Verification Vital Before Arresting DGP IPS Officer Y. Puran Kumar's Case: Punjab Governor: Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Sunday morning stated that it is necessary to verify all the facts before arresting the DGP in connection with the suicide case of senior Haryana IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar.

Governor Kataria told ANI, the news agency, Certainly, the suicide of an IPS officer is a serious matter, and considering its gravity, an FIR has been registered.

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He added that allegations have been made against 1415 officers. The SP has been transferred by the Haryana government, and there is a demand for the arrest of the DGP.

The Governor further stated that before arresting a person of the DGPs level, it is essential to verify all the facts.

IPS Officer Y. Puran Kumar allegedly committed suicide after facing caste discrimination for decades in the police department. An eight-page-long suicide note has been recovered.

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Investigation is currently underway.

(For more news apart from Facts Verification Vital Before Arresting DGP IPS Officer Y. Puran Kumar's Case: Punjab Governor, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Senior Akali Leader And Shiromani Committee Member Bhai Ram Singh Passes Away

According to his family, his last rites will be performed in Amritsar on Wednesday after the arrival of his children from abroad.

Senior Akali Leader And Shiromani Committee Member Bhai Ram Singh Passes Away Latest News: Senior Akali leader and Shiromani Committee member Bhai Ram Singh, who was associated with the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), has passed away, according to reports.

The 74-year-old Bhai Ram Singh had been undergoing treatment for cancer for several months. He breathed his last late last night.

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Bhai Ram Singh was a close associate of Sant Kartar Singh Khalsa Bhindranwale, the then head of Damdami Taksal, and before entering politics, he had also rendered service in the form of kirtan (devotional singing) at the Damdami Taksal.

According to his family, his last rites will be performed in Amritsar on Wednesday after the arrival of his children from abroad.

Meanwhile, Shiromani Committee President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami expressed deep grief over the demise of Bhai Ram Singh, saying that his passing away is a great loss to the Sikh Panth.

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(For more news apart from Ensure Every Child Aged 0 To 5 Years Receives Polio Drops: Punjab Minister Dr. Balbir Singh, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Most Pakistanis Are Peace-Loving, Certain Elements Create Tensions: Afghanistan Foreign Minister

Why is Pakistan not taking its people into confidence?

Most Pakistanis Are Peace-Loving, Certain Elements Create Tensions: Afghanistan Foreign Minister: Afghanistans Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, stated that most Pakistanis are peace-loving and that Afghanistan only has issues with certain elements creating tensions.

The Minister made these comments while speaking about tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan at a press conference in New Delhi.

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Afghanistans Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, said, The people of Pakistan, for the most part, are peace-loving and want good relations with Afghanistan. We have no issues with Pakistani civilians. There are only a few elements in Pakistan that are creating tensions.

Muttaqi stated that regarding the ongoing tensions, Afghanistan has achieved its military objectives and has paused the conflict from its side for the time being, following the advice of its allies.

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#WATCH | Delhi | Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi says, "There is no presence of TTP in Afghanistan now. Even prior to our return to Kabul, the Pakistan military carried out operations in tribal areas that led to the displacement of a large number of people. The US pic.twitter.com/BNwetAC9Bl  ANI (@ANI) October 12, 2025

Afghanistan will safeguard its borders and its national interests, and that is why it immediately retaliated to the escalation from Pakistan. We achieved our military objectives last night, and our friends, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, have expressed that this conflict should come to an end. Therefore, we have paused it from our side for the time being.

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The situation is now under control. We only want good relations and peace. When someone tries to interfere in our internal matters, all civilians, government heads, ulema, and religious leaders unite to defend the countrys interests, the minister added.

Afghanistan has been in conflict for 40 years. Afghanistan is finally free and working for peace. If Pakistan does not want good relations and peace, then Afghanistan has other options as well, the Foreign Minister further stated.

It is noteworthy that in todays press conference, Afghanistans visiting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, included female journalists, unlike the earlier press conference on Friday, where only male journalists were allowed in the room. The move comes after massive outrage over gender discrimination.

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On the absence of women journalists from the first press conference, Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi stated, Regarding the press conference, it was due to the short notice. The participation list was prepared with specific journalists, and it was more of a technical issue than any deliberate exclusion. It was not intended."

Why is Pakistan not taking its people into confidence?: Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi

Speaking further at the presser, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said, "There is no presence of TTP in Afghanistan now. Even prior to our return to Kabul, the Pakistan military carried out operations in tribal areas that led to the displacement of a large number of people. The US military and the US-supported former government gave refuge to them on Afghan soil. They are Pakistani people from displaced areas and are allowed to live in the country as refugees...

The Afghanistan-Pakistan border, the Durand Line, is more than 2,400 km long, the minister said, adding, It could neither be controlled by 'Changez' nor 'Angrez'... Strength alone cannot control it. If Pakistan wants peace, they have a bigger army and better intelligence - why are they not controlling it? This fight is inside Pakistan. Instead of blaming us, they should control the issues in their territory.

Why is Pakistan not taking its people into confidence? he questioned, adding, Many people in Pakistan, and certainly we, do not want the fight to continue. But Pakistan should take control of these groups. Why endanger its own people to please a few?..."

(For more news apart from Most Pakistanis Are Peace-Loving, Certain Elements Create Tensions: Afghanistan Foreign Minister, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
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More information about the election, and how to register to vote, is available at the Santa Fe County Clerks Office website at santafecountynm.gov/clerk/elections/rle2025 .

Candidate perspectives

The New Mexican asked candidates currently running for mayor and City Council to share what they want to see happen to the Soldiers Monument.

Mayoral candidates

Michael Garcia: Its the citys lawful responsibility to comply with Judge [Matthew] Wilsons order on this matter. Additionally, the city has to determine ownership of the monument. As mayor, I will engage our community in a reconciliation process to address the historical trauma and work to begin the healing process.

Justin Greene: The court has directed that the Soldiers Monument be rebuilt. As we do so, we must honor all histories with care, creating a space that offers healing, understanding and thoughtful context. Santa Fes rich and complex history lives in this monument and deserves honest reflection, not neglect.

Letitia Montoya: As a daughter of Santa Fe, I believe the Soldiers Monument must be rebuilt and preserved for generations to come. It honors those who fought for freedom and against slavery. We cant heal by erasing history  we heal by remembering, rebuilding and teaching our children where freedom truly came from.

Tarin Nix: When I started FixOurCityDifferent.org, I covered this topic first because its a perfect example of what happens when good government rules are not followed. As mayor, I want to lean in and tell the whole truth/history publicly and will follow the judges order and law and to rebuild.

Jeanne ODean: The obelisk should be restored and relocated to the historical hill overlooking the Santa Fe Plaza related to the Pueblo Revolt and the Cross of the Martyrs. An artistic monument that celebrates a mosaic of the Indigenous, Hispanic and Anglo Cultures should be erected on the Plaza. Also, an FBI dragnet of the Foreign Cartel corruption on the Plaza must be activated to restore the three cultures of Santa Fe.

Oscar Rodriguez: Santa Fe is divided over the obelisk, but the real issue is displacement. Many in the Hispano community feel pushed out as housing becomes unaffordable. Solving the housing crisis  not debating a symbol  will keep our heritage alive and ensure future generations can stay in the city their ancestors built.

Ron Trujillo: The Soldiers Monument will be rebuilt to honor all people of New Mexico and Santa Fes heritage. It will still honor those soldiers who fought in the Civil War while recognizing Native, Hispanic, Anglo and all cultures who call Santa Fe home. The monument will stand for unity, healing and shared history.

JoAnne Vigil Coppler: Recognizing veteran service to our country was my mission when I spearheaded the ordinance change allowing the veterans banners to grace our city. Respecting veterans honored by the Soldiers Monument is also important. I stand for rebuilding the Soldiers Monument on the Plaza and rewording offensive language on the plaque.

City Council District 1

Pat Feghali: The Soldiers Monument is still a very divisive topic in our community. We should start with putting up educational material on the Plaza with the history of the monument, including recent history. If we rebuild, we need to include the people who are opposed to the monument in the process.

David Montoya: Its a wound that has festered for five years and infected by indecision. The city needs to decide to repair or replace the monument and restore the original meaning, honoring New Mexican veterans who gave their lives to end slavery and preserve the Union. Any other noise that offends our indigenous brothers and sisters should be removed.

Katherine Rivera: As an advocate for an authentic Santa Fe, I would like to see the Soldiers Monument rebuilt at its original location with expanded historical narrative. Santa Fe should comply with the court order to rebuild the monument. Santa Fe should defend history, promote its education and strengthen preservation laws.

City Council District 2

Liz Barrett: Its gone on too long. The Plaza should be a place of community and belonging for everyone. We cant erase history, but we can tell it truthfully  through art and collaboration with local artists and residents  creating something new that welcomes all and reflects the full story of Santa Fe.

Paul Bustamante: As a veteran, I believe we should have a monument honoring the soldiers of our past. With a new mayor and two new city councilors, my hope is we can come up with a plan on how to proceed. If not, I stand by my previous responses: Let the voters decide.

Aurora Martinez: The Soldiers Monument honors Union soldiers from New Mexico Hispano, Indigenous, Anglo, Buffalo Soldiers and others who served in this region. The court has ordered it rebuilt. We dont destroy, relocate or debate. We restore it revise the wording, reflect the complexity, and respect our Indigenous neighbors and living history.

District 2 candidate Leroy Trujillo, District 3 incumbent Lee Garcia and District 4 incumbent Amanda Chavez did not respond.
For many nature enthusiasts, few scenes are as distressing as finding a stranded whale or dolphin lying helpless on the beach. When these animals are still alive, marine biologists and volunteers rush to assist, shielding them from the sun and preventing their skin from drying out by pouring seawater over them or draping them with wet towels. Others work tirelessly to guide the animal back to deeper waters once the tide returns.

Tragically, not every rescue attempt comes in time. Some dolphins and whales are discovered already dead, leaving behind a haunting mystery that has puzzled scientists for decades: what drives these intelligent creatures to beach themselves in the first place?

A team of researchers from Florida to Wyoming believes they may have uncovered a surprising explanation. They suggest that, much like humans with dementia who sometimes wander away from familiar places, dolphins might also become disoriented due to a form of Alzheimer's-like disease. Their findings point to a connection between this disorientation and long-term exposure to harmful compounds produced by cyanobacteria -- microscopic organisms that thrive in warm, nutrient-rich waters.

Research involving residents of Guam has shown that people who regularly consume foods containing cyanobacterial toxins are more likely to develop the same brain abnormalities seen in Alzheimer's disease, including misfolded tau proteins and amyloid plaques. One of the most concerning of these toxins is -N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), along with its chemical relatives 2,4-Diaminobutyric acid (2,4-DAB) and N-2-aminoethylglycine (AEG). These compounds are known to be highly toxic to nerve cells. Experiments in animals demonstrate that BMAA exposure can lead to Alzheimer's-like brain damage and cognitive decline. Once released into marine ecosystems, these toxins can build up in the food chain, eventually reaching top predators such as dolphins.

When researchers examined the brains of twenty bottlenose dolphins that had stranded along Florida's Indian River Lagoon, they found significant levels of BMAA and its related toxins, especially 2,4-DAB. Dolphins that washed ashore during peak cyanobacterial bloom periods contained up to 2,900 times more 2,4-DAB than those stranded at other times of the year. Their brains showed many of the same pathological features seen in humans with Alzheimer's disease, including -amyloid plaques and hyperphosphorylated tau proteins. The scientists also identified TDP-43 protein inclusions, a marker associated with more aggressive forms of Alzheimer's, along with 536 genes expressed in patterns consistent with the disease.

The duration of cyanobacterial blooms is increasing with climate warming and nutrient inputs associated with agricultural runoff and sewage discharges. Cyanobacterial-laden waters have often been released down the St. Lucie River from Lake Okeechobee into the Indian River Lagoon. "Since dolphins are considered environmental sentinels for toxic exposures in marine environments," Dr. David Davis at the Miller School of Medicine explains, "there are concerns about human health issues associated with cyanobacterial blooms."

In 2024, Miami Dade County had the highest prevalence of Alzheimer's disease in the United States. "Although there are likely many paths to Alzheimer's disease, cyanobacterial exposures increasingly appear to be a risk factor," adds Dr. Davis.

"Among Guam villagers, exposure to cyanobacterial toxins appeared to trigger neurological disease," said Dr. Paul Alan Cox of the Brain Chemistry Labs in Jackson Hole.

This research was published in the current Nature journal Communication Biology by researchers at Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute in Melbourne Beach, Florida, The Blue World Research Institute in Cocoa, Florida, The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, Brain Chemistry Labs, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida.
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Rachel Reeves has signalled the better off will be forced to contribute more as she prepares to raise taxes at the Budget. Treasury sources have said that the Chancellor will not cut spending on public services or significantly increase borrowing, as she looks to plug a 20-30bn black hole in the public finances. It will leave her with no option but to increase taxes substantially. Ms Reeves will argue that growth boosting reforms, such as a further loosening of planning rules, can avoid the need for tax rises on working families. She will instead target those with higher incomes or more wealth, The Telegraph understands. Sources close to the Chancellor said: She will be fair when asking those to contribute more to rebuild our public services. - Telegraph

Jonathan Powell did advise on matters surrounding the collapsed China spying case, a Cabinet minister has admitted. Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, said in interviews on Sunday morning that the national security adviser will be advising Downing Street as part of his role in Government. While she insisted Mr Powell was not involved in discussions about the substance or the evidence of the spying case before its collapse, her comments mark the first time Labour has admitted that he advised ministers on the issue. Christopher Cash, who worked for Tory MPs, and Christopher Berry, a teacher, were charged with passing intelligence to Beijing after being arrested in March 2023. The case was dropped last month amid claims from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that the Government failed to hand over enough evidence that China was a threat to national security for the case to continue to trial. Last week, Sir Keir Starmer insisted that none of his ministers were involved in the decision to drop the Chinese spying case. But Mr Powell, as an adviser rather than a minister, continues to face scrutiny over his own involvement. - Telegraph

China has hit out at Donald Trumps threat to hit the country with sweeping new tariffs and promised retaliation in another escalation of the trade tensions between the worlds two largest economies. Beijings commerce ministry said on Sunday: Chinas position on tariff wars has been consistent: we do not want to fight, but we are not afraid to fight. This was after Trump said on Friday that he was ready to hit China with a 100 per cent tariff on all goods and export controls from November 1. The Chinese Communist Party hit back at the weekend, claiming that the US had continuously introduced a series of new restrictions against China after the two sides have been engaged in talks over raw materials export licences and broader goods levies since the summer. - Times

Executives at BMW are seeking to hold talks with the chancellor about the car loans scandal amid a mounting industry backlash against the City regulators plan to force motor finance providers into an 11 billion consumer compensation scheme. It is understood that the carmaker, which faces a potential hit of more than 200 million from the mis-selling controversy, has requested a meeting with Rachel Reeves to discuss the implications of an industrywide redress programme proposed by the Financial Conduct Authority last week. Millions of motorists are set to receive payouts under the regulators scheme, with compensation expected to total about 8.2 billion. The programme will cost lenders a further 2.8 billion to run, according to estimates by the authority, which is now consulting on its proposals. The City regulator believes 44 per cent of all motor finance agreements between April 2007 and the start of last November, or some 14.2 million deals, will be deemed unfair by its scheme criteria. Yet it faces growing criticism of its proposals from the industry, with the Finance & Leasing Association, which represents car loan providers, arguing on Friday that 44 per cent was implausibly high. - Times

Ministers have stripped the governments road-building agency of responsibility for a 10bn tunnel under the River Thames amid a drive by Keir Starmers cabinet to take tight control over important infrastructure projects for fear of cost overruns and delays. Oversight of the Lower Thames Crossing  the UKs largest planned infrastructure project  has been taken away from National Highways and handed to the Department for Transport (DfT). Internal consultation documents, seen by the Guardian, said the costs of the Lower Thames Crossing would be overseen by the DfT, leaving National Highways to focus on managing, maintaining and renewing the network. However, campaigners warned that the move could in fact lead to HS2-levels of overspending and ministers approving developments behind closed doors that would harm the environment. Treasury officials are thought to be behind the shift to centralise the management of large infrastructure projects after the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, made clear her frustration at bats and newts delaying major schemes and adding to the final costs. The consultation documents showed that the Tier 1 project  which is considered by the DfT to be one of the largest, highest risk, novel and/or contentious schemes now being undertaken  would be overseen by the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander. - Guardian

Authorities in Israel and Gaza are preparing for the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners ahead of a Monday deadline for the swap stipulated in the ceasefire deal that could end the two-year war in Gaza. Hamas is meant to release all living hostages from Gaza within 72 hours of the signing of the deal  a deadline that ends at noon local time (10am UK time). The militant group holds 48 hostages, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. A spokesperson for the Israeli prime ministers office said they expected all of the living hostages to be released at the same time early on Monday morning. An unnamed Hamas official told Al Jazeera that living hostages had been gathered in Gaza and that the militant group would meet on Sunday night to agree on the logistics of their release. An international taskforce will work on finding the remains of hostages not released on Monday, with many believed to be buried under the rubble somewhere in the devastated Gaza Strip. Israel will also release nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees, the vast majority of whom will be sent to Gaza or exiled to neighbouring countries, once Israeli hostages are back on Israeli soil. - Guardian
On Thursday, October 9, Staten Island native Matt Berman took center stage at MetLife Stadium to perform the national anthem ahead of the New York Giants primetime matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, broadcast live on FOX 5. (Courtesy Ron Berman) Advance/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos

STATEN ISLAND  On Thursday, Oct. 9, at approximately 8:05 p.m., Staten Island native Matt Berman took the field at MetLife Stadium to perform the national anthem ahead of the New York Giants primetime matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Giants Stadium was high energy and very supportive when Matt stood on the podiumthere was a lot of cheering, said Ron Berman, Matts father, who watched his son perform The Star-Spangled Banner on his saxophone on the field. Matts mom, Margaret, and his sister, Courtney, were also in attendance.

The adrenaline was running high for both father and son, who nailed the national anthem, said Ron. The crowds response (which is audible in the video below) oozes approval.

It was truly an honor to be chosen to perform the national anthem for the Giantsespecially during such a high-profile, primetime matchup against the Eagles, said Matt Berman. As a lifelong Giants fan, it was incredibly gratifying to play in front of the team and such an amazing crowd.

The Giants organization was so welcoming and accommodating. Im truly grateful to have been a part of that unforgettable night.

The Giants then beat the Eagles, the defending Super Bowl champions, 34-17.

For those unfamiliar, Matt Berman, who hails from Bulls Head, became the lead saxophonist in Bobby Sanabrias Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra in 2012 and Charli Persips Supersound Big Band.

In 2013, he started his own group, Monroe. While writing and releasing original music under Monroe, Berman was featured as a guest artist on Grammy Award winner Al Walsers album Al Walser Comes 2 Life.

He also performed as a featured saxophonist at Walsers pre-Grammy Awards events in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

On Thursday, October 9, Staten Island native Matt Berman took center stage at MetLife Stadium to perform the national anthem ahead of the New York Giants primetime matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, broadcast live on FOX 5. (Courtesy Ron Berman) Advance/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos

More About Matt Berman

Matt Bermans professional career began while he was attending Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for Music & Art, where he became the youngest member of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz High School program.

At age 15, he went on his first tour playing alto saxophone alongside saxophonist Bobby Watson, vibraphonist Stefon Harris, and Thelonious Monk Jr.

He continued studying saxophone at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City, where he learned from notable musicians including Reggie Workman, Gerald Clayton, Roy Hargrove, Michael Wolff, Bobby Sanabria, Bernard Purdie, Ben Wendel, Vincent Herring and more.

In 2015, Berman joined Brandon Flowers (The Killers) as tenor saxophonist and keyboard player on the Desired Effect world tour.

He toured with Flowers through 2017, performing at venues including the Royal Albert Hall, Austin City Limits Music Festival, Life Is Beautiful Music Festival, Terminal 5 in New York City, The O2 Arena and more.

In 2017, Berman was featured twice in Billboard magazine for his work with Snoop Doggs Doggystyle Records, and appeared with CyHi the Prynce on the track and music video for Long Damn Time.

He was also featured with Techrow Records, contributing alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, vocals and production on their remixes of Tupacs Hit Em Up and 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted.

On Thursday, October 9, Staten Island native Matt Berman took center stage at MetLife Stadium to perform the national anthem ahead of the New York Giants primetime matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, broadcast live on FOX 5. (Courtesy Ron Berman) Advance/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos

That same year, his group Monroe played its first major show, opening for Ingrid Michaelson and Steve Augeri (Journey) in New York.

In 2019, Berman opened for Justin Timberlake on the Man of the Woods tour and Aaron Carter on his Love tour.

For more on Matt Berman, visit mattbermanmusic.com. Follow him on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
A Central New York brewery that opened in 2019 has closed. Emil Lippe | MLive.com Emil Lippe | MLive.com

Locke, N.Y.  A small craft brewery known for its beer selection, frequent live music sessions and camping spaces closed suddenly this week.

Summerhill Brewing, in rural southern Cayuga County, announced the closing Wednesday on social media. The brewery opened in 2019 at 14408 State Route 90, about halfway between the Cayuga County village of Locke and the Cortland County village of Homer.

Every season has a beginning and an end, the brewerys Facebook post said. Due to very unexpected circumstances beyond our control, we have closed. We are so thankful to each and everyone who has supported us on our journey! Be kind to yourself and others. Peace, Love and Music!

The owners could not be reached for further information.

The brewery was started by Jeff and Sally Ten Eyck, who began as homebrewers. They sold it to their manager Jennifer Giroux and brewer Greg Warren in 2024, according to a report by the Auburn Citizen.

Summerhill Brewing on Route 90 in southern Cayuga County has announced it is closing. (Street view from Google) Google street view

The brewerys kitchen served pizzas and other bar food, like nachos and quesadillas. Its drinks list included local wines and ciders, and some beer-based cocktails.

Summerhill had its own beers on tap, ranging from a brown porter to a hazy IPA and a chili pepper ale.

Some of its beer names made reference to local history and culture. One was Millards American Ale, name for Millard Fillmore, the 13th U.S. president, who was born nearby. Another was Naked Neighbor Amber, a nod to a nearby nudist colony.

One of its most popular offerings was Farmers Tan, a combination of the Millards American Ale and the Iron Plow Porter.

Summerhill was open Thursday to Sunday, and was still hosting live music through September, according to its Facebook page.

New York state has about 500 breweries, according to the most recent report from the New York State Brewers Association.

While several craft breweries have closed across the state in recent years, there are still some new openings. And in some cases, existing breweries have opened satellite tasting rooms in the closed brewery locations.
(STATEN ISLAND STORM COVERAGE: Slow-moving noreaster threatens Staten Island with dangerous flooding, meteorologist says)

Some Jersey Shore towns are starting to see flooding thanks to the noreaster that began lashing the state Sunday morning.

Streets in Avalon and Brigantine began flooding on Sunday, according to social media posts, as the Jersey Shore experienced a high tide.

Video and photos shared with NJ Advance Media by Andrew DeMalo showed water surging over docks at 23rd Street in Avalon on Sunday afternoon as kayakers paddled through flooded roads.

Moderate to major coastal flood impacts remain likely, the National Weather Service said in a storm update Sunday morning. Widespread roadway flooding and impassable roads, significant inundation of structures, and evacuations are possible.

All 21 New Jersey counties remain under a state of emergency that took effect at 10 p.m. Saturday.

The National Weather Service has issued high wind warnings and coastal flood warnings for multiple New Jersey counties, with wind gusts potentially reaching up to 60 mph and storm surge threatening coastal communities.

The storm will bring intense northeast winds Sunday, with the strongest impacts expected Sunday evening through early Monday morning.

Counties along the Jersey Shore are now likely to get 1 to 3 inches of rain.

Coastal areas could see a compounded impact with heavy rain on top of moderate to major tidal flooding, especially during the high tide cycle, the weather service said.
Project Hospitality President and CEO Rev. Terry Troia received city wide recognition from Carestar, a citywide coalition of health care organizations that provide case management services to impoverished and housing unstable or homeless people.

The organization awarded Rev. Troia the Carestar Citywide Housing Advocacy Award at its annual gala last week at Pier 59 in Manhattan.

The event also feted seven other organizations that did an array of services for impoverished hospital patients.

Project Hospitality was the only Staten Island organization to be honored at the event and the only agency to receive the Housing Achievement award. The award noted the work of Rev. Troia in creating and funding different models of sustainable supportive housing over the last 40 years on Staten Island.

Rev. Troia acknowledged the efforts of her staff who tackled sustained community opposition over many years to make supportive housing for formerly homeless a reality in Staten Island.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Starting in January, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will no longer sell MetroCards.

While MetroCards will still be accepted after this, the transportation agency will phase them out over the course of next year.

With the transition, the MTA said it expects to save at least $20 million annually in costs related to MetroCard production and distribution, vending machine repairs, cash collection and handling.

As this iconic chapter of New York Citys transportation history comes to a close, heres a look back on the history of those little yellow cards.

In this photo from 1997, commuters use the MetroCard to zip through the turnstiles at the South Ferry Subway Station. Advance/SILive.com

First introduced in 1994, the MetroCards magnetic stripe ultimately replaced the transit token from everyday use and transformed the way commuters access the citys expansive MTA system.

After the MetroCard debuted, it had transit tokens take their place next to the buggy whip and trolley car, as the Advance wrote in 1995. The token would later be discontinued in 2003.

The transition to cards was priced at $700 million and the collection system had been studied, criticized, lobbied for and delayed for more than a decade.

This photo from 1995 shows Buster Poindexter signing Metrocards with a photo of Snug Harbor on them. Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel

The original MetroCards, for those who may not remember, had a blue background with yellow lettering. This design ran from 1994 through 1997.

Between 1994 and the switch to the current gold design, the MetroCard has been decorated for historical and advertising purposes.

These limited edition offerings have highlighted the best New York has to offer, from a 1994 campaign featuring then-Stanley Cup champions, the New York Rangers, to more recent designs like the commemorative Notorious B.I.G card.

In April 1994, the MetroCard came to Staten Island after it was implemented on the Staten Island Railway system.

Buying MetroCards in the borough, however, has been a longtime source of consternation.

Historically on Staten Island, the MetroCard has only been available for sale at three vending machine locations on the Island: The St. George Ferry Terminal, the Tompkinsville stop of the Staten Island Railway and the Eltingville Transit Center on the South Shore.

In this photo from 1999, George Hassoldt of Grasmere examines his senior citizen MetroCard at the dedication of the new office at the Ferry Terminal. Advance/SILive.com

With a dearth of machines, many commuters have long relied on the MetroCard merchants -- the Amazing Delis, Cigar Emporiums and Cards & Gifts -- to supply their swipes.

Staten Islanders have long called for more MetroCard vending machines in the borough, something that has continued as the OMNY system looms on the horizon.

At one point, the MetroCard was destined to be retired in 2022.

In 2014, the MTA said that the MetroCard system was too expensive to maintain and that it would be pursuing a cheaper, high-tech payment system through smartphones or bank cards that could be installed in 2019.

But after about eight months of research, an MTA spokesperson told the Advance/SILive.com that MetroCard swipes would eventually go the way of subway tokens in 2022.

The use of a MetroCard farebox is demonstrated on an Atlantic Express bus in this photo from 2001. Advance/SILive.com

At the time, the MetroCard  which turned 20 years old in 2014  cost the MTA roughly $6 million to produce each year.

A complete overhaul of the authoritys fare payment system and infrastructure would cost about $450 million, the MTA previously estimated.

Looking forward

Starting in January 2026, the MTA will no longer sell MetroCards. MetroCards will still be accepted in 2026, but travelers were advised to spend down the value on any remaining cards.

Leftover balances will be eligible for transfer or reimbursement two years from the expiration date on the MetroCard, the MTA has previously said.

At a later point in 2026, the MTA will stop accepting MetroCards as fare payment, though the agency hasnt provided an exact date when.

When that time comes, buses will also no longer accept coins as a form of fare payment.

The MTA first announced that it would officially transition away from MetroCards in March.
Patrizia's Taverna and Montalbanos Italian Food Specialties partnered for their first-ever meatball contest featuring fresh mozzarella making and tableside cannoli service. Courtesy of Patrizia's Taverna of Staten Island

STATEN ISLAND, NY -- In honor of October being Italian Heritage Month, Patrizias Taverna of New Dorp held a Sunday Sauce Festival, where local home cooks were able to show off their prized meatballs.

The celebration and competition, which was held on Sunday, Oct. 5 at The Boulevard restaurant, was in partnership with Montalbanos Italian Food Specialties and Pork Store on Bay Street in Rosebank. This is the second Italian festival the two Staten Island staples have collaborated on, but the first time they have hosted a meatball competition.

The social media celebrity judges of the event were Joe Scarlotta Sr., thathairdressakristin, and Maria Venuto and Anthony Bernardo from Island Wide Realty.

Carrie DAmico took first place, Debra Denmark came in second and Jennifer Arlotta placed third.

Along with the fierce trial, guests who joined the family style dinner were entertained with Italian music from Tommy LaRocca and were able to watch the fresh pasta and sauce being cooked in front of them. Vinnie Parrelli of Montalbanos also made the mozzarella for the guests, serving it as a part of their appetizers and main dish. The meal was topped off with table side cannoli service.

Staten Island's Patrizia's Taverna and Montalbanos collaborated for a Sunday Sauce Festival featuring "Il Pentolo" cooking demonstrations and cannoli service. Courtesy of Patrizia's Taverna of Staten Island

Montalbanos, the pork store, has this thing called Il Pentolo, said John, one of the staff members of the restaurant. Its a big pot and its a big part of this. We cooked the sauce in the dining room and made fresh mozzarella.

Debra Denmark, one of the competitors, was thrilled to see this expression of Italian food culture, support the restaurant and show off her cooking skills.

He made the mozzarella, they stretched the mutz, and that was part of the meal, she recalled. The team at Empire State Bank always tries to support and patronize our customers, and we love Patrizias.

Debra Denmark, Ellen Plessias and Laura Dinten outside Patrizia's Taverna in New Dorp with Denmark's prized meatballs. Courtesy of Debra Denmark

As a team member of Empire State Bank, Denmark often participates in events for her customers, but this was a new experience for her. While this was her first time participating in a competition like this, she had been making meatballs for years, using a family recipe.

Its my grandmas recipe, the Princes Bay resident said. " This was the first time I ever entered a contest. Everybody was kind of encouraging me to do so."

Over the years, Denmark has become close with Vinnie Romano, one of the owners of the taverna. When she originally showed up to the event, she was empty handed and unsure about competing.

I actually showed up and I didnt bring it because I didnt think I have a shot at winning. When I was parking, Vinnie asked me, Deb, I hope you brought your meatballs, she said. Then he said, Go get them! So I drove all the way back home, and I got them, and then I came in second. So it was really great.

Denmarks prize winning meatballs had a classic presentation that wowed the judges. Everybody had different presentations, she mentioned. Mine was, you know, with a little side of ricotta cheese and a big fresh basil.

It was a great turnout, said Rocco, one of the managers of Patrizias Taverna. We thank everyone who joined us.
Carl Morgan, 36, was killed in a carjacking in New Orleans on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. Provided Photo

New Orleans  Thomas Morgan spoke to his son on the phone almost every Tuesday night.

His son Carl Morgan worked as a sous chef at Brennans, one of New Orleans most prestigious restaurants. His son couldnt make it back to Central New York to visit often but spoke with his dad who was back in Auburn at least once every week, his dad told syracuse.com | The Post Standard.

On Sept. 30, Thomas Morgan was wondering why he hadnt heard from his son when he got a call from his sons partner.

She told him his son had been shot in New Orleans. He asked what hospital he was being treated at. She told him his son had been killed.

Carl Morgan, 36, was sitting in his Toyota waiting to pick up his two-year-old son, Silas Sean Morgan, when a man fatally shot him and took his car, Thomas Morgan said.

The gunman later shot himself inside the car just a few miles away, he said.

Thomas Moran said that the thing that hurts the most is that he wont be able to have those weekly, sometimes hours-long, phone calls with his larger than life son again.

Carl Morgan was born in Syracuse and lived in the Eastwood neighborhood until he was in first grade. He started school at Huntington PreK-8 School and was placed in the gifted program, his dad said.

The Morgans then moved to Auburn, where the family stayed throughout his life.

Carl Morgan grew up in a food-loving family. His great-grandmother, Bernice Morgan, made his first favorite food, SpaghettiOs mixed with Popeye Spinach, his dad said. He said he knows his son still has at least nine cans of SpaghettiOs in his home.

His first culinary job was working a grill at Falcon Park in Auburn.

Carl Morgan did not always dream of being a chef, his dad said. He originally wanted to be a professional musician, working for an orchestra.

In college, he majored in music business and minored in the French horn.

While in college, he got a job at Chilis in Horseheads and realized he had a passion for cooking.

He decided to drop out of college and pursue a career as a chef.

He went to San Francisco to attend Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. He worked at various Michelin restaurants in the area for around nine years, his dad said.

His dad said his aunt, who lived in San Jose, also loved cooking and was an influence on Carl during his time in California.

He then went to Boston before returning to Auburn. He stayed at home to save up for his next adventure.

Around six years ago, he reached out to Brennans and they invited him down from an interview.

He started at the restaurant as a line cook but he quickly worked his way up to being a sous chef, his dad said.

He was put in charge of the party kitchen, his dad said. He was in charge of serving large parties and events.

His early culinary influences, his great-grandmother and his aunts, were always cooking massive family meals. Now that was his job.

As much as he loved cooking for the guests, he also loved cooking for the staff, or family, meal for the kitchen employees, his dad said.

He had a famous fried chicken sandwich recipe he would cook for everyone.

He was set to enter the recipe in a national fried chicken competition in Louisiana this week.

In a Facebook post, the restaurant said they chose to attend the event to honor him by continuing his passion project.

His staff from Brennans still used his recipe to enter the competition, his dad said.

Carl Morgan also loved to cook for his son, his dad said. He loved to make things from scratch for his son. He only bought him chicken nuggets, Thomas Morgan said.

He said that watching his son become a father made him very proud.

That poor child will never have the food he ate before because it wont be the same, Thomas Morgan said.
Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, John Cazale, Talia Shire, Robert Duvall, Mariana Hill, Julie Gregg and Troy Donohue pose for Corleone family portrait from the wedding scene in the 1974 Francis Ford Coppola movie 'The Godfather Part 2'. (Photo by Screen Archives/Getty Images) Getty Images

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton spent some time on Staten Island in her younger days, filming scenes for the legendary 1972 classic, The Godfather.

Keatons character, Kay Adams-Corleone, is one of the few main female characters to grace the silver screen in the film.

Her scene in the beginning of the film is one to remember: Sitting at a table with Al Pacinos character, Michael Corleone, she is regaled the tale of Vito Corleones mobster cruelty.

The scene, just shy of a minute and a half long, has been replayed on YouTube thousands upon thousands of times.

In the comments, many users offered their condolences for Keaton.

The actress passed away Saturday at the age of 79.

The Los Angeles Fire Department, according People Magazine, transported a 79-year-old woman to a hospital in the area after they responded to the actresss abode Saturday morning.

Her cause of death is not known.

A spokesperson for Keaton told the outlet the following: There are no further details available at this time, and her family has asked for privacy in this moment of great sadness.

The unexpected news was met with shock around the world. Keaton was the kind of actor who helped make films iconic and timeless, from her La-dee-da, la-dee-da phrasing as Annie Hall, bedecked in that necktie, bowler hat, vest and khakis, to her heartbreaking turn as Kay Adams, the woman unfortunate enough to join the Corleone family.

She played a businessperson who unexpectedly inherits an infant in Baby Boom, the mother of the bride in the beloved remake of Father of the Bride, a newly single woman in First Wives Club, and a divorced playwright who gets involved with Jack Nicholsons music executive in Somethings Gotta Give.

Keaton won her first Oscar for Annie Hall and would go on to be nominated three more times, for Reds, Marvins Room and Somethings Gotta Give.

Keaton was born Diane Hall in January 1946 in Los Angeles, though her family was not part of the film industry she would find herself in. Her mother was a homemaker and photographer, and her father was in real estate and civil engineering.

Keaton was drawn to theater and singing while in school in Santa Ana, Calif., and she dropped out of college after a year to make a go of it in Manhattan. Actors Equity already had a Diane Hall in their ranks, and she took Keaton, her mothers maiden name, as her own.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
MAGA Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is breaking with President Donald Trump on one of the presidents top national priorities.

Appearing on The Tim Dillon Show, the Georgia Republican said that Trumps ICE immigration raids are going too far, the Daily Mail reported.

Greene, who has battled Trump and the GOP in the past on a number of issues, said that there needs to be a smarter plan than just rounding up every single person and deporting them.

Greene said, As a conservative, and as a business owner in the construction industry, and as a realist, I can say we have to do something about labor.

The lawmaker said, And it needs to be a smarter plan than just rounding up every single person and deporting them just like that.

She said, Im going to get pushback for that, but Im just living in reality from here on out. If anyones mad at me for saying the truth, then Im sorry.

Trump has made securing the U.S. border one of his top priorities. Raids by ICE agents have caused protests and controversy in American cities.

The Department for Homeland Security last month issued a celebratory press release about the enforcement efforts.

The numbers dont lie: Two million illegal aliens have been removed or self-deported in just 250 days proving that President Trumps policies and [Homeland Security] Secretary [Kristi] Noems leadership are working and making American communities safe, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in the statement.

The statement continued, Ramped-up immigration enforcement targeting the worst of the worst is removing more and more criminal illegal aliens off our streets every day and is sending a clear message to anyone else in this country illegally: Self-deport or we will arrest and deport you.

But Trump has gotten pushback from farming interests, the tourism industry, construction firms and other businesses that rely on immigrant labor.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Despite gloomy skies and rain, a group of dedicated Zohran Mamdani community volunteers was not deterred by the impending coastal storm as they gathered on the steps behind Staten Island Borough Hall on Saturday.

Yesenia Mata, New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) Action member, joined with other community leaders to bring together a diverse group of Staten Islanders for a Day of Action as they began canvassing voters in support of Mamdanis bid to win the New York City mayoral election.

Mata said she was pleased by the turnout. I feel that it shows where Staten Island is heading. Its showing a movement thats happening. Today was a perfect example of the diverse communities that came together and are ready for change.

We really, truly believe that if he wins, its going to be a huge success, not just for certain communities, but for all Staten Islanders, Mata added.

The group was joined by Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes, who represents Brooklyns 51st District, which encompasses Sunset Park.

Mitaynes, the first Peruvian American to be elected to the State Assembly, made the journey from Brooklyn by train and the Staten Island Ferry.

In her remarks to the volunteers she positioned the mayor as a figure who could also wield influence on state-level issues, asserting that, if mayor, Mamdani could pressure the governor and become a powerful ally for state legislators with similar goals.

One of the great things that the state legislature could do is have a powerful ally in our mayor whos going to use his bully pulpit to help push this governor to implement the things that are really going to make changes, Mitaynes said.

Most importantly, Zohran cant just win; he has to have a huge victory to be able to show that we very much want to take a different path. We are immigrants, we are working class, and New York City is our home, and we will stand up and defend it, added Mitaynes.

Justin Wood from St. George attended because, he said, I just think its exciting that we can elect a mayor and local government that just want to make our lives better.

Whether its improving transportation, building more affordable housing, or grocery stores that are affordable, I think these things make a big difference in New Yorkers lives, and Im just excited to make it happen, Wood explained.

Niamh Alarton, a student at the College of Staten Island, attended the event to fulfill an assignment for her photography class, learn more about the campaign and help with canvassing for the first time.

Alarton said, Zohrans bringing his campaign to Staten Island is nice to see because thats not something I feel like I would see very often, or that Staten Island gets considered in the mayoral election.

Mayoral race heats up on Staten Island

What Im hearing in the news is that Mamdani is leading four of the five boroughs. We know that there are Democrats here, so this is our opportunity to really show what Staten Island can do, Mitaynes said.

She was likely referring to a Quinnipiac poll released Thursday that shows Mamdani leads with 46% of likely voters backing him, Cuomo with 33% and Sliwa with 15%.

The polls breakdown shows that Staten Island is the only borough where the majority of respondents did not support the front-runner, with 40% choosing Cuomo, 34% Sliwa and 21% Mamdani.

As the race nears its end, and with only the three candidates left standing, campaigning has turned up in recent weeks on Staten Island.

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has visited the borough at least weekly since mid-September, receiving endorsements, giving remarks at the First Central Baptist Church and, on Friday, popping into the Corporate Commons 3 building on South Avenue.

Cuomo is running as an independent candidate, now the only one left following the suspension of Mayor Eric Adams campaign.

Republican Curtis Sliwa has been a frequent presence on Staten Island throughout the campaign, visiting for a variety of events, including this past weekends Italian Festival on the Mount.

Last week Sliwa held a traffic-related press conference with some of the Staten Island Republican elected officials who are supporting his candidacy.

And last weekend Mamdani made the rounds on Staten Island, visiting the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center according to sources, and posting photos on the social media app Bluesky with renowned chef Shaw-nae Dixon during a stop in Clifton.
President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable meeting in the State Dining Room at the White House, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) AP

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE  President Donald Trump on Sunday warned Russia that he may send Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles if Moscow doesnt settle its war there soon.

I might say, Look: if this war is not going to get settled, Im going to send them Tomahawks, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew to Israel. The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, very offensive weapon. And honestly, Russia does not need that.

He added,  I might tell them that if the war is not settled -- that we may very well--we may not, but we may do it. I think its appropriate to bring up.

Trumps comments came after he spoke by phone earlier Sunday with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Donald Trump has urged Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing a long-running corruption trial.

Hey, I have an idea, Mr President, Why dont you give him a pardon? Trump said in an unscripted moment of discomfort that was nevertheless met with applause.

Donald Trump urged Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Benjamin Netanyahu over corruption allegations. Credit: Getty

I happen to like this gentleman right over here, and it just seems to make so much sense, you know, whether we like it or not, [he] has been one of the greatest wartime presidents.

Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in Israel on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust  all of which he denies. The trial began in 2020 and involves three criminal cases.

Acknowledging the controversy surrounding his remarks, Trump quipped, I dont think its very controversial.

President Donald Trump talks with Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Knesset. Credit: AP

You are a very popular man, Trump said of Netanyahu. You know why? Because you know how to win.

It is not the first time Trump has applied pressure on the Israeli judicial system over the allegations. In a more recent intervention, Trump in June lashed out at prosecutors over the corruption trial, saying Washington, having given billions of dollars worth of aid to Israel, was not going to stand for this.
Its a fun idea and a worthy quest that Moxham and Masters have embarked upon, visiting all the eateries on Parramatta Road (The treats of auto alley: strip clubs, $3.50 coffee, October 5). With ever-worsening Sydney traffic congestion necessitating clearways and highly restricted, expensive or non-existent parking, this once bustling retail and culture strip is now chiefly a thoroughfare to somewhere else. No chance to stop, shop or bop. Car yards, high-rise residential blocks and mega-malls seem to be its fate. So heres to the restaurants and cafes still offering hospitality with character and class.

Meredith Williams, Baulkham Hills

Aidan Masters and Harry Moxham are eating their way through Parramatta Rds food offerings and posting it on their TikTok account. Credit: Max Mason-Hubers

Libs cannot ignore climate change

Will the Liberal Party ever learn? What matters to families is more than wages, housing, health and education (Liberals fear Freya sends wrong signals to the faithful October 5); these are worthless if the planet we live on is uninhabitable. Climate change is real: we experience its effects every year, scientists have explained it for decades, and we have a diminishing window in which to make amends and give the planet (and us!) the chance of a liveable future. A political party devoid of policies to address and mitigate climate change does not deserve to form government.

Sharon Warner, North Turramurra

The story around Freya Leach is typical of the path of political discourse that has been shown to work by the likes of Donald Trump (If Freya is the answer, we are asking the wrong question, October 5) Intelligent fact-based discussion is so very Old World. Today, being the loud person with strong opinions who cares little about facts is the way forward, apparently. Politicians like Leach and Trump care little for contrary opinion and as long as that opinion gets into the media, that is all that matters. Unfortunately, our media seem to have lost the ability to immediately question falsehoods and just let the nonsense pass.

Ross Hudson, Martha (Vic)
Pro-Palestinian protesters promised no let-up in their marches through central Sydney while the citys Jewish community gathered to mark the two-year anniversary of Hamas October 7 attacks, as a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict opened the way for the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners from Monday.

Rally organisers had accepted a route for the march from Hyde Park to Belmore Park near Central Station after NSWs top court last week blocked protesters descending on the Opera House forecourt amid police warning of the potential for a crowd crush.

The march came ahead of a peace ceremony in Egypt on Monday and the start of the exchange of the remaining Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip for Palestinian prisoners.

Palestine Action Group organiser Josh Lees said Sundays rally, attended by an estimated 8000 people, would not be the last because, while a peace plan outlined by US President Donald Trump hopefully delivered some reprieve for Palestinians, it would not result in peace for the people of Gaza.
Damaging winds have torn through Sydney, bringing down large trees only hours after the city enjoyed hot and sunny summer-like weather on Sunday afternoon.

A large tree  estimated by a contractor to be 26 metres long  tore through powerlines and landed on a car on Bourke Street in Surry Hills about 3.30pm, as the SES responded to more than 100 tree-related call-outs across the city.

The estimated 26-metre long tree tore down powerlines and landed on a car after it was brought down by strong winds on Sunday afternoon. Credit: Max Mason-Hubers

The tree, which fell metres from a tram line, brought down live wires, which injured a 30-year-old woman and closed the busy inner-city street. The woman was taken to hospital in a stable condition.

According to NSW Police, about six houses were left without power. Ausgrid isolated power to the street before the NSW State Emergency Service could proceed with removing the tree.
The ceasefire in Gaza was less than a day old when Israeli soldiers shot dead a young Palestinian man near the West Bank city of Jenin. The Israel Defence Forces said the man threw an explosive device at one of their brigades. The Palestinians said he died during a raid to displace more of their people.

This was not a breach of the ceasefire, which only applies to Gaza. It was, however, proof that conflict between Palestinians and Israelis can happen at any moment. It was the sort of clash that could wreck a ceasefire in an instant.

Hamas gunman stand in guard as Red Cross vehicles transporting released Israeli hostages head toward the Israeli border in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Monday. Credit: AP

The peace deal appears to be holding, so far. But it is only in its early phase. The IDF withdrew as promised at noon on Friday, and the retreat was verified by US military commanders. Thousands of Palestinians began walking back to their homes, many of which had been destroyed by Israeli bombing and bulldozing.

Hamas has returned the last of the hostages it seized in its terror attack on Israel two years ago.
It was never going to be President Donald Trumps year to win the Nobel Peace Prize. It never should be.

Maria Corina Machado of Venezuela won the Nobel for promoting democracy. The Norwegian Nobel Committee hailed Machado, opposition leader to her countrys dictatorship, 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.

Illustration: Jozsef Benke Credit:

Machado won the award for her work in bringing democracy to her country on the day when Trump used his Department of Justice to undercut democracy in his country. Trump exacted retribution against another of his political enemies, New York state attorney-general Letitia James, who launched the lawsuit that led to Trumps conviction for business fraud. Trump wants the department to prosecute and jail her and James Comey, former director of the FBI, and several others for their disloyalty to him.

Machado and Trump are both focused on pressuring the same dictator, Nicolas Maduro, but in profoundly different ways. While Machado spurs a political campaign to bring democracy to her fellow citizens, Trump gives explicit approval for extra-judicial execution of alleged Venezuelan drug traffickers on their boats in the Caribbean.
Madagascar installs armed forces chief chosen by mutinying unit



Antananarivo, Oct 12 (AFP) Oct 12, 2025



Madagascar's armed forces minister on Sunday recognised as new head of the army an officer chosen by a military contingent siding with protesters demanding the departure of President Andry Rajoelina.

General Demosthene Pikulas was installed as chief of the Army Staff during a ceremony at the army headquarters attended by armed forces minister, Manantsoa Deramasinjaka Rakotoarivelo.

"I give him my blessing," the minister said of Pikulas, who was chosen by the mutinying CAPSAT unit that on Saturday joined the youth-led demonstrators.

Earlier in the day, Rajoelina denounced an "attempt to seize power illegally".

Pikulas admitted to journalists after the ceremony that events in Madagascar over the past few days had been "unpredictable".

"So the army has a responsibility to restore calm and peace throughout Madagascar," he said.

When asked if he called for Rajoelina to resign, the new chief of Army Staff said he refused to "discuss politics within a military facility".

Rajoelina last week appointed Rakotoarivelo as minister of armed forces after he sacked his entire cabinet in a bid to quell the near-daily protests that have rocked the Indian ocean island since September 25.

CAPSAT Colonel Michael Randrianirina said his unit's decision to join the protesters did not amount to a coup.

"We answered the people's calls, but it wasn't a coup d'etat," he told reporters.

"The situation -- I can call it chaos, but it's not chaos caused by the army, it's chaos caused by the leader," he said.

strs-jcb/br/rmb
The actress, who is now in her second stint as Lauren Branning on BBC flagship soap EastEnders, offered her apologies to the court as she pleaded guilty to speeding, saying she had failed to spot a letter from the police lurking in the postbox of her Billericay home.
In Israels ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gazas Hamas-run Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the deaths were women and children.
Director of public prosecutions Stephen Parkinson said earlier this week that the Crown Prosecution Service tried for many months to obtain the evidence it needed but it had not been forthcoming from the Government.The White House is also said to have concerns about the UKs reliability following the dropping of charges against Christopher Cash, an ex-parliamentary researcher, and teacher Christopher Berry.
The paper also quoted a source saying a minister was told during a call with a Cabinet minister around six weeks ago that the case was about to fall, with the accusation being that Jonathan Powell in cahoots with the Treasury had been driving through that decision.
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In the update from Tel Aviv on Sunday, Ms Bedrosian said: Tomorrow will be a day of reunification and excitement for some families who have waited two years to embrace their loved ones, while other families will grieve the return of their loved ones, closing a painful circle with proper and dignified burials.
The House Chamber at the Capitol in Austin, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, shortly before the session began. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

The headlines that came out of the statewide poll conducted by two Texas universities focused primarily on the upcoming Democratic and Republican primaries for U.S. Senate, and most of the best-known candidates or would-be candidates in both parties had little difficulty spinning their reactions to keep base voters  and, just as importantly, their donors  engaged with a month to go before filing for office starts.

For Attorney General Ken Paxton, he can say he's still in the lead on the Republican side. For four-term U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, he can claim that the wide gap between him and Paxton in earlier polls has narrowed to a single percentage point. For U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt of Houston, the poll was conducted before he had even announced his candidacy, yet he still drew support from nearly one-fourth of GOP respondents.

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Among Democrats, former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, the 2024 Democratic nominee for Senate, performed slightly better than other Democrats in hypothetical general election matchups with all the Republicans. State Rep. James Talarico can boast that he polled stronger than Allred among Democratic respondents. Two Democrats not even in the race  former U.S. Rep. Beto ORourke and current U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett  would be immediate frontrunners should either decide to run.

And all of the Republicans in the poll outperformed all of the Democrats, according to the survey conducted Sept. 19 through Oct. 1 by the University of Houston and Texas Southern University.

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But because early candidate-preference polls rely on responses from voters who might not yet be paying close attention to the 2026 midterms, the results are on softer ground than they might appear. The more telling data may be in the less flashy questions farther down the listthose that looked at voters attitudes regardless of specific candidate names.

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Many of those attitudes involve how Texans feel about President Donald Trump, and the findings are significant because midterms are often viewed as referendums on the sitting president. The poll found that more voters than not still support Trump, but not as strongly as when they helped re-elect him in November 2024.

For instance, while Trump carried Texas with a comfortable 56% of the vote against Democrat Kamala Harris last year, only 49% said they would vote for him again if given the chance. The president lost ground in virtually all subgroups surveyed: down 20 percentage points among independents, 16 among Gen Z voters and 10 among voters who backed him despite identifying as Democrats.

Among Latino voters  long considered reliable for Texas Democrats but who defected in droves to Trump last year  support for the president dropped 12 percentage points, the poll found.

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"While Trumps advantage over Harris among these Latino voters in 2024 was 8 percentage points, if these Latino voters could vote again for president, Harris would lead Trump by 11 percentage points among Latinos, marking a 19 percentage point shift," according to the explanation by the poll managers.

That could spell trouble for the Trump-engineered congressional redistricting plan enacted this summer to give Republicans five additional winnable U.S. House seats, the poll managers said. At least two of those districts are anchored partly in heavily Latino South Texas. Republicans in 2024 were ecstatic when Trump won nearly every county along the Rio Grande and his coattails helped them flip a U.S. House district and a state Senate district.

READ MORE: Texas GOP officials shy away from initial redistricting rationale in new filing

That lingering euphoria emboldened Gov. Greg Abbott and legislative Republicans when they redrew the congressional map mid-decade over Democratic objections. And it all but erased the sting of 2018, when Democrats flipped a record 12 Texas House seats.

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Recall that 2018 was the midterm election during Trumps first term. Even though he carried Texas in 2016, the flipping of those House seats  along with three close statewide races in which Democrats outperformed expectations  should be a cautionary tale heading into the next cycle.
Austin Police Department cruiser Austin American-Statesman

Austin police are investigating after an officer shot at a suspect in a drive-by shooting early Sunday in North Austin.

The incident occurred sometime before 2:45 a.m. Sunday, when police announced the investigation on social media. Police Chief Lisa Davis said an officer witnessed a drive-by shooting at Northgate Boulevard and East Rundberg Lane. Davis said the officer followed the vehicle until the driver turned onto Parkfield Drive, about a mile away from the initial location of the shooting, according to Google Maps. After the driver turned onto Parkfield, the officer got out of his car and "gave commands," Davis said. When the driver did not stop, the officer fired two gunshots at the vehicle.

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A short time later, police found the vehicle parked on a nearby side street occupied by a person inside who had been shot in the neck. That person was taken to Dell Seton Medical Center for treatment. Davis said investigators have not determined whether the wound came from the officers gunfire or from inside the vehicle.
Dante Motley covers breaking news for the American-Statesman. He previously completed a fellowship with the Texas Tribune, worked as an intern for the Sacramento Bee, and interned for chef Jose Andres's media company, helping with cookbooks, TV shows and podcasts. He graduated from Yale University in 2024, where he was managing editor of the Yale Daily News.
A St. Edwards University student walks on campus Thursday September 5, 2024. Jay Janner/American-Statesman

More than 100 Texas institutions lost funding opportunities after the Trump administration ended grants dedicated to minority-serving institutions last month.

The institutions previously qualified for exclusive, student-focused funding awards due to their enrollment of at least 25% Hispanic students, which made them a Hispanic Serving Institution.

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Texas has more than 1 million students enrolled in an institution with an HSI designation, according to the Hispanic Association of College and Universities. The states institutions expected nearly $60 million in HSI grants this year at 98 colleges, the Houston Public Media reported. These grants aimed to bolster student support, expand research access, improve academic programs and boost student career readiness.

The federal cuts come after the U.S. Department of Justice declined to defend the constitutionality of grants where only Hispanic-serving or minority-serving institutions were eligible applicants  cutting $350 million in funding nationally.

And for Austins small universities, the funding slashes sparked fear about the future availability of key student supports.

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It was important to me to go to school with people that have the same upbringing as me, St. Edwards University junior Sofia Sanchez said. My dad wasnt able to afford college, and my mom wasnt able to afford college either. Its just very vital that places for marginalized groups exist.

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Knowing her university was an HSI gave Sanchez confidence that she wouldnt be an outlier because of her race or first gen status. Without the designation, students worry about the future of their support on campus, she said.

It definitely raises a lot of questions about the future if we erase these spaces, Sanchez said.

In announcing the cuts, U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said minority-serving institution grants, including those dedicated for HSIs, are discriminatory and the money that supported them will be redirected moving forward.

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But local colleges say the Hispanic Serving Institution label opened up funding to build holistic student support for all and to better understand campus needs, from mental health care to improved technology.

We prioritize student success, and thats not going to change, said St. Edwards University President Montserrat Montse Fuentes. But not having access to that type of funding would impact the speed and the volume of the support and the initiatives that we can set in place to help students.

'Building an infrastructure for success'

St. Edwards University strives to help all students succeed, Fuentes said in an interview with the Statesman before the grants were officially terminated. The small Catholic university in south Austin was a member of the first cohort of Hispanic Serving Institutions when the designation was established in 1992. The school has applied for and benefited from HSI grants for 30 years since then.

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The university qualified for the funding awards, called Title V grants, because of their HSI status. Various agencies across the federal government offered these grants. Though a designation made them eligible, institutions still had to apply with a plan and purpose for the funds, and the supports paid for by the grants were not limited to a certain demographic.

St. Edward's President Montserrat Fuentes speaks during the grand opening celebration of the nursing program within the School of Health Sciences at St. Edward's University on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. Mikala Compton/American-Statesman

All students, regardless of their race or ethnicity, could take part in the grant-funded services, Fuentes said.

In the last decade alone, St. Edwards University received 11 grants totaling $4 million, with most averaging around $300,000 and the largest worth $1.5 million, Fuentes said.

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It is important to us because it is a commitment to the success of all our students and to ensure for those that come from more disadvantaged backgrounds, they feel at home, and we have support to help, Fuentes said. It has helped us by building an infrastructure for success.

The $1.5 million grant helped ensure students were prepared to understand advances in technology, Fuentes said, while others expanded career services, brought research to undergraduate students and trained faculty to better support students at the university.

From left, Concordia University Texas students Jocelin Martinez, Ella Johnson and Fernando Hernandez study at the Center for Belonging and Faith area Wednesday. Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman

As an institution where half of students are Pell Grant recipients, the grants helped build support for all students, particularly those coming from more vulnerable backgrounds, Fuentes said. The grant-funded programs led to an increase in student retention, she said, including transfer students.

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This vital support strengthens our ability to serve all students and to build the infrastructure necessary to ensure their success  particularly for those from underserved communities, Fuentes said in a statement Monday. These investments reflect our ongoing commitment to access, opportunity and the transformative mission of St. Edwards University.

HSI grants at Concordia University

Concordia University Texas, a faith-based institution north of Austin, has held an HSI status since 2019. The designation allowed the school not only to apply for grants, but also permission to begin assessing our student success initiatives from a lens that speaks to who our student population is, said Cindy Melendez, chief of staff for Concordia leadership.

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We were able to look at the data and say, With our HSI status, how do we look at different services differently and see whats being utilized, what needs a little bit more help in terms of infrastructure?  Menendez said. We need to know who our students are, what their background is in order to be able to assess that.

After two unsuccessful grant applications, the university won funds in 2023 for two enhanced programs with tailored goals: boosting mental health services and better preparing incoming students for college. This fiscal year alone, the college was awarded nearly $570,000 under the grant.

Before the grant funding kicked in, it took about a month to get a counseling appointment. But because the grant paid for an additional mental health counselor, the wait was cut in half for students in need of services.

The transition program students take before school helps prepare them academically and socially for success, Menendez said. The goal is to improve retention and graduation rates.

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It is not only for Hispanic students, Menendez said about the programs. Its actually for any student that comes to Concordia.

The grant was supposed to last five years, allowing the institution time to sustainably fund the new positions out of the campus budget, but the Trump administrations decision threatens the programs longevity. It is not clear what will happen to the remaining payments expected. The university declined to clarify.

Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman

Students: 'It was important to me'

Instead of competing for grants amongst all 3,900 higher education institutions and 900 faith-based colleges nationwide, the HSI designation offered the two Austin private universities a chance to compete against a smaller pool of universities for grants that benefited their students, who are mostly Texan and about 50% Pell Grant eligible. Pell Grants are awarded to students based on financial need.

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In her statement canceling the HSI grants, Secretary McMahon said the education department will work to redevelop a grant program without using racial quotas to qualify. The Department did not respond to a request for comment, and McMahon did not provide further details on the revamped grant.

READ MORE: Texas senators threaten no new university funding until schools fully comply with DEI ban

The decision follows a recent conservative campaign to replace diversity, equity and inclusion programs with a colorblind focus on merit.

Diversity is not merely the presence of a skin color, McMahon said. Stereotyping an individual based on immutable characteristics diminishes the full picture of that persons life and contributions, including their character, resiliency, and merit.

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But race  and the HSI designation  matters, several students told the Statesman.

President Montserrat Fuentes speaks to colleagues before the 137th Commencement ceremony at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas on Dec. 9, 2022. The winter commencement ceremony is the first ceremony at the university where graduate students received doctorate degrees. Aaron E. Martinez / American-Statesman

The designation felt extremely important to St. Edwards transfer student Ava Buxton, who aspires to become a civil rights lawyer. The status factored heavily into Buxtons decision to come to the university. A diverse campus, she believed, would prevent the classroom from becoming an echo chamber.

As a white person going into political science, it was something that I was really excited about, Buxton said. Because theres nothing worse than attempting to have conversations and attempting to bring things up, and its just being a bunch of intellectualizations of political theory that a bunch of white people have read, as opposed to peoples lived experiences.

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Camilla Escobar, a junior, said the recent funding decisions add to the increasingly hostile environment for students of color at four-year universities under the Trump administration. But it also makes students, including herself, more passionate and civically engaged, she said.

They do want to know more, because now theyre seeing how much it affects them personally, Escobar said.

'Much more need' for student-focused mission

Even beyond the loss of the HSI designation, St. Edwards University is reckoning with the loss of other sources of federal funding. Fuentes offered the example of the recent loss of the McNair Scholars program, which supported economically disadvantaged students. The school also lost funding for the College Assistance Migrant Program, which helped migrant students with financial, academic and emotional support, impacting more than 2,800 St. Edwards students since 1972.

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St. Edwards University President Montserrat Fuentes chats with student Jada Williams, of Houston, at the Student Involvement Fair Thursday September 5, 2024. Jay Janner/American-Statesman

Though the university plans to rely on community donors, foundations and state and other federal grants to support students losing benefits from cut federal programs, we cannot do it alone, Fuentes said. The community is coming out, she said, to support, and she hopes more will join.

Those interested in supporting St. Edwards University and other colleges impacted by federal funding cuts can contact institutions about needs and funding possibilities, Fuentes said, emphasizing that non-governmental support is now more important than ever.

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The entrance to Fort Drum, N.Y. is shown in this undated file photo. (U.S. Army)



Fort Drum, N.Y. (Tribune News Service)  A fire burning on an artillery range at Fort Drum in Jefferson County cannot be reached by firefighters due to safety concerns over unexploded artillery, a military spokesperson said.

The fire is on Range 48, an ordnance impact area, which soldiers use to test weapons and artillery, according to Fort Drum spokesperson Julie Halpin.

The fire is several acres, she said Saturday. Its hard to speculate on size because we cannot see directly into that area.

Firefighters would be able to knock the fire down if it came close to structures or people, she said.

Smoke from the fire has reached parts of Fowler, Antwerp and Gouverneur due to winds coming from the south, Halpin said.

The fire was started last weekend by artillery practice, according to Halpin. It was knocked down by rain on Wednesday but rekindled on Friday.

Conditions on the range are dry and there is brush build-up, she said.

Soldiers have continued artillery training as the fire has burned since the range represents a small percentage of training space, Halpin said.

The fire has not caused any damage.

We drop bombs there, Halpin said. Damage on the range isnt a concern.

New York state issued a burn ban last week because of a lingering drought that has led to a high wildfire risk in many parts of the state.

Much of the state is now considered at high risk of wildfires. High risk means that dry leaves and sticks ignite rapidly, and brush and campfires are likely to escape, the DEC said.

Fort Drum, home of the U.S. Armys 10th Mountain Division, covers 107,265 acres. It is home to more than 31,000 soldiers and their families.

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(Teri Weaver/Stars and Stripes)



Camp Independence, Iraq, June 1, 2005: Iraqi soldiers practice marching in front of an unfinished mosque at Camp Independence in Baghdad. The mosque was being built before the war began and was meant to be the largest in the world, according to U.S. officers.
An Air Force airman is lowered into a training missile silo at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana on March 5, 2025. The Air Force is wrapping up an investigation into whether nuclear missile bases are unsafe places to work after members reported cancer diagnoses. (Mary Bowers/U.S. Air Force)



(Tribune News Service)  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.

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, North Carolina, 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 health care 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 health care 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.

2025 KFF Health News.

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Diane Keaton died on Oct. 11 at age 79, according to reports from The New York Times and People.

Her death sent shockwaves across America, especially as just last December, she had released her debut holiday song First Christmas. Keatons passing also came as a surprise to those close to her, with a friend of Keaton telling People, It was so unexpected, especially for someone with such strength and spirit.

The source added: In her final months, she was surrounded only by her closest family, who chose to keep things very private. Even longtime friends werent fully aware of what was happening.

However, a closer look at Keatons final months reveals that she may have quietly been saying her goodbyes and preparing for the end.

In March, Keaton put her home on the market for $29 million. The Annie Hall actress, who moonlighted as a house flipper, was not shy about how this was her dream home, making this decision baffling to fans. Keaton had completed an extensive, years-long renovation on the property, which she detailed in her 2017 book The House that Pinterest Built. Less than two months after listing, Keaton reduced the price to $27.5 million, which may have simply been a routine price adjustment or an attempt to sell the property faster.

Additionally, Keaton began to disappear online. Once an avid Instagram user, Keaton only posted twice this year. Her final post, shared in April, showed a smiling Keaton at home with her dog in honor of National Pet Day. She also posted in January, asking followers to donate to a GoFundMe page for domestic workers affected by the California wildfires that tore through Los Angeles earlier this year.

A look at her past Instagram posting cadence proves her online activity took a massive dip. Up until 2025, Keaton posted at least monthly, if not multiple times a month on the social media platform. In 2019, she confessed to ET about her frequent Instagram usage.

It becomes a bad habit, she said. It starts to be that thing you check too often. Im still praying maybe Ill get a million viewers, but Ill never be Reese Witherspoon. What does she have -- 15 million? I dont even understand. I got to calm it down!

Furthermore, Keaton also stepped away from her daily routine towards the end of her life. A second source, who lived in Keatons neighborhood, told People she used to be seen walking her dog regularly. But in the past few months, they stopped seeing her.

She lived in Brentwood for many years, the source began. She loved her neighborhood. Up until just a few months ago, shed walk her dog every day. She was usually dressed the same, with a hat and her signature sunglasses regardless of the weather.

The source added, She was always very nice, funny and chatty. Shed talk to her dog like he was a person. She was eccentric and had this old-school Hollywood aura. She was very, very special.

Details surrounding Keatons cause of death have yet to be revealed.
Rome, N.Y.  A 39-year-old Oneida County man was arrested Saturday after deputies say he raped a girl younger than 15.

On Oct. 4, the Rome Police Department received a report of sexual abuse involving a child. Because of the nature of the allegations, the case was turned over to the Oneida County Child Advocacy Center, according to a news release from the Oneida County Sheriffs Office.

Investigators determined that Joseph Mickle, of Rome, subjected a girl under the age of 15 to sexual contact in Rome during September, deputies said.

Mickle was found at a home in the town of Boonville on Saturday and arrested. He was charged second-degree rape, a felony, deputies said.

Mickle was taken to the Oneida County Correctional Facility to await arraignment.
NEW YORK (AP)  Two jurors who voted in June to convict Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault said they regret the decision and only did so because others on the panel bullied them, the former movie moguls lawyers said in a newly public court filing.

Weinsteins lawyers are seeking to overturn his conviction for first-degree criminal sex act, arguing in papers unsealed Thursday that the guilty verdict was marred by threats, intimidation, and extraneous bias, and that the judge failed to properly deal with it at the time.

In sworn affidavits included with the filing, two jurors said they felt overwhelmed and intimidated by jurors who wanted to convict Weinstein on the charge, which accused him of forcing oral sex on TV and film production assistant and producer Miriam Haley in 2006.

One juror said she was screamed at in the jury room and told, we have to get rid of you. The other juror said anyone who doubted Weinsteins guilt was grilled by other jurors and that if he could have voted by secret ballot, I would have returned a not guilty verdict on all three charges.

I regret the verdict, that juror said. Without the intimidation from other jurors, I believe that the jury would have hung on the Miriam Haley charge.

Weinstein, 73, was acquitted on a second criminal sex act charge involving a different woman, Polish psychotherapist and former model Kaja Sokola. The judge declared a mistrial on the final charge, alleging Weinstein raped former actor Jessica Mann, after the jury foreperson declined to deliberate further.

It was the second time the Oscar-winning producer was tried on some of the charges. His 2020 conviction, a watershed moment for the # MeToo movement, was overturned last year. Now his defense team, led by attorney Arthur Aidala, is fighting to eliminate his retrial conviction and head off another retrial on the undecided count.

Judge Curtis Farber gave Manhattan prosecutors until Nov. 10 to conduct its own investigation and file a written response before he rules on Dec. 22. That means a decision and a possible retrial or sentencing wont come until after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is up for reelection on Nov. 4.

Jurors said they feared for their safety

In the affidavits, which blacked out juror names and identifying numbers, the two jurors said they feared for their safety and the forepersons safety. They said that when the foreperson asked for civility, another juror got in his face, pointed a finger and told him: You dont know me. Ill catch you outside.

One of the jurors said deliberations were poisoned by a belief among some jurors that a member of the panel had been paid off by Weinstein or his lawyers. That claim, which has not been supported by any evidence, shifted the jury of seven women and five men from an even 6-6 spit to a sudden unanimous verdict, the juror said.

Some of what was said in the affidavits echoed acrimony that spilled into public view during deliberations. As jurors weighed charges for five days, one juror asked to be excused because he felt another was being treated unfairly.

Later, the foreperson complained that other jurors were pushing people to change their minds and that a juror yelled at him for sticking to his opinion and suggested the foreperson would see me outside.

After the jury returned a verdict on two of the three charges, Farber asked the foreperson whether he was willing to deliberate further. The man said no, triggering a mistrial on the rape count.

After the trial, two jurors disputed the forepersons account. One said no one mistreated him. The other said deliberations were contentious, but respectful.

Jurors spoke with the judge

When jurors came forward with concerns, Farber was strict about respecting the sanctity of deliberations and cautioned them not to discuss the content or tenor of jury room discussions, transcripts show. In their affidavits, the two jurors said they didnt feel the judge was willing to listen to their concerns.

When jurors were asked if they agreed with the guilty verdict, one of the jurors noted in her affidavit that she paused to try and indicate my discomfort in the verdict. Afterward, when Farber spoke with jurors, she said she told him the deliberations were unprofessional.

Weinstein denies all the charges. The first-degree criminal sex act conviction carries the potential for up to 25 years in prison, while the unresolved third-degree rape charge is punishable by up to four years  less than he already has served.

He has been behind bars since his initial conviction in 2020, and he later also was sentenced to prison in a separate California case, which he is appealing.
Tunisian activists urge closure of factory units after poisonings



Tunis, Oct 12 (AFP) Oct 12, 2025



Activists in Tunisia on Sunday called for the closure of facilities at a chemical factory in Gabes, in the country's south, amid protests by local residents over dozens of cases of poisoning linked to the site.

In a petition over the fertiliser plant, 25 associations, including the Tunisian Human Rights League, called for "the dismantling of polluting units and the establishment of an alternative regional development model to slow death and pollution".

The document highlighted "cases of asphyxiation among 69 children and students and four women" in the Chatt Essalem area of Gabes, as a result of "leaks of deadly toxic gases from the GCT (Tunisian Chemical Group), whose emissions have intensified since early September".

On Friday and Saturday, hundreds of residents gathered near the huge GCT factory to protest against its polluting emissions, after videos were released showing children in respiratory distress at a local school.

These were "peaceful protests", Khayreddine Debaya, a long-time activist with the Stop Pollution collective in Gabes, told AFP.

He explained there had been "clashes until midnight" after "the police dispersed the demonstrators with tear gas".

Roads were blocked and individuals attempted to set fire to a part of the GCT building, according to local media.

The Gabes local council on Sunday said it supported the "legitimate" demands of the protesters and called for the "dismantling of polluting chemical plants", while also criticising "acts of vandalism and violence".

Tunisian President Kais Saied said on Saturday he had dispatched an emergency team from the energy and environment ministries to monitor the situation closely.

Kais also said he wanted "a green Tunisia free of all pollution".

Debaya criticised the president's move saying it was time "to make decisions, not to send commissions".

Phosphate mines are Tunisia's principal natural resource, but for years activists have warned about the pollution caused by the GCT, which dumps its gaseous and solid waste directly into the environment.

Authorities have been caught between efforts to develop the strategic sector and a 2017 promise to gradually close the Gabes plant.
Spain back on flood alert as torrential rains strike



Madrid, Oct 12 (AFP) Oct 12, 2025



Floods trapped people in vehicles and homes in Spain on Sunday as torrential rain drenched part of the northeastern Catalonia region, a day after downpours unleashed travel chaos on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza.

National weather agency AEMET decreed the highest red alert for heavy rain in the province of Tarragona, warning of 180 millimetres of rain in 12 hours in the Ebro river delta.

Local media shared videos of roaring torrents of brown water tearing through streets and submerging vehicles.

Catalan fire service spokesman Oriol Corbella told reporters people had been caught by surprise, with "entrapments inside vehicles, in buildings, on ground floors".

The mayor of the town of Santa Barbara, Josep Lluis Gimeno, told regional television station 3Cat the situation was "very tense" and "generates panic in the population" as the night brought heavier rain.

Local streams and ravines "are completely overflowing and have invaded the entire centre of the town, dragging everything there is, containers and cars", he said.

Catalonia's civil protection service sent a telephone alert urging residents in the Montsia region to avoid travelling and approaching waterways.

The regional government's leader Salvador Illa joined the call on social media, pleading with citizens "for maximum precaution".

Catalan emergency services published data on the calls they had received showing a sharp spike from 5:00 pm (1500 GMT), with 142 cases generated.

Rail and road travel disruption in Catalonia started to be reported as water accumulated on tracks and motorways.

All trains travelling through the Mediterranean corridor from Barcelona and Valencia, Spain's second and third-largest cities respectively, were suspended until further notice, national railway company Renfe announced.



- Ibiza 'gradually recovering' -



The downpours came after the eastern Valencia region, which suffered Spain's deadliest floods in decades last year, emerged relatively unscathed from another red alert declared on Friday.

But some municipalities devastated by last year's disaster cancelled school and outdoor activities planned for Monday due to a fresh rain warning.

Flooding struck the popular holiday island of Ibiza on Saturday for the second time in two weeks as the storm moved east and north into the Mediterranean after drenching southeastern Spain.

Ibiza airport was "gradually recovering" after briefly halting operations on Saturday, with four flights cancelled, eight diverted and others delayed in the morning, operator Aena said.

The Spanish army's emergencies unit was working in Ibiza on Sunday to clear roads and pump water from flooded buildings as the storm faded there.

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.

imm/yad
Spain suffers fresh floods as torrential rains strike



Madrid, Oct 12 (AFP) Oct 12, 2025



Floods trapped people in vehicles and homes in Spain on Sunday as torrential rain drenched the northeastern Catalonia region, a day after downpours unleashed travel chaos on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza.

Local media shared videos of roaring torrents of brown water tearing through streets and submerging vehicles.

National weather agency AEMET decreed the highest red alert in the province of Tarragona, warning of 180 millimetres of rain in 12 hours in the Ebro river delta.

Catalan fire service spokesman Oriol Corbella told reporters people had been caught by surprise, with people trapped "inside vehicles, in buildings, on ground floors".

The mayor of the town of Santa Barbara, Josep Lluis Gimeno, told regional television station 3Cat the situation was "very tense" as the night brought heavier deluges.

Local streams and ravines "are completely overflowing and have invaded the entire centre of the town, dragging everything there is, containers and cars", he said.

In the village of Godall, mayor Alexis Albiol spoke of "a moment of chaos", telling 3Cat: "All the cars that were in the streets near the ravine were swept away and are distributed throughout the village."

"I don't believe anyone in the village has seen the amount of water that has fallen in such a short time," Albiol added.

A measuring station in nearby Mas de Barberans recorded almost 272 millimetres of rainfall over the weekend, regional weather monitor Meteocat said.

There were nonetheless no reports of people hurt or missing.



- Motorists trapped -



All trains travelling through the Mediterranean corridor from Barcelona and Valencia, Spain's second and third-largest cities respectively, were suspended until further notice, national railway company Renfe announced.

Local media published footage of emergency services rescuing drivers who were trapped on a flooded motorway outside the town of Amposta.

Catalan emergency services published data on the calls they had received showing a sharp spike from 5:00 pm (1500 GMT), with 998 cases generated.

Catalonia's civil protection service extended its mass telephone alert, urging residents to avoid travelling and approaching waterways, to an area encompassing around 100 kilometres (62 miles) on and near the coast.

The leader of Catalonia's regional government, Salvador Illa, said all educational, sporting and social activities would be suspended on Monday in five especially vulnerable regions, urging their residents to avoid travelling and work from home.

The downpours came after the eastern Valencia region, which suffered Spain's deadliest floods in decades last year, emerged relatively unscathed from another red alert that started on Friday.

But some municipalities devastated by last year's disaster cancelled school and outdoor activities planned for Monday due to a fresh rain warning.

Flooding struck the popular holiday island of Ibiza on Saturday for the second time in two weeks as the storm moved east and north into the Mediterranean after drenching southeastern Spain.

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.
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Busy Philipps is looking back at her time on Dawsons Creek, recalling one insanely inappropriate storyline in particular that she feels demonstrates just how far culturally, we have come.

Philipps, 46, joined the seminal drama in its fifth season as Joey Potters (Katie Holmes) college roommate, Audrey Liddell. Her character eventually began a relationship with Joeys high school ex, Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson).

However, years before Audrey and Pacey met, Pacey was controversially involved with his 36-year-old high school English teacher, Tamara Jacobs (Leann Hunley), in the series pilot episode.

Theyre not even together, Philipps noted of Audrey and Pacey, in a new interview with People.

Hes going to have a really insanely inappropriate relationship with a teacher, which by the way, is so wild. And just goes to show you culturally how much we have changed for the better, right?

open image in gallery (L-R) Joshua Jackson and Busy Philipps played lovers in 'Dawson's Creek' ( Getty Images for MPTF NextGen )

In the shows first season, Tamara is introduced as a new resident of Capeside, Massachusetts. Shortly after her arrival, she enters the video rental store where Pacey works, and begins to flirt with him, unaware that hes 16 and her soon-to-be student. They then embark on a secret love affair, and she ultimately takes Paceys virginity. Their relationship is eventually discovered, leading to Tamaras resignation from the school and her moving away.

At the recent Dawsons Creek reunion event, which brought together most of the shows original cast, including Philipps, Jackson, Holmes, and Michelle Williams, for a special live reading of the pilot episode, Philipps played the part of Tamara.

[Series creator] Kevin Williamson didnt write the part of Audrey, he wasnt a part of that, Philipps explained. He was already long gone from the show when they went to college, and my character was added.

After the show, I said, Well, Kevin, I guess you did write a part for me on Dawson's Creek. You just didnt know that it would take 20 years for me to be the right age to play it, she quipped.

open image in gallery (L-R) Dawsons Creek cast Michelle Williams, James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson pictured in 1998 ( Channel 4 )

The special reunion, which took place late last month, raised money for the F Cancer charity and James Van Der Beek, the shows original title lead, who last year announced his Stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis.

Van Der Beek led Dawsons Creek as Dawson Leery, a wannabe filmmaker in the small fictional town of Capeside. The six-season series, which aired from 1998 to 2003, chronicled the lives of Dawson and his high school friends throughout young adulthood.

While Van Der Beek was initially expected to make an appearance at the reunion, he was forced to pull out last minute after contracting two stomach viruses.

Still, in spite of his illness, the 48-year-old actor made a special appearance in a pre-recorded clip that played on the screen.

In the video, he introduced his replacement, Hamilton star and creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, and thanked fans for buying tickets to the event.
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It might be known to millions as the Happiest Place on Earth, but Disney is also on its way to achieving another title: the most expensive place on Earth.

Disney fans, including me, are angry  and upset  that the companys latest price hike announcement means single-day, single-park passes will jump to well over $200 per person for the first time during Thanksgiving and Christmas 2026. Tickets for this same period in 2025 top out at $199 for Magic Kingdom and less for the other parks.

Its the fourth consecutive year that the company has raised prices for single-day or annual passes at its Anaheim and Orlando theme parks.

And those $200 per-person, single-day passes? That includes children aged 10 or over. If youre thinking that younger kids must be significantly cheaper, Im about to burst your bubble because tickets for those aged three to nine are just $5 cheaper than an adult pass. Only those under age three can get in without the purchase of a park ticket. Thats a hefty day trip for a family of any size.

And the price hikes dont stop there.

open image in gallery Former Disney Cruise Line cast member Caitlin Hornik, seen at Disney World in 2021, reacts to Disney's latest price hikes ( Caitlin Hornik )

Disney has quietly raised prices across its U.S. theme parks on food, drinks, and souvenirs this month. One example, shared by popular account Disney Food Blog, was the price of Disney's signature Celebration Cake, which rose from $39 to $45 for a Mickey Mouse-inspired mousse creation that feeds four to six people.

Disney is known to roll out price hikes each October as part of its fiscal plan, but this years announcement has struck a deeper nerve for fans. As the cost of a Disney vacation grows increasingly out of reach, the very enthusiasts who helped build the brands legacy are being priced out of the magic.

Im one of them.

Working for Disney Cruise Line as a performer in the Walt Disney Theatre was my first real job at barely 20 years old. I lived and worked on the Disney Wonder, sailing around Alaska and then the Caribbean, for more than seven months. It was every bit as magical as youd imagine.

It was also my real introduction to Disney. I didnt visit the parks growing up, aside from one short-lived trip to Disneyland California. I didnt actually step foot onto Walt Disney World property until I worked for the company. But Ive now visited the Florida, California, Tokyo, and Paris parks as an adult and aim to hit all seven  one day.

I've been to the U.S. parks so many times that Ive lost count, but I know it's at least a dozen times in the past 11 years.

open image in gallery Posing in front of my floating home, the Disney Wonder, while docked in Vancouver, Canada in September 2014 ( Caitlin Hornik )

Though its been many years since my cast member days, I take as much pride in having worked for the company now as I did then; I wear it like a badge of honor. And because of that, I love visiting the parks as often as possible. It reminds me of such a wonderful time in my life, sailing the high seas with Mickey Mouse as my boss. What more could I have asked for?

For myself and millions of others, Disney is comfort. Its putting on Peter Pan when youre sick and being instantly brought back to childhood. Its listening to the Fantasmic theme when youre feeling blue and being immediately uplifted at the thought of Mickey Mouse dancing in Hollywood Studios. Its knowing you have a sense of belonging and community as a Disney fan, regardless of where you are in the world.

But now Im priced out  and Im only buying a ticket for one (Maybe two if Im treating my mom). Im far from being a family of four, and soon wont be able to step into a single park for less than $800.

While planning a 2026 vacation to Florida's Disney World recently, I was struck by how expensive park tickets had become  and that was before Thursdays announcement. No stranger to the companys prices as a former Disney Cruise Line cast member, I quickly tallied up the cost of park tickets and a hotel for four nights and was disheartened when I realized I was approaching $2,000 before even considering flights, food, and drinks. It became immediately apparent that I could no longer afford a quick weekend trip to get my Disney fix.

open image in gallery Posing with my favorite princess and old friend, Snow White, during a 2023 visit to the parks ( Caitlin Hornik )

As an adult with no children, Im not someone who plans years in advance and saves for a dream Disney vacation. Sure, when I book a trip I put money aside each month in preparation, but I dont travel to the parks with any regularity, nor am I an annual pass holder. But so many people plan and save for years for this dream vacation that now just became less attainable.

With Disneys dynamic pricing model, ticket prices vary depending on the date of the trip. Certain times of year are less expensive, while peak times, like holidays, are much more expensive.

Even the difference of one week can mean saving (or spending) hundreds more. That means a family of four hoping to spend Thanksgiving or Christmas Day 2026 at the Magic Kingdom will have to shell out $209 per person for the day instead of this years $199. While it might not seem like a lot, it adds up quickly when you consider the other price hikes around the parks.

Its a disappointing reality for me and thousands of others who see Disney (and their fellow fans) as their safe place. Of course, I could just go somewhere else. I could go to an all-inclusive resort on a beautiful tropical island or to somewhere more cultured than a theme park, but as a former cast member, Disney is a uniquely comforting place to me.

open image in gallery My first visit to Walt Disney World in 2014 ( Caitlin Hornik )

The only thing more magical than landing at Orlando International Airport and taking the first ride of the trip (the airports monorail, of course) to the waiting Mears buses (RIP the Magical Express) is that first glimpse of Magic Kingdoms castle while skipping joyfully (yes, Im that person) down Main Street. Its a feeling of pure joy  one that carries me all the way to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Knowing it may be a long time before I feel that again is genuinely upsetting.

Its comforting to know that Im not alone in this; that others longing for a jolting ride on Space Mountain or a healing hug from Mickey Mouse will have to wait. Though for what, Im not quite sure. Prices certainly arent going to decrease anytime soon, no matter how loudly we scream into the ether  or on social media. Comments on Disney Food Blogs Instagram post announcing the new price hikes ranged from anger to heartbreak.

We are not renewing our annual passes next year after 11 years, one person who commented on Disney Food Blogs post promised. The prices are insane and the parks are too crowded. Not magical anymore.

Another park-goer lamented the ticket prices on Facebook, saying that while he and his family have been avid visitors for the last 20 years, their Disney vacations might be coming to an end.

We have loved our time there, but this [price hikes] could put us in a situation where we may never visit again! he wrote. This is so sad for young families who could be enjoying all the fun there is there, but just can't cover the cost. You should be ashamed Disney!! The most magical place on earth has become the most costly place on earth!

open image in gallery The joy of skipping down Main Street USA is unrivaled ( Caitlin Hornik )

open image in gallery Posing in front of the castle in 2023. It will never get old ( Caitlin Hornik )

Meanwhile, a Disney spokesperson told Business Insider the parks have "options designed to suit a wide range of needs and budgets for all who visit."

"Our commitment to creating magical experiences for everyone remains at the heart of what we do  and that will never change," they added.

That said, not everyone is upset, of course. Some Disney diehards argue the higher prices might reduce crowds during peak seasons.

"If you charge just enough to have some people second-guess going during the best time of the year, people who are at the parks then are probably going to enjoy it a bit more," Disney fan Lucas Lozano told Business Insider. Travel planner Rob Stuart agreed, saying, It wont affect demand at all except in the positive  people will think its less crowded.

Maybe theyre right. Perhaps this is part of Disneys strategy  not just to manage crowds but also to nudge would-be park visitors toward other, equally profitable experiences, like Disney Cruise Line.

Once I realized a 2026 trip to the parks was out of the question, it dawned on me to check DCL sailings instead. Sure enough, it was significantly cheaper to sail on the new Disney Destiny for four nights than to visit the parks for the same amount of time  thousands of dollars cheaper. With DCL slated to roll out the Destiny and the Adventure in the coming months, bringing the total number of ships in its fleet to eight (with several more in the works), there are more options than ever before to sail on a Mickey boat, as I like to call them.

Disney knows exactly what its doing  even if its at the expense of families whove spent years saving for a visit, only to have that dream priced out of reach.

Maybe, instead of walking down Main Street, theyll find themselves sailing into the sunset.
Workers continue a project refurbishing the three 150-foot crosses, painting the center cross here, at the front of Bethany Church's South Baton Rouge campus on Reiger Road, just off of Siegen Lane and I-10, Thursday, May 19, 2022. The campus houses pastoral, creative, and experience offices as well as The Warehouse, where young adult and student experiences take place, and Bethany Christian School, according to the church's website.
Suranne Jones: Investigating Witch Trials 

In the first minute of this two-part documentary, actor Suranne Jones (Hostage, Vigil, Gentleman Jack) reveals a lifelong fascination with the idea of witches. Ive always loved strong, female roles, she says. But Ive never played a witch.

Actor Suranne Jones unpicks three of the most famous witch trials in the 17th century in Investigating Witch Trials. Credit:

Witches in popular culture swing from Maleficent to Melisandre, Sabrina Spellman to Hermione Granger, but most people, Jones says, see a witch as an old woman, a crone, with green skin, a pointy hat and a cackling laugh. Emitting a high-pitched cackle she declares: Ooh, thats a good laugh. Someone cast me as a witch. I mean, come on.

Jones has a connection to the dark origins of being labelled a witch. She grew up in Chadderton in Englands north-west, an area close to the famous witch trials held at Pendle, Lancashire, in 1612. Ten people  seven women and three men  were hanged for witchcraft there, an event sparked by young woman Alizon Device cursing a passing pedlar for not giving her any pins. The pedlar collapsed and his son reported this to the local magistrate.
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Exclusive Eating outJust open Italian fried bread, fancy fish n chips: A nostalgic bistro from a seasoned hospo couple Newcomer Bar Elsie is serving a menu of pure comfort, including cheesy baked gnocchi, a crumbed pork chop and mash made to grandmas recipe. This is your first look. Daniela Frangos October 13, 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

Seasoned Sydney venue operators Brett and Susie Pritchard (previously behind Rons Upstairs, Redfern Continental and Arcadia Liquors) were visiting Melbourne when Brett suffered a near-fatal heart attack at URBNSURF wave park in Tullamarine. After recuperating at a friends place in Brunswick, they decided to reset, purchasing that friends house and moving here permanently. Now the couple is doubling down on the neighbourhood, opening their first Melbourne venue on the northern end of Lygon Street. And its their biggest endeavour yet. Bar Elsies owners want to create a homey neighbourhood hangout. PENNY STEPHENS This is something we havent done before, says Brett, who worked stints at the Builders Arms Hotel and City Wine Shop after landing in Melbourne. The spacious site, previously Alchemy Brewing Co, has opened gradually. Stage one was The Coffee Bar, an adjoining sandwich shop in the brewerys former loading dock.

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Stage two is Bar Elsie, which opened last week: a nostalgic neighbourhood bistro named for Bretts late grandmother, who lived in Hawthorn. Coccoli (fried dough) with serrano ham and whipped ricotta. PENNY STEPHENS One of the first things I did when I moved down here was go and look at her old flat, says Brett. She was a tough cookie. She [wore] these big Coke-bottle glasses  she also made the best mashed potato. That mash graces the menu at Bar Elsie, made with a tremendous amount of full cream milk, full fat butter and white pepper, says Susie. Normandy-born chef Edmee Driez (ex-Three Blue Ducks) has assembled a Euro-leaning menu of deeply comforting dishes. Italian inspiration is found in starters such as coccoli (literally cuddles in Italian), which are Florentine fried bread balls made for swiping through whipped ricotta and wrapping in serrano ham. Slices of cheesy Roman gnocchi, distinct from its potato-based cousin, are made with semolina and pecorino, and baked in the oven.

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Crumbed pork chop, served bone-in after being brined for 24 hours. PENNY STEPHENS Bistro-style mains include Driezs spin on fish n chips  mirror Dory fillet in beurre blanc with salt-and-vinegar crisps and rainbow chard  and crumbed pork chop on the bone. The 300-gram rib-eye is brined in apple cider vinegar for 24 hours, cooked in clarified butter, and paired with fresh horseradish and a radicchio-and-celery remoulade. Its a neighbourhood restaurant, says Susie, who previously worked at Spring St Grocer. If you come from St Kilda, thats awesome, but its homey, its simple. Its food we all like to eat and cook at home for friends and family. Co-owners Susie and Brett Pritchard. PENNY STEPHENS Even the fitout is deeply personal. Brett made the light sconces out of wooden plates, and found most of the furniture on Facebook Marketplace  including the bar top and kitchen pass. Theyre made from the old Ballarat tenpin bowling alley and capped with Tasmanian oak, the work of Curve Build & Design (The Sporting Club, Royal Oak Hotel).

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We wanted it to feel like youve been invited around to your friends house and theres a picture of their grandmother and next to it is a Keith Haring [artwork], says Susie. Artwork and bric-a-brac cover the walls. PENNY STEPHENS Dropping in for a cold beer at the sweeping U-shaped bar is welcomed. Taps are pouring everything from Carlton Draught to Venoms cherry sour, plus there are classic cocktails such as Daiquiris, with plans to expand the list. Lunch Sun, dinner Wed-Sun 396 Lygon Street, Brunswick East, instagram.com/barelsie_

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As we reported earlier this afternoon, Victoria Polices chief commissioner has pledged to redirect hundreds of officers from behind desks and back on the street to tackle a major crime problem in the state.

As a part of a shake-up in the forces operations, Mike Bush promised to create a 24-hour crime control centre, cut the number of police executives and create specialised civilian support units to free up officers from paperwork.

Chief Commissioner Mike Bush has announced a major restructure of Victoria Police. Credit: The Age

We have a major crime problem here in Victoria. There are far too many victims of crime, Bush said.

No one should live in fear of people breaking into their homes overnight, stealing cars, carjackings, violence in the street, violence at retail outlets, knife crime. Victoria and the Victorian people should feel safe, whether they go about their business, whether theyre at home, wherever they may be  and we need to address that.

Bush also complained about the cost of policing regular protests that have been gripping Melbourne since 2023, which have required 25,000 policing shifts.

They [police] have empathy and compassion for whatever their cause may be  not for us to judge, he said. But what I ask is that they also have empathy and compassion for the people of Melbourne. If I took half of those 25,000 shifts and dedicated them to prevention, we would have less crime.

The announcement came on the day a Hawthorn home owner, dressed only in his underwear, performed a citizens arrest on a 15-year-old whom he found inside his Kinkora Road home about 3.30am on Monday.

Bush said Victoria Police had become bogged down in paperwork, manning windows at police stations and processing people who had been arrested. An internal study had found 1.4 million personnel hours were consumed each year on police officers manning public-facing counters at stations, he said.

Read the full story from senior reporter Chris Vedelago here.
While wrestling fans packed Perths CBD on Friday hoping to catch a glimpse of one of the WWEs biggest stars, it was, predictably, WA Premier Roger Cook who scored a selfie with John Cena.

Or, as the running joke goes, Cook got a photo of himself and some WWE belts.

WA Premier Roger Cook poses for a photo with WWE superstar John Cena. Credit: Facebook/Roger Cook

The wrestling roadshow has rolled into town as part of a weekend takeover of three shows at RAC Arena, and Saturdays Crown Jewel: Perth was the main event.

The broadcast was shown around the world via Netflix as part of a mega-deal struck between the streamer and WWE, and was also shown on ESPN in the United States.
As thousands marched through central Melbourne on Sunday to support Palestine, Victorian senator Lidia Thorpe sparked controversy by declaring she would burn down Parliament House to make a point if she had to.

With a Gaza ceasefire deal and the return of the remaining Israeli hostages imminent, 3500 protesters gathered in the city centre, according to Victoria Police.

Thousands again marched down Swanston Street on Sunday in support of Palestine. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui

Hundreds of members of the Jewish community gathered in Caulfield to welcome Mondays expected peace deal.

Israel is expected to release nearly 2000 Palestinian prisoners  about 250 prisoners in Israeli jails and about 1700 people detained in Gaza since the war began  on Monday in exchange for the 20 remaining hostages taken in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks.
When artificial intelligence first arrived on the scene, people generally fell into one of two camps. There were those who believed (and still believe) it would revolutionise society for the better. Then there were those who were (and perhaps still are) convinced it will be responsible for societys ultimate downfall.

The jury on that is still out. But it is becoming clear that the more widespread the use of AI becomes, the more were beginning to drown in digital landfill; a sea of useless crap that doesnt help anyone.

Known as slop, this initially included inane things like AI-generated images of Donald Trump as the Pope or Jesus riding a prawn. But thanks to Twitter and Square co-founder Jack Dorsey, slop is also now extending to apps with Silicon Valleys latest fad: vibe coding.

An app for tracking your UV exposure might sound innocent enough. God knows most of us arent getting nearly enough vitamin D, and wanting to know how long you can tan before you burn sounds like a good idea.

But what if that same app tracked your location, needed to know your skin tone and what youre wearing, and had been built in just a day? Sun Day is one of the apps Dorsey released within a week (the first was a beta version of Bitchat, a messaging app that relies on Bluetooth and doesnt need the internet to operate).
Seoul, South Korea: Columns of goose-stepping soldiers and a procession of powerful nuclear missiles rolled through the rain-soaked capital of North Korea on Friday evening, as senior officials from China and Russia joined the countrys leader, Kim Jong-un, for a show of solidarity against the US-led global order.

Kim organised the enormous military parade at the main square of the capital, Pyongyang, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of his ruling Workers Party. He used the spectacle to show off his countrys growing geopolitical value as a partner to China and Russia in pushing back against the United States.

This photo, provided by the North Korean government, shows what it says is a new intercontinental ballistic missile called the Hwasong-20. Credit: AP

Joining Kim on the viewing platform were Premier Li Qiang, Chinas second-highest-ranking official; Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chair of the Security Council of Russia and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin; and To Lam, Vietnams Communist Party chief, according to images released by North Korean state media on Saturday.
11 supporters killed in police firingduring march: Paks Islamist party





By M Zulqernain :

LAHORE :

RADICAL Islamist party Tehreeke-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) on Saturday claimed that police shot dead 11 of its supporters as they attempted to march towards Islamabad to stage a demonstration outside the US embassy against Israels military actions in Gaza.

Authorities in Punjab, however, said that at least 40 policemen were injured in clashes with the TLP that began two days ago amid the groups call for antiIsrael demonstrations. A senior police officer told PTI that violent confrontations broke out on Saturday when 10,000 to 15,000 TLP workers, who had camped overnight at Azadi Chowk in Lahore, resumed their march towards Islamabad in the morning.

The main clashes took place between Shahdara andMuridke areas, not far fromLahore, in which dozens of policemen and TLP workers suffered injuries, the officer said, adding that a trench has been dug on the GT Road in Kharian city to block vehicular movement. Trenches were also dug near the Jhelum bridge at Sarai

Alamgir and on theWazirabad side of the Chenab river to stop the protesters advance. Videos circulating on social media showed policemen taking cover as TLP supporters commandeered heavy vehicles, including cranes reportedly belonging to government departments, to push through police blockades. One video showed a police officer lying injured and bleeding after being struck. Despite the placement of containers along the route, the

TLP marchers were seen clashing with law enforcers and removing roadblocks. TLP chief Saad Rizvi, who managed to evade arrest, is leading what the group described as theTLP million march towards Islamabad. Addressing supporters near Muridke, Rizvi said:

Police shot dead 11 TLP supporters and 20 others have bullet wounds.The whole of Pakistan is asking why you are opening fire on us. The Punjab police have not commented on the TLPs casualty claims. We cannot confirm anything related to the TLP protest and its clashes with police, a Punjab Police spokesperson told PTI. Earlier, police said they had arrested more than 200 TLP supporters in Lahore and other parts of Punjab. Mobile and Internet services remained suspended in areas of Lahore where the protesters gathered.
ED arrests Reliance Power CFO in fakebank guarantee-linked PMLA case





NEW DELHI :

THE Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested the CFO of industrialist Anil Ambanis group company Reliance Power in a money laundering case linked to issuance of an alleged fake bank guarantee of Rs 68 crore, official sources said on Saturday. The CFO, Ashok Pal, was taken into custody on Friday night under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after he was questioned by the agency, they said. He was produced before a magistrate on Saturday and sent to two days of ED custody.

The agency will produce him before a special PMLA court on October 13 after the expiry of the remand period, according to the sources. The case pertains to a bank guarantee of Rs 68.2 crore submitted to the Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) on behalf of Reliance NU BESS Limited, a subsidiary of Reliance Power, a listed company, which was found to be fake. The company was formerly known as Maharashtra Energy Generation Limited. The accused company, which allegedly operated a racket for providingfake bank guarantees for business groups, was identified by the ED as Odisha-based BiswalTradelink.

As part of the investigation, the ED carried out searches against the company and its promoters in August and arrested its Managing Director, Partha Sarathi Biswal. The ED sources said Pal played a crucial role in the diversion of funds as he and some others were empowered by the company board to finalise, approve and sign all documents for the SECIs BESS tender and use Reliance Powers financial capability for the bid.

The probe found that the company submitted a bank guarantee from the FirstRand Bank located in Manila, Philippines, but the said bank does not have a branch in that country, the sources said. The money laundering case stems from a November 2024 FIR of Delhi Polices Economic Offences Wing (EOW ). It was alleged that the company was engaged in issuing fake bank guarantees against a commission of 8 per cent.

The Reliance Group had then said that Reliance Power had been a victim of fraud, forgery and cheating conspiracy in this case and it had made due disclosures in this context to the stock exchange on November 7, 2024. A group spokesperson said a criminal complaint was lodged by them against the third party (accused company) with Delhi Polices EOW in October 2024 and the due process of law would follow.

The ED sources had said that the Bhubaneswar-based company was using an email domain -- s-bi.Co.In -- similar to sbi.Co.In to create afacade of genuineness that the communication was being sent by the State Bank of India (SBI), the countrys largest lender. The fake domain was used to send forged communication to the SECI, they said. The sources alleged Pal approved releases and facilitated paperwork through internet-based communica
Gors tenure will further strengthen India-US strategic ties: PM Modi Envoy also meets Jaishankar





NEW DELHI :

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met US Ambassadordesignate to India Sergio Gor and said he was confident that IndiaUS ties will further strengthen during his tenure. Gor is on a six-day visit to India after the US Senate confirmedhis appointment as the American Ambassador to India. Gor isaccompanied by Deputy Secretary for Management and ResourcesMichael J Rigas. Glad to receive

Mr. Sergio Gor, Ambassador-designate of the US to India. Im confident that his tenure will furtherstrengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership,Modi said in a post on X. I had an incredible meeting with PrimeMinister Modi. We discussed bilateral issues, including defence, tradeand technology,

Gor said after meeting the Prime Minister. We also discussed the importance of critical minerals, he said. The US greatly values its relationship with India, Gor said, addingPresident Donald Trump considers PM Modi as a great and personal friend. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also held talkswith Gor amid continuing strains in the relations over Washingtonsimposition of 50 per cent tariffs on Indian exports. Gor, accompanied by

Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Michael J Rigas, is on a six-day visit to New Delhi, days after the Senate confirmed his appointment as the US envoy to India. Pleased to meet Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor of the US today in New Delhi. Discussed the India-US relationship and its global significance, Jaishankar said on social media. Wish him the best for his new responsibility, he said.
HC asks MP SBC if pension, other schemes can be formulated for State lawyers alike Bihar





Legal Correspondent :

The High Court has asked the State Bar Council of Madhya Pradesh whether pension and other welfare schemes can be formulated for the States lawyers, similar to those in Bihar. Responding to a public interest petition, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf issued notices to the

Chief Secretary, the Bar Council of India, and the State Bar Council, seeking their responses. The next hearing on the matter will be held on November 12th. Indore-based advocate Rajendra Srivastava filed the petition, arguing that the State Bar Council should implement a welfare scheme for lawyers who have completed 35 to 40 years of practice.

He stated that lawyers make a significant contribution to the delivery of justice any support at the end of their careers. He explained that the Bihar State Bar Council has formulated the Advocate Welfare Scheme, 2012. This scheme provides for pension and family pensions for lawyers and their families. A copy of the scheme was presented to the court.
High Court dismisses all petitions seeking CBI probe in NAN scam





Staff Reporter :

Raipur :

In a major legal development, the High Court of Chhattisgarh dismissed a batch of petitions seeking transfer of the ongoing investigation in the multi-crore NAN (Nagrik Apurti Nigam) scam to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), observing that no valid ground existed for intervention at this advanced stage of trial.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Parth Prateem Sahu pronounced the order after hearing eight petitions, including those filed by social organisations and individuals such as Hamar Sangwari NGO and advocate Sudiep Shrivastava. The court noted that the trial of the 2015 corruption case-registered by the States Special Establishment Organisation of the Investigation and Anti-Corruption Bureau (SEOIACB) - had already reached its concluding stage with evidence of over 170 out of 224 prosecution witnesses recorded.

The Bench observed that the delay in trial was primarily due to parallel proceedings before the Supreme Court and the High Court, both of which have now been concluded. Citing the Supreme Courts September 16, 2025 order in Criminal Appeal Nos. 4097-4098 of 2025, which cancelled the anticipatory bail granted earlier to IAS officers Anil Tuteja and Alok Shukla and directed their custody to the Enforcement

Directorate (ED), the High Court said the matter now required no further transfer of investigation. Appearing for the State through video conferencing from Delhi, Additional Advocate General Atul Jha submitted that the case has been under continuous trial for nearly a decade and is now in its final phase.

Advocate Sudiep Shrivastava, who appeared in person, contended that the SEOIACB probe was incomplete and had left out several individuals allegedly linked to the irregularities, including salt supplier Munish Kumar Shah. However, the Bench noted that any such grievance could be addressed before the trial court under Section 319 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Considering that the trial is at an advanced stage, we find no good ground to transfer the investigation at this stage to the CBI, the Bench ruled, dismissing all public interest petitions and appeals. The court further directed the trial court to conclude the proceedings expeditiously.
Illegal domestic gas refilling racket busted; one held, kingpin on the run





Staff Reporter :

A gang illegally refilling cars with domestic gas cylinders, thereby defrauding consumers, has been exposed in the State capital. The Tilajamalpur Police personnel raided an illegal refilling den in Sindhi Colony. During the operation, the police seized a Hyundai car, a domestic gas cylinder, and refilling equipment, collectively valued at Rs 85,000. Police arrested one accused from the scene, while the main mastermind of the gang, who already has half a dozen criminal cases registered against him, managed to flee upon seeing the police.

On Saturday, the Tilajamalpur Police received a tip-off that two individuals were illegally refilling gas into a car from a domestic gas cylinder in Purani Sindhi Colony. A police team immediately raided the specified location. During the raid, the main accused involved in the illegal refilling, Nazim Khan (a resident of Hari Mazar near Tilajamalpur), fled the scene upon spotting the police. Nazim already has half a dozen cases registered against him, including three related to gas refilling and assault. However, the police cordoned off the area and apprehended the vehicle owner, Manoj Puri alias Monu (35), a resident of Purani Sindhi Colony.

He was found illegally getting gas refilled into his Hyundai car (MP09 HD 7351) by the main accused, Nazim. The police seized the white Hyundai car, an Indane domestic gas cylinder, and refilling equipment from the possession of the arrested accused, Manoj Puri. The total value of the seized goods is estimated to be Rs 85,000. Tilajamalpur Police have registered an offence, Crime No. 286/25, against both accused under Section 3/7 of the Essential Commodities Act and have initiated an investigation. Police are currently searching for the main absconding accused, Nazim Khan, who had previously been bound over.
Imprisonment for fraudsters in name of Haj





Legal Correspondent :

The court of First Class Judicial Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Dhurve sentenced Jabalpur residents Shamim Ansari and Mohammad Ghaffar, accused of fraud in the name of Haj pilgrimage, to two years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1000 each. Assistant District Public Prosecutor Kanta Maravi presented the prosecutions case.

She argued that the complainant, Sardar Hakim Baba, was preparing to go on Haj with his wife Shamim Bano and others. The accused, residents of Adhartal and acting as agents, took them into confidence.

They stated the cost per person was two lakh ninety thousand rupees. They were asked to deposit the amount into the account of Mohammad Arshad, a resident of Hyderabad. Three lakh eighty thousand account numbers were used to deposit funds. The accused took the passports. When asked for visas and other documents, they began making excuses.
Junior doctors tie black ribbons in protest over Dr Praveen Sonis arrest





Staff Reporter :

Junior doctors of Gandhi Medical College, under the banner of the Junior Doctors Association (JDA), staged a symbolic protest on Saturday against the arrest of Dr Praveen Soni.

The doctors tied black ribbons across departments at Hamidia Hospital and Gandhi Medical College, demanding the withdrawal of the criminal case filed against Dr Soni and the immediate restoration of his services. JDA President Dr Mahendra Pratap Singh stated that the arrest violates Supreme Court guidelines, which mandate that no legal action should be taken against a medical professional for duties performed in good faith without a prior investigation.

In this case, no inquiry was conducted. Direct action was taken, which is unjust and unacceptable, he said. The association also called for disciplinary action against the Controller of the Food and Drug Administration, alleging procedural lapses and overreach in the matter. Dr Sonis arrest has sparked widespread concern among the medical fraternity, who view it as a threat to professional autonomy and a breach of legal safeguards meant to protect doctors performing their duties. The JDA emphasised that such actions could demoralise healthcare providers and hinder patient care.
Medical student gangraped in W Bengal





KOLKATA :

A MEDICAL college student from Odisha was allegedly raped by unidentified men in West Bengals Paschim Bardhaman district, police said on Saturday. The police began an investigation into the incident that occurred outside the private medical college campus in Durgapur on Friday night when the second-year student went out with one of her friends for dinner, her family members said. The survivor, from Jaleswar in Odisha, is undergoing treatment at the college hospital and gave her statement to the police, an officer said. Following the incident that occurred after last years RG Kar hospital rape-murder case, the Opposition BJP claimed that law and order totally collapsed under Mamata Banerjees rule, the

TMC said such matters should not be politicised. On the basis of a complaint lodged by the family members of the medic, we have started an investigation, he said. Later, DC (East) of Durgapur Commissionerate, Abhishek Gupta, said, The matter is sensitive. The investigation is being conducted with all aspects in mind. As soon as more information is available, it will be shared. Talking to reporters, the parents of the student said they reached Durgapur on Saturday morning after getting a call from their daughters friends.

Her mother alleged that her daughter was gang-raped around 10 pm on Friday when she went out of the college campus with one of her friends for dinner. We came here this morning and lodged a complaint with the police. I have heard that the college performed well academically, and this is why we sent our daughter to study medicine here, the students father said. An initial probe revealed that the student went outside the campus with her friend around 8-8.30 pm on Friday, the police officer of New Township Police Station in

Durgapur said. The friend left her alone when three unidentified men arrived there. The men snatched her phone and took her to a jungle outside the campus, where they raped her. She was threatened with dire consequences if she told anyone about the incident, the officer said. The accused also demanded money from the medic to return her mobile phone, he said. We spoke to the victims friend last night.We are trying to find out CCTV footage. A forensic team will visit the spot to collect evidence, the officer said. A team of the National Commission for Women (NCW ) reached the hospital in Durgapur to meet the victim and her parents. Crime against women is on the rise in Bengal. The police are not taking any proactive steps in such cases.

This is quite unfortunate. I will request the chief minister to come forward and work in tandem to arrest the rise of such crimes, NCW member Archana Majumdar said. Meanwhile, the State health department on Saturday sought a report from the private medical college in Durgapur, a senior official said. We have sought a quick report from the college authorities in this connection. Accordingly, we will take steps, he added. Meanwhile, BJP activists started a sit-in protest outside the New Township Police Station, demanding the immediate arrest of the culprit.
Newly launched real-time cheque clearance system troubling many traders, businessmen





Business Reporter :

The new real-time cheque clearance system, introduced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently to speed up payments, is troubling some of the traders here in the region. Some of the traders and businessmen have pointed out that their cheques are not getting cleared for the past four days.

As a part of the first phase of the continuous clearing and settlement process, the RBI has introduced a new system from October 4. Under the new system, cheques deposited between 10 am and 4 pm are being scanned and sent for clearing instantly. From 11 am, banks settle the transactions every hour. Further, the paying banks must confirm by 7 pm, in case there is no response, the cheque is automatically approved. Earlier, the cheques were cleared in a batch at the end of the day. However, Dr Dipen Agrawal, President of the Chamber of

Associations of Maharashtra Industry & Trade (CAMIT), said that many traders and businessmen are facing severe hardship due to alleged failure of the new same-day cheque clearing system. Dr Agrawal has urged the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to take immediate corrective measures following widespread disruption in the newly introduced same-day cheque clearing system, which has caused serious liquidity challenges for traders, industrialists, and MSMEs across Maharashtra.

In a representation submitted to the Finance Minister and the Principal Revenue Secretary (Banking), Department of Financial Services, CAMIT highlighted that the system, though well-intentioned, has been plagued by major technical glitches since its roll out, resulting in complete stoppage of cheque clearance in several banks over the past few days. CA Kailash Jogani, President of Nagpur Chamber of Commerce Ltd (NCCL), has also raised the similar issue.

In the festive season, where inflow of cheques are more than normal, the non-clearance of cheques have triggered confusion and panic among the traders and businessmen, he said. CA Jogani has made a representation before the Reserve Bank of India for its immediate attention to the new clearing system. In a representation to the RBIs Department of Payment and Settlement System, the NCCL has raised the issue. CA Jufesh Shah, Chairman COSIA Vidarbha, also said that the new system is affecting clearing of banking transactions.

The concerned authorities should have undergone real substantive tests of the system before rolling it out. Due to the glitches, many banks are encountering issues such as poor cheque image quality and inconsistent scanning, he said. In the meanwhile, one of the senior officers in a public sector bank, told The Hitavada that as the system is new, there are some teething problems which will be resolved very soon. Another officer said that all the systems will be streamlined by October 13.
Overwhelming response to Vastuvision exhibition





Business Reporter :

Central Indias largest shopping and lifestyle exhibition, Vastuvision Exhibition, is being held at Shubharambh Banquet, Opp. Haldirams, Besa Road, Manish Nagar in the city from October 10 to 13. Right from the first day the exhibition is receiving a tremendous response from the people.

A large number of people are arriving here from various corners of the city and taking keen interest in the products put on display. The exhibition remains open from 12.30 pm to 9 pm for the visitors. The exhibition is showcasing products related to real estate, furniture, interior design and solar solutions.

Leading builders and developers in Nagpur are also showcasing their various residential and commercial property projects. Antique furniture, wooden furniture, classic Italian furniture, brass furniture, iron furniture, space-saving furniture, decorative home furnishing items, home appliances and solar products are the main attractions of this exhibition, says a press release issued here by the organisers.

Vendors from major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Agra, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, Jodhpur and Indore are participating in this exhibition. Various food stalls offering delicious cuisine make this exhibition even more special. Vijay Rathi, Director, Vastu Vision, has appealed to the citizens to take advantage of the event. For further details, interested persons may either visit the exhibition or call on mobile number - 9373122021.
PM Modi unveils Rs 79 crore milk powder plant aimed at rural prosperity in Indore





Staff Reporter :

A state-of-the-art milk powder plant was virtually inaugurated in Indore on Saturday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Built at a cost of Rs 79 crore, the modern facility, equipped with advanced processing technology, has a production capacity of 3 million tonnes and is expected to significantly enhance the states milk processing and value-addition capacity. The inauguration took place during the national program Respecting the

Food Providers, Building a Prosperous Nation, organised by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in New Delhi. Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav participated virtually from Brilliant Convention Centre, Indore, where farmers, dairy producers and local representatives gathered to witness the launch.

The plant, established under the Madhya Pradesh Milk Federation, is designed to ensure better storage, processing and export potential for dairy products. Officials said that it will create new employment opportunities and strengthen the co-operative dairy network across central India. Prime Minister Modi also announced the integration of co-operative societies in Indore and Gwalior with Primary Agricultural Credit Societies

(PACS), describing it as a historic move to enhance the co-operative framework and rural financial access. Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister, calling the launch a transformative step for farmers and the rural economy. He said that the State Government is fully committed to implementing the PM Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana and Pulse Self-Reliance Mission, both aimed at raising productivity and ensuring self-sufficiency in pulses. Dr Yadav added that development projects worth Rs 42,000 crore are underway in agriculture and allied sectors.
Jharkhand police arrest cybercriminal from Manipur

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Gumla, Oct 11: Jharkhand Police arrested a cybercriminal from Manipur, an officer said on Saturday.

The police took action after a written complaint was filed at Gumla police station by Amruudin Khan, a resident of Ambedkar Nagar, Gumla, regarding a cyber fraud amounting to Rs 8.45 lakh from his bank account on September 12, the officer said.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Gumla, Suresh Prasad Yadav, said, "During investigation, it was revealed that a total of Rs 10.75 lakh had been transferred from the victim's two bank accounts. Later, the investigation found that the account holder of the alleged bank account is Lukram Dinesh Maitai of Kharson Makha Lekai, under the Lamlai police station in Imphal East district of Manipur."

He said a police team went to Manipur and verified the transactions. After this, the accused account holder was interrogated, during which he confessed to the crime and said that he had withdrawn Rs 8,00,000 on September 11.

The accused was arrested, and following approval from Imphal court regarding transit remand, he was brought to Gumla on October 11. The accused has now been sent to jail.

Yadav said that they have recovered three ATM cards, seven bank passbooks, two mobile phones, and chequebooks of several banks. PTI
Promoted to DIG

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IMPHAL, Oct 11: Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla presided over a rank pipping ceremony held at Raj Bhavan today to mark the promotion of two Indian Police Service officer Rakesh Balwal, IPS and Ningshem Vashum, IPS to the rank of DIGP.

During the ceremony, the Governor placed the new rank insignia on the officers, symbolising their formal elevation in service.

Rakesh Balwal, IPS, and Ningshem Vashum, IPS, were recently promoted to the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP).

The Governor congratulated both the officers and extended best wishes for their continued service to the State and the Nation. ADGP (Intelligence) Ashutosh Kumar Sinha and ADGP (L&O) Lupheng Kailun were also present during the ceremony, said a press release issued by the Governors Secretariat.
TIM submits memorandum to Union Home Minister, others

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IMPHAL, Oct 11 : The Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM) has submitted a follow-up memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Chairperson of the Supreme Court-Appointed Committee Justice (retd) Gita Mittal and Chief Secretary Dr Puneet Kumar Goel, urging recognition of third category of displaced Thadou persons living outside Manipur and relief camps.

TIM, in a press note, stated that the memorandum renews its call for recognition of a third category of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) for unregistered and unassisted Thadou families who were forcibly displaced by the May 2023 ethnic violence and are now living outside Manipur and outside Government relief camps.

No action has been taken to address the continuing plight of these families, it said and added that recognition of the third category of IDPs is essential to uphold justice, inclusion, and humanitarian values.

Saying that these displaced families remain excluded from all State and Central relief and rehabilitation schemes, it added that the assumption that displaced people living outside Manipur are financially secure is entirely incorrect.

In reality, most families live in rented accommodations, struggling with unemployment, trauma, and poverty, and their displacement was a matter of survival, not choice or privilege, TIM said.

In the memorandum, TIM requested that the Government of Manipur, in coordination with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, recognize the third category of IDPs and establish a verification mechanism to issue Displacement Certificates.

TIM also urged that these verified IDPs be included in all relief, rehabilitation, compensation, and resettlement frameworks and that the Justice (Retd) Gita Mittal Committee undertake a special review to ensure official documentation and recommendation for urgent relief.

TIM further emphasized that the two-year survival of these families without institutional aid should be recognized as endurance and not mistaken for financial security.

Reaffirming its neutrality, peace-seeking, and Constitutional position, TIM appealed to the authorities to ensure that no genuine victim of the Manipur violence is left behind due to bureaucratic oversight.
So Dusshera has come and gone, and were now gearing up for the annual ODI (On Diwali, Inevitably) clash between the pataka party and the anti-pollution brigade. RWAs and schools are printing circulars begging people to keep it clean, while environmentalists and animal lovers strategise hectically to protect the air, the trees and all creatures great and small, even as right-wingers get busy cooking up their annual toxic rasedaar aaloo-tamatar stew of religious fervour, performative patriotism, brutal bullying and vulgar displays of wealth.

When we were children, we made a rangoli at the front door on Diwali, wore new clothes, sucked white batasha (moulded sugar) animal figurines, performed an OJJ (Om Jai Jagdish Hare) arti at home, burnt a modest cache of fireworks and played teen patti late into the night using dry fruits as currency. It was a simple yet perfect celebration, and the only thing I would want to add from the post-1990 universe into that classic mix would be Ed Sheerans mid-2025 desi-collab banger, with lyrics and a beat that is perfect for Diwali:

Youre glowing/You colour and fracture the light/You cant help but shine/And I know that/You carry the world on your back/But look at you tonight/The lights, your face, your eyes/Exploding like fireworks in the skyyyy.... Sapphire!

Imaging: Deni Lal

During those childhood fireworks displays, the excitement stemmed mainly from the swift beating of our heart as we waited for the fuse to spark. Lighting patakas was a risky business, requiring courage (especially since the quality of crackers was rather erratic those days). The igniting provided as much excitement as the light and sound that followed. There were always some swashbucklers (fathers, brothers, the occasional feisty aunt or didi) who did the actual lighting while the rest of the party stood around watching breathlessly, hands clasped.

It was every childs dream to be one of those badass heroes one day. Stepping forward while the rest hung behind in fright, bending down casually to ignite a delightful explosion of light. Coolest move ever.

Apart from joyously celebrating India in all its moods and colours, Sheerans lyrics also suggest that fireworks dont have to be literal, they can also be symbolic/metaphorical. Of course, beautiful women have been hailed as patakas, phuljardis and lardi bombs by generations of Bollywood writers and roadside molesters, but lets get our head out of our knickers, shall we, because Im talking about truth bombs. The thought-provoking, conscience-stirring, brilliantly illuminating kind which the finest quality of stand-up comedians, whistleblowers and vigilant opposition MP specialise in launching into the smoggy sky of our public discourse.

Now, these are a form of Diwali celebration I can totally get behind. Whether it is a middle-school class teacher quietly but firmly debunking fake historical narratives in her classroom, a new resident challenging the colony RWA for having segregated elevators for domestic workers and residents, journalists daring to print the words Genocide in Gaza without employing inverted commas, the lack of consistency and logic in our external affairs policy with neighbouring nations and super-powers, a statement on the blatant partisanship of our Election Commison, or even a CJI politely suggesting to petitioners that they pray, meditate and ask Lord Vishnu to intercede and fix the matter of his beheaded statue in Khajuraho himself.

These truth bombs deliver highly on adrenalin and the accelerated heart-beat factor, they are fume-free, particulate-matter free (also literally free) and fully guaranteed to draw oohs and aahs on family and colony WhatsApp groups, national news channels and in the real world.

Why not gift ourselves cleaner air and a cleaner conscience by switching to these patakas this festive season.
In May, Mel Gibson confirmed that the sequel to The Passion of the Christ, titled The Resurrection of the Christ, was finally ready to go on floors, and Lionsgate released a title promo announcing it. Jim Caviezel, who played Christ in the 2004 film, was also set to return. However, it now appears its not the case. The Person of Interest actor has reportedly dropped out, and Gibson is seeking another face for the part.

Over two decades have passed since the release of The Passion of the Christ, which captivated audiences with its powerful depiction of the final hours of Jesus.

In a January interview with Joe Rogan on his podcast, Mel Gibson described the sequel as an "acid trip" and explained, "It took a long time to write. It's really ambitious and it goes from the fall of the angels to the death of the last apostle. The screenplay, developed over several years, was co-written by Gibson, his brother Donal Gibson, and Randall Wallace (Braveheart).

THE RESURRECTION OF THE CHRIST Parts One and Two - coming to theaters Spring 2027.



PART ONE

Good Friday - March 26, 2027



PART TWO

Ascension Day - May 6, 2027 pic.twitter.com/HphYQFl7ox  The Resurrection of The Christ (@ResurrectFilm) August 5, 2025

The sequel is planned for release in two parts: the first part is set for Good Friday (March 26, 2026), and the second part for Ascension Day (May 6, 2027).

Gibson earlier said the changes in Caviezel's youthful appearance in the two decades would be handled via de-ageing technology to maintain visual consistency.

Filming is expected to begin in 2026 in the Italian towns of Matera, as well as Ginosa, Gravina, Laterza, and Altamura. Rome's Cinecitta Studios, where the original was shot, is also included in the schedule.

For the unversed, The Passion of the Christ was the highest-grossing R-rated film in the US for 20 years, until Deadpool & Wolverine took its place.
Indonesian action star Iko Uwais recently launched his production house and directorial debut. Under the banner, Uwais Pictures, the star is directing and starring in Timur as the lead.

Uwais has, by now, attained wider popularity amongst international action genre aficionados after his appearance in the acclaimed action thrillers The Raid, The Raid: Redemption, and The Night Comes for Us.

Timur travels to 1996 to explore a real-life hostage crisis, the resulting chaos, and the subsequent rescue operation initiated by the current Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.

A recently released behind-the-scenes video shows Uwais on set, directing the actors and crew in evidently challenging sequences. The makers are planning to bring it to Indonesian screens in December, followed by a worldwide release.

Before making his debut in 2009s Merantau, directed by Indonesia-based Welsh filmmaker Gareth Evans, Uwais worked as a driver for a telecom company. A chance meeting with Evans, who was working on a martial arts documentary at the time, led to Uwais landing the main role in Merantau, Evans' second feature.

The two later reunited for The Raid in 2011. The gore-filled action blockbuster saw Uwais working with actor Joe Taslim, who would later become his co-star in The Night Comes for Us.

Uwais has also contributed to the fight choreography department of films like The Raid, The Raid 2, Beyond Skyline, Mile 22, The Night Comes for Us, and Stuber.

Uwais made his Hollywood debut in the Keanu Reeves-starrer Man of Tai Chi. He also played the lead in the popular Netflix series Wu Assassins, which ran for a single season. A follow-up came in the form of a feature-length movie titled Fistful of Vengeance.
The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has finalised the seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming assembly polls in Bihar. Janata Dal (United) head Nitish Kumar will continue as chief ministerial face of the alliance, with both key parties, JD(U) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), agreeing to contest in 101 seats each.

Announcing the NDA's seat-sharing arrangement for the election to the 243-member assembly, JD(U) national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha said the seat-sharing was finalised in a "cordial atmosphere". According to Jha, both JD(U) and BJP will contest in 101 seats each, Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Morcha in six seats each, and Union minister Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has in 29 seats.

The JD(U) reportedly did not bargain for a lion share of seats this time, owing to the party's poor performance during the 2020 assembly polls; the party contested in 115 seats and won only 43. The BJP, which contested in 110 seats, won in 74. Paswan contested the election separately and fielded candidates in 135 seats.

Paswan's revolt was then suspected to have been at the behest of the BJP and had also resulted in JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar's exit from NDA, albeit for a brief period of 17 months. Announcing the arrangement, Paswan tweeted, "Bihar is ready  Once again an NDA government, this time with full strength."

Manjhi, who is rumoured to be unhappy with the formula, wrote on his X handle that he was returning to Patna, but asserted, "I will stay with Prime Minister Narendra Modi till my last breath". Manjhi was hoping for 15 seats, so that if his party manages to win in eight, they could get "recognised" status.
The scheduled visit of Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to Agra has been cancelled, official sources said on Sunday. However, they did not mention any reason, which led to the cancellation.

STORY | Afghan minister Muttaqi's visit to Agra cancelled



The visit of Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to Agra on Sunday has been cancelled, official sources said.



READ: https://t.co/dS7RrC3lxs pic.twitter.com/EkYS1tFqWc  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 12, 2025

Muttaqi was expected to travel to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal on Sunday. As per the original plan, he was to leave Delhi around 8 am via the Yamuna Expressway and reach Shilpgram, near the monument's eastern gate, by 11 am.

He was also expected to spend about an hour and a half at the site before returning to Delhi in the afternoon.

Agra district authorities had made elaborate security measures for the high-profile visit.

Speculations are rife on social media about the abrupt cancellation of the Afghanistan ministers Taj Mahal visit, with some linking it to the intense overnight border clashes between his countrys forces and the Pakistani Army along the border.

Several casualties have been reported on both sides, with Afghanistan claiming that the firing was in retaliation to the air strikes carried out in Kabul last week, allegedly by the Pakistan military.

A press conference by Afghanistans Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi sparked outrage. No women journalists were allowed to attend the event. The Centre clarified it had no role in organising the meet. #afghanistan #newdelhi #taliban #sjaishankar pic.twitter.com/XsnD0r3ph2  THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) October 11, 2025

Muttaqi is in India on a six-day visit aimed at engaging on bilateral and regional matters. On Saturday, he visited Darul Uloom Deoband in Uttar Pradeshs Saharanpur, one of the most influential Islamic seminaries in South Asia.

Muttaquis visit was also mired in controversy after women journalists were allegedly barred from a press meet he had conducted on Friday at the Afghanistan embassy in Delhi. The press meet was convened hours after he met with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Opposition parties termed the incident "unacceptable" and an "insult to women", and slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" over the issue.

Muttaqi landed in the national capital on Thursday. He is the first senior Taliban minister to visit India after the group seized power four years back, though New Delhi has not yet recognised the Taliban set up.

On Sunday, Muttaqi will attend a meeting with industry and business representatives in Delhi, organised by a major chamber of commerce.

He will have a separate meeting with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval to discuss issues related to security, counterterrorism, humanitarian aid, and visas for Afghan students and businessmen.
A week after the Election Commission announced the dates of the Bihar Assembly Elections, seat-sharing talks within the Opposition Mahagathbandhan are yet to yield results. Amid speculations of a rife within the alliance, a post put by Vikassheel Insaan Party founder Mukesh Sahni is grabbing eyeballs.

Sahni, who joined the Mahagathbandhan in 2019, has put up a cryptic post which read: On November 14th, we will form a government in Bihar where every section of society will receive its rights and respect." The poster also featured his party's symbol and a photo of Mukesh Sahni.

Interestingly, it made no mention of Mahagathbandhan nor featured any images of any Opposition leaders. He had put up a poster two days earlier mentioning the Grand Alliance, but opted not to on Sunday. This has triggered rumours that Sahni could even quit the alliance to switch to the NDA.

Not only that, Sahni is also projecting himself as Deputy CM, which seems to have not gone down well with the Congress.

However, Sahnis post created quite a buzz in Patna circles, so he had to come up with another video soon. On Saturday night, Sahni posted a 29-second statement where he reaffirmed that he had no plans to quit the Mahagathbandan. The grand alliance is unbreakable. We will write a new story of development and equality in Bihar along with the ideology of social justice of the respected Shri Lalu Yadav Ji, he reiterated in the video.

Sahni has been demanding 30 seats and the post of Deputy Chief Minister within the Grand Alliance. He is also upset at how the Grand Alliance isnt willing to give him his preferred seats of Muzaffarpur, Patna Sahib, Sahibganj, and Narkatiaganj.

Sahni, who has a strong hold with the Nishad (Mallah) community, is considered a kingmaker in Bihar. In the 2020 Assembly elections, he surprised everyone by winning 11 seats. He was part of the NDA then. He went on to become Minister of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries in the Bihar government.
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is likely to make a formal announcement on Sunday regarding the seat-sharing agreement for the Bihar Assembly elections scheduled for next month.

Senior BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah and party president J.P. Nadda held a meeting with leaders of the allies in Delhi on Saturday to discuss the election preparedness.

According to reports, the BJP has almost finalised the seat-sharing formula with Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United), and Chirag Paswans LJP (Ram Vilas), while discussions were on with the other two allies Jitan Ram Manjhis Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) and Upendra Kushwahas Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM).

As per the tentative arrangement, the JD(U) is likely to contest around 101 or 102 seats and the BJP on one seat less than the JD(U). The LJP (RV) is likely to get 26 seats, HAM eight, and RLM six.

BJP Bihar unit president Dilip Jaiswal on Saturday said all is well in the NDA and an announcement on seat-sharing was likely by Sunday.

"Everything has been decided in the NDA. The NDA is moving forward with firm unity. All is well," he said.

Meanwhile, the BJP Central Committee, which includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior leaders, is scheduled to hold a key meeting on Sunday evening at the party headquarters to finalise the names of candidates for the major constituencies.

The selection process is expected to be thorough, with discussions focused on ensuring strong contenders in each seat.

Polling to the 243-member assembly will be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11, 2025, and the results will be declared on November 14, 2025.
The father of Durgapur gangrape victim slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for questioning women venturing out at night and said she should "issue fatwa". The father urged the Odisha government to shift the victim to Bhubaneshwar for treatment.

Lashing out at the West Bengal chief minister, the victim's father said, "She has spoken very well. We'll ask her to issue a fatwa tonight that no girl will be allowed to leave her home starting tomorrow morning. That would be good. No girl will go out. No incident will occur. If she can't do the work she should, then she should resign as the chief minister," ANI reported.

The victim's father charged that the chief minister has failed to maintain law and order in the state. "She's not properly monitoring law and order. That's why she's putting the blame on the victim. We find this behaviour very offensive," he added.

A second-year MBBS student studying at a private medical college, hailing from Jaleswar in Odisha's Balasore district, was allegedly gangraped in a jungle near the college during the late hours of Friday. She had reportedly stepped out of the campus to have dinner with friends.

The father of a 23-year-old woman also appealed to the Odisha government to shift her to Bhubaneswar for treatment. "I appeal to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to help shift my daughter to Bhubaneswar. I fear that her life may be in danger," the father told PTI.

The student's father said the family felt unsafe in West Bengal and was "too frightened to trust anyone". "They (not taking any name) will kill my daughter. Her health condition has improved, but there is danger to her life. I cannot trust them," he said.

A team of officials from Balasore visited the victim at the hospital in Odisha and inquired about her health condition.
The West Bengal Police have arrested three men in connection with the gang-rape of a medical student in the states Paschim Bardhaman on Sunday. The victim, a second-year medical student, had stepped out of the college campus with a classmate to buy food when she was allegedly raped by the three men.

Adding impetus to the case, the college authorities also revealed the key timeline of the victims presence inside and outside the campus on the day the incident happened.

The medical college student, who hails from Odisha's Jaleswar, is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital and has given a statement to the law enforcement authorities.

In her statement, the student said she was dragged into a nearby jungle area by the attackers. The classmate, who accompanied her, ran away on seeing the attackers. Police said the role of the classmate is under scrutiny, and they are trying to find out whether the accused was known to the classmate or the victim.

The student was outside the college campus for nearly an hour and a half at night when the incident happened, Bengali newspaper Anaandbazaar Patrika reported.

The authorities of the private medical college provided this information in a statement. They said the girl had left the campus with her classmate at 7:58 pm. She returned to the campus alone at 8:42 pm. She went outside again after five to six minutes and re-entered the campus with her classmate at 9:29 pm. After that, she left for her hostel at 9:31 pm.

#WATCH | Paschim Bardhaman, West Bengal | Police and investigation team reach the crime spot in Duragpur, where an MBBS student was allegedly gangraped yesterday.



(ANI)#Durgapur #DurgapurHorror #OdiaMedico #assaults pic.twitter.com/1Otuddxy5J  Prameya English (@PrameyaEnglish) October 12, 2025

The incident came to light after the student, on returning to the hostel, alerted everyone about the incident. Her friends contacted the police, and she was taken to the hospital immediately.

Police are reportedly probing in which window of time did the attack happened. At 9 pm, our daughters friend called our house saying, 'Your daughter has been raped, come quickly!' When we arrived, we found our daughter in a serious condition," he told reporters.

He also pointed fingers at her classmate. One of her classmates took her out on the pretext of getting something to eat, but when two or three other men arrived, he abandoned her and fled. They raped her... This incident happened between 8 and 9 PM. The hostel was far away, and she had come here to eat, he added.

Rape accused nabbed via phone dumping

The police said they used the mobile phone tower dumping method to zero in on the accused. The accused persons had used the victim's mobile phone to call another accused to the crime spot, he said. This helped them identify the mobile phone numbers of all the accused, police said.

The police and forensic experts are also combing the jungle area where the incident allegedly happened to collect details.
Tamil Nadu Opposition leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami denied reports of discussing an alliance with Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay in the aftermath of the Karur stampede. Targeting Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Palaniswami said cracks have started appearing in the ruling alliance.

Talking to presspersons in Salem, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary said he went to Karur soon after the tragic stampede in September and met victims undergoing treatment at hospital. Denying reports of contacting Vijay, Palaniswami added that TVK cadres are taking part in AIADMK's rallies by choice.

TVK flags are being spotted in Palaniswami's rallies in the aftermath of Karur stampede. The former chief minister has been offering strong cover to Vijay and TVK in his campaigns in the aftermath of the Karur stampede.

As many as 41 people died in the stampede during actor-politician Vijay's rally in Karur on September 27. Over 50 people suffered in the incident and underwent treatment at hospitals in Karur. While Vijay and TVK faced blame over the deaths, Palaniswami targeted the ruling DMK over the deaths. Palaniswami charged that the deaths could have been averted had the state government offered proper security for the event.

Palaniswami flayed the DMK and its partners, stating it has no right to talk about the AIADMK alliance. Palaniswami charged that cracks have started to appear in the alliance led by the ruling DMK. "The Congress, which is an ally of the DMK, has started to ask for more seats to contest for the forthcoming assembly polls in 2026," he said.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh will represent India at Gaza peace summit in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday. A last-minute invitation was extended to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the high-profile event.

US President Donald Trump and 20 other world leaders are expected to attend the key event. People in the know of the developments confirmed the Union minister will represent India at the key peace meet. A last-minute invite was reportedly extended to India by both the US and Egypt.

Hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the 'Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit' will discuss steps to bring lasting peace to Gaza as well as to the wider Middle East. The meet is being co-chaired by al-Sisi and Trump.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italy's Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are among leaders expected to attend the summit. A statement from Egypt said, "The summit will be co-chaired by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and US President Donald Trump, with the participation of leaders from more than 20 countries."

"The summit aims to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to bring peace and stability to the Middle East, and usher in a new phase of regional security and stability," it added.

The peace meet is taking place days after both Israel and Hamas agreed to a peace plan proposed by US President Trump. The ceasefire in Gaza came into effect on Friday. According to reports, Hamas is expected to release around 20 living hostages on Monday.

As many as 1,200 people died after Israel launched the war in Gaza following Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Hamas took 251 people as hostages, and over 50 of them are still in its captivity. According to Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, Israeli military operations have killed over 66,000 Palestinians since the beginning of the conflict.
Veteran Congress leader and former Union minister P. Chidambaram remarked on Sunday that the 'Operation Blue Star' carried out under the instruction of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was a wrong way to secure the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

He said Gandhi had to pay the price for this mistake with her life.

The operation was launched by the Indian military in 1984 to flush out the armed Sikh separatists led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale from inside the holy shrine.

"No disrespect to any service officers present here, but that was the wrong way to retrieve the Golden Temple. Three to four years later, we showed the right way to retrieve the Golden Temple, by keeping out the army," Chidambaram said while attending an event in Delhi.

#WATCH | Kasauli, Solan, HP: Former Home Minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram says, "... No disrespect to any military officers here, but that (Blue Star) was the wrong way to retrieve the Golden Temple. A few years later, we showed the right way to retrieve the Golden pic.twitter.com/QpFJEGYNQQ  ANI (@ANI) October 12, 2025

The Congress leader, however, claimed that the whole blame cannot be put on Gandhi for the incident.

I agreed that Ms Gandhi paid with her life for that mistake but that mistake was a cumulative decision of the army, the police, the intelligence and the civil service. We can't blame it on only Ms Gandhi," he said.

When a senior Congress leader like P. Chidambaram admits that Operation Blue Star was a wrong way to enter Sri Harmandir Sahib, it exposes the Congresss historic blunder that deeply wounded the Sikh community.



But his attempt to shift the blame away from Indira Gandhi is pic.twitter.com/xSgfsO7Z4m  Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) October 12, 2025

A more strategic approach like Operation Black Thunder, where electricity and water supply to the Golden Temple were cut off and militants were compelled to surrender could have achieved the objective without desecrating the sanctity of Sri Harmandir Sahib and the Akal Takhat, and without the tragic loss of innocent devotees lives, BJP national spokesperson R.P. Singh said.

He said Indira Gandhi chose the path of confrontation for electoral gain, seeking to ignite nationalist fervour before the 1984 parliamentary elections by portraying the most patriotic community of India, the Sikhs, as anti-national, he said.

In doing so, she got trapped in her own political web and ultimately paid for it with her life.

As a Nationalist, I strongly believe that Operation Blue Star was completely avoidable, as rightly mentioned by former Home Minister P. Chidambaram.

A more strategic approach like Operation Black Thunder, where electricity and water supply to the Golden Temple were cut off and  RP Singh National Spokesperson BJP (@rpsinghkhalsa) October 12, 2025

The Operation Blue Star, carried out from June 1 to June 8 in 1984, sparked massive resentment among the Sikh community, which interpreted it as an assault on their religion. The military move also marked the beginning of the insurgency in Punjab.

Five months after the operation, on October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated in an act of revenge by two of her Sikh bodyguards.
Weeks after the deadly stampede in Karur during a rally of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay, the actor-politician is likely to meet the families of the victims on October 15 or 17.

Vijay has conveyed his intention to visit Karur soon after the partys 16-day morning period concludes on Monday, reports said.

Karur, Tamil Nadu | Karuru stampede | A member of a victim's family, Saktivel, said, "Yesterday, nine members of the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) visited. During that time, they made a video call to TVK party leader Vijay and handed the phone to me. Vijay said that he was deeply pic.twitter.com/M87mUP6L4j  ANI (@ANI) October 7, 2025

Our leader is deeply moved by the tragedy and is determined to meet the families in person before Deepavali. We have applied for police permission for a visit on either October 15 or 17, and the final date will be confirmed once the police grant approval, a senior TVK functionary told IANS news agency.

Last week, the TVK had submitted a letter to the Director General of Police (DGP) seeking permission and security arrangements for Vijay to visit Karur in order to meet the victims' families.

The letter made five requests to the police: zero-tolerance crowd control from Trichy airport to the venue and return, security at Trichy airport, venue security in Karur, media and publicity restrictions, and itinerary and cooperation.

Why didnt Vijay go to visit the victims in Karur hospital immediately after stampede?



Vijay wanted to visit the victims & stay in Karur. But the police decided against it and denied him permission citing law and order issue and forced him to leave Karur.  Mr. (@mrpaluvets) October 11, 2025

The stampede, which claimed 41 lives and injured over 100 others, took place on September 27 when the crowd swelled beyond expectation and surged uncontrollably on the actor's arrival.

According to police, the rally saw a turnout of 27,000nearly three times the expected 10,000 participantsand Vijay reached the venue seven hours late.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Tamil Nadu Police is investigating the stampede and has arrested TVK Karur district secretary Mathiyazhagan for his alleged failure to enforce safety measures and control the crowd.

Vijays team, meanwhile, has moved the Supreme Court, demanding an independent investigation by a retired judge. The top court is scheduled to pronounce its order on October 13.

On Friday, the apex court, while reserving its orders, had questioned the Madras High Court for constituting a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the stampede and wondered how it had proceeded with the matter.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday raised questions over Congress leader Rahul Gandhis visit to South America, asking why so much secrecy is maintained over his trip.

BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya noted that Gandhi left for South America on September 26, and there is complete silence on the real purpose of his visit.

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, left for South America on September 26. Its been over 15 days now, and apart from a few staged videos meant to divert attention from the real purpose of his visit, theres complete silence, Malviya said.

Where exactly is Rahul Gandhi, and what is he doing in South America? Why all this secrecy?, he asked.

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, left for South America on September 26.



Its been over 15 days now, and apart from a few staged videos meant to divert attention from the real purpose of his visit, theres complete silence.



Where exactly is Rahul Gandhi, and what is  Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) October 12, 2025

Gandhi is currently on a tour of four South American nations, meeting a host of students, businessmen, and political leaders.

Malviya, who has been targeting Gandhi over his foreign trip, had earlier wondered what excuses the "missing" leader would come up with after the Mahagathbandhan's expected loss in the Bihar Assembly elections next month.

"If Rahul Gandhi is done learning how to brew coffee in Colombia and vacationing, he should return to India. Bihar elections have been announced, and polling begins in less than a month. The Mahagathbandhan will lose, again. And, as always, the Congress will blame everyone, except their missing leader!, he had said on Saturday.

The ruling party has been accusing Gandhi of projecting the country in a bad light on foreign soil.

Earlier, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had demanded an investigation into Gandhi's foreign tours in the past ten years, while party leader Tuhin Sinha questioned the purpose and confidentiality of the visits.

Rahul Gandhi is a strange leader who travels all the way to South America to observe Navratri instead of participating in the Navratri pujas happening in the country. If his trip is indeed an official visit, as claimed by Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, then what is the need for so much secrecy? Why has he not shared his South America itinerary yet?, Sinha had asked.
Mollywood superstar Suresh Gopi on Sunday "expressed regret" about becoming a minister in the Union cabinet, saying his income from cinema has almost "diminished" after becoming part of the cabinet. Gopi expressed the desire that RSS ideologue and Rajya Sabha MP C. Sadanandan must be made a minister instead.

Addressing a party event in Kerala's Kannur, Gopi said, "I am saying here with sincerity that Sadanandan Master should be made a (Union) minister after removing me. I believe that it will become a new chapter in the political history of Kerala."

Gopi said he is ready to step down from the cabinet, and Sadanandan, popularly known as Sadanandan master, who is one of the senior members of Bharatiya Janata Party in Kerala, should be made a minister.

The RSS ideologue was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by President Droupadi Murmu recently.

The Mollywood superstar won from Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls with a majority of over 70,000 votes. Gopi is Minister of State for tourism, and petroleum and natural gas. The actor said he never wished to become a minister, and he wanted to continue acting, as he needed that income for his personal needs and welfare initiatives.

Noting that the party might have made him a Union minister in recognition of the mandate given by the people during the Lok Sabha polls, Gopi added Sadanandan master's ministership would be a major breakthrough.

Sadanandan Master, a senior leader of the saffron party from Kannur district, is a survivor of political violence. He lost both his legs during an alleged attack by CPI(M) workers in 1994.

Gopi had expressed desire to step down from the Union cabinet and return to cinema earlier as well. Reportedly, the actor was supposed to do play a significant role in the upcoming Mammootty-Mahesh Narayanan film 'Patriot'. Reportedly, Gopi had to withdraw from the project owing to date clashes. Mollywood superstar Mohanlal has replaced him in the film now, marking the reunion of two Mollywood stalwarts after nearly two decades.
After Saturday's outrage over the exclusion of women journalists at a press conference by Taliban Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, a second press meet was called on Sunday. This time, there was a clear presence of women at the Afghan embassy.

A day after the Taliban leader landed in New Delhi, he came under scrutiny for a press meet he held right after meeting with his Indian counterpart, S Jaishankar.

Women journalists at Muttaqi's 2nd presser in Delhi pic.twitter.com/RZ8nhKAlac  Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) October 12, 2025

It was clear that women journalists were prohibited from entering the meeting on Saturday. Invitations for the briefing were given to around 17 media outlets, all of them represented by male journalists. Women journalists had to wait outside the gates of the embassy.

Editors Guild of India and the Indian Women Press Corps (IWPC) called the act highly discriminatory, which cannot be justified, citing the diplomatic privilege under the Vienna Convention.

While diplomatic premises may claim protection under the Vienna Convention, that cannot justify blatant gender discrimination in press access on Indian soil, the guild said. Whether or not the MEA coordinated the event, it is deeply troubling that such a discriminatory exclusion was allowed to proceed without objection, they added.

A free and inclusive press must defend representation, not enable exclusion, the statement read.

Journalists- women and men- walking into the #Afghanistan embassy in Delhi for another press conference by Taliban Min Muttaqi following the last presser row. The original Afghan flag still flutters at the embassy with the Taliban and their black and white flag yet to be pic.twitter.com/SRJwuF6Crj  Smita Sharma (@Smita_Sharma) October 12, 2025

Opposition leaders had also questioned the centre for the exclusion of women at the event. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, When you allow the exclusion of women journalists from a public forum, you are telling every woman in India that you are too weak to stand up for them.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called it an insult to some of Indias most competent women being allowed in our country.

Former Union Minister P Chidambaram also said that the male journalists who attended should have walked out of the event when they found out that women journalists were excluded. I am shocked that women journalists were excluded from the press conference addressed by Amir Khan Muttaqi of Afghanistan. In my personal view, the men journalists should have walked out when they found that their women colleagues were excluded (or not invited), he said in a post on X.

Following the backlash, Muttaqis team issued an inclusive invite for Sundays press meet open to all members of the media.
As the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh gears up to host the Gaza Peace Summit on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly received a last-minute invitation to the high-profile event, which will see the participation of world leaders, including US President Donald Trump.

Though the Prime Ministers Office is yet to confirm that Modi was invited to the event, a report that appeared in The Indian Express, quoting unnamed sources, said the last-minute invitation was given by the US and Egypt.

This comes just days after reports emerged that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paused the security cabinet meeting discussing the ceasefire and hostage-release deal in Gaza to speak over the phone with Modi. India had welcomed the Gaza peace plan and hailed Netanyahus leadership. Modi also noted that Netanyahu has always been a close friend and that their friendship will remain strong. Israel will not participate in the summit, which will occur on the same day that the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza is expected to start. Hamas too wont attend the event/

India has maintained a balanced stance in the conflict, with senior Palestinian diplomat Abdullah Abu Shaweish appealing to India to take the lead in rebuilding Gaza. He had stated that India's political influence and relationship with Israel make it uniquely positioned to help end Palestinian suffering. "If India doesn't play this role, who will?" he told NDTV.

India has historically supported the Palestinians, recognising Palestine in 1988, and has consistently reiterated this stance on international platforms.
Egypt will host a global peace summit in the Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday, to be co-chaired by President Abdel Fattah el Sisi and US President Donald Trump.

According to the Egyptian presidents office, the summit is expected to formalise the terms of the Gaza peace deal. Among the confirmed attendees are UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and French President Emmanuel Macron. Downing Street has confirmed Starmers attendance and indicated that the peace deal is expected to be signed at the summit. Prior to arriving in Egypt, Trump is expected to visit Israel, though it remains unclear whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or any representatives from Hamas will be present.

The ceasefire agreement, brokered by the United States, has received widespread praise from both sides of the conflict. In Tel Aviv, tens of thousands gathered on Saturday in Hostages Square to mark the expected release of captives. Families of Israeli hostages credited the US president for securing the deal, not Netanyahu, whom they accused of prolonging the war for political reasons. Protesters booed when Trumps envoy Steve Witkoff mentioned Netanyahus name, reflecting growing frustration with Israels leadership. A banner praising Trump was unfurled during the demonstration, while Witkoff publicly acknowledged Trumps central role in achieving the ceasefire and the forthcoming release of hostages.

The deal also received recognition from senior Hamas figures. Dr Basem Naim, a leading official in the organisation, stated that the ceasefire would not have been possible without Trumps personal involvement. He emphasised that Trump had applied direct pressure on Netanyahu to halt what he described as a massacre, adding that Hamas was thankful for the US presidents intervention.

The current ceasefire marks the first stage of a broader agreement, with tomorrow morning scheduled for the start of the exchange of hostages and prisoners. Under the terms of the deal, Hamas and other armed groups will release 20 live captives and return the bodies of 28 others. Israel will release approximately 250 Palestinian prisoners, as well as around 1,700 Gazans arrested during the conflict.

Observers believe that while the initial phase of the deal is relatively straightforward, the subsequent phases could test the resolve of key mediators like Trump to stay the course because of the intractable nature of the issues involved.

These include disarmament, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the future governance of Gaza. Hamas has previously insisted it would not release its remaining hostages without a full Israeli withdrawal, but has now done so on the basis of guarantees from Trump that such a withdrawal will eventually take place. Meanwhile, Israel remains firm on its demand that Hamas disarm completely and that its military capabilities, including its network of tunnels, be dismantled. Israel is also unwilling to cede control of key strategic areas in Gaza unless a global force is in charge of security.

There have been suggestions from Arab officials that Hamas may agree to hand over its offensive weapons to a Palestinian-Egyptian committee, a step that could pave the way for further progress.

On the matter of post-war governance, Hamas has signalled its willingness to step aside from directly ruling Gaza, proposing instead that a body of Palestinian technocrats take over. However, the group insists that the future of Gaza must be determined by Palestinians themselves. Israel, on the other hand, has ruled out involving the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority or supporting any arrangement that could lead to a Palestinian state. Trumps plan outlines the deployment of an Arab-led international security force, supported by Palestinian police trained in Egypt and Jordan. Day-to-day affairs in Gaza would be managed by technocrats under the oversight of an international body with significant authority. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was named in the original proposal to lead this body, though Hamas has rejected any role for him due to his involvement in previous conflicts.

To monitor the ceasefire and oversee the transition, the United States will deploy around 200 troops to Israel. They will not enter Gaza but will operate from a civil-military coordination centre focused on logistics, humanitarian aid, and security assistance. The US forces will be supported by forces from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the UAE to carry forward the terms of the ceasefire and aid Gazas post-war recovery.
Intense clashes broke out between the Pakistan Army and Afghan forces along the border between the two countries in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The exchange of fire began after Afghan Taliban forces allegedly opened fire at several Pakistani border posts on Saturday night, reports said.

Firing by Afghan forces on the civilian population is a blatant violation of international laws. Pakistans brave forces have given a prompt and effective response that no provocation will be tolerated, Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said in a post on X.

Pakistans forces are alert, and Afghanistan is being answered with stones for bricks. The people of Pakistan stand with the brave armed forces like a lead wall, he said.

Quoting Pakistani security officials, the Dawn newspaper reported that significant damage has been inflicted on multiple Afghan posts and militant formations. Pakistan Army reportedly used artillery, tanks, light and heavy weapons in their action.

The exchange of fire took place in several areas, including Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, Chitral in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Baramcha in Balochistan.

Pakistan security sources allege that the Afghan forces had resorted to firing to facilitate the illegal entry of Khwarijthe state-designated term for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)into Pakistani territory.

"The counteroffensive effectively targeted and destroyed multiple Afghan posts at border. Dozens of Afghan soldiers and Khwarij were killed in retaliatory fire," the Express Tribune quoted an official as saying.

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Afghanistan has initiated an offensive against Pakistan from seven distinct border points, according to the Afghan Ministry of Defence; Huge battles underway.



Pakistani jets have gone airborne in the east of the country.#Afghanistan #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/n5gwjaicYs  Jahangir (@jahangir_sid) October 11, 2025

Meanwhile, the Afghan Taliban forces maintained that the firing was in retaliation to the air strikes allegedly carried out by Pakistani forces in Kabul earlier this week. Islamabad had not confirmed or denied the airstrikes.

The Taliban forces claimed to have captured three Pakistani border posts, according to local authorities in the southern province of Helmand.

Enayatullah Khowarazmi, spokesperson for Afghanistan's Ministry of Defence, said the attack concluded at midnight local time.

"If the opposing side again violates Afghanistan's airspace, our armed forces are prepared to defend their airspace and will deliver a strong response," he said.

Saudi, Qatar call for self-restraint

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has issued a statement, urging both Pakistan and Afghanistan to keep "self-restraint" to avoid further escalation.

The Kingdom calls for self-restraint, avoiding escalation, and embracing dialogue and wisdom, which will contribute to reducing tension and maintaining the security and stability of the region," the statement said.

"The Kingdom affirms its support for all regional and international efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability, and its constant keenness to ensure the establishment of security in a way that achieves stability and prosperity for the brotherly Pakistani and Afghan peoples," it added.

Qatar also issued a similar statement, urging both sides to prioritise dialogue, diplomacy and restraint, and to work toward "containing differences in a manner that helps reduce tension and avoid escalation, in order to achieve regional security and stability".

Statement | Qatar Expresses Concern Over Border Tensions Between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Calls for Dialogue and Restraint#MOFAQatar pic.twitter.com/uUtnf8KCuN  Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) October 11, 2025

Notably, the exchange of fire took place as Afghanistan's foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is on an India visitthe first such trip by a senior Taliban official since the group seized power in 2021and the two sides agreed to upgrade ties.
The Pakistan Army, in a statement, confirmed that 23 Pakistani soldiers were killed in clashes with the Taliban last night. However, it added that the losses it inflicted on the Taliban included 200 fighters and scores of border posts and some bases.

WATCH: Pakistan Army strike destroys major Afghan Taliban base in Spin Boldak. pic.twitter.com/tgEgartiIi  Clash Report (@clashreport) October 12, 2025

The Pakistan Army, in a statement, reportedly said that it will not stop until the terrorist attacks against Pakistan from Afghanistan come to a halt. Islamabad has been alleging that the "Indian proxy" terrorist group Fitna al-Khwarij or Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has been using Afghan soil as its base to attack Pakistan.

Afghan-Pakistan clashes: Latest claims

Earlier in the day, the Taliban had claimed that 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 30 were injured in the overnight operation carried out by its forces in retaliation to an air raid over Kabul. Photos and videos of clashes and the capture of military posts were circulated by propaganda machinery on both sides.

WATCH | Viral Pakistan-Afghan attack videos include captured soldiers, Taliban's daring patrols and gunfights

 BREAKING:



Taliban fighters attempting to infiltrate Pakistani territory have been eliminated by the Pakistan Army. pic.twitter.com/UhNS74PsIQ  WAR (@warsurveillance) October 11, 2025

Pro-Pakistan handles have shared photos of its soldiers hoisting the national flag on alleged Taliban posts, while the other side has been showing videos of Pakistani soldiers fleeing positions and Taliban patrolling the Durand Line carefree. None of these videos could be independently verified by THE WEEK.

Pakistans claims

Meanwhile, quoting the ISPR, which is the public relations arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces, the country's media reported that the Asmatullah Karar Camp of the Afghan Taliban was hit. Pakistan considers this a launching pad for terrorist activities, and heavy losses were inflicted in a two-phased strike.

ALSO READ | Pakistan, Afghanistan forces engage in intense border clashes; Saudi, Qatar call for restraint

Precision strikes helped Pakistan to completely destroy the Taliban's Durrani Camp, Manojba Camp Battalion Headquarters, and Manojba Camp-2, Ghaznali Headquarters in the Noshki Sector, the report claimed. There were dozens of fighters and TTP militants stationed there, who were killed, it added, without giving an exact count of enemies neutralised.

Also targeted by the Pakistan military was the Battalion Headquarters of the Afghan Taliban in the Brabcha area, another terror launchpad according to Islamabad.

ALSO READ | Durand Line explained: 6 things to know about the international border | Pakistan-Afghanistan clashes

The Barikot base camp of the Afghan Taliban was struck along with Manojba Camp-3, Karzai post, and Shapola Khula Taliban posts, The Dawn reported, quoting ISPR.
On June 8, US Customs and Border Protection officers at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport detained Chengxuan Han, a 28yearold PhD student from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China. The US authorities were suspicious as she had wiped off the contents of her electronic devices just three days before her trip to Detroit. Travelling on a J1 visa for academic work in the US, Han was arrested after questioning by the FBI on charges of smuggling biological materials into the US. The agency found that she had sent four parcels with concealed biological specimens from China to a lab at the University of Michigan.

Washington may find it hard to handle China alone; sooner or later it will need its long-term partners, and India must be ready to step in. By engaging with neighbouring countries, Southeast Asia and beyond through people-centric and welfare-oriented projects, New Delhi can occupy the space left by China, which remains preoccupied with its dealings with Trump.

Han pleaded no contest to three smuggling charges and to making false statements. She was sentenced to time servedthree monthsand deported shortly after. Her arrest took place at a moment of heightened scrutiny of Chinese researchers in the US. However, it also coincided with a shift in policy direction. Just days after her arrest, President Donald Trump reversed a directive aimed at revoking visas for Chinese students in sensitive STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields or those linked to the Chinese Communist Party. The reversal followed a deal with President Xi Jinping, in which China agreed to unconditionally resume the export of rare earth elementsmaterials critical to both military and civilian technologies in the US. The trade-off did more than open commercial pathways; it also allowed Chinese students, many of them in critical scientific disciplines, to continue their education in the US.

Chinese students are the second-largest international cohort in American universities after Indians. Their presence benefits Beijing, providing both soft power and a skilled workforce. For Xi, talent is a pillar of Chinas shift from a manufacturing-driven economy to one based on innovation and knowledge. Academic exchange with the US is an important part of this transformation, creating a pipeline of scientists and technologists who can help Beijing meet its long-term developmental goals. Xis trade-offan immediate and tangible concession for long-term strategic gains in human capitalwas widely seen as a diplomatic win. It cooled tensions between Washington and Beijing, rebalanced bilateral ties and allowed China to secure space for its students in the US.

This recalibration, however, has had a ripple effect across the Indo-Pacific. For India, it has exposed vulnerabilities. Just days before Hans arrest, the Trump administration had ordered the deportation of several undocumented Indian immigrants, who were flown back in shackles on military aircraft. And now Indian students, already confronting mounting restrictions and visa barriers, are also facing a $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications. The cumulative effect is making the US a less viable destination for Indians.

Nine months into Trumps presidency, India is yet to devise a counter-strategy or a compelling trade-off that could ease its tariff tensions with Washington or offset visa restrictions. Indian negotiators continue to pursue a bilateral trade agreement to address the 50 per cent reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods, the second-highest after Brazil. However, progress has been slow, and New Delhis approach has been criticised for relying too heavily on bureaucratic detail rather than imaginative diplomacy.

Xi did not pull a rabbit out of the hat, says Jayadeva Ranade, former member of Indias National Security Advisory Board, rather he quickly aligned his long-term strategies for short-term results that reversed Trumps aggressive posture. Xi is playing the long game, and is playing it rather boldly. He has laid down timelines (aligned with the Communist Partys hundred years in power in 2049) in his quest to make China a global power or at least sharing power with the US, says Ranade.

Axis of convenience: US President Donald Trump with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir (extreme left)at the White House on September 26, 2025 | PTI

Indian foreign policy, in comparison, has been more cautious. Diplomats have not studied the American system as deeply as their Chinese counterparts and have tried to drag out negotiations with legalese and procedural roadblocks, hoping to delay punitive measures. But this strategy has so far failed to produce results. The IndiaUS relationship has always been more structural than transactional, says M.V. Rappai, who is with the New Delhi-based Institute of Chinese Studies. It may require more ingenuity by the South Block to tie economics with long-term strategic interests to break the spell.

Rapprochement with China, primarily for trade and business, is seen by some as a way to create additional diplomatic options. The process began last year, even before Trump came in, after a long period of hostility. India is now allowing Chinese investment and business activity under stricter security protocols. The resumption of direct flights between the two countries from October 26 signals a tentative but notable thaw. India has also used its membership at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modis presence at the recent SCO summit, to push for a regional vision centred on sovereignty, security and balanced development, while resisting double standards.

That resistance is now also being directed at the United States, which penalises India for buying Russian oil even as it turns a blind eye towards Chinese purchase of Russian crude. The ongoing rupture with Trump has even forced India to set aside its discomfiture about Chinese military proximity towards Pakistan. Unsurprisingly, Xi emerges the winner, in both these cases. Trump keeps on saying he is putting these tariffs on India because we are buying Russian oil. What about the Chinese? I have not seen any tariff on China because of that, says Namrata Hasija, research fellow at the Centre for China Analysis and Strategy. One thing has increasingly become clear: Trumps focus is not India at the moment. He really wants a deal with Xi.

Indeed, Xi has earned both praise and strategic space from Trump by offering the rare earth agreement and hinting at cooperation on digital platforms. The framework for handing over partial control of TikTok to American investors has been seen as another stroke of diplomacy from Xi. Concerns over TikToks potential to influence voter behaviour had prompted calls in Washington to restrict or localise its operations. By offering limited concessions, Xi provided Trump with a campaign boost while retaining leverage.

Locked and loaded: Chinese military helicopter flying past Pingtan island, one of mainland Chinas closest points from Taiwan in 2022 | AFP

Crucially, China is yet to issue a licence to export TikToks core algorithm, keeping the most valuable component under its control. ByteDance, the parent company, continues to operate the local version of the app in China and Taiwan. Of course, such deals involve trade-offs, and there are always questions about what is being exchanged behind the scenes, says Kenny Huang, chairman of the executive council of the Asia-Pacific Network Information Centre.

For the first time, a USChina deal has exposed the boundaries of digital sovereignty and how powerful states can compel ownership changes in technology firms, cloud services and digital platforms. Whether it is American or Chinese-controlled applications, it will all depend on how these countries want to use it in the future, says Huang. They can always use artificial intelligence and bots to generate large volumes of posts to attract attention and manipulate specific audiences.

India is one of the few countries that took a firm stand and banned TikTok along with 58 other Chinese apps, following the 2020 military confrontations. However, with the normalisation of ties gaining momentum, several Chinese apps are beginning to find their way back into the Indian market.

It may be too harsh to say India is between the devil and the deep sea, says Rappai, but the mending of ties with Beijing also coincides with the US engaging Xi. There must not be an overkill from our side, he warns. Indian security hawks are watching Xis expanding footprint in the regionphysical, economic and digital. Indias approach to China has always been more direct, driven by the need to defuse tensions along a long, disputed border. Any additional troop deployments or defence systems carry heavy economic costs. Since prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayees time, New Delhi has prioritised building border mechanisms and has maintained a cautious tone with China. Manmohan Singh shifted the emphasis towards trade, investment and growth. Under Modi, border management remains central, balanced by efforts to deepen economic ties.

Happier times: President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi in February 2020 | Reuters

We have always been nimble-footed in our relationship with China. But in the coming days and months, a lot depends on how the USChina equation plays out. If Trump decides to look the other way, China can have a free run in Asia, says Ranade. Already, antiChina groupings show signs of strain. Smaller nations, and even Quad partners, may prefer engagement with China rather than with an unpredictable Trump. This brings the contest closer to Indias doorstep. Trump is preparing to meet Xi at the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in South Korea in November, their first meeting since Trump returned to the White House. On the agenda will be tech, trade and security, giving New Delhi ample reason to rally its partners and avoid being elbowed aside by growing TrumpXi bonhomie.

Xi and Trump now seek another deal, this time over soybeans. Chinese importers have delayed purchases, inflicting pain on American farmers. As the worlds largest importer of soybeans, China wields enormous leverage; US farmers, many of them core Trump voters, could lose billions if shipments do not resume.

A recent Pentagon phone call may have been music to Xis ears. On September 9, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke with Chinese Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun and assured him that America did not seek conflict with China. He emphasised that the US has vital interests in the Asia-Pacific and would protect them resolutely. That choice of phrase is telling. Hegseth avoided IndoPacific, a term long used by the Biden administration and by Quad partners to frame an antiChina architecture, which hints at Trumps intent to court China, at least for now. Analysts warn that Trumps habit of making deals plays into Beijings hands. These sweet deals may gradually alienate the US from its democratic partners in the region and erode decades of trust.

When they are talking to Japan or India, they say IndoPacific. When they are talking to the Chinese, its AsiaPacific. AsiaPacific is a term the Chinese have always used, says Hasija. That strategic duality may weaken the IndoPacific framework once seen as a bulwark against Beijings rise. Look at the way he is gone after India, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines and Australia with tariffs. These are all the countries that actually stood up to the Chinese.

In New Delhi, this dualism does not go unnoticed. India lies at the core of the IndoPacific strategy: controlling the South China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, the broader Indian Ocean region and guarding its own frontiers with China and Pakistan. A US that drifts away from these priorities forces India to reassess the durability of its strategic partnerships.

Beyond trade and diplomacy, the shift in Washingtons China policy carries deeper consequences for India. What the Chinese have been saying for more than a decadethat the US is not a reliable partnerthe Americans are proving it, says Hasija. Trumps inconsistency, his deals with Xi and his recent praise for Pakistan and Turkey have sparked alarm in New Delhi as it prepares to host the next Quad meeting.

Mere sloganeering will not cut ice, says Vikram Sood, former head of Indias foreign intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing. America has yielded ground to China in the South China Sea. It has upset almost all its allies, be it South Korea, Vietnam, Japan, the Maldives or Australia. Washington may find it hard to handle China alone; sooner or later it will need its long-term partners, and India must be ready to step in.

A growing diplomatic consensus suggests that the India-US relationship will endure in the long term. But, for now, New Delhi must pursue a steady, transparent strategy of engaging medium and small powers across Southeast Asia and the Pacific, such as Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam. India should look at diversifying supply chains, investment and manufacturing and counterbalancing Chinas economic influence.

Beijing, meanwhile, understands its central position in the Asia-Pacifics economic ecosystem, from its population and markets to its industrial and military heft. To maximise gains, China may seek to keep the US at arms length from regional partners, forcing them to recalibrate their stances. Japan and Taiwan, for instance, are already feeling the strain. The White House recently claimed Tokyo had pledged to create a $550 billion investment fund, with 90 per cent of the profits flowing to America. The announcement drew a clarification from Shigeru Ishiba, who stepped down as prime minister shortly after stating Japan would offer a mix of investment, loans and guarantees and not a one-sided handout. Australia, which relies heavily on trade with China, is trying to avoid tensions with Trump while focusing on repairing ties with Beijing.

Taiwan, long dependent on American support, no longer sees Washington, or the Quad, as its sole guarantee against Chinese aggression. If we were asked whether Taiwan would have American protection five to ten years ago, the answer would always have been affirmative. But now we are not so sure, says Mumin Chen, representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre in New Delhi.

The source of current anxiety, admits Chen, is Trumps foreign policy, which diverges significantly from that of past administrations. Trump has categorically stated that America will not have this global responsibility any more if it does not suit them, he says.

New Delhi, meanwhile, hopes the fallout does not reach its doorstep too soon, with the memory of Doklam and Galwan still fresh, and simmering tensions with Pakistan, recently fuelled by Chinese weapons, continuing to muddy the waters. For India, the path forward lies in balance. We have done the mature thing by maintaining a strategic silence on the TrumpXi deals so far, but one thing is clearwe cannot put all our eggs in one basket, neither the US nor China, says Claude Arpi, well-known historian and China watcher. Trump is going to give way more than he is going to get. Xi will take him round and round.

In the meantime, Xis net is only widening. Not long ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which aims to overshadow any trade deals pursued by Trump. Putin views it as an opportunity to attract global investment into the Northern Sea route, not to mention his countrys burgeoning ties with China.

The BRI remains Indias foremost security concern, with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as its central pillar, running through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Pakistan has launched the second phase of the CPEC, opening up further avenues for business deals. Given this, Trumps near-obsession with Pakistan and its army chief is understandable, as China aggressively expands its global footprint in renewable energy, mining and related technologies, drawing in billions of dollars.

It is with Chinas tacit support that Pakistan seems to have gained some latitude with Trump. Islamabad offered more than raw minerals to win influence for its army chief, Asim Munir, and even made strategic concessions that prompted General Michael Kurilla, who till recently headed the US Central Command, to call Pakistan a phenomenal partner in counterterrorism. Interestingly, a few decades ago, it was Pakistan that mediated closer ties between the US and China. In the 1970s, president Richard Nixon opened a secret channel to Beijing through Pakistans president Yahya Khan as he sought to normalise relations with China. With Khan as an intermediary, the US and China finally managed to end decades of diplomatic estrangement.

New Delhi is increasingly aware of how isolating the international landscape can become as China builds a vast network of trading partners, capable of shifting allegiances with ease. We cant compete dollar to dollar with China, but where India has an edge is that it is seen as a dependable partner, says Ranade.

There are growing opportunities in the neighbourhood. Chinas passivity during Sri Lankas economic crisis pushed the island nation back towards India, which stepped in with $4 billion in aid, helping to stabilise the situation. Insiders say that Chinese influence in Nepal is waning, though more must be done to sway public sentiment in favour of India. Likewise, India needs to rebuild trust in Bangladesh.

By engaging with neighbouring countries, Southeast Asia and beyond through people-centric and welfare-oriented projects, New Delhi can occupy the space left by China, which remains preoccupied with its dealings with Trump. India might be better served by focusing less on Trump and more on mastering Xis playbook to gain a comprehensive understanding of both powers.
Mumin Chen

Interview/ Mumin Chen, representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre, New Delhi

The darker side of US President Donald Trumps tariff policies has unexpectedly brought a silver lining for India, which continues to occupy a central place in one of the most pressing debates of our time: the future of global supply chains. Shifting US policies have compelled Taiwanese companies not only to export to alternative markets but also to invest in safer, more attractive destinations for semiconductors, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

Mumin Chen, the representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre in New Delhi, highlights the broader context of global disruption, from the US-China trade war and the Russia-Ukraine conflict to rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific, and how these developments are creating space for partners like India to play a growing role in the region. Excerpts from an interview:

Q/ What is your perspective on the US-China trade war? How has it affected Taiwans economy?

A/ Both the US and China are very important trade partners for Taiwan. Therefore, any actions taken by the US against China, and Chinas responses, will have a major impact on Taiwan. Nearly a decade ago, Taiwan had a serious trade dependency on China, with almost 40 per cent of its exports heading there and a significant portion of Taiwanese business investment based in China. However, the situation has changed markedly, with those figures dropping substantially.

This year, Taiwans exports to the US have surpassed its exports to China. That marks a huge shift. Increasingly, our exports are focused on the semiconductor and electronics sectors. Therefore, we now care more about our trade relations with the US than with China, and we are monitoring developments very closely. Trumps policies have accelerated this shift. His invest in the US approach has led Taiwanese companiesincluding TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company)to invest directly in the US rather than merely exporting there. In future, Taiwan will rely on both investment and trade to maintain market share and technological advantage.

Q/ How have US tariffs on Chinese goods altered supply chains and trade flows? How is Taiwans business community adapting?

A/ The US-China trade war has had a huge impact on Taiwanese companies that were heavily invested in China and dependent on the US market. Following Covid and Chinas economic slowdown, coupled with its domestic political issues, Taiwanese companies no longer view China as a paradise. This trend is unlikely to reverse. Companies will gradually reduce their dependence on China, relocate elsewhere and focus on emerging markets like India.

Rebuilding supply chains is a work in progress. Taiwanese companies have systematically pulled out from China and relocated to countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia and India. Taiwans trade dependence on China has dropped significantly in recent years. For example, iPhones sold in Taiwan are now made in India. Taiwanese companies investing in India are less affected by US tariffs if their market is India. Many said they felt safer in India than in China.

Some analysts suggest that US pressure through trade and tariffs on China has compromised Taiwans security.

A/ The main focus remains on trade, tariffs and Taiwans security. From what we know about the phone call between President Trump and President Xi Jinping, including discussions related to the TikTok deal, Taiwan was not even mentioned. However, when it comes to the US commitment to Taiwans security, we are watching closely what the US and China are talking about. The US has been Taiwans most important security supporter for decades. Still, one thing is clear: we cannot rely on a single country. We need to build alliances with others, such as our neighbours Japan and the Philippines, and increase security cooperation in the region with partners like India.

Q/ How do you assess Indias position in the Indo-Pacific?

A/ The concept of Indo-Pacific, when it came out during the first Trump administration, highlighted the close ties between Indian Ocean states and Pacific Ocean states. Not using the word anymore does not mean it is no longer important. Taiwanese shipping companies now have direct shipping routes to India and the Middle East. Trade connections have strengthened, and Taiwan-India trade has doubled over the past five to six years. So, the Indo-Pacific connection is thriving regardless of changing terminology.

Undeniably, Indias position in the Indo-Pacific is important, but areas like the South China Sea require more focus. Located between the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, the South China Sea and its security is vital to Indias interestsespecially given Indias consistent emphasis on a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is rule-based, not power-based.

Q/ How has the role of the Quad evolved in the Indo-Pacific region?

A/ When the Quad was first proposed, many believed that it would eventually develop into a military alliance against China. But that expectation did not materialise. Even the Indian government clarified that the grouping is not anti-China. Taiwan is not a member of the Quad, so whether the Quad will become a real alliance or not, we have no role. But we have also noticed that the relationship among Quad members has changed in recent years, particularly after Trump became president. Taiwan should not depend solely on the Quad. This is very unrealistic. Strengthening our self-defence and resilience is more important.

Q/ India and Taiwan are collaborating in the semiconductor industry. What is the future?

A/ Developing the semiconductor industry requires going step by step: chip design, testing, packaging and eventually manufacturing. Taiwan-India cooperation is concentrated on talent. India needs engineers and Taiwan recruits Indian students and engineers to study and work in Taiwan. There is also great potential in cyber and AI, as both Taiwan and India face major cyber security challenges and can exchange technology and experiences. When you develop AI, you need a very big database. Taiwan has advanced chips and technology, while India has its huge database, and combining strengths can benefit both sides.

Over the past 30 years, India and Taiwan have made significant progress in areas like science, technology and education. The next step should be an economic partnership agreement. Since India has recently signed FTAs with partners such as the UK, EU and Australia, we hope New Delhi will also consider a free trade agreement with Taiwan.
Tara Kartha

Indias neighbourhood is abuzz with major Chinese initiatives such as the Teesta River project in Bangladesh, the Gwadar port in Pakistan and the upcoming Sinopec oil refinery in Sri Lanka. What is completely under the radar is the extensive proliferation of small businesses owned by the Chinese around these major projects, along with a growing presence in universities, research centres and, more covertly, in cyberspace through criminal networks. All of these have wide-ranging implications, not just for the host nations but also, directly or indirectly, for India.

In Pakistan, the commencement of the delayed second phase of the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) marks a shift from government-to-government deals to business-oriented initiatives in sectors such as industry and agriculture. One example is the proposed establishment of a massive textile factory in Karachis Special Economic Zone, with an investment of around 17 million Pakistan rupees. While this is above board, there are reportedly 414 Chinese businesses already operating in Karachi, 988 in Islamabad and over 500 in Lahore. In Muzaffarabad, data suggests the presence of over 3,000 Chinese workers engaged in projects such as the Karakoram realignment and three hydropower plants. These locations likely host Chinese security personnel, with three major firms linked to former PLA (Peoples Liberation Army) officers operating in Pakistan.

The story continues in Bangladesh, where figures indicate the presence of around 98,000 Chinese nationals, primarily in Dhaka and Chittagong in a variety of small businesses. The Chinese Exim Bank has recently announced plans to relocate manufacturing plants to Bangladesh to benefit from its favourable export tariffs and strategic location. Sri Lanka, too, has witnessed a similar wave of Chinese immigrants, who have set up supermarkets, salons and retail stores to serve the growing Chinese workforce.

No figures exist for the Maldives, but research reveals that, in addition to gated communities housing Chinese workers involved in infrastructure projects, Chinese firms have discreetly partnered with local companies. A case in point is Horizon Fisheries, part of the Villa Group, owned by a politically influential Maldivian figure often referred to as a kingmaker. A significant portion of the profits from Horizon reportedly goes to Zhoushanshi Putuo Dongnani Import and Export Limited (ZPD), a small Chinese investment firm with no registered office. This shows a certain modus operandi involving land acquisition via local fronts amid widespread corruption.

Chinese involvement in educational and research institutions is increasing. Notable examples from Pakistan include the University of Gwadars CPEC Study Centre and Chinese language centre, the China Technical and Vocational Institute and a recent agreement to establish centres of excellence in agriculture, including a biotech centre in Sargodha. In Sri Lanka, several Chinese language centres have been established alongside Confucius Institutes at the Universities of Peradeniya, Kelaniya, Jayewardenepura and Colombo. The demand for Chinese teachers and textbooks is growing steadily in Bangladesh, too.

Where there is a high concentration of people and economic activity, corruption and criminal networks inevitably follow, now spilling over into cyberspace. Cyber platforms are increasingly being used for illicit trade and money exchange. In Pakistan, criminal cases involving Chinese nationals range from human traffickingsuch as the notorious Pakistani brides scandalto recent arrests in Faisalabad, where 71 Chinese were detained at the home of a former head of the local power grid. In both India and Bangladesh, online scams often originate from Chinese entities offering fake employment opportunities.

Sri Lanka faces additional problems. The Colombo High Court recently seized over 201 million Lankan rupees from the account of a Chinese businessman involved in a decade-long smuggling and money laundering operation.

The drug trade is even more ominous, with Chinese and Pakistani gangs operating jointly in the Maldives and Sri Lanka, while Chinese Triads control narcotics trafficking from Myanmar into Bangladesh and Indias northeast. Pakistani drug lords cover the Afghan axis, pushing massive consignments into India and Europe.

The scope of Chinese activity across South Asia goes far beyond grand projects like hydropower, energy and connectivity. Large-scale undertakings often come with an influx of Chinese nationals, businesses and soft power projection. In Bangladesh, a major hospital project along the Teesta River involving Chinese cooperation is progressing, despite prior Indian agreements with Dhaka. As this hospital rises, more Chinese businesses are expected to follow.

It is reasonable to assume that Chinese nationals involved in business abroad undergo thorough vetting before deployment. Many may knowingly or unknowingly serve as components of Chinas broader intelligence and information gathering apparatus. This level of integration is not incidental but rather part of official policy, often linked to initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The close, often obscured connections between Chinese criminal syndicates and state-linked institutions remain insufficiently explored. All signs point to an intricate, interlinked networkmuch like a giant spider webwhose many seemingly independent strands work in coordination to expand and entrench Chinese influence across the region.

The author was director, National Security Council Secretariat.
Rajiv Kumar and Ishan Joshi

The recent thaw in the chill that had enveloped India-China ties after the Doklam and Galwan military stand-offs is welcome. However, extreme caution is needed so as not to conflate a tactical signal to Washington, seemingly reneging on a three-decade-long maturing partnership, with a strategic recalibration of Sino-Indian relations.

We would like to believe that the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin last month was the beginning of this strategic recalibration. But, a handshake does not a detente make. Our argument, as elaborated in our recent book, Everything All At Once: India and the Six Simultaneous Global Transitions, is that it is in Indias national interest to work towards an accommodation with China, irrespective of the state of Indias relations with the US.

With regard to the future of Sino-Indian relations, there is universal acceptance of the axiom that the best foreign policy for India is to accelerate its economic growth and achieve technological self-reliance. But another proposition, that China is Indias perennial adversary and the US-led west its lodestar, is not just naive but dangerous, and decades behind the emergent global reality. It is perhaps the inter-generational vested interest of the Indian elite with its familial, kinship and socioeconomic ties with the west (especially the English-speaking parts)rather than a profound love for liberal democracywhich we suspect is at least in part preventing the necessary and out-of-the-box thinking on the issue.

The fact is that the global superpower on the ascent is our northern neighbour and it is imperative we craft our strategic engagement with itand the rest of the worldaccordingly.

India has the opportunity to work with China to leverage the ongoing transition of the global centre of gravity from the Transatlantic back to the Asia Pacific, after a 200-year blip. If the opportunity is seized, it would help lift millions into an era of sustained prosperity and ecological security. India should explore all options to create a partnership with China for forging a grand coalition of the Global South, which could design the contours of a new geoeconomic global order. Naturally, as a vibrant democracy, India must also simultaneously continue its engagement with mature western democracies.

To define our strategic foreign policy, therefore, the long view is essential. Especially if we want to avoid massive societal upheaval in the years ahead. Given disruptions on the anvil because of rapid and unregulated deployment of frontier technologies and the potentially devastating impact of climate change, India will need to design and execute its own model of development and not rely on any imported ideology irrespective of the garb in which it may be offered.

The era of major and intermediate powers like China and India, respectively, being assimilated into a western model of political society and economic order is well and truly over. China has shaped this reality thanks to a CAGR over 30 years (1990-2020) of about 10 per cent, resulting in its rise as an economic behemoth, global leader in frontier technologies and significant military power. Notably, its share of the world economy, at 19 per cent, is already bigger than the USs 15 per cent.

An India with serious economic heft and enhanced comprehensive national power will be empowered to deal with all major powers, of which there are likely to be only two globally in the foreseeable futurethe US and China. Thus, the real decoupling needed is perhaps of Sino-Indian relations from the US-India relationship.

The combined GDP of the (expanded) BRICS countries, which has been the primary target of Trumps line of ire, is now larger than the combined GDP of the G7 and the EU. Therefore, India, could profitably work with China on enlarging BRICS footprint across the global geoeconomic institutional space.

China is well ahead of the US in a majority of frontier technologies and is actively harnessing them for raising living standards. Facilitating technology transfer from Chinese firms while safeguarding our security goals could be complementary to achieving technological atmanirbharta. A blanket ban on Chinese investments that embody advanced technologies for reasons of national security is akin to using a big hammer to kill a flyit results in damage without achieving its objective.

Modi made the improvement of bilateral relations with China a central plank of his foreign policy when he took office in 2014. The Chinese welcomed him as Gujarats chief minister in October 2011, when the west was actively marginalising him. The Xian bilateral summit in 2015, within months of Modi becoming prime minister, was hugely symbolic as Xian has one of the biggest repositories of Indian civilisational texts in China. So, we need to dispassionately examine why the prime ministers strategic agenda of constructively engaging with China has been derailed.

An effective working relationship between India and China can serve as the keel for navigating the turbulent geoeconomic and geopolitical transitions that are now upon us. The two Asian powers could lead a powerful coalition of the Global South to put in place a new global order, which will eventually be binding on the currently more powerful countries as well. India would thereby play an exalted role in preventing the global order from slipping into complete chaos, unilateral bullying and unpredictable outcomes.

Thus, in engaging effectively with China, India will not only serve its interests but also help the global community in successfully addressing the enormous challenges global transitions pose. Would this not be a worthy objective, even if it implies both sides being creative with some of their respective red lines for the time being? Such an approach will ensure that the 21st century is, indeed, Asias century. Surely, this is the historical task facing us today.

Rajiv Kumar is chairman, and Ishan Joshi is director (partnerships & programmes), Pahle India Foundation.
What Afghan says:

Kabul maintains that the agreement was imposed on them and it divides ethnic Pashtun and Baloch communities living on both sides.
Do not, Rachel Reeves, hit the housing market if you want the economy to keep growing. And if you are silly enough to do so, you may well end up with less revenue anyway.

One of the ideas being mooted in the Treasury is that the Chancellor should try to raise more from wealthier people by lifting taxes on high-priced homes.

We know she is desperate for cash, and is looking for an extra 30 billion in the Budget in higher taxation and/or spending cuts to balance the books.

Property is clearly in her line of fire. Whether it be higher rates on pricier homes, a rise in stamp duty, or another wheeze the clever clogs advising her dream up, we can already see whats happening to the market.

The upper end is gummed up. Expensive properties are not selling, or, if they do, buyers can negotiate a big discount. As far as the wider market goes, transactions are off a bit and prices seem to be creeping up by about 2 per cent year-on-year. But if you look at London, the picture is very different.

A record number of homes are on the market. Transactions are down a third. Some 80 per cent of prime homes sold for less than their asking price, with an average discount of 9 per cent.

Desperate: One of the ideas being mooted in the Treasury is that Rachel Reeves should try to raise more from wealthier people by lifting taxes on high-priced homes

As a result, in central London the top-end selling prices are down 3.6 per cent on a year ago.

All this was happening before rumours of yet higher taxation took hold, and seems mostly to be a reaction to the departure of non-doms, following the tax and residency legislation changes brought in this year. The anecdotal evidence is that wealthy UK families are taking advantage of the softer market, buying in prosperous areas of outer London, such as Chiswick, Putney and Richmond.

> Should you relocate out of London to one of these 10 hotspots to get more bang for your buck?

The jury is out as far as the overall tax impact of the exodus of non-doms is concerned. But as far as the London housing market is concerned the evidence is pretty clear.

So the questions that now arise are whether what has been happening in prime central London is a prelude to something much bigger taking place across the country, and, if so, what does that do to the economy.

The starting point is that the number of non-doms is far less than that of reasonably wealthy UK tax-domiciled people.

There were about 75,000 of the first group before the tax changes took hold. By contrast, there are 6.7 million people in the richest 10 per cent of households, and they each had an average wealth of over 1.2 million when the Office for National Statistics last did a tally in 2022.

Only half that wealth is in the property Reeves has her eye on, but that is a lot of people  not only vastly more than the figure for non-doms, but also affecting much more of the country than posh central London.

Its plausible  lets see what she does  that she hits all homes worth more than 1 million with an additional tax, thereby depressing the entire countrys top-end property market.

What might that do to the wider economy? The housing market is one of the key drivers of consumer confidence, alongside incomes and employment levels. Its a relationship that works both ways. If people have a rising income and are secure in their job they feel able to buy a more expensive home. But solid house prices also encourage homeowners to spend more on day-to-day outgoings.

Its called the wealth effect. They feel wealthier so are more relaxed about extra luxuries. And a vibrant housing market drives other spending, because when people move they redecorate, buy furniture and consumer durables and so on. And inevitably the reverse applies.

Housing booms are socially destructive because they price younger people out of decent homes. No one should want that.

But slumps are damaging too, plunging recent purchasers into negative equity and depressing the entire economy.

Right now the market is fragile. So, Chancellor: do not mess with it. If you engineer a housing crash you will end up with less tax revenue, not more.
Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.

M.H. writes: I was scammed out of 3,400 after I paid an invoice that appeared to come from an antique dealer I trusted.

A criminal had hacked into the antique dealer's email and sent me an invoice from it with bank details linked to Modulr FS.

Why did Modulr apparently fail to conduct adequate 'Know Your Customer' and anti-money laundering checks, allowing this fraudulent account to be opened?

Tony Hetherington replies: You have a genuine business relationship with the antique dealer, and when you received an expected invoice there was no reason not to pay it. What you did not know was that the emailed invoice did not come from the antique dealer, even though it appeared legitimate.

Nor did you know that the bank details shown on the invoice were bogus, despite the account being in the antique dealer's name. This is what is known as an Authorised Push Payment (APP) scam.

Duped: Why did online payment firm Modulr apparently fail to conduct adequate 'Know Your Customer' and anti-money laundering checks?

Modulr is not a bank. It is an online business which the Financial Conduct Authority describes as an 'Authorised Electronic Money Institution'. It has permission to provide electronic payment services, but the FCA says that the Financial Services Compensation Scheme will not be able to consider a claim against the firm if it fails.

Nonetheless, Modulr tells customers: 'The security of your money is our top priority. We have anti-fraud measures in place and play an active role in cross-industry organisations working to tackle financial crime, both to prevent fraud and to ensure best practices are followed when fraud does occur.'

So what checks did Modulr make? Well, according to the west London-based company, the account was opened by a customer named Ibrahim Kazeem, who gave an address in Hackney in east London and produced a Nigerian passport as proof of identity. He also gave an email address, though when I tried it, it bounced back with a message saying 'This mailbox is disabled'.

He gave no phone number and his name does not appear on the current electoral register.

There is a refund scheme for victims of Authorised Push Payment fraud, but it was introduced only after these scams became so widespread that they were an open scandal. The scheme was not backdated, and Modulr told me that your loss took place before it was launched.

I did point out to Modulr that you had not even mentioned the refund scheme to me. What you did want to know was how someone could open an account which bore the name of the antique dealer. Modulr refused to explain, and told me it was policy not to comment on what could become a legal matter. But it added: 'Modulr co-operated in full accordance with its obligations.'

And so to Kazeem himself. I did wonder whether some third party had perhaps 'borrowed' his passport and personal details to open the account, so I set out all the details in a letter to him at the Hackney address. Twice. He did not reply.

I also made a test transaction, sending money to his Modulr account, but this was rejected as it appears it was emptied and no longer exists.

You have told me that you intend to press ahead with a civil action against Modulr. Well done. It will be interesting to see what new information it is forced to reveal in court about its checks. The online financial world can be a dangerous place where anyone can pose as anyone. It needs to be better.

Life policy claim that went round in circles

P.S. writes: I am writing out of pure frustration on behalf of my 85-year-old sister, whose partner passed away in November.

He had a life policy with Canada Life International, valued at 22,000.

His son is the executor and contacted CLI, but after considerable delay it replied that he did not have the authority to make the claim.

Struggle: Canada Life International has tied itself in knots over this issue

Tony Hetherington replies: Canada Life International (CLI) has tied itself in knots over this.

Even your solicitor could not get an explanation of what has gone wrong or who CLI believed was entitled to claim on the policy.

Your sister authorised me to question CLI, but it told me: 'We are unable to share specific details about the policy due to confidentiality.'

It did add: 'As the policy is held in trust, we are required to obtain documentation from all trustees, to comply with regulatory requirements.'

There are two trustees  your sister's deceased partner, and you!

While following my intervention CLI paid the 22,000  which is great news  its knots still grew bigger.

Even though it was you who contacted me, and you are the only surviving trustee, CLI has decided that it should have spoken to you before speaking to me, so it has recorded that itself has breached data regulations.

You couldn't make it up!

If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.
When LED facial experts Beauty Tech listed in London last week, it wasn't just its customers who were sporting a youthful glow. The Stock Exchange itself seemed to be putting its best face forward thanks to an exciting new member.

And the beauty firm is not the only company coming to market. Companies including digital bank Shawbrook and food firm Princes have announced they're planning to float  a relief to all of us hoping for some new stories to buy into.

Investing in a company at the beginning of trading often pays off. Dan Coatsworth at AJ Bell calculates that someone who bought into the 12 companies that went public in London in 2025 before Beauty Tech would have made 10.9 per cent on average so far.

There's often a 'bump', he explains, as companies choose to position themselves at a bargain price to encourage early adopters to snap them up and make a bit of extra cash.

It doesn't always work. While investors in health data business Medpal AI are celebrating a 35 per cent gain since floating, defence consultant RC Fornax has left initial buyers nursing a 66 per cent loss.

There are plenty of rumours about who will be next to launch on the London stock market, with travel group LoveHolidays, fintech payment group SumUp and Norwegian software group Visma all names in the frame.

Whether you're more interested in acne zappers, specialist banking or Branston pickle, these new investment opportunities for UK investors could deliver some zing.

British success story: Beauty Tech sells LED face masks, app-connected electric zit zappers and laser hair removal tech

Beauty Tech

A British success story, Beauty Tech sells LED face masks, app-connected electric zit zappers and laser hair removal tech.

CEO and founder Laurence Newman is targeting them both at the younger end of the market, who he says use the tech to stave off ageing, as well as older people who are becoming accustomed to using technology to improve their skin.

Its positioning seems to be working. The company posted a 27 per cent increase in sales in the first half of this year, with underlying earnings of 22.9 million.

Shares in the business were priced at initial public offer (IPO) at 271p, and closed at 276p last week, giving those who had got in at the beginning a small profit already.

LED masks are popular, and while Newman acknowledges his is a premium product, many people are prepared to shell out for a solution they can use at home rather than at a pricey salon.

Beauty Tech has been growing faster than the rest of the beauty sector, particularly in the US, UK and Germany.

The publicity has been good, too. As the first business of its kind to float in London, it should bring more customers to Beauty Tech's door. Newman is excited by further possibilities, such as using microcurrents to provide non-invasive treatments for lips.

The wrinkle on Beauty Tech's countenance is the competition.

When giants such as L'Oreal announce they are focused on 'becoming a beauty tech powerhouse', you know interest in the company's space will be intense.

For those seeking dividends, it will be a while before Beauty Tech pays out, but if you believe in this part of the market the shares are worth a look for the long term.

Traded on: Main market Ticker: TBTG Contact: thebeautytechgroup.com

Princes

There's many a slip between cup and lip, but Princes' announcement of its flotation intentions last week may give us a chance to buy into some of the big names we put into our shopping baskets.

From Napolina tomatoes to Batchelors soup and Princes tuna, the company owns some of our best-known brands and produces others under licence.

Despite being owned by Milan-listed Newlat, Princes is headquartered in Liverpool and recently underscored its commitment to the city by buying the iconic Liver Building.

Family favourite: From Napolina tomatoes to Batchelors soup and Princes tuna, Princes owns some of our best-known brands

British pride is all very well. The question is whether, when purse-strings are tight, people will put their love of Branston pickle above their need to bring down the shopping bill. The company believes they will, stating that it is 'largely insulated from consumer downtrading' because it is spread across sectors and segments.

Assuming the float goes ahead, small investors will be able to take a bite of Princes. The company says it will offer shares through RetailBook, which works with wealth managers and investment platforms such as Hargreaves Lansdown, AJ Bell and Interactive Investor, to offer small buyers the same terms as big institutions.

The company is expected to be valued at 1.5 billion and, depending on final valuation, is a good bet for those looking for a secure, cash-generative business with a commitment to the UK.

Expected to trade on: Main market Contact: princesgroupinvestors.com

Shawbrook

Companies returning to the UK stock market are few and far between, but specialist bank Shawbrook may become one of this select club.

The bank, which specialises in business lending and more complex mortgage products, went private in 2017. It was valued then at 868 million but is now expected to achieve a 2 billion valuation if its float is successful.

Shawbrook's growth is down to its success in target areas. Almost 90 per cent of the traditional banking market is off limits to the company, which chooses to deal with small and medium businesses, self-employed home buyers and landlords instead.

Comeback: Shawbrook, which specialises in business lending and more complex mortgage products, went private in 2017

The bank recently bought ThinCats, a specialist lender for small businesses, and has a plan to grow its loan book  the amount of money it is lending out  to 30 billion by 2030 from 17 billion.

Shawbrook is expected to make shares available to retail investors, and there's already a page on the RetailBook website to register your interest (retailbook.com/eitf/shawbrook).

There are certainly compelling reasons to take a look. For a start, the company makes plenty of cash and is determined to return some of this to shareholders.

There are risks, too, with Shawbrook having been involved in a court case over car finance compensation, announced by the Financial Conduct Authority recently  although the company has said it expects the potential liability to be immaterial.

An economic downturn may affect its customers' ability to repay loans, although the business points out it has been through storms such as Brexit and Covid without seeing slowing growth.

There will be more information on Shawbrook's initial public offering in coming weeks, so it's sensible to sign up to notifications to find out more about its valuation as soon as possible.

Expected to trade on: Main market Contact: retailbook.com/eitf/shawbrook
Fears of a global stock market crash deepened this weekend amid dire warnings that the semiconductor sector powering the artificial intelligence boom would be 'completely destroyed' if China invaded Taiwan.

It comes after the Bank of England, the International Monetary Fund and the boss of America's biggest bank sounded the alarm, saying that the AI-fuelled growth in share prices had pushed valuations towards levels last seen at the height of the dot-com mania 25 years ago.

Meanwhile traders are braced for a turbulent start to the week after President Donald Trump threatened on Friday to slap 'massive' tariffs on China, causing global stock markets to sink.

Much of the rapid growth in share prices has been driven by a small number of technology stocks, led by Nvidia  the world's biggest quoted company with a price tag of around $4.5 trillion

Rapid growth: Nearly all of Nvidia's powerful computer chips used in the most advanced AI models are made in Taiwan by one company, TSMC

Nearly all of Nvidia's powerful computer chips used in the most advanced AI models are made in Taiwan by one company, TSMC.

Taiwan also supplies 60 per cent of the world's semiconductors  silicon discs with billions of transistors carved into them  which underpin all computing.

But the supply of these chips could be halted and share prices could collapse if  as security experts increasingly fear  China carries out its long-standing threat to 're-unite' itself with Taiwan, by force if necessary.

In the starkest warning yet from a senior official, Francois Wu, Taiwan's deputy foreign minister, said an invasion would be 'the end of the world'. 'I do not mean that a nuclear war will happen, but the modern world economy will be finished for ever,' Wu told The Mail on Sunday. 'We will not weaponise our chip industry, but if China invades Taiwan the sector will either be completely destroyed or occupied by Beijing.'

Moving Taiwan's chip factories to another country would not solve the problem, Wu added.

The US has vowed to defend Taiwan with force in the event of an attack. It recently warned the threat to the island was 'imminent', with Beijing capable of a full-scale invasion by 2027.

Taking action: Taiwan has unveiled plans to build a new air defence system, dubbed the T-Dome, to protect it from what he called 'hostile threats'

On Friday, Taiwan's president William Lai unveiled plans to build a new air defence system, dubbed the T-Dome, to protect it from what he called 'hostile threats', though he stopped short of mentioning China by name.

The island is also planning to increase its defence spending to 5 per cent of its national output (gross domestic product or GDP) by 2030, double its current level of about 2.5 per cent.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has pinned her hopes on AI to kickstart sluggish growth in the UK by boosting productivity  how much useful output in goods or services each worker achieves.

Energy-hungry data centres that house computer systems are springing up across the country in support of this, but the threat of the AI bubble bursting could derail her plan entirely.

'Cutting off Taiwan's semiconductor production, including the advanced chips that only Taiwan knows how to make at scale, would have a far reaching impact,' said Andrew Yeh, of the China Strategic Risks Institute, a London-based think-tank.

'The effect on the global AI boom could be severe, and a real brake on economic growth for the UK and other countries betting big on AI,' he said. 'Taiwan's chip supply is the backbone of advanced manufacturing worldwide. With the surge in demand for computing driven by AI, these semiconductors are more important than ever.'

Both the Bank of England and the International Monetary Fund warned last week that the risk of a sharp market 'correction'  a sudden drop in share prices  had increased, fuelled by the AI hype.

They were joined by Jamie Dimon, boss of JPMorgan Chase, who said he was 'far more worried than others' about the risk of a serious market correction in the next six months to two years.

Some of the billions being poured into AI would 'probably be lost', he added.

A spate of 'circular' deals in the sector has also sparked concerns that a new technological bubble in AI spending is brewing.

They include a tie-up between OpenAI  the firm behind the ChatGPT chatbot  and Nvidia's rival AMD. Under the deal OpenAI will buy AMD's chips in return for AMD receiving an option to buy its shares.

Nvidia also plans to invest $100 billion in OpenAI.
Profits at Fabletics rose despite a dip in sales as the Californian retailer limbers up for UK store openings amid a fitness boom.

The chain, part-owned by actress Kate Hudson and with reality star Khloe Kardashian as one of its ambassadors, is looking to cash in as young Brits get more interested in exercising than going out.

It is planning to open a store in the UK  its second-largest market after the US  next year and has said more could follow. Its clothes are currently sold on its website and by Next on the High Street.

Mission: Khloe Kardashian is an ambassador for Fabletics clothes

In the UK sales fell 1 per cent to 19 million but pre-tax profit was 9 per cent up at 637,000, despite higher costs. Globally, Fabletics has sales of 630 million and aims to hit 750 million in two years.

'For Gen Z mental and physical health is important,' Mark Ralea, Fabletics' Europe boss, has said.
Punitive tariffs hitting British steel could be avoided by 'concerted' global action to halt Chinese steel dumping, a top industry figure has said.

Sir Andrew Cook says US tariffs and devastating new levies announced last week by the EU, hitting UK producers, would be unnecessary if action was taken against Beijing.

On Tuesday, the EU doubled tariffs on steel imports to 50 per cent in a shock move that British steelmakers warned would 'devastate' the industry.

The bloc's protectionism, after the loss of 18,000 steel jobs across the continent last year, follows the US-imposed 25 per cent levies on UK steel.

Feeling the heat: Punitive tariffs hitting British steel could be avoided by 'concerted' global action to halt Chinese steel dumping

Chinese steel dumping, driving down global wholesale values and making Western forges uncompetitive, is a big factor behind the new tariffs.

'If China was excluded we wouldn't need tariffs against other nations,' Sir Andrew said. 'The fundamental problem is Chinese dumping and not enough is being done about it.'

The William Cook boss said Western states were behaving like 'the little bullies ganging up on each other and ignoring the big bully' which was China.

The Government said there were 17 anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures on specific steel imports, 12 against China, and it was consulting on further safeguards.
Humans don't hibernate. But we do tend to sleep more in winter. This ought to be good news for the boss of Britain's biggest bed brand as the dark nights draw in and Vitamin D levels dip.

Silentnight's Tracey Bamber insists it's not just seasonal factors that are driving a growing interest in getting a good night's kip.

'The sleep economy is a fast growing sector,' she says, with customers increasingly interested in the quality of their 40 winks.

'After nutrition and hydration, you might argue sleep is right up there with exercise because it's something you essentially need.

'It improves your immune function, it regulates your metabolism, enhances your cognitive functions, and also supports and enhances your emotional and mental well-being.'

Bamber cites the fact that people are changing their mattress more often. They used to be chucked out every eight to ten years.

Cosying up: Tracey Bamber has a sleep tracker to ensure she gets her 40 winks

'Now they are now being replaced on average every 7.2 years,' she says.

Most beds are bought out of need  such as moving house  but about 40 per cent of purchases relate to want. Bamber says: 'People want to sleep better, they want to feel better.'

There is still 'a correlation' between housing market activity and performance, she admits, but 'it's not make-or-break'. She says: 'We still have a really solid, reliable business even if the housing market is quite stagnant.'

Silentnight, whose beds are sold through retailers and online, leads the market with a 15 per cent share that is growing.

Results out soon will show profits above the 10 million posted in 2024 on slightly lower sales than the 143 million reported last time.

'We're really pleased with the performance,' says Bamber.

Silentnight makes all its beds in a Tardis-like factory in Barnoldswick  a Pennine village that has flip-flopped between Lancashire and Yorkshire down the years. With more than 700 workers it is easily the biggest employer in the area.

Big corporate customers include hotel chain Premier Inn, whose adverts featuring comedian Lenny Henry promote the virtues of a good night's sleep.

'We invested heavily in supporting their renovation programme,' says Bamber proudly.

She admits increased labour costs from the recent increase in employers National Insurance contributions are 'a headwind'. But she is relaxed about the prospect of a property tax in the upcoming Budget forcing some homeowners to downsize or put off moving altogether.

'This market is really stable. It grows every year,' she maintains.

Bamber won't comment on reports that HIG Europe, Silentnight's private equity owners, are looking for an exit beyond saying it was 'inevitable at some point' given the owner's business model.

In 2011 HIG Europe bought the business out of insolvency in a controversial deal that saw it transfer some of its pension liabilities to the industry lifeboat scheme. Under pressure from the pensions watchdog HIG Europe later agreed to pay 25 million back into the company's scheme. Silentnight, which celebrates its 80th birthday next year, caters for all sorts of sleeper types.

'Twisters and turners' prefer mattresses with more gel in them to absorb the body's restless movement while 'sink-in snoozers' are more suited to body-hugging memory foam beds that absorb pressure on joints and muscles.

There's even a new 'comfort breathe' range which has its own 'microclimate system' within 2000 pocket springs for 'hot' sleepers who want to stay cool and dry.

Talking of bed springs, Bamber is quick to dispel the myth that more is better.

'We don't think about spring counts. We think about the kind of sleeper who needs a good night's sleep,' she says.

'You might not know if you sleep better with an 800 or a 1,500 spring mattress but you'll know if you twist and turn, or lie still or get hot in bed. This is what guides our thinking about how we innovate.' So what type of sleeper is she? 'I always lie on my left and don't move,' Bamber reveals.

What keeps her awake at night?

'Not getting enough sleep!' she exclaims. 'I'm one of those people who is on the verge of obsession about getting a good night's sleep.

'I have a sleep tracker  I know they're not great for everybody, but I track my sleep every night.

'I aim to get my seven and a half hours of optimal sleep, which means I have to be in bed for over eight hours.'

Her wind-down routine includes reading with a Kindle. She says: 'Sometimes I wake a few hours later and find I've still got it in my hand.'
Washington DC, in October, is notable for its bright orange and russet foliage and platoons of black limousines ferrying finance ministers, commercial and central bankers from endless meetings to champagne receptions and sumptuous meals.

The annual jamborees of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, with the G7 pulling the purse strings, aim to bring order to a troubled economic world.

The early indication from the fund's emollient managing director Kristalina Georgieva is that the world has so far emerged from Donald Trump's blizzard of tariffs less damaged than feared.

As a result, the fund will be able to raise its global growth forecast on Tuesday when the World Economic Outlook is published.

In the spring the fund estimated that average tariffs of 23 per cent across the globe would see fierce reprisals, wrecking globalisation.

The reality is that by negotiation the effective tariff rate has been lowered to 17.5 per cent and there have been few cases of tit-for-tat retaliation  so far. Fear of trade wars and the removal of the independence of the US central bank, the Federal Reserve, will continue to cast a pall at the fund.

Early indications: IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva looks set to say that the world has so far emerged from Donald Trump's blizzard of tariffs less damaged than feared

In these gatherings, the latest crisis will always occupy the policy-makers and banking titans.

Britain, one of the founders of the fund, has found itself at the heart of these events too often.

In 1976, after a wrestle with the US Treasury and the fund, Britain got its infamous bailout requiring the Government to take an axe to public spending and the Bank of England to crush credit creation.

Three decades later it was in Washington that the then Tory Chancellor Norman Lamont admitted to 'singing in the bath' after Britain had been turfed out of the exchange rate mechanism, the forerunner of the euro.

The 2008 meeting was held against the backdrop of the Great Financial Crisis, which threatened to destroy Western capitalism.

And after the Liz Truss mini-Budget of 2022, her Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng was ticked off by the fund before flying home early to be fired by Truss.

Last year Rachel Reeves chose the fringes of the IMF to outline her new fiscal rules which in practice trapped her in a doom-loop of ever higher taxation.

At least the Chancellor, who is due in Washington later this week, is protected by Labour's big majority in Parliament. France, without a functioning government, and the US, in shutdown, have no such luxury.
When fighter jets screamed over downtown Taipei in the early hours of Wednesday morning, it sparked a mild panic among visitors not used to the constant threat of invasion.

Fortunately for them  and for the global economy  China had not finally followed through on its designs on its neighbour.

Instead, it was Taiwan's air force practising for a show two days later to celebrate the 1911 republican revolutionary uprising that ended millennia of rule by China's emperors.

But as well as celebratory military parades on streets decked with the national flag, Taiwan's citizens also witness increasingly aggressive  and often unannounced  'military drills' by Chinese warships and aircraft entering its airspace and coastal waters.

The island nation, which its neighbour across the water views as a renegade province, has lived with the looming danger of invasion for decades, ever since the defeated nationalists, led by Chiang Kai-shek, fled Communist China for Taiwan in 1949.

It is not just the Taiwanese who have reason to fear Chinese aggression, with Beijing's bellicose rhetoric rising during the reign of Xi Jinping. The surge in demand for artificial intelligence means Taiwan is more vital to the global economic order than ever before, with any invasion likely to trigger one of the biggest economic crises in history.

Threat: Chinese troops in Tiananmen Square last month - Beijing has vowed to seize Taiwan in a move that would burst the stock market bubble

Despite its relatively small size, Taiwan dominates global production of semiconductors, tiny computer chips that power mobile phones, cars, aircraft systems, missiles and just about every other electronic device.

Taiwan's microchip industry accounts for over two-thirds of the global market. Crucially, it makes about 90 per cent of the most advanced chips, which are critical for firms hunting for the computing power needed to create ever more sophisticated AI systems.

This is down to the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), a 1.1 trillion chipmaker based in the city of Hsinchu, considered the country's equivalent to Silicon Valley due to its proliferation of technology and electronics firms.

TSMC is so revered by the Taiwanese it is nicknamed the 'guardian sacred mountain', referring to the central mountain range, which protects Taiwan's more populated western side from typhoons.

One of TSMC's biggest clients is US computer processor giant Nvidia, the world's biggest firm, valued at 3.4 trillion. Its boss, Jensen Huang, is Taipei-born.

The leap in demand for advanced chips to feed the rapidly expanding growth of AI is cementing the country's hegemony, with Taiwan's semiconductor industry set to produce 158 billion of chips this year.

It has reaped rewards for holders of TSMC shares, which have tripled in the past five years, though this is dwarfed by Nvidia's huge ascent in the same period.

But as the appetite for advanced chips grows, so does the risk that any disruption to Taiwan's factories could bring to the sector, and with it the global economy.

'If China invades Taiwan the modern world economy will be finished for ever,' said Francois Wu, Taiwan's deputy foreign minister.

An invasion  which the US has vowed to repel with force  or even a naval blockade that restricted Taiwan's exports, would slam the brakes on the AI revolution, potentially causing a stock market meltdown similar to the dotcom crash of the early 2000s.

Yet Wu says it is unrealistic to think Taiwan's industry could be easily relocated or replaced.

'Moving the factories to another country will not solve the problem. And it is naive to think we will abandon the semiconductor industry under pressure from abroad.

'We will not weaponise our chip industry, but if China invades the sector will either be completely destroyed or occupied by Beijing.'

While officials and local analysts are sometimes coy to say the country's chip sector forms a core part of its national security strategy, their desire to guard its most valuable capabilities is undeniable. This month, vice-premier Cheng Li-chiun said Taiwan would 'not agree' to produce half its chips in the US despite pressure from Donald Trump, who has accused it of 'stealing' US chip business.

Hsien-Ming Lien at Taiwan's Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research said TSMC's efforts to build new chip factories in the US had run into trouble.

'In Taiwan, TSMC's workforce act like A&E doctors,' he said. 'They come back to the factory at any time to try and fix problems. This is not common in the US.

'This cultural difference is difficult to overcome. It's a challenge to find workers so dedicated.'

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Any move would also face fierce resistance from the local population, many of whom view the sector as part of its national identity and a crucial factor in its transformation into an advanced economy.

In a speech at the national day celebrations, Taiwan's president William Lai said the industry was 'forged by decades of combined efforts' and pledged to protect the country's 'valuable assets'.

Taiwan, like many long-time American allies, now finds itself seeking other partners on the world stage to support its position against Beijing's belligerence.

It was unable to escape Trump's tariff barrage, with the US slapping a 20 per cent levy on exports.

Trump's erratic foreign policy has also thrown into doubt the presumption that the US would use its military to protect Taiwan.

Like most countries, the UK does not officially consider Taiwan to be an independent nation  mainly to avoid invoking the ire of Beijing.

But as the AI revolution makes Taiwan's chip industry more vital to the health of the global stock market and wider economy, many nations may find themselves having to pick sides sooner than they expect. And traders, fearful of a stock market bubble bursting, are watching Taiwan more closely too.

They are acutely aware that the sound heralding the next market meltdown may not be the opening bell on Wall Street, but the roar of Chinese fighter jets over the skies of Taipei.
My pension savings have hit 27,412. In cash terms, that may sound like a decent sum. But right now, that's all I have to last me for my full retirement. That, I'm told, would be enough to cover around two years of outgoings  and that's assuming I'm willing to make do with a minimum standard of living.

According to industry body the Pensions And Lifetime Savings Association, it would just about cover the basics, plus a self-catering holiday in the UK once a year and eating out perhaps once a month.

You may think it's my own fault and that, at the age of 43, I should have put away more by now. But the thing is, I have been careful with money all my life, have never taken on debt and have always saved.

It's a terrifying reminder that even the prudent among us, who have worked all our lives, can come unstuck with pension saving. There's so much I wish I'd known sooner.

Cutting back: Joe Minihane has been forced to make sacrifices in his spending so he can pay into his pension

I started my career in journalism in 2005 and every company I worked for offered me a pension. Each time I felt I had to turn it down. I was young, renting in London and the cost of living was high.

In my first job I earned 1,500 a month, and that had to cover rent of 600, tax of around 300 a travelcard to get to and from work, plus bills, food and day-to-day living. I also wanted a bit of money to go out because I was young and living my dream in London. Saving for retirement was not an option and, if I'm honest, neither was it something I gave much thought to  it was such a long way away.

Four years later I became a self-employed writer and so the money I earned was no longer paid on a set date. Rather than being frightened by this prospect, though, I followed the advice my grandad had given me as a child and kept a keen eye on my incomings and outgoings. His mantra of 'don't buy what you can't afford' meant I never had a credit card or spent on things I didn't need.

As my career took off and I started earning more, I saved into a tax-free Isa, but not with retirement in mind. At first I saved up so that my now wife Keeley and I could spend six months travelling around Asia. I saved 20,000 and spent half.

When we returned, aged 30, we started saving for a house and managed to get 30,000, buying a small flat in Brighton in 2016, when I was 34.

We had our first child a year later, which, inevitably, came with a high financial cost.

It wasn't until November 2019, aged 37, that it dawned on me that I needed to save for retirement. Middle age and parenthood sharpened my mind and gave me a new perspective on life.

It wasn't just the immediate needs of me and my family that had to be considered  I had to tend to the future as well.

I was never educated about this at school or university. It was certainly not something I spoke about with friends. It was only when a fellow writer told me that he had set up his own pension and that I could too in a matter of minutes that I decided to look into it.

As soon as I did, I knew I had to get started immediately. Now I pay 400 each month into a self-invested personal pension (Sipp). A Sipp is a pension you can set up and manage yourself. You can dial your contributions up or down depending on how much you can afford each month.

Like all pensions, it benefits from tax relief from the Government.

As I'm a basic-rate taxpayer, I get an extra 20 per cent added to my pension for every sum that I put in. Higher rate taxpayers get 40 per cent added and additional rate 45 per cent. Unfortunately, as I'm self-employed, I don't get contributions from an employer as other workers do, and I have to manage my pension myself rather than receiving one automatically through my workplace.

If I'm able to keep saving at this level, I should be able to retire with a pot of 219,234 in 2049, when I hit the current state pension age of 68. If things go well, according to the pension calculator on the Nutmeg website, this could reach 368,786. Badly, and I'm looking at 141,150.

Of course, a lot could change. I could be forced to change my contributions and the value of my investments could fall.

If I stay on track, this could be enough to buy me an income of 12,300 at retirement  unlikely to be sufficient to maintain my current standard of living, even with the state pension to top it up.

I have to keep going though, because if I stopped saving now, my pot would get me a grand total of 1,647 a year from retirement age. Because I didn't start earlier I am having to make sacrifices and save more now to improve my financial position.

Fortunately, I don't consider it a hardship to forgo meals out, make coffee at home, opt for cheap camping holidays and resist my lifelong vinyl shopping habit.

I don't really mind right now. But I can't help but think what a better position I would be in if I'd saved even small amounts from my early 20s. If I'd started paying 250 into a pension pot at 21 and I'd benefited from contributions from an employer, I'd be looking at a nice income of around 25,000 per year from the age of 68  on top of the state pension.

The latest HMRC figures show 360,000 self-employed people are paying into a pension, but more than three million aren't. There are good reasons for this. Low pay, poor understanding of how pensions work and the increased cost of living all take their toll. I should know  I had no clue how pensions worked until I was 37.

I wish there was an option for self-employed workers to have a default pension scheme, that we could opt in or out of when completing our tax returns.

And we need proper financial education in schools, teaching not just the value of money but the necessity to save for later life.

If there's one thing I know now, it's that time moves quickly.

One day you may find that you haven't got enough to stop working and enjoy life while you still can. So best get saving.
Gardai are appealing for witnesses after a teenager died in a single car collision in County Cork on Saturday night.

They say the fatal incident occurred at Scarteen Lower, Newmarket shortly after 11:20 pm when the vehicle left the road and collided with a ditch.

"The male driver, aged in his late teens was fatally injured. The body of the male driver has been removed from the scene to the mortuary in Cork University Hospital where a port mortem examination will take place in due course." said a garda spokesperson who added that the other passenger, also aged in his teens, was uninjured.

Motorists are being advised the road remains closed and that local diversions are in place pending the completion of a full forensic collision investigation by Garda Forensic Collision Investigator.

Read next: ALERT: Gardai issue urgent appeal for help locating 30-year-old man missing since Saturday

Gardai at Mallow Garda Station are appealing to anyone who was travelling in the area at the time of the collision to contact them.

Road users with camera footage (including dash-cam) from that section of road during the relevant period are also asked to make it available to investigating officers.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Mallow Garda Station on 022 31 450, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.

Read more: RIP: Young woman (37) found dead as gardai issue tragic missing person update
Catherine Connolly said she would consider publishing correspondence relating to her attempts to obtain security clearance for an employee convicted of a gun crime.

The independent candidate, who has the backing of left-wing opposition parties, said questions being put to her about hiring a woman convicted of firearm offences have backfired.

She was asked about the story after appearing on a debate on RTE Radios This Week programme with Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys.

Asked after the debate if she would publish correspondence, she said: Ill take advice on that in terms of GDPR and that, but the email was simply asking where the process was at because it was taking so long, it was actually trying to elicit information, what is the delay?.

Most of the emails are between the person, or whatever contact is between the person and the system in Dail Eireann, not with me, and I put in an email asking where is this at?'

Ms Humphreys said on RTE Radio that Ms Connolly had legitimate questions to ask about hiring a woman for six months who was convicted by the Special Criminal Court for possessing firearms.

As Garda clearance was pending, Ms Connolly gave her access daily for six months to the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The woman then left of her own accord due to the length of time the security clearance process was taking.

Ms Humphreys said on air: Id like to ask Catherine, did she ask that person what she was going to use the guns for, the member of Eirigi, who was convicted by the Special Criminal Court.

She was brought into Dail Eireann without Garda approval, and we all know you have to have your staff vetted. This didnt happen.

Ms Connolly replied: Allegations are being made again that I broke the rules or that the vetting has to be done before the person comes in, thats not accurate.

Im really upset that this persons privacy has been absolutely trespassed upon for the purposes of trying to damage me. I believe it has backfired.

On European issues, Ms Connolly said she campaigned actively and proudly against the Lisbon Treaty, but said she couldnt remember how she voted in other EU referenda.

During the radio debate, Ms Humphreys said she had voted against every European treaty, to which Ms Connolly replied, thats absolutely wrong.

Ms Connolly told the Dail in 2022 that she proudly canvassed against the Lisbon and Nice treaties due to concerns about the militarisation of Europe.

Asked after the radio debate if she had ever voted for an EU treaty, she said: Probably, yes. Id have to think back.

Lisbon stands out for me because I went out actively against it for two reasons.

One was the military industry complex and the direction we were going, and the other was the blatant neoliberal ideology that sets out the price of everything and the value of nothing.

But I have no recollection of canvassing against any other treaty.

Speaking in Dublin on Sunday evening, Labour leader Ivana Bacik backed Ms Connollys stance on the EU.

Ms Connolly clarified that she had grave difficulties with the fiscal treaty of 2012.

Asked if she had concerns about Ms Connollys stance on the EU, Ms Bacik said none at all.

I absolutely agree with everything Catherine has just said.

She said when she ran as an MEP she was also critical of a militarised EU and neoliberal ideologies.

Asked if she had ever objected to housing, Ms Connolly said: I never objected to housing. I might have put in submissions where I expressed my concerns, sharing the concerns of the residents, perhaps over my lifetime in politics, I dont know, that could have happened.

I have never objected. I have shared concerns on occasions, not many, and after considerable time with the residents and meeting them and studying the plans.
Irish actor Brendan Gleeson has said that not every father is toxic and that he is tired of watching fatherhood portrayed so poorly on screen.

The 70-year old, best known for The Banshees Of Inisherin, stars alongside The Crown actress Claire Foy in the biographical drama, H Is For Hawk.

The film follows Cambridge academic Helen MacDonald (Foy) who, while coping with the grief of her fathers death, builds an unlikely friendship with a stubborn hawk named Mabel.

Speaking at the BFI London Film Festival on Sunday, Gleeson, who plays Helens beloved father, Alisdair MacDonald, emphasised the importance of celebrating fatherhood on screen.

The Hollywood star told the PA news agency: I think dads have got an awful hard time lately. And I dont believe that every dad is toxic, and I dont think anybody else does either.

I think I suddenly got very tired of watching fatherhood portrayed as something that was almost an abuse, or that was toxic in some way, or in some way truncated by where you had these emotionally stunted people walking around that couldnt hug their kids, whatever it was.

The film, which is based on the memoir of the same name by Helen MacDonald, is centred around her grief for her father which Gleeson said says so much more about what is really important about paternity, and what is really important about fatherhood, and why the beauty that is within of that, needs to be celebrated.

I think young men need to see it. It needs to be reaffirmed, he added.

I really just want to celebrate paternity and how much and how deeply it affects things.

I think this particular film is so beautiful in the way that thats what its trying to do. The memory of this man is that he was a proper, good man who gave love to his daughter.

Speaking about his own experience of fatherhood, Gleeson added: When I had my kids, I realised I no longer have the option to be pessimistic. I bought in to the life. So optimism now is a duty, not a choice.

The Oscar-nominated actor starred alongside Colin Farrell and Barry Keoghan in The Banshees Of Inisherin as well as 2008s In Bruges and appeared in the Harry Potter films as Alastor Mad-Eye Moody.
Tonight we skip the cheesecake because Saturday night is mostly for nostalgia as we celebrate the career of an iconic actress who pretty much defined American conceptions of womanhood as we check more local news, top headlines & pop culture . . .

Check TKC news gathering . . .

Local Airborne Traffic Concern

Federal government shutdown snarls airports, but KCI keeps lines moving Airport officials at Kansas City International Airport are watching the government shutdown closely. So far, Kansas City travelers haven't seen a big impact in efficiency.

Give Police A Brake

KCPD officer hurt after car rear-ends patrol car The other driver is in serious condition

Health Check Encouragement

Independence firefighter credits department's mandatory cancer screening for saving his life For three years now, the Independence Fire Department has required annual physicals for all department members. Firefighter Spencer Ashley said a scan he underwent last year saved his life.

Tech Hype For The Dotte

Back to the people: Social venture firm connects WyCo entrepreneurs with a human-centered toolkit An initiative built on collaboration with business boosters already embedded in urban communities is deepening Network Kansas' impact, said Erik Pederson, sharing how the strategy helps more readily connect entrepreneurs to available resources like loans and technical assistance.

Playing Defense With Newsies

Chris Jones tells his side of the final play against Jaguars: 'I thought it was over' The Kansas City Chiefs' star defensive tackle explains what happened during the final defensive play of the loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Curtain Call For American Icon

Diane Keaton, Oscar-winning actress, dies at 79 Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning actress known for memorable roles in films like "Annie Hall" and "The Godfather" trilogy, has died at the age of 79. NBC News' Maggie Vespa has a look back at her remarkable career.

MAGA Moves Money Military

Trump directs Pentagon to use 'all available funds' to pay troops despite shutdown President Donald Trump said Saturday that he has directed the Defense Department to use "all available funds" to ensure U.S. troops are paid Wednesday despite the government shutdown, a short-term fix that will not apply to the hundreds of thousands of federal workers who have been furloughed.

Progressively Sketchy Moves

Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani could be New York City's next mayor. Here's how it happened Mamdani has been a member of the Democratic Socialists of America since 2017.

Community Fears Payback

Trump's indictment of New York attorney general Letitia James stirs concerns for Black women leaders The indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James on allegations of mortgage fraud has raised alarms among her allies and Black leaders, who condemned it as a politicization of the justice system for President Donald Trump's personal grievances.

Air traffic controllers working without pay get warning from boss: 'Staff that aren't dedicated like we need, we'll let them go' | Fortune Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Fox Business that workers calling in sick are causing major disruptions to air traffic, and it won't be tolerated.

MAGA Purges Neo-Cons

Federal prosecutors meeting this weekend to finalize potential Bolton indictment | CNN Politics The meeting comes seven weeks after federal agents removed documents and electronics from Bolton's home and office in court-approved searches.

Spicy French Connection Suffers Tax Crackdown

Libertines desert swingers' clubs for private sex parties Paris's legendary clubs fear being pushed out of business by 'unfair' competitors who disregard health and safety - and, quelle horreur, don't pay tax

New York Times Celebrates Cowtown Cuisine

Is Kansas City Still the Barbecue Capital of America? Most mornings, Ollie Gates, the 93-year-old patriarch of a Kansas City barbecue dynasty, drives himself to the Gates Bar-B-Q location

Grigs Shares Forecast

Windy Sunday with a spotty rain chance Scattered showers expected Monday

And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 12. The 67th Annual Meeting of the International Association of Judges has started in Baku, Trend reports.

The opening ceremony is currently underway at the Baku Congress Center.

At the invitation of Inam Kerimov, Chairman of the Judicial-Legal Council, a number of local government officials are also participating in the ceremony.

Among the guests are Interior Minister Colonel-General Vilayat Eyvazov, Head of the State Security Service Colonel-General Ali Nagiyev, Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev, Justice Minister Farid Akhmedov, Human Rights Commissioner Sabina Aliyeva, and Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Head of the Law Enforcement Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Fuad Alasgarov.

The international event will conclude on October 17.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 12. The judiciary protects and guides society by creating opportunities for the fair execution of duties, said Justice Minister Farid Akhmedov at the opening ceremony of the Annual Meeting of the International Association of Judges, Trend reports.

Farid Akhmedov emphasized that justice prevails when any activity is based on a solid foundation.

"In Azerbaijan, cooperation between branches of government is considered an important factor in ensuring justice. Any activity we undertake must be aimed precisely at this. All branches of government must support each other. Such cooperation currently exists," the minister noted.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 12. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has been interviewed by Turkish Haber Global TV channel.

Trend presents the interview.

- Welcome to Haber Global TV channel. We have an extremely important guest. As you know, Azerbaijan is waging a patriotic war. There is a rapid but sustained advancement of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan on the battlefield. A ceasefire, tense diplomatic processes, especially after the attacks Armenia committed yesterday, immediately after the announcement of the ceasefire, activity on the battlefield and at the negotiating table. All, of course, is closely watched by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev who has agreed to talk to us today despite the tensions. Welcome, Mr. President.

- Thank you.

- First of all, I would like to start with yesterday's attack, the latest situation on the battlefield and at the negotiating table. On the one hand, we know that you are carrying out intense diplomatic activities. Thank you again for taking the time to talk to us despite such a busy schedule. Yesterday we saw the reaction to the attack on your civilian population. However, a completely different approach is observed in foreign media, a kind of propaganda war of the diaspora. First of all, what is the current situation like?

- Of course, we have been facing black propaganda for many years. There are several reasons for this, one of which is the activity of Armenian diaspora organizations in some countries. Azerbaijan is the target of this activity. Their agenda always includes such goals as denigrating Azerbaijan, spreading lies about Azerbaijan and, thus, undermining the image of our country.

Armenian diaspora organizations and their patrons, Armenians of the world have unleashed an information war against Azerbaijan in connection with the recent battles. As a result of that, distorted information is often published in world media these days. Therefore, we must make great effort to communicate Azerbaijani realities to the world community. In this regard, I want to express my special gratitude to representatives of the Turkish media, because leading TV channels and other media outlets in Turkey circulate the truth about this conflict to the world every day, day and night.

It is possible to say that immediately after the introduction of the ceasefire, Armenia continued its vile actions. We paused for a while because we are true to our word. Since a ceasefire was announced, we were hoping that the Nagorno-Karabakh issue would be resolved politically because we thought that the military stage was over, the aggressor had learned its lesson on the battlefield and would now take into account the realities and show a positive approach at the diplomatic level. Unfortunately, we did not see that and the ceasefire, which came into force at 12 o'clock, was violated by Armenia.

As you know, a horrific crime was committed against civilians on the following night. The city of Ganja was bombed. The city came under fire with "Tochka-U" missiles, as a result of which civilians were killed and injured. This is another manifestation of the ugly face of Armenian fascism.

Armenians of the world, Armenia's supporters, their benefactors and Islamophobic circles will no longer be able to conceal this crime because everything is already obvious. There were statement for the press at the scene yesterday and representatives of foreign embassies who are visiting the site today see everything with their own eyes. Once again, they see who is causing this conflict, who pursues an aggressive policy, who is committing crimes against the civilian population. The Armenian state is a state of terror, a fascist state, and this crime against humanity has shown this once again.

- The factor you have just mentioned is very important. We have worked in many areas where Turkey is fighting terrorism. For example, the PKK subjected our cities to rocket and artillery fire. We knew that this was the work of a terrorist organization. I said this in our broadcast yesterday  an action that is incompatible with humanity, conscience and logic. Earlier in your address to the people, you said that you were receiving calls, in particular, from Russia, asking for a ceasefire. The ceasefire has been reached, but then with what logic and why is this attack being carried out? How would you answer this question?

- First of all, we must take into account the terrorist nature of Armenia because they are being defeated, they are losing on the battlefield. The victorious Azerbaijani Army achieves new military successes every day. Either a city or a village is liberated from occupation almost every day, or the territory of these villages is taken under control. Today I can say that several settlements are now fully under our control. We simply haven't entered these settlements yet because there is no need for that from a military point of view. But we will make further announcements after some time. Therefore, Armenia is being defeated in all directions of the front, and this being the case, it wants to avenge its pain and defeat on civilians. This is their nature. The perpetrators of the Khojaly genocide have now carried out an attack on Ganja.

The military-political leadership of Armenia is guilty of the attack on Ganja. According to the information we have, this decision was made personally by Pashinyan. We have accurate information that Pashinyan is currently experiencing very severe psychological upheavals. His moral and psychological state is very tense and he makes inappropriate decisions. For example, they have made several attempts to re-occupy Hadrut. This morning, I was informed that last night a large group of commandos who arrived from Armenia tried to re-occupy Hadrut although from a strategic point of view, this is not particularly important for Armenia  just to take a selfie there and report to its population. The Azerbaijani Army neutralized this unit, and the losses Armenia suffered there that night are exclusively victims of Pashinyan's irresponsible and predatory policies.

This is their tactic, as they are accustomed to the fact that they will always be supported on the world stage. Unfortunately, the world's Armenians, their patrons, Islamophobic circles have the most powerful positions in the world. They have always supported Armenia and their aggressive policy against us, defended them. They spread utter lies about Azerbaijan, tried to portray Azerbaijanis as aggressors. But today, in the age of the Internet, it is very difficult for them to do this because there are already non-traditional media outlets, there is the Internet, and communicating information is not very difficult. Therefore, they no longer have the same positions in the information war now. We are on the right track. We are right in terms of both international law and historical justice. We are on our own land, we are fighting on our own land. If Armenian soldiers leave our lands, then this conflict will also end.

- You have mentioned the international community. The West did not express a particular reaction to this attack. Did you expect a protest? During the meeting held by Mr. Hajiyev with the attaches yesterday, we also witnessed such a picture. He said three times: ask questions and we will answer and explain to you the real state of affairs. No answer.

- We didn't really expect anything, and there is no need for that because over the years we have seen that they do not want to hear the truth or try to disguise it, distort information and real facts. There are many reasons for that. Therefore, our main goal was to resolve this issue, restore historical justice and our territorial integrity. We have enough strength to do this.

Of course, the support provided from the very first days, from the very first hours by fraternal Turkey, the clear statements of my brother, esteemed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as statements of other high-ranking officials provided Azerbaijan with moral support and also showed the whole world that Turkey is next to Azerbaijan. Otherwise, this conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan could cover a wider geography.

- Do you expect a sustainable ceasefire? It is constantly violated although it was reached after 11 and a half hours of negotiations in Moscow. Yesterday, we, journalists, witnessed that Baku is showing great patience.

- Yes, we are showing patience. Of course, after such a barbaric shelling of Ganja, every Azerbaijani is outraged and an adequate response is required. But we are giving an answer on the battlefield. We avenged yesterday's victims on the battlefield. Our attitude is this: we have never fought and are not fighting civilians. This is one of the qualities that distinguish Azerbaijan from Armenia. Therefore, in order to ensure a sustainable ceasefire, Armenia must, first of all, understand that they will no longer see the lands liberated from occupation and will not return there. For them, this is completely impossible. Whatever they say and whatever support they have, this will not happen. We came to these lands, these are the lands of our ancestors. No force can drive us out of there. The sooner they understand this, the better for them because for a lasting ceasefire to be reached, both sides must be committed to it. We are committed to it. We observed the ceasefire, which came into force at noon, but when we saw that Armenia was violating it, naturally, we could not but react. We have to protect ourselves. Thus, it is possible to say that the ceasefire entered into force but did not happen in real life.

- Are you receiving signals to retreat, at least at this point, from your lands?

- No, we are not receiving such signals and no-one can give us such signals. This is contrary to international law and historical justice. There were no such signals. There have been signals to stop. There have been signals not to move forward anymore. There have been signals to ensure a ceasefire. And we say: well, let there be a ceasefire, but in parallel it is necessary to resolve the issue peacefully.

I believe that the agreements reached in Moscow fully meet our interests, because, first of all, it provides for the exchange of bodies of those killed in the action and prisoners on a humanitarian basis. We wanted this from day one. But Armenia did not go for it. There are also other very important political moments. One of them is the restoration of negotiations, discussions, continuation of substantive negotiations based on fundamental principles. And the fundamental principles meet our interests, because they provide for a withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied lands. It is stated in them that the Armenian armed forces will withdraw from five districts at the first stage and from two more at the second stage. After that, of course, all internally displaced persons will return to the places where they lived before. This means that our internally displaced persons will return to both Shusha and Khankandi, after which a political solution to this issue can be provided.

Another issue  Armenia has always had a negative attitude to this  is that the format of the negotiations remains unchanged. The Armenian leadership and prime minister Pashinyan have always said that Azerbaijan should negotiate with the so-called "Nagorno-Karabakh republic". But we were opposed to this. The inclusion of such an item there is also in our interests.

Therefore, there are already all the possibilities and all the grounds for the transition from a military stage to the diplomatic and political stage. As for the issue of Armenia's observance of the ceasefire, I hope that the new successful operations of the victorious Azerbaijani Army yesterday and this night will force them to do so.

- Since 27 September, when this patriotic war began, you have been talking about the possibility of resolving this issue within the framework of a new format, with more active participation of Turkey, that this issue can be resolved jointly by Russia and Turkey. But Lavrov's statement did not mention Turkey. It followed from his statement that the negotiations would again be continued within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group in the future. In what way and when will Turkey be at the negotiating table? Has this been spoken about?

- Of course, this is our position. I have said this many times. I want to reiterate that Turkey must definitely play an active role in the political settlement of this issue. I also know that some Turkish media outlets are wondering why Turkey was not in Moscow. Naturally, this was not envisaged at the current stage. Neither was Turkey faced with such a task. This is not a process of negotiations. This is just a ceasefire on a humanitarian basis. In other words, it was not an event organized for negotiations. So far, negotiations have been conducted within the framework of the Minsk Group. However, these negotiations have been ineffective and have yielded no result. For nearly 30 years, we have not received a single centimeter of our lands back through negotiations. Therefore, I also said quite correctly that the Minsk Group was established in 1992, and we have no information about the basis on which it was established. If you look at the composition of the Minsk Group, you can see that it also includes countries located far from this region, which have no connection with it and have never been interested in the conflict. Their presence here a formality. Well, if we want to resolve this conflict  and we do want this  then there must be countries that would have both strength and influence and this composition should not be one-sided. Notice the activities of Armenian diasporas in the countries that are now co-chairs of the Minsk Group now. In all three countries, Armenian diaspora organizations have great political influence. Thanks to these political opportunities, they influence the officials of these countries. So how fair is it? Why shouldn't Turkey also be a co-chair? It is already a member of the Minsk Group. Therefore, our policy is quite logical and we have a result-oriented approach.

Geopolitical realities have changed. The situation in 1992 cannot be compared to the current situation. Turkey today is a powerhouse not only in the region but also on a global scale. Many in the West do not want to accept this. This annoys them. They are used to the fact that, unfortunately, their words sometimes had a high value in Turkish politics last century. But Turkey is pursuing an absolutely independent policy today and has turned into a force to reckon with on a global scale. What issue can be resolved in our region without Turkey? Look, Turkey has its say in Syria, Libya, the Middle East, our region, and this is a reality. It must be reckoned with.

I cannot say when the negotiations will begin, but since Armenia is violating the current ceasefire, I do not believe that it will be sincere in the negotiations. In any case, de jure or de facto, Turkey must definitely participate in the settlement of this problem. It is already participating because it is no secret that we hold regular consultations with Turkey. Since the beginning of these processes, since 27 September to the present, we have been in constant contact. High-ranking representatives of Turkey are in close contact with the heads of state and government of many countries. Therefore, it is already a reality. We just have to turn de facto reality into de jure reality.

- You have said, "why shouldn't Turkey be in the system of co-chairmanship, it should be". I will ask for more clarity but quote you. Earlier, in your address to the people, you used such expressions, "we have changed the status quo, the line of contact is no longer there, we have broken it". Could you please dwell in detail both on Turkey's participation in the new negotiations and on these words of yours, what did you mean? What status quo will be created by Baku from now on?

- You know, for many years, we made great effort to get a statement from co-chairs in this regard. Finally, about seven to eight years ago, several statements were made at the level of the presidents of America, Russia and France that the status quo is unacceptable and must be changed. We welcomed that. I have also stated several times in this regard that this is a very positive approach. In other words, it means that Armenian armed forces must leave our lands. Armenia should change the status quo because we have not occupied Armenian lands. How can we change the status quo? This became a kind of message, a signal to Armenia. Unfortunately, this and other statements  there have been several  hung in the air. What did we hear after that? Recently, the co-chairs backed down from these words. What are they saying now? They are saying that the status quo is not sustainable. But there is a big difference here. The status quo must be changed, i.e. Armenia must leave our lands. The status quo is not sustainable, i.e. it is unstable, which means that they simply state this as a fact. This being the case, Azerbaijan changed the status quo itself, on the battlefield. The status quo is gone. The settlements and villages of Aghdara, Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Hadrut have already been liberated. What status quo can we talk about now? None. Line of contact? It is gone. It is clear that the existing line of contact was created on the basis of deep military knowledge. Armenia did not have any military knowledge at that time. This must be admitted openly. The low authority of Armenia creates a very serious problem for them. For them, the line of contact had to be very short and straight. And this was done. They are smart enough for that. This was done by their advisers. If you look at the old line of contact, you will see that it has a horizontal-vertical shape. Like this, a smooth one. In other words, it is very easy to defend it. Their positions were mainly based on the hills. It was very difficult to take them, to destroy fortifications. Now there is no line of contact. We broke through it from several directions  from the north, from the south and then from the east. What line of contact can we talk about now? It is gone! The salvation mission of the Azerbaijani Army continues. We liberate new positions every day. It doesn't matter if these positions are a village or a city. Let there be a hill, a mountain  they are more important than a village or a city. We will return to the cities anyway. The main task for us is to occupy strategic heights. Today, all the neighborhoods of Hadrut are under our control. The city is also ours. A completely different question is whether to enter the city or not. At present, we are not faced with the political task of declaring the liberation of one place today and another tomorrow. No! In some cases, we liberate villages and towns and announce that after a day or two. This tactic also exists.

Let me say again: there is no status quo and there is no line of contact. There is no myth about an invincible army the Armenians had been inventing over the years. We showed who is who. Therefore, these realities must be taken into account by Armenia, its patrons and the whole world. Those who tell us to "stop" should know: well, we can stop, we do not want bloodshed either, but after that a political process must begin. If the political process does not start, we will not stop. I said that we would go all the way. To the end. But how? In military or political ways? This is another question. We want the military stage to end, so that no blood is shed, there are no martyrs and we liberate our lands peacefully.

- The political and military side of the issue is one thing. Today, more precisely from the moment we arrived in Baku, we have met with people who were forced to leave these places. Among them were people from both Khojaly and Jabrayil. We visited the villages built by the Azerbaijani state, by you. Everyone we met is filled with a sense of gratitude to you and to the state. They say, "we live here, we do not need anything, but we want to return to our lands." The people of Jabrayil, answering the question, "What will you do on the lands liberated from the occupation?", told us, "Just let there be a roof over our heads and that would be enough for us." What will you do for these people? Will there be new construction work on these lands?

- We will build not only roofs there, we will build entire cities, we will return life to those places. We will restore all the destroyed places. Today they are under the control of our army. Some of the liberated lands are already being visited by representatives of our media. In others, our servicemen shoot videos themselves. We can see that there is not a single building there. In other words, these are the actions of the fascists. The world must and will see this. Look at the state of Aghdam and Fuzuli today. They have destroyed all our villages. They thought the Azerbaijanis would never return there. But they have no idea about the determination of the Azerbaijani people. We have rebuilt Jojug Marjanly in just about eight months. The village, which we liberated from occupation in 2016, was rebuilt in six to eight months. People live there today, there is gas, water, electricity, a mosque, a hospital, a school, houses  everything. In addition, we provided them with agricultural equipment and this village has revived. We must turn all this land into paradise. The nature there is already like paradise, and even though these lands were under the heel of the Armenians for many years, they will be reborn. Life, children's laughter and people's smiles will return there. The citizens of Azerbaijan will live on these lands with dignity.

Our internally displaced persons know that their problem is the number one problem for me, for the President. You, too, know how much help we provide. This year, we will provide 7,000 families with new apartments. About 35,000 people receive free housing from the state every year. The state pays them a monthly allowance. Therefore, of course, they are satisfied with the care of the state. In our meetings, they always express their gratitude and say: everything is fine here, we live in new houses, we have not seen such conditions, but please take us back there, we want to go there. And they will go.

Therefore, we must work on plans for the development of these regions now. Relevant instructions have already been given. Planning will be carried out for the population of Azerbaijan to return to these regions and settle there as soon as possible.

- Mr. President, thank you very much for meeting with us despite such a tight schedule and diplomatic tensions.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 13. 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 the liberation of Azerbaijans territories from nearly 30-year Armenian occupation.

Trend presents the chronicle of the 17th day of the Second Karabakh War:

- President Ilham Aliyev gave an interview to the Turkish Haber Turk TV channel.

- First Vice President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva shared a post on her official Instagram page.

- Armenian armed forces fired on the territories of Azerbaijans Goranboy, Tartar, Aghdam, and Aghjabadi districts.

- A large number of Armenian manpower and equipment were destroyed.

- Armenian armed forces fired at the villages of Aghdam district using artillery and missiles.

- From September 27 through October 13, 2020, 42 Azerbaijani civilians were killed as a result of the shelling of settlements by the Armenian armed forces.

- The Defense Ministry has released a video of the liberated settlement of Hadrut.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 12. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has expressed its condolences to Qatar, Trend reports.

"We express condolences to the Government and people of the State of Qatar over the tragic death of Qatari diplomats in a car accident in Egypt," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote on its page on Facebook.

Three Qatari diplomats were killed in a car accident in Egypt.
Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 12. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev sent a congratulatory letter to His Majesty Felipe VI, King of Spain, Trend reports.

"Your Majesty,

On behalf of myself and the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to you and, through you, to your entire people on the occasion of the National Day of the Kingdom of Spain.

On such a joyous day, I wish you robust health, happiness, success in your endeavors, and everlasting peace, prosperity, and well-being to the friendly people of Spain,'' the letter reads.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 12. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has addressed the participants of the 67th Annual Meeting of the International Association of Judges, Trend reports.

"Dear event participants,

I sincerely welcome you to the 67th Annual Meeting of the International Association of Judges, being held in Baku, and wish every success to this prestigious event dedicated to advancing the administration of justice and strengthening judicial independence.

Bringing together national judges associations from nearly 100 countries, the International Association of Judges has, since its establishment, become an important institution that has undertaken major initiatives to safeguard judicial independence, strengthen the rule of law, and enhance the quality and efficiency of the administration of justice. Today, the International Association of Judges also serves as a space for international dialogue and cooperation aimed at enhancing the judiciary, one of the fundamental pillars of the rule of law.

Azerbaijans achievement of the right to host the 67th Annual Meeting of the International Association of Judges is a testament to our countrys growing international standing and reflects the global legal communitys confidence and trust in its judicial and legal system.

Hosting this prominent event in Azerbaijan this year carries special symbolic significance for our country and its entire legal community. In Azerbaijan, 2025 has been declared the Year of Constitution and Sovereignty. Thirty years ago, in 1995, under the leadership of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, our Constitution was developed and adopted, establishing the principles on which an independent, three-tiered judiciary was built. Since then, the separation of powers, the protection of human rights, and the supremacy of the law have become fundamental pillars of our state governance. Azerbaijan has successfully liberated its occupied territories, thereby ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty enshrined as an ultimate principle in the Supreme Law.

The establishment of a rule-of-law state in the Republic of Azerbaijan remains a strategic priority of our national policy. Comprehensive measures are being implemented in Azerbaijan to further strengthen the role of the administration of justice as the primary guarantor of human rights protection. As a result of the consistent reforms undertaken in our country, the judicial efficiency has improved, citizens access to justice has expanded, and the independence of judges has been further solidified. In the meantime, the application of information technologies and digital solutions has ensured transparency and pace of judicial processes, and significant steps have been taken to improve citizens access to the courts. These measures have strengthened public confidence in the administration of justice and reinforced the judiciarys role as one of the fundamental pillars of a rule-of-law state.

The challenges of the modern era - global socio-economic transformations, rapid digitalization, and the adoption of new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence - require judicial systems to continuously adapt and embrace innovative approaches. In this regard, the annual meetings of the International Association of Judges provide a valuable platform for exchanging best practices and engaging in effective dialogue, helping to identify future development directions for judicial and legal systems and to respond to the challenges they face in the context of present-day realities.

I am confident that the exchange of ideas, the recommendations adopted, and the outcomes of the 67th Annual Meeting of the International Association of Judges will make significant contributions to strengthening judicial independence, improving the quality of the administration of justice, ensuring more effective enforcement of the rule of law and protection of human rights, and advancing international solidarity.

I warmly welcome you once again to Baku and wish every success to the 67th Annual Meeting," the address reads.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 12. The establishment of a rule-of-law state in the Republic of Azerbaijan remains a strategic priority of our national policy, said President Ilham Aliyev in his address to the participants of the 67th Annual Meeting of the International Association of Judges, Trend reports.

Comprehensive measures are being implemented in Azerbaijan to further strengthen the role of the administration of justice as the primary guarantor of human rights protection. As a result of the consistent reforms undertaken in our country, the judicial efficiency has improved, citizens access to justice has expanded, and the independence of judges has been further solidified, the head of state added.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 12. Azerbaijan is hosting the 67th Annual Meeting of the International Association of Judges (IAJ), which unites judicial associations from nearly 100 countries, said Sanan Hajiyev, Deputy Chairman of the Union of Judges of Azerbaijan at the opening ceremony of the Annual Meeting of the International Association of Judges, Trend reports.

He noted that hosting this event in Azerbaijan is an indicator of the country's growing international standing.

"In recent years, Azerbaijan has been implementing judicial and legal reforms. The reforms aimed at ensuring the independence of the judiciary, carried out over the past two years in particular, have received high praise from the international judicial community.

Last year, in Cape Town, Azerbaijan, despite objections from several countries, won the right to host this event by secret ballot after a tough fight.

Holding the Assembly in Azerbaijan is of paramount importance in terms of showcasing the reforms being implemented in the country, presenting its reality, and promoting our culture worldwide," he added.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 12. The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) has released the official exchange rates for foreign currencies as of October 12, Trend reports.

According to the rates announced by the CBI, the value of 44 currencies went up, while 1 currencies dropped compared to October 11.

The official rate for $1 is 587,115 rials, while one euro is valued at 682,157 rials. On October 11, the euro was priced at 676,959 rials.

Currency Rial on October 12 Rial on October 11 1 US dollar USD 587,115 582,899 1 British pound GBP 784,513 777,589 1 Swiss franc CHF 734,513 727,288 1 Swedish krona SEK 61,736 61,284 1 Norwegian krone NOK 58,000 57,637 1 Danish krone DKK 91,226 90,649 1 Indian rupee INR 6,609 6,568 1 UAE Dirham AED 159,868 158,720 1 Kuwaiti dinar KWD 1,911,707 1,900,160 100 Pakistani rupees PKR 208,836 205,986 100 Japanese yen JPY 388,633 383,811 1 Hong Kong dollar HKD 75,441 74,899 1 Omani rial OMR 1,524,824 1,515,142 1 Canadian dollar CAD 419,212 416,377 1 New Zealand dollar NZD 335,969 334,119 1 South African rand ZAR 33,540 33,447 1 Turkish lira TRY 14,088 13,936 1 Russian ruble RUB 7,225 7,138 1 Qatari riyal QAR 161,295 160,137 100 Iraqi dinars IQD 44,812 44,463 1 Syrian pound SYP 45 45 1 Australian dollar AUD 380,135 378,770 1 Saudi riyal SAR 156,564 155,440 1 Bahraini dinar BHD 1,561,476 1,550,263 1 Singapore dollar SGD 452,645 449,271 100 Bangladeshi takas BDT 481,461 478,465 10 Sri Lankan rupees LKR 19,413 19,255 1 Myanmar kyat MMK 280 278 100 Nepalese rupees NPR 412,889 410,335 1 Libyan dinar LYD 108,267 107,251 1 Chinese yuan CNY 82,285 81,746 100 Thai baht THB 1,797,654 1,785,769 1 Malaysian ringgit MYR 139,005 137,989 1,000 South Korean won KRW 412,215 408,077 1 Jordanian dinar JOD 828,089 822,142 1 euro EUR 682,157 676,959 100 Kazakh tenge KZT 109,032 108,319 1 Georgian lari GEL 216,757 215,141 1,000 Indonesian rupiahs IDR 35,438 35,110 1 Afghan afghani AFN 8,859 8,753 1 Belarusian ruble BYN 173,048 171,228 1 Azerbaijani manat AZN 345,199 342,878 100 Philippine pesos PHP 1,007,395 999,298 1 Tajik somoni TJS 63,645 62,568 1 Turkmen manat TMT 167,493 166,297 Venezuelan bolivar VES 3,042 3,045

The CBI adopted the SANA system for currency exchange offices, where one euro costs 841,332 rials and $1 costs 724,113 rials.

NIMA is a scheme for selling a percentage of the foreign money earned from exports.

The price of one euro in this system amounted to 816,828 rials, and the price of $1 totaled 703,023 rials.

On the black market, $1 is worth about 1,09 -1,12 million rials, while one euro is worth 1,27-1,30 million rials.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 11. The launch of Chinas Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) will allow Kyrgyzstans Eldik Bank to obtain the status of a regional hub for yuan-denominated transactions, the Chairman of the Management Board of Eldik Bank, Ulanbek Nogaev, said in an interview with Trend.

"Eldik Bank became the first bank in Central Asia to join CIPS as a direct participant. This strategic move provides new opportunities to conduct direct and instant yuan transactions with Chinese counterparties and other member countries," Nogaev said.

According to him, integration into CIPS opens a direct channel to the regions largest economy - China. For the bank, this is a strategic goal: to reduce transaction costs and processing times, and to strengthen its role as a facilitator for Kyrgyz businesses in international markets. Thus, Eldik Bank can participate directly in cross-border transactions while maintaining competitiveness.

The banks chairman emphasized that one of Eldik Banks priorities is expanding its client base by offering new international payment capabilities. The ability to operate directly in yuan makes the bank more attractive to corporate clients trading with China, as well as to individual entrepreneurs.

"Finally, this also provides CIPS infrastructure access to other banks in Kyrgyzstan. Eldik Bank plans to act as a correspondent bank for other financial institutions in Kyrgyzstan and neighboring countries. This will allow the bank to establish itself as a regional hub for yuan transactions, enhance the resilience and scale of its payment ecosystem, and strengthen partnerships with local and international banks. This step will reinforce Eldik Banks position as a systemically important institution and a leader in financial innovation," Nogaev added.

He noted that joining CIPS brings significant benefits to Kyrgyzstan. Firstly, it accelerates payment execution by eliminating intermediary banks, reducing delays, and increasing operational efficiency. Secondly, using CIPS lowers costs associated with international transfers, making transactions more economically advantageous for market participants.

"Moreover, direct interaction with CIPS infrastructure enables real-time gross settlement (RTGS) almost around the clock, five days a week. This ensures high availability and reliability of cross-border payments. CIPS thus improves the quality and efficiency of international settlements for Kyrgyzstan, creating faster, more accessible, and more transparent conditions for financial operations," Nogaev said.

The official highlighted plans to involve regional banks in this initiative.

"As for timing, we expect the first steps to be taken by the end of 2025. We are confident that joint efforts will successfully implement the system and create convenient conditions for all participants," he added.

Nogaev also noted that amid growing trade turnover between Kyrgyzstan and China, expanding and diversifying financial instruments is especially important and will positively impact economic and trade relations with China and other regional countries.

"Integration with CIPS will create favorable conditions for sustainable economic growth and strengthen Kyrgyzstans trade relations on the international stage," he said.

He stressed that the CIPS launch fully aligns with Eldik Banks overall development strategy and its plans to enhance international relations. Direct participation in CIPS provides the bank with unique opportunities to expand its service offerings, particularly in yuan (RMB) payments.

"To date, more than 1,500 indirect participants are registered in the system worldwide, representing significant potential for expanding the client base and establishing new business connections," Nogaev said.

The banks official emphasized that servicing such participants via CIPS will allow Eldik Bank to strengthen its position in the international market and enter new areas of cooperation.

"Participation in CIPS is a strategic step that supports Eldik Banks further development, expansion of its international presence, and reinforces its role as an important financial player in the region and beyond," concluded the chairman.

In September 2025, Eldik Bank became the first bank in Central Asia to join Chinas CIPS as a direct participant.
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AISSEE 2026 Registration Begins; Link, Steps to Apply

Parents who wish to take admission of their wards in Sainik Schools should note that the last date to apply for AISSEE 2026 is October 30, 2025

Sunday October 12, 2025 7:36 PM , ummid.com News Network

AISSEE 2026: Online registration and application form submission for All India Sainik School Entrance Exam 2026 (AISSEE 2026-27) has started through the official website exams.nta.nic.in, parents who wish to admit their wards in Military Schools should note.

AISSEE 2026 Date

Parents who wish to take admission of their wards in Sainik Schools should note that the date and time of AISSEE 2026 has not been confirmed by the NTA. The NTA however said the entrance exam will be held in January 2026.

The last date to apply for AISSEE 2026 is October 30, 2025, parents should note. The last date of the payment of fees is October 31, 2025 up to 11.50 pm.

Sainik Schools are English medium residential schools affiliated to CBSE. They prepare cadets to join the National Defence Academy, Indian Naval Academy and other Training Academies, for Officers.

AISEE 2026 Eligibility

Eligibility For Admission To Class VI

Candidates must be between 10 and 12 years of age as of March 31, 2026 (born between April 1, 2014, and March 31, 2016)

Admission for girls is available only in Class VI in all Sainik Schools

Detailed eligibility criteria for admission to approved New Sainik Schools will be provided in the Information Bulletin.

Eligibility For Admission To Class IX

Candidates must be between 13 and 15 years of age as of March 31, 2026, and should have passed Class VIII from a recognized school at the time of admission

Admission for girls to Class IX is subject to the availability of vacancies

The age criteria for girls are the same as for boys, with further details outlined in the Information Bulletin

AISSEE 2026 Application Fee

The application fee for AISSEE 2026 varies by category. Applicants must pay the fee online:

General / Defence / OBC (NCL): Rs 850/-

SC/ST: Rs 700/-

It is important to note that the fee must be paid by the deadline of October 31, 2025 up to 11.50 pm, to confirm the registration.

AISSEE 2026 Online Registration - Direct Link

Go to the official website: " exams.nta.nic.in ".

". Click on the link marked with "AISSEE 2026: Click Here to Register/Login" on the home page.

Fill the application form, upload scanned photo and signature.

Pay online the exam fee to complete the registration.

"Exam fee can be paid online either through debit/credit card or internet banking/UPI till 11:50 pm on October 31, 2025", NTA said.

Candidates should note that AISSEE application will not be confirmed unless the presribed fees as mentioned below is not paid.

AISSEE 2026 - Important Dates

Start of Online Applications: October 10, 2025

Last Date for Applications: October 30, 2025

Fee Payment Deadline: October 31, 2025 (11:50 PM)

Correction Window: November 02 to 04, 2025

Admit Card Download: To be announced later

Entrance Exam Date: To be announced later

Scheme/duration/medium/syllabus of examination, list of Sainik Schools and their tentative intake, reservation of seats, exam cities, passing requirements, important dates, etc., relating to the exam are contained in the Information Bulletin hosted on the official website.

Candidates who desire to appear in the exam may read the detailed Information Bulletin for AISSEE 2026 to be published later and apply online only at "exams.nta.nic.in" from October 10 to 30, 2025.

The NTA further said that AISSEE 2026 result will be announced 5-6 weeks after the exam.

AISSEE 2025

The National Testing Agency (NTA) had conducted AISSEE 2025 on Saturday April 05, 2025 at 527 centres located in 190 cities across India in pen and paper mode.

The NTA had released the AISSEE 2025 Provisional Answer Key - along with OMR Sheet and Question Paper, on May 05, 2025. The candidates were given chance to raise objection and challenge the provisional answer key till May 07, 2025.

After analyzing the challenges raised by the candidates, the NTA has now published the AISSEE 2025 Final Answer Key on May 20, 2025. The AISSEE 2025 result was announced on May 22, 2025.

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Options in hand as Microsoft Windows 10 support ends on Oct 14

As announced earlier, Microsoft is ending its support to Windows 10, and users are asked to upgrade to Windows 11 but they also have other options

Sunday October 12, 2025 12:15 PM , ummid.com News Network

As announced earlier, Microsoft is ending its support to Windows 10, and users are asked to upgrade to Windows 11 but they also have other options.

Microsoft had in November 2024 fixed October 14, 2025 the last date for Windows 10 users to upgrade to Windows 11. In a released on November 09 last year , Microsoft had said Windows 10 will reach end of support on October 14, 2025.

The U.S. based tech giant had further said that the current version of Windows 10, 22H2, will be the operating systems final version, and all editions will remain in support with monthly security update releases through that date.

In another released two days ago Microsoft Executive Yusuf Mehdi writing in a blog post issued a fresh warning.

Microsoft will no longer provide security and feature updates and technical support for Windows 10 PCs, Yusuf said.

While these devices will continue to function, they will no longer receive regular security updates, making them more vulnerable to cyber threats, such as malware and viruses, he added.

Windows 11 Migration Process

The best option after Microsoft ends support to Windows 10 is to upgrade to Windows 11. And, to make transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11 easier, Microsoft has released step by step guide and migration process.

"Weve created a straightforward and secure migration process to Windows 11, beginning with checking whether your current Windows 10 PC can upgrade to Windows 11 or if a new, more secure PC is necessary", Microsoft said.

Windows 10 Extended Security Updates

Other option is to continue using Windows 10. Users should note that Microsoft is ending support to Windows 10, meaning they will not get regular security and other necessary updates. The OS will however work on the machines though there will be a risk of malware and cyber attacks.

So the users who still want to use Window 10 after October 14, 2025 can opt for Windows 10 Extended Security Updates. This will enable them to use the operating system for another year.

Users can take the advantage of ESU feature by going to "Update & Security" from the Settings menu. Users are required to click on "Enroll in Extended Security Updates to help keep your device secure".

Buy New Windows 11 pre-installed PC

Users who do not migrate to Windows 11 or do not want to enroll for Windows 10 Extended Security Updates can buy a new PC which comes with Windows 11 pre-installed.

Microsoft is pushing Windows 11 as it claimed the new operating system launched on October 05, 2021 is more secure, more productive and higher performing than Windows 10 PCs.

Microsoft later upgraded a number of features in Windows 11 including Copilot  the companys now popular AI tool, simultaneously launching Copilot+ PCs powered by Windows 11.

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Watch: Crowd boos as Witkoff mentions Netanyahu at Hostages Square

In an embarrassment for the Israeli Prime Minister, crowd booed as United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff mentioned the name of Benjamin Netanyahu during a speech at Hostages Square Saturday

Sunday October 12, 2025 5:21 PM , ummid.com News Network

Tel Aviv: In an embarrassment for the Israeli Prime Minister, crowd booed as United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff mentioned the name of Benjamin Netanyahu during a speech at Hostages Square Saturday.

Witkoff was addressing the crowd of over 400,000, who also included the relatives of the hostages and captives in the custody of Hamas led Palestinian Resistance Fighters, in Tel Aviv ahead of the release of the hostages.

As many as 20 living and 28 dead hostages will be released by the Palestinian Resistance Fighters in exchange of some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners on Monday following the agreement on the first phase of Gaza Ceasefire deal .

Accompanied by Donald Trumps daughter Ivanka Trump and her Jew husband Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff was at the Hostages Square for a thanksgiving ceremony. During his speech, Witkoff praised Donald Trump along with others including Egypt, Qatar and Turkey for the ceasefire deal.

The crowd cheered and applauded as Witkoff named Trump and others in his speech. But, as soon as he mentioned Benjamin Netanyahu, the crowd went berserk and interrupted Witkoffs speech.

Witkoff repeatedly requested the crowd to let him complete his speech. The angry crowd however were in no mood to give in.

Okay, okay, let me just finish my thought. I was in the trenches, guys, let me just finish my thought, Witkoff said.

Watch Video

CROWDS BOO NETANYAHU AT HOSTAGES SQUARE EVENT



During Steve Witkoffs speech in Hostages Square, the mention of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sparked loud boos from the crowd.



"To Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.



Okay, okay, let me just finish my thought. https://t.co/l3O1RjUVNf pic.twitter.com/0wWOok5Kgh  Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 11, 2025

More embarrassing for Netanyahu, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner standing behind Witkoff were seen smiling as the crowd booed the American Envoy at the mention of Netanyahu.

The relatives of hostages and others are protesting at the Hostages Square in the Israeli Capital since the last two years demanding the ceasefire to make possible the release of the captives.

The families of the hostages believe that all the hostages would have been released by now but because of Netanyahu who prolonged the war for his own survival and personal reasons.

Netanyahu, who is facing arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), is also facing serious charges of corruption back home. It is widely believed that Netanyahu prolonged the war in Gaza and thus allowed the death of a number of hostages to save him and his wife from an imminent jail term.

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October 12, 2025: The analysis in the How Russia Fights project began when General Christopher Cavoli, commander of U.S. Army operations in Europe and Africa, realized something critical. U.S. Army Foreign Area Officers (FAOs) assigned to the European theater lacked a detailed understanding of the Russian Armed Forces (RAF) and were unable to adequately advise him and other senior officers. Between 1991 and 2014, the United States considered Russia a strategic partner. As a result, FAO training shifted its focus away from Russian military capabilities to areas like China and the Pacific. To address this training gap, Cavoli assembled a team of retired Russian-speaking Army FAOs. These men had more than 200 years of combined experience working on aspects of the Russian military and its operations. This group called themselves the Troika, the Russian word for three. The Troika was tasked with creating a training course for FAOs focused on the RAF at the operational and tactical levels. This course became the foundation for the project.

After a successful pilot course in 2021, Cavoli directed the Troika to create a one-day version of the Russian Way of War (RWOW) for senior leaders. A week-long version was developed for staff officers, non-commissioned officers (NCOs), and civilians. When Russia launched its Special Military Operation (SMO) against Ukraine in early 2022, the Troika observed closely. They had just completed the primary course, in which FAO students planned a hypothetical Russian invasion of Ukraine as part of the curriculum. The curriculum was based on Russian tactical doctrine, theory, professional military journals, exercises, and case studies of recent Russian operations in Chechnya, Ukraine, and Syria. The Troika wanted to see how well their curriculum held up in a real Russian large-scale combat operation. It held up well, and many Troika assumptions proved accurate. However, there were some surprises and a few overlooked items. The Troika began updating the curriculum in real time. On the second day of the SMO, the Troika consolidated and organized 24 hours of hasty analysis.

Before the Troika came along, the Russian military was struggling to maintain its strength. During the two decades before the Ukraine War, there was increasing popular opposition to military service. This made it difficult to recruit enough personnel, let alone competent ones, and troop quality sharply declined. Draft dodging reached epidemic proportions, and efforts to attract well-paid volunteers failed. Thirteen years ago, the military had 220,000 officers and 200,000 contract personnel. These were well-paid volunteers encouraged to become non-commissioned officers (NCOs) or sergeants. Most troops were conscripts, and it was increasingly difficult to find men willing to become well-paid contract soldiers and eventually sergeants. Many of the missing troops were young men who were conscripted but never showed up. The barracks were thinly populated, and the situation became a national scandal.

Russia's military leaders came to understand that the key problem was the lack of adequate troop supervision. In other words, Russia had too few NCOs and even fewer competent ones. During the Soviet Union period (19211991), the communists assigned NCO responsibilities to junior officers, whom they considered more trustworthy. However, this plan had a major flaw. Without NCOs, no one maintained order and discipline in the barracks. The young lieutenants assigned to lead platoons lacked experience in handling troops and were often intimidated by bullies in the ranks. There were not enough experienced, higher-ranking officers to support the lieutenants. While the threat of arrest and prison or labor camps prevented mutiny or complete anarchy, serious problems persisted. Stronger troops bullied weaker ones, making military service extremely unpopular for all the wrong reasons. Conscripts did not mind serving their country, but they resented the harsh conditions.

For over a decade, the generals have tried to break the cycle of hazing. Taking advice from their Western counterparts, they sought to develop NCOs who could take charge of the barracks. They discovered that building an effective NCO corps from scratch is not easy. The culture of hazing proved difficult to eradicate. Many of the first professional Russian NCOs gave up and left the military. Facing down gangs of bullies was more trouble than it was worth.

The Russians could not afford to stop trying, as without a solution to the bullying, they were left with a less effective military. They proposed increasing the number of contract troops to 425,000 over four years and using a six-week training and selection program to ensure the right candidates were selected for NCO training. The six-week course consisted of training and testing sessions to determine if candidates could handle the stress of military life and had the maturity to avoid hazing and stop others from bullying soldiers. These new contract soldiers were expected to pursue a military career and take on responsibilities such as becoming NCOs or technical specialists. To meet the goal of 425,000 contract soldiers, the military needed to recruit 50,000 new contract soldiers annually. If achieved, this would mean most enlisted troops would be contract soldiers and professionals.

Conscripts are currently inducted twice a year, in April and October. Last year, the April intake was 220,000, but fewer than that actually served. In October, only 135,000 were expected, and about 100,000 were actually enlisted. The military has accepted that it will not obtain more than 270,000 conscripts annually, if that. This means a million-man force is unattainable. Currently, there are too many casualties, too few officers, insufficient contract soldiers and NCOs, and barely enough conscripts, assuming conscription goals are met, which seems unrealistic.

The basic recruiting problem is twofold. First, military service is highly unpopular, and potential conscripts are increasingly successful at dodging the draft. The biggest issue, however, is the rapidly declining number of 18-year-olds each year. The latest crop of draftees was born after the Soviet Union dissolved, when the birth rate plummeted, not because the Soviet Union was gone, but due to the economic collapse caused by decades of communist mismanagement that precipitated the fall of the communist government. The number of available draftees dropped from 1.5 million annually in the early 1990s to 800,000 today. Fewer than half of those potential conscripts show up, and many have criminal records or tendencies that perpetuate the abuse of new recruits, making military service highly undesirable.

With conscripts now serving only one year instead of two, the military is forced to accept many marginal recruitssickly, overweight, or with bad attitudes or drug issuesto maintain the strength of military and Ministry of Interior units. Even elite airborne and commando units rely heavily on conscripts. Most of these young men take a year to master the necessary skills, only to be discharged shortly after. Few choose to remain in uniform and pursue a military career, primarily because the Russian military is seen as a dysfunctional institution unlikely to improve soon. With so many troops now being one-year conscripts and too few contract soldiers surviving their first year, the best officers and NCOs grow frustrated with managing alcoholics, drug users, and petty criminals taken in to meet quotas. This leads to an exodus of capable leaders, leaving the Russian military with increasingly poorly trained and unreliable conscripts.

The government found that, even among contract soldiers, old abuses persisted, and most of the best contract soldiers left when their contracts expired due to the brutality and lack of discipline in the barracks. Hazing is most frequently committed by troops who have served for about six months against new recruits. This extends to a pattern of abuse and brutality by all senior enlisted troops against junior ones, which has long been out of control. The abuse continues to increase due to growing animosity toward troops who are not ethnic Russians.

Conscription and the prospect of hazing led to a massive increase in draft dodging. Bribes and document fraud are commonly used, and neither parents nor potential conscripts consider this a crime. Avoiding the draft is seen as a form of self-preservation.

The Russian lack of sergeants, or praporshchiki, was difficult to address. Simply promoting more troops to that rank, paying them more, and ordering them to take charge did not work. Looking to Western armies, the Russians noted that those forces provided extensive professional training for new NCOs, with additional training as they advanced in rank. However, this is a long-term process, and benefits will take years to materialize.

When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, it had five million troops in its armed forces. By the early 21st century, Russias military was reduced to less than one million, despite retaining most of the Soviet Unions territory but only half its population. Although the Russian armed forces lost over 80 percent of their strength between 1991 and 2008, a disproportionate number of officers remained. At the start of post-Soviet reforms, the Russian military had about 1.2 million personnel, with 400,000 in the army and the rest in paramilitary units, many of which were uniformed and armed like soldiers. However, there were 355,000 officers in this forcemore than one in three. Additionally, some 40,000 officer positions remained vacant. The reorganization eliminated nearly half of these positions.

Russia has tried to change public attitudes toward the armed forces by publicizing new changes and programs. However, word spread that most of these efforts failed, largely due to the Internet. Polls consistently show that most military-age men do not want to serve, primarily due to hazing and prison-like conditions in the barracks. The new generation of NCOs and improved troop living conditions are intended to create an environment that does not deter conscripts and volunteers.

Virtually every reform effort has failed, which explains the often ineffective performance of Russian officers and troops in Ukraine.

The full report can be downloaded at How Russia Fights: A Compendium of Troika Observations on Russias Special Military Operations.
Hit show to be staged in Sistina Chapiteau at Tor di Quinto from 15 October until 4 January.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical, the blockbuster show inspired by Baz Luhrmann's 2001 film, will make its Italian debut in a special venue in Rome this autumn.

Teatro Sistina will stage the Broadway smash hit, celebrated for it "jukebox" mash-up soundtrack, in Tor di Quinto from 15 October until 4 January 2026.

With its triple stage and double revolving platform, the innovative Sistina Chapiteau is designed to fully immerse the audience in the bohemian world of Montmartre.

The award-winning show is directed by Massimo Romeo Piparo who has adapted the dialogue into Italian and retained most of the soundtrack's songs in their original language.

The musical boasts a stellar Italian cast, including Diana Del Bufalo as Satine and Luca Gaudiano as Christian, accompanied by a live orchestra and a large number of performers.

For more details including tickets see official website.
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NationalCBD The mystery of the Ben Roberts-Smith impersonator Kishor Napier-Raman and Stephen Brook October 13, 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

As if being declared a war criminal by the courts, losing your last shot at getting that finding overturned, leaving your billionaire backer(s) millions out of pocket and generally bringing great shame upon the Australian Defence Force wasnt bad enough. Now, Ben Roberts-Smith, the Victoria Cross recipient and former soldier has an impersonator. Recently brought to CBDs attention was a profile bearing the name Ben Roberts-Smith, VC MG on personalised video-sharing website Cameo, which allows users to purchase a brief, customised video message from a celebrity of their choice. Who is impersonating Ben Roberts-Smith? Sam Mooy The website was at its peak during the dark days of COVID lockdowns, drawing users desperate for a little dose of serotonin. And while the novelty value has waned, for $150 or so, you can still buy a personalised pep talk from a B-grade Hollywood actor or washed-up reality TV star, a disgraced footballer, or even Nigel Farage. Or Schapelle Corby. And now, it seems, BRS. The profile, which has been live since August last year, while Roberts-Smith was awaiting the Full Federal Courts decision in his defamation appeal, promises birthday messages, pep talks and advice starting from $151.59.

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A profile pertaining to be Ben Roberts-Smith on the custom video website Cameo Cameo Ben is Australias most decorated living soldier, the bio reads. He was awarded the Victoria Cross, Medal of Gallantry and Commendation for Distinguished Service during multiple deployments in Afghanistan. No mention of killing unarmed prisoners, strangely enough. Even stranger, CBD has it on good authority that the profile isnt real, and was not created, nor authorised, by Roberts-Smith. Who, then, was behind the account? And what kind of videos would customers be receiving from the fake BRS? At $150 plus a video, its a costly mystery to solve. Spook season

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For Australias top spy, ASIO boss Mike Burgess spends plenty of time in from the cold. Burgess has been far more comfortable courting publicity than any of his predecessors, regularly getting up on his soapbox to remind us of all the big, scary threats to the nation lurking in the shadows. But Burgess next big speaking gig might stay in the shadows. In November, hes set to play headline act at the Lowy Institutes annual lecture, the flagship event for the countrys biggest foreign policy and national security think tank. Unfortunately for the institute, which last year charged upwards of $300 a head for tickets to the event, this years lecture falls on the first Tuesday of November  Melbourne Cup day. Once upon a time, that was enough to keep the pollies, policy wonks and bizoids distracted for an afternoon. But for the second year in a row, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is playing party-pooper, with federal parliament scheduled to sit on cup day as well. That allows the government to dodge the unfortunate optics of any senior ministers caught rolling around the Birdcage. And believe us, CBD has encountered plenty in years past.

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All of this means that Lowy might struggle to get interested punters over to Sydney Town Hall to hear Burgess tell us, yet again, that Australia is in the gravest danger its ever been in ever. In da club Speaking of blokes who have plenty to say, former prime minister Tony Abbott is set to launch his new history of Australia not once but twice this week, with events in Sydney and Melbourne. As CBD recently reported, Abbott has also been at the British Conservative Partys annual conference in Manchester, where he told the faithful that migrant boats headed to the United Kingdom should be intercepted in the English Channel and turned back to France. Sound familiar? Abbott has another big speaking gig coming up in December, when hell deliver the Sir David Smith Memorial Oration, hosted by CBDs friends at the Samuel Griffith Society.

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Related Article CBD The Dyson Heydon rehabilitation tour rolls on The conservative legal organisation has courted controversy recently after giving disgraced High Court judge Dyson Heydon a platform at its annual conference. Heydon was, in 2020, found by an independent court-commissioned investigation to have sexually harassed six female associates. Before his fall from grace, Heydon had a good relationship with Abbott. He was on the selection panel that gave Abbott a Rhodes Scholarship in the 1980s. As PM, Abbott appointed the judge to run a Royal Commission into trade unions. Will Heydon show up to hear Abbott speak? He is steadily re-emerging into conservative judicial circles. And the speech will be held at the all-male Australian Club on Macquarie Street. Naturally. Despite the baggage, Heydon is still a member.
As we reported earlier this afternoon, Victoria Polices chief commissioner has pledged to redirect hundreds of officers from behind desks and back on the street to tackle a major crime problem in the state.

As a part of a shake-up in the forces operations, Mike Bush promised to create a 24-hour crime control centre, cut the number of police executives and create specialised civilian support units to free up officers from paperwork.

Chief Commissioner Mike Bush has announced a major restructure of Victoria Police. The Age

We have a major crime problem here in Victoria. There are far too many victims of crime, Bush said.

No one should live in fear of people breaking into their homes overnight, stealing cars, carjackings, violence in the street, violence at retail outlets, knife crime. Victoria and the Victorian people should feel safe, whether they go about their business, whether theyre at home, wherever they may be  and we need to address that.

Bush also complained about the cost of policing regular protests that have been gripping Melbourne since 2023, which have required 25,000 policing shifts.

They [police] have empathy and compassion for whatever their cause may be  not for us to judge, he said. But what I ask is that they also have empathy and compassion for the people of Melbourne. If I took half of those 25,000 shifts and dedicated them to prevention, we would have less crime.

The announcement came on the day a Hawthorn home owner, dressed only in his underwear, performed a citizens arrest on a 15-year-old whom he found inside his Kinkora Road home about 3.30am on Monday.

Bush said Victoria Police had become bogged down in paperwork, manning windows at police stations and processing people who had been arrested. An internal study had found 1.4 million personnel hours were consumed each year on police officers manning public-facing counters at stations, he said.

Read the full story from senior reporter Chris Vedelago here.
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NationalNSWEducation How this Sydney private girls school doubled its NAPLAN high achievers Lucy Carroll October 12, 2025  4:30pm 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 24 View all comments

Rebecca Birch followed a non-traditional path into high school English teaching. Ten years into a career in marketing she decided to retrain, completed a bachelor of teaching and soon after landed a job at a private school in Sydney. But not long into her first full-time role she started to notice gaps in students writing skills. Year 9 students at Queenwood School in Mosman are benefiting from the new approach. Max Mason-Hubers She took it upon herself to master how to teach the fundamentals of writing, from complex sentence construction to building deep grammatical knowledge. I was frustrated, but also became energised to learn more after realising how little I learnt during my teaching degree, she says. That was more than a decade ago and, since then, Birch has worked at several private schools. She is now a year 7 English teacher and academic in residence at Queenwood girls school in Mosman.

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For the past three years, she has also consulted on an expert teaching panel for the government-funded Australian Education Research Organisation to help develop a suite of resources to support explicit writing instruction in classrooms. The resources were designed in response to a major AERO analysis of 10 million NAPLAN results that showed a significant decline in Australian students writing performance from 2011 to 2021. Rebecca Birch, an English teacher and academic in residence at Queenwood, has helped lead the trial of explicit writing instruction. The results have been promising. Janie Barrett Queenwood was among the first 10 Australian high schools to trial the program, and this year the school recorded a substantial uplift in NAPLAN writing results, with 59 per cent of year 9 students in the top exceeding band, up from 29 per cent in 2023. For year 7 students, 98 per cent of students at the school achieved in the strong or exceeding bands in writing, and 94 per cent of year 9 students scored in the top two bands.

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She said 21 teachers at Queenwood have been part of the trial AERO writing program, including in English, PDHPE, geography and history. The program was also trialled by seven Catholic schools in northern NSW and is set to be adopted next year across 30 schools in the Lismore diocese. Related Article Teaching Students struggle as review finds writing skills neglected in NSW high schools AERO chief executive Jenny Donovan said the evidence-based resources make clear why writing matters. It is not an innate ability, and needs to be taught explicitly so that students can effectively demonstrate their knowledge, she explains. The AERO writing analysis, published in 2022, showed that most Australian year 9 students were writing sentences at the average level of a year 4 student, and using punctuation like children in year 3. It also showed a decline in persuasive writing skills, with the drop worse for high school students. Three years ago, the NSW syllabus was overhauled to put a central focus on grammar, sentence structure and punctuation after a state review found writing had been neglected in high schools.

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Birch says that in the past, students would pick up writing skills by osmosis. If you showed students a good writing example, or quality literature, they would figure out the grammatical structures and mimic it, she says. But it is more complex than that. They might be able to copy a dependent clause or an independent clause but if they dont know what those two things are, its unlikely theyre going to be able to copy that structure in novel situations. The AERO writing analysis ... showed that most Australian year 9 students were writing sentences at the average level of a year 4 student. Donovan says emphasis on teaching how to write is even more critical with the rise of generative AI, and warns against moving high stakes exams such as the HSC online. Weve also got to be very careful about the amount of technology kids are exposed to in classrooms, especially in the early years, she says. Head of English at Queenwood, Dylan Chalwell, says a focus on writing instruction across subjects has contributed to student improvement.

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Teachers are now using the language of complex, compound and simple sentences, he says. Thats been a big shift. Its not just a teacher saying here are some good sentences you could use, but using the language of types of sentences. Retrieval routines at the start of class are critical, he explains. I might ask students to recall a piece of information from the last lesson, then ask them to express what they have recalled using a complex sentence or using verbs from a specific list. Related Article Exclusive

Schools The lost boys: Australias male education catastrophe Birch says at Queenwood, the lift in writing comes when choosing effective sentence structures becomes second nature. That fluency frees your brain to write more meaningful things and express more complex ideas. What lifts a student from strong to exceeding [in NAPLAN] is when a student can present multiple viewpoints and hold two ideas in one sentence. That allows for a student to express ideas in creative ways and show critical thinking, she 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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NationalWAPublic transport Perths south-east opens up again as final stage of Armadale line extension complete Cameron Myles October 12, 2025  3:40pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share 3 View all comments

It may have come in over time and over budget, but for commuters on Perths Armadale line, its over at last. And for WA Premier Roger Cook and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti, Sunday marked the culmination of an election promise made more than a decade ago as the then-McGowan opposition stormed into power. Premier Roger Cook, Transport Minister Rita Saffioti and Darling Range MP Hugh Jones step off the train at the Byford Train Station opening on Sunday. 9News Perth The Armadale to Byford line has officially opened, allowing commuters to take a roughly 46-minute train journey from Perths south-eastern fringe to the CBD. Sundays opening also brings to an end the ambitious closure of the Armadale line for almost two years to complete what was in effect several major engineering projects rolled into one.

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Saffioti had previously expressed confidence the project would be done by May, in just 18 months, then the start of June, before construction issues pushed the timeframe out again earlier this year. Related Article Rail Broken promise: State delays Armadale train line reopening However, on Sunday, the transport minister was full of thanks for the community along the south-eastern corridor who had, in her words, simply got on with it. And can I thank and recognise the people of this corridor who understand that with every great project there will be disruption, she said. When I grew up in the hills, Byford was a place that you went through. It wasnt a destination.

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Now we know Byford is a major destination for new home buyers, theres a new shopping centre precinct, and its continuing to develop. This new infrastructure means that people along this corridor have access to world-class infrastructure, 46 minutes from Byford to the city centre, a brand-new, world-class station, beautiful connectivity, and as has been highlighted, this is the canvas for more housing and for economic activity in this corridor. WA Premier Roger Cook and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti are joined by federal Transport Minister Catherine King, Burt MP Matt Keogh, Armadale MP Tony Buti and Darling Range MP Hugh Jones at the opening of the Byford Train Station on Sunday. 9News Perth The extension was initially budgeted at $797 million, but has over the years blown out to $1.33 billion, mirroring similar cost overruns across the rest of Metronet. The government has largely blamed disruptions from COVID and conflicts overseas, as well as an expansion of the overall scope of Metronet, for the rising costs.

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Saffioti admitted the first few years on the Metronet journey were very, very tough. Related Article Metronet Over budget Thornlie-Cockburn link opens, free travel for Armadale line continues Its been a tough, tough era to deliver infrastructure, she said. No one could have foreseen some of the conflicts through both Russia and the Middle East, but in particular, COVID. The treasurer was relieved but very sad to see the ambitious public transport project finally draw to a close, admitting checking on the progress of construction had been a daily ritual in recent years.

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But she rejected the idea voters would seek to punish Labor for cost blowouts the next time WA went to the polls, pointing to the partys strong showing in March. Public transport is a community asset. It outlasts me. It outlasts all of us. Its for future generations, she said. Saffioti and Cook were joined by federal Transport Minister Catherine King, Burt MP Matt Keogh, Armadale MP Tony Buti and Darling Range MP Hugh Jones for the lines opening on Sunday. A community open day was also held to celebrate the opening of the new train station, and the completion of a mammoth engineering task which included the removal of nine rail crossings and elevation of the rail line through Perths east; the construction of 8 kilometres of dual-rail track; and the creation of hectares of public open space, including the newly opened Long Park. Metronet has transformed the face of Perth, Cook said.

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Today marks the delivery of every Metronet station we committed to in the 2017 state election, with just the Midland train station to be completed very, very shortly. Related Article Opinion

City life On track: The train line winning prizes and transforming Perth Mark Naglazas Features writer There was also excitement at what the increased public transport offering meant for Perths south-eastern corridor. Byford is now only a train ride away from new job and study opportunities, events, and outings in the CBD and Optus Stadium, and access to reliable and affordable public transport right on our doorstep, Jones said. Monday will be the first day the train line is fully operational and open to the public, coinciding with the return of school for the final term of the year.

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And for those in the south-east, it is the last step and finally a return to normalcy at the end of the longest and most disruptive rail shut-down in Perths history. 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 PoliticsFederalResolve Political Monitor This is a terrible result for Sussan Ley, but not a surprising one James Massola October 13, 2025  1:58am 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 349 View all comments

Its been the silver lining in the dismal polling the Coalition has copped in the past five months: voters still seemed to like Opposition Leader Sussan Ley. Not any more. Leys performance rating has crashed in the latest Resolve Political Monitor with a brutal 14 percentage point fall in voters assessment of her performance, from plus 9 to minus 5, in just one month. Leader of the Opposition Sussan Ley walking through the press gallery on October 9. Dominic Lorrimer The slump in Leys personal performance rating is so pronounced that it is almost good news that the two-party preferred vote has remained unchanged at 45-55  which would deliver another triumphant election win to Labor if repeated on polling day  and that, somehow, the Coalitions primary vote crept up 1 percentage point to 28 per cent.

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Anthony Albanese, on his first week off since the May election, will enjoy his holiday. The findings follow a month in which Ley was forced to sack Jacinta Nampijinpa Price from the shadow ministry for disloyalty and for offensive comments to the Indian-Australian community, followed by leaks, public infighting and the eventual resignation of Andrew Hastie from his shadow home affairs portfolio, claiming hed been squeezed out of the immigration debate. But it could be worse for the Coalitions first female leader. Her predecessor Peter Dutton suffered a catastrophic collapse in his net performance rating from plus 5 in February 2025 to minus 24 in late April 2025, a 29 point net reversal in just two months.

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What the latest numbers prove is that disunity is always death in politics. Ley has actually done a reasonable job as opposition leader to date, given the Coalition now holds a historically-low 43 seats in the lower house, Anthony Albanese and Labor are riding high with a massive majority, and she has already managed to avoid a formal divorce of the Coalition parties. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and former frontbencher Andrew Hastie. Marija Ercegovac But that will count for nothing if the polling slump continues, even as Ley works to present the opposition as a credible alternative government. As one of Leys allies said on Sunday, this is what happens when people decide to blow things up, there is collateral damage.

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Conservative opponents of the moderate Ley will likely weaponise these results  and One Nations strong primary vote of 12 per cent  to argue the opposition must move to the right ideologically and that Ley is not the person to lead the Coalition. Her supporters, in turn, will likely argue that Australian elections are won in the political centre ground, not by moving further to the right and fighting culture wars. Further, they will argue her personal numbers have fallen precisely because of the agitation of conservative rebels in the party room, such as Price and Hastie, and that party leaders always take the polling hit when colleagues destabilise. The survey also asked whether the Coalition should move to the right, politically, or to the centre ground. The verdict was evenly split: 32 per cent of Coalition voters wanted the party to move right, 33 per cent wanted the party to move to the centre, 12 per cent wanted no change and 23 per cent were unsure. Related Article Resolve Political Monitor Leys approval ratings tank after month of Liberal chaos and disunity

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The opposition leader will soon unveil a revamped front bench and, in a little over a week, will deliver a second major economic speech that will lay down further markers about the Liberal Partys agenda. After moderate success in parliament last week pursuing Communications Minister Anika Wells over her handling of Optus Triple 0 debacle, Ley is focused on setting out an alternative agenda for government. These numbers are not terminal for the opposition leader but if the trend continues, a challenge is inevitable. One final thought: the surveys finding that 58 per cent of voters want immigration slashed from current levels, including 57 per cent of Labor voters and 65 per cent of Coalition voters, is a warning and an invitation to both major parties to deal with the discontent that One Nation is already harvesting. Both parties have already promised to rein in the numbers, but it has not cut through with voters and patience with generations of migrants coming to Australia is wearing thin, as it has across many western democracies.

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Reviews & adviceTripologist Beware booking that overseas hotel  it might not exist Michael Gebicki October 13, 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 73 View all comments

Key points A Traveller reader booked a Zimbabwe hotel through Expedia, but it was a building site

Online travel agencies sometimes fail to verify listings

Double-check hotels using Google Maps, TripAdvisor reviews and guest photos

Traveller reader Raja Nagaraja of Florey, ACT, got a rude surprise when he and his wife showed up late one night expecting to check in at the accommodation theyd booked at the Outlook Hotel in Zimbabwes Victoria Falls. It didnt exist. Terrified in the darkness at this unknown place, we called the number provided, with a person informing us that the hotel was still under construction and that he would provide alternate accommodation, he wrote. Alternate accommodation turned out to be a room in a house in a remote part of the town. Fearing for their safety, they managed to find another hotel, dipping into their pocket to pay. The Nagarajas had booked and paid through Expedia, a respected name among online travel agencies (OTAs) and one of the big hitters among booking platforms. How could they sell rooms in a hotel that doesnt exist? Nagaraja complained to Expedia and, after several calls and follow-up emails, he received a refund, but the experience left him scarred.

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A subsequent investigation by Travellers digital editor revealed the Outlook Hotel had no reviews on TripAdvisor, all the photos of it were clearly digital renders, not actual photos, and a satellite view of the hotel on Google Maps showed what was clearly a construction site. When you want to book a hotel, online travel agencies are super convenient. Type in your dates, your desired location and how much you want to pay per night and, on a single website, youve got all the properties that fit your wish list. Booking is quick and easy, no to-and-fro waiting for a response from the property. In some cases, you can book without making any upfront payment, which might not apply if you book direct with the hotel. A real hotel or a scene from The Sims game? One of the images of the Outlook Hotel on Expedia. But what if your chosen property doesnt exist? It seems ridiculous to be asking that question. Surely, an OTA wouldnt accept a booking for a hotel that might only exist on a drawing board, or in someones imagination? But thats exactly what happened to the Nagarajas. And if Expedia did it, are other OTAs at fault? Which.co.uk, the British consumer champion, took a long, hard look at the way Booking.com lists properties on its website and published the results in March 2025 in an article titled What went wrong with Booking.com? The first heading in the article was: It took less than 15 minutes to list a holiday home on Booking.com. The first line under that heading reads: We didnt need to provide proof of who we were. The article went on to detail Booking.coms myriad shortcomings, such as making most relevant the default setting for guest reviews, which elevated favourable comments at the expense of more recent comments.

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Booking.com no longer offers a choice of review settings, but it seems that even hotels with an average rating of less than 6/10 receive a suspicious number of charitable reviews. The fact that a consumer body was able to establish a fictitious property on a booking website should send shivers down the spine. In its conclusion, the article on Which notes: There are some basic things Booking.com must do to reduce fraud  Every time you book with Booking. com, it skims off around 15 per cent for itself. That money  billions of dollars  should surely be enough to make it a much safer site. Related Article Opinion

Tripologist Want the cheapest rate for a hotel room? Do what I do Michael Gebicki The Tripologist I had to register my own business with Google and the level of detail required to validate the listing puts a passport application in the shade. The final step was creating a video showing the outside of the premises and a walk-through of where the business operates from. Several months later, Im still waiting for final approval. Why doesnt Expedia or Booking.com apply the same scrutiny to the properties they represent on their websites? Surely, theres some accountability to ensure the product theyre selling is not a hole in the ground, not to mention the reputational damage they suffer when they take payments for properties that dont exist. For all its faults, you can bet Amazon doesnt sell non-existent products. Make sure youre getting what you paid for

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Having to establish that your hotel, resort or guesthouse actually exists seems to defy reason, but Nagarajas example should inspire caution. Expedia isnt going to do it for you, so better DIY. Up-to-date reviews should tell you straight away, and checking reviews is just common sense. TripAdvisor has a wealth of customer feedback, with handy graphics that tell you at a glance how guests feel about the property, from Excellent to Terrible. As well as the carefully curated images from the propertys management team, both TripAdvisor and Google offer real-life images from those who have stayed and paid, and if you want the unvarnished truth, thats hard to beat. If theres any doubt, Google Maps Street View wont take you inside a hotel but it can tell you a very different story from the one the hotel wants you to believe. Far more than assuring you that your hotel exists, Street View gives a warts-and-all look at the surroundings. A sleazy neighbourhood, front and centre of an industrial area, a freeway outside the front door or a next-door building under construction are all good reasons to steer clear, and Street View tells it like it is. Related Article Opinion

Tripologist The 24 common scams and traps travellers fall for (and how to avoid them) Michael Gebicki The Tripologist Curiously, you can still find The Outlook at Victoria Falls online, though there are no reviews listed and it appears that earlier ones  both detailing the lack of hotel and praising it  have been removed. Caveat emptor.

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Updated WorldMiddle EastIsraeli-Palestinian conflict Hamas hostage release is on track, but its fighters mobilise in Gaza David Crowe Updated October 12, 2025  7:27am ,first published October 12, 2025  6:35am 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

London: A senior Hamas leader has confirmed plans to release Israeli hostages from Monday morning (Israel time) to meet a crucial deadline in the Gaza ceasefire ahead of a ceremony in Egypt to mark a peace deal that could end the war. The move comes as US President Donald Trump prepares to fly to Egypt for the peace ceremony on Monday, along with as many as 20 other national leaders, in a sign of international support for enforcing the terms of the agreement. Flanked by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff speaks at a rally supporting the hostages in Tel Aviv on Saturday. AP But top Hamas officials are seeking to assert their control over key parts of Gaza as the Israel Defence Forces withdraw from the devastated war zone, with the BBC reporting that 7000 fighters are being recalled to the territory. The Hamas Interior Ministry said on Friday its police force would deploy across Gaza, and by Saturday, armed and masked men wearing caps labelled Internal Security were seen carrying out vehicle checks, according to witnesses, and footage on social media and Al Jazeera TV.

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The mobilisation of thousands of Hamas fighters challenges a central feature of Trumps peace plan, which says the group should disarm and have no role in the governance of Gaza. Related Article Israeli-Palestinian conflict The numbers that show what two years of war have done to Palestinian lives Hamas has been designated a terrorist group by major democracies, including Australia. Several of the nations that recognised a Palestinian state at the United Nations last month did so while stipulating that Hamas should have no control over Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Friday, when the ceasefire began, that Hamas had to be disarmed and Gaza had to be demilitarised. Hamas official Osama Hamdan said the group was on course to begin releasing hostages ahead of the deadline of noon on Monday (8pm AEDT).

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According to the signed agreement, the prisoner exchange is set to begin on Monday morning as agreed, and there are no new developments on this matter, he told Agence France-Presse. If Hamas meets the noon deadline, Israel is expected to release as many as 2000 Palestinian security prisoners under the terms of the ceasefire agreed at the Egyptian resort of Sharm El Sheikh. The families of the hostages gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday with 500,000 people to prepare for the release of the final 48 hostages, but they spoke of the pain of receiving the bodies of those who had died in captivity. About 20 hostages are said to be still alive. Ivanka Trump speaks at the rally in Israel. Getty Images US special envoy Steve Witkoff spoke at the rally, which was also attended by Trumps daughter, Ivanka Trump, and her husband, Jared Kushner, who has been part of the team negotiating the peace deal.

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To the hostages themselves, our brothers and sisters, you are coming home, Witkoff told the crowd. Kushner said they would celebrate on Monday when the remaining hostages were released, and also noted the suffering in Gaza. While the crowd cheered Trump, the Associated Press and Reuters reported that some booed Netanyahu when Witkoff mentioned his name. One hostages father, Michel Illouz, said: This week, we will all see sights we only dreamed of, meet people we waited for so much, embrace hugs we so longed for. A man wearing a Donald Trump mask holds a sign backing the US president for the Nobel Peace Prize in Tel Aviv. AP This week, we will also all cry, we will cry at the return of the deceased, we will mourn and bury our children.

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His son, Guy, was kidnapped by Hamas at the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, and wounded by gunfire. He died in captivity, according to other hostages who were later released. Global leaders to join peace summit Egypt announced on Saturday that more than 20 national leaders, including Trump, would join Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi at Mondays peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, which will include a signing ceremony for the ceasefire deal. Related Article Israeli-Palestinian conflict Who are the hostages believed to still be alive in Gaza? British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are among those expected to attend.

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Trump is expected to visit Israel on Monday before heading to Egypt. The commander of the US Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, confirmed on Saturday that American soldiers had begun arriving in the region to monitor the ceasefire. This great effort will be achieved with no US boots on the ground in Gaza, he said. Thousands of Palestinians have begun returning to their former homes in the areas occupied by Israeli forces before their withdrawal, but aid groups warned that they needed urgent supplies of food, water and shelter. Thank God my house is still standing, Ismail Zayda, 40, told Reuters in the Sheikh Radwan district of Gaza City.

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But the place is destroyed, my neighbours houses are destroyed, entire districts have gone. In Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, a middle-aged man, Ahmed al-Brim, told Reuters his area had been destroyed. Loading We went to our area. It was exterminated. We dont know where we will go after that, he said. We couldnt get the furniture, or clothes, or anything, not even winter clothes. Nothing is left. The BBC reported that armed Hamas units were already returning to some districts, either in civilian clothing or in the blue uniforms of the Gaza police.

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It cited a mobilisation order that was sent via phone calls and text messages to Hamas fighters, who were expected to return to areas previously held by Israeli forces. We declare a general mobilisation in response to the call of national and religious duty, to cleanse Gaza of outlaws and collaborators with Israel, it said. You must report within 24 hours to your designated locations using your official codes. With Reuters, AP Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter.
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Updated WorldMiddle EastIsraeli-Palestinian conflict The war is over: Trump heads to Israel as hostage release nears David Crowe and Angus Thompson Updated October 13, 2025  5:41am ,first published October 12, 2025  10:57pm 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: Israel expects to receive all living hostages from Gaza in a single group to be transferred by Hamas on Monday, in a crucial step toward a summit in Egypt that aims to turn the ceasefire into a lasting peace. US President Donald Trump is preparing to address the national parliament in Israel to mark the long-awaited halt to the two-year war, and may meet some of the hostages before heading to Egypt for the summit with 20 world leaders. Loading The war is over, you understand that, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday. The hostage transfer will clear the way for Israel to release almost 2000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 who were jailed for life, to ensure the ceasefire continues under terms agreed last week.

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But the Israeli Defence Forces said the country remained in a multi-front war and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signalled there could be more fighting to come. This is a historic event that blends sorrow over the release of murderers  and joy over the return of hostages, Netanyahu said in a televised address to the country. A billboard compares Trump to Cyrus the Great in Tel Aviv ahead of his arrival in Israel. Getty Images And I want to say: Everywhere we fought  we won. But in the same breath, I must tell you: the campaign is not over. There are still very great security challenges ahead of us. Some of our enemies are trying to rebuild themselves to attack us again. And as we say  Were on it.

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Hamas fighters have returned to parts of Gaza following the withdrawal of Israeli troops under the terms of the ceasefire, fuelling speculation about further conflict. A displaced Palestinian man carries his belongings as he walks through Gaza City. AP The chief of staff of the Israel Defences Forces, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, said the country was in the midst of a multifront war with more challenges ahead. In a positive sign for talks at the summit, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will attend the meeting to discuss the governance of Gaza, ending doubts about whether the West Bank authority would be represented. Hamas will not be present and Netanyahu is not expected to attend the meetings at the Sharm El-Sheikh resort in Egypt.

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Those planning to attend include British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Jordans King Abdullah II and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Aid trucks have been seen entering Gaza to disperse food and supplies to Palestinians on Sunday. Getty Images Speaking to NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday, US Vice President JD Vance said Trump was planning to greet the hostages Monday morning in Israel. Billboards and placards were set up in Tel Aviv praising Trump, who is also expected to meet with families of hostages and speak at the Knesset, Israels parliament, according to a schedule released by the White House. Trump is expected to be in Israel for about four hours before heading to the summit in Egypt on Monday.

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During this time, the entire nation of Israel will embrace them and help them get back on their feet, she said, adding Israeli forces were also ready to receive the bodies of the 28 hostages who died while in captivity, and who would be given a short ceremony in Gaza, where their coffins would be draped with flags. Related Article Analysis

Israeli-Palestinian conflict One group holds key to Gaza ceasefire  but a devilish question remains Following Fridays ceasefire declaration, Hamas official Osama Hamdan told Agence France-Presse the exchange was to begin on Monday morning as agreed. But Vance brought that timeline into question when he was asked on NBC when exactly the hostages would be released. It really should be any moment now, Vance said. The timing has not yet been announced for the release of some 2000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel who are to be freed under the deal. They include 250 people serving life sentences in addition to 1700 people seized from Gaza during the war and held without charge.

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Bedrosian said the Palestinian prisoners would be released once Israel has confirmation that all of our hostages set to be released tomorrow are across the border into Israel. As the third day of the ceasefire held, Associated Press footage showed dozens of trucks crossing the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing with the Gaza Strip. The Egyptian Red Crescent said they carried medical supplies, tents, blankets, food and fuel. The trucks were expected to head to the inspection area in the Kerem Shalom crossing for screening by Israeli troops. A poster thanking Donald Trump at Tel Avivs hostage square ahead of the presidents arrival in Israel. Getty Images Abeer Etefa, a spokeswoman for the World Food Program, said workers were clearing roads inside Gaza to facilitate delivery.

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As discussion turns to enforcing peace, Vance told NBC that while 200 US troops were already in the region to monitor the terms of the ceasefire and help ensure the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, no American soldiers would be deployed to Gaza. Palestinians continued to move back to areas vacated by Israeli forces. Many were returning to homes reduced to rubble. One man, Mohamed Samy, told The Associated Press he went back on foot to see if his home in Jabaliya was still standing. It was flattened, just like everything else in Jabaliya, Samy said. It was like the building never even existed in that place. I questioned my sanity. With Associated Press 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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WorldNorth AmericaTrump's America Opinion Trump is not worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize  not now, not ever Bruce Wolpe Senior fellow at the US Studies Centre and former political staffer October 13, 2025  2:00am

October 13, 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 416 View all comments

It was never going to be President Donald Trumps year to win the Nobel Peace Prize. It never should be. Maria Corina Machado of Venezuela won the Nobel for promoting democracy. The Norwegian Nobel Committee hailed Machado, opposition leader to her countrys dictatorship, 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. Illustration: Jozsef Benke Machado won the award for her work in bringing democracy to her country on the day when Trump used his Department of Justice to undercut democracy in his country. Trump exacted retribution against another of his political enemies, New York state attorney-general Letitia James, who launched the lawsuit that led to Trumps conviction for business fraud. Trump wants the department to prosecute and jail her and James Comey, former director of the FBI, and several others for their disloyalty to him. Machado and Trump are both focused on pressuring the same dictator, Nicolas Maduro, but in profoundly different ways. While Machado spurs a political campaign to bring democracy to her fellow citizens, Trump gives explicit approval for extra-judicial execution of alleged Venezuelan drug traffickers on their boats in the Caribbean.

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Machados Nobel award seized headlines around the world. Trumps targeted prosecution of the New York attorney-general, his renewed trade war with China and the wholesale firing of government workers eclipsed US headlines of his success in Gaza. Related Article Updated

Nobel Prize Venezuelas Maria Corina Machado wins Nobel Peace Prize, sparking White House anger If Trump, for all his shameless begging and preening, was in the peace prize game this year, it was never a close call. Its bad staff work if Trump did not know that the Nobel committee had decided on this years recipient before Israel and Hamas accepted a ceasefire under his Gaza peace plan. Ahead of the Nobel announcement, Trump welcomed Finlands President Alexander Stubb, who has become a crucial channel between Europe and the US president on global issues such as Ukraine and trade. In the gilded Oval Office, where a Nobel Prize would surely be placed with the gold molding on the fireplace mantel, Trump was pressed by the media on Friday about whether he might yet get the prize. Stubb had some excellent guidance for Trump. He said there were two key pieces to be solved: the Middle East and Ukraine. Once those two wars are truly done, Stubb said, I see no impediment to Trump winning the prize.

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He also highlighted the Nobel Peace Prize that a former Finnish president, Martti Ahtisaari, received in 2008. He was cited for his important efforts, on several continents and over more than three decades, to resolve international conflicts, which included wars in Kosovo and Aceh province in Indonesia. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office last week. AP Seven world leaders  Israel the most prominent  had endorsed a Trump Nobel. Stubb very wisely counselled that Trump needed more  that the best nominations for his prize would be those from the King of Jordan and Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky. View post on X Then Trump drew a contrast with president Barack Obama, who was awarded the prize in 2009 for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples. Trump dissed the work of the committee: He got elected and they gave it Obama for doing absolutely nothing but destroying our country. Not a good presidency.

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Trump added: Nobody in history has solved eight wars in a period of nine months. But has he? Several reviews have concluded that Trump indeed played a strong hand for peace with Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, the ceasefires between Iran and Israel and between Cambodia and Thailand. Several of these conflicts, however, remain unresolved. And Indias Prime Minster, Narendra Modi, emphatically rejects that Trump was instrumental in the ceasefire with Pakistan. Related Article Explainer

Nobel Prize How do you win a Nobel Prize? If Trump ultimately becomes a Nobel laureate, he would surely be forced to share the honour with other peacemakers. Egypts Anwar Sadat and Israels Menachem Begin shared the 1978 Nobel for the peace agreement between their counties. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israels Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres shared the 1994 Nobel for their efforts to create peace in the Middle East. Trump would almost certainly have to share the honour with some of the leaders of Israel, Egypt, Qatar, the UAE, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Trumps Gaza peace is a truly major achievement. But it is not done. There is much harder work ahead on the disarmament of Hamas, further Israel withdrawal, establishing a new governance structure for Gaza and ultimately efforts towards a Palestinian state.

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Above and beyond diplomacy, the powerful underlying theme behind the Nobel Peace Prize is humanitarianism. Hence laureates Mother Teresa, Medecins Sans Frontieres, the World Food Program and Pakistani female education activist Malala Yousafzai. But Trump has viciously attacked and ended US support for the underlying values that help secure global peace, security and prosperity. He has unilaterally cancelled billions of dollars in foreign aid. This includes terminating the USAID programs that delivered crucial health care and crisis relief. Related Article Education Malala, the girl who wouldn't take 'no' for an answer Trump has now withdrawn the US from UNESCO, the World Health Organisation, the Paris climate accords, the UN Human Rights Commission and others. The US is reducing its ties with the World Trade Organisation. This decimation of Americas soft power across the globe can only foster conditions that will lead to more war, suffering, poverty, illness, starvation and climate catastrophe. Medical studies project that millions of people will die as a result in the coming years.

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For a prize that honours nobility of purpose and selfless service to sustain and strengthen humanity worldwide, Trump is unfit to receive it. Not now. Not ever. Trump does not have to wonder any more about the Nobel Peace Prize, the mysteries of the selection process and how best to game it. He and Alfred Nobel are done. Bruce Wolpe is a senior fellow at the University of Sydneys United States Studies Centre. He has served on the Democratic staff in the US Congress and as chief of staff to former prime minister Julia Gillard.
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A fascinating piece of research by a voluntary history and heritage group from Co Mayo is being showcased in a new exhibition of natural history at the National Museum of Ireland in Collins Barracks, Dublin.

Louisburgh-Killeen Heritage Group is a member of the Irish Community Archive Network (iCAN), an initiative of the National Museum delivered in partnership with the Heritage Council and heritage officers in participating local authorities.

Over the last six months, they have worked alongside other iCAN members from around Ireland to create the new exhibition called 'Our Irish Natural History'. Their work is now on display in 'The Dead Zoo Lab' - an exciting new space for natural history at Collins Barracks while the famous Dead Zoo on Merrion Street is closed for works.

The contribution from Louisburgh-Killeen Heritage Group reveals the connections between stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) and corncrakes (Crex crex). Through the communitys research of nettles as an ideal habitat for corncrakes, the group also uncovered a rich local history around the many traditional uses for nettles, from home remedies and recipes to textiles and dyes.

The aim of the Our Irish Natural History project is to highlight the role of communities as valuable stewards of Irelands natural heritage and to celebrate the important cultural meanings that native species embody for many Irish communities.

From willow-weaving in County Wicklow to lesser horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus hipposideros) in the caves of County Clare, the community research explores interesting facets of Irelands natural history in the context of local histories and traditions.

Milltown Heritage Group, with Milltown and Belmont national schools, in Co Galway, are among the other groups showcased.

'Our Irish Natural History' is on display now at The Dead Zoo Lab at Collins Barracks, Dublin 7. Admission is free.
Diane Keatons famous friends took to social media to mourn her death at the age of 79.

The iconic actress died in California, a family spokesperson told People Saturday. The cause of death is unclear.

Keatons The First Wives Club co-star Bette Midler said she was unbearably sad at the news in an Instagram post.

The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died. I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me, Midler wrote.

Diane Keaton was mourned by Hollywood after a family spokesperson confirmed she died in California. AFP via Getty Images

One of Keatons most beloved films is 1996s The First Wives Club, which she starred in alongside Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn. Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star. What you saw was who she wasoh, la, lala!, she continued.

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Goldie Hawn, who starred alongside Midler and Keaton in the 1996 film, also shared an Instagram tribute to the late actress.

Diane, we arent ready to lose you, Hawn wrote in part. Youve left us with a trail of fairy dust, filled with particles of light and memories beyond imagination.  You never liked praise, so humble, but now you cant tell me to shut up honey. There was, and will be, no one like you.

We agreed to grow old together, and one day, maybe live together with all our girlfriends, she also shared. Well, we never got to live together, but we did grow older together. Who knows maybe in the next life. Shine your fairy dust up there, girlfriend. Im going to miss the hell out of you.

Midler mourned her friend and co-stars death on Instagram, noting she was unbearably sad. Bette Midler/Instagram

I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me, Midler said of the news of Keatons passing. AFP via Getty Images

Hawn paid tribute to Keaton, sharing that they planned to grow old together. Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

Keatons Book Club: The Next Chapter co-stars Candice Bergen and Don Johnson reacted to news of her death to The Post.

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Bergen said Keatons death was a huge loss for her personally.

Diane was a true artist  tremendously gifted and uniquely talented in so many disciplines yet also modest and wonderfully eccentric. I will miss her terribly, Bergen said.

Johnson added, Diane Keaton  what a trip! She was one of those unique actresses that once shed realized a character you just couldnt imagine anyone elses interpretation. I loved her  Ill miss her.

Fellow Book Club star Jane Fonda also paid tribute on Instagram, writing, She was always a spark of life and light, constantly giggling at her own foibles, being limitlessly creativein her acting, her wardrobe, her books, her friends, her homes, her library, her world view. Unique is what she was. And, though she didnt know it or wouldnt admit it, man she was a fine actress!

Candice Bergen told The Post that Keatons death was a huge loss for her personally. The two starred in the Book Club franchise together. Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection

Jane Fonda called Keaton a spark of life and light, and truly unique. Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection

Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who played Keatons daughter in Father of the Bride and the films sequel, shared screenshots of the two from the first movie.

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Diane, working with you will always be one of the highlights of my life, she wrote. You are one of a kind, and it was thrilling to be in your orbit for a time. Thank you for your kindness, your generosity, your talent, and above all, your laughter.









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Keatons on-screen husband in the franchise, Steve Martin, shared a humorous quote from a past Interview magazine Q&A between Keaton and Martin Short, when Short asked who was sexier between the two actors.

Keaton replied, I mean, youre both idiots.

Martin wrote, Dont know who first posted this, but it sums up our delightful relationship with Diane.

Keatons Father of the Bride co-stars shared touching tributes on social media. Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Steve Martin, who played Keatons on-screen husband, posted a humorous interview between Keaton and Martin Short. Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

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George Newbern, who played Keatons son-in-law in the films, also shared a loving tribute.

Diane Keaton was a brilliant light in every project and in every way, he wrote. She was elegant, charming, witty and searingly funny. I was so so lucky to have spent time with her during the Father of the Bride films.

She had a powerful ease about her, he continued. And had the ability to make a person feel like they were the only one in the room. She will be dearly missed. To my eye she was an absolute Artist. Unfailingly interesting and interested in all things Beautiful. Rest in peace sweet Diane









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Leonardo DiCaprio, who worked with Keaton in 1996s Marvins Room, shared a throwback photo of the two on his Instagram Stories.

Diane Keaton was one of a kind. Brilliant, funny, and unapologetically herself, he wrote. A legend, and icon, and a truly kind human being. I had the honor of working with her at 18. She will be deeply missed.

Keatons Father of the Bride on-screen daughter, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, shared that working with Keaton was one of the highlights of her life. Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Mandy Moore also gushed about getting to play Keatons on-screen daughter in 2007s Because I Said So. WireImage

Reese Witherspoon posted a video of herself tearing up while speaking about Keaton onstage during a Hello Sunshine event in LA. Witherspoon said Keaton was one of her first mentors and recalled working with her on the film Wildflower when she was just 15 years old.

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She is just incredible and indelible and truly an original person, Witherspoon said. So for Diane, watch one of her movies and wear a really cool, interesting outfit, black and white. Take a cool picture and just live your dream. Just be your unique, interesting self, I think Diane would be really happy.

Mandy Moore, who played Keatons daughter in 2007s Because I Said So, called working with the iconic actress an honor of a lifetime.

They say dont meet your heroes but I got to work with one of mine and even call her mom for a few months, she wrote. What an incandescent human Di is and was. I am so sad shes gone for all the reasons but also because it felt like shed be here forever, dazzling us with her talent and charm (and her style, cmon)!!! One of the very best to ever do it.

Keaton was also mourned by Rosie ODonnell, Melissa Gilbert, Cynthia Nixon and more. AFP via Getty Images

Reese Witherspoon said Keaton was one of her first mentors in Hollywood. FilmMagic

Piers Morgan praised Keaton as one of Hollywoods greatest actresses.

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RIP Diane Keaton, 79. Oscar-winning star of Annie Hall, brilliant in The Godfather and Father of the Bride movies. One of Hollywoods greatest actresses, and a delightful lady. Sad news, he wrote on X.

Rosie ODonnell wrote on Instagram, Oh this breaks my heart  love to her children- what style what grace  she will be missed #ripdianekeaton





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Melissa Gilbert also wrote a lengthy message on Instagram, expressing her sadness and noting that Keaton was her idol.

It seems unreal to me that someone so vital and vibrant is gone, she wrote. I know that she will live on through her extraordinary body of work and, most importantly, through her beloved childrenbut to imagine a world without her here seemsimpossible.

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I loved everything about her, she continued. Her versatility and facility as an actor. Her style for sure. Her independence. Her humor. Her smile. Her whole being.

She is just incredible and indelible and truly an original person, Witherspoon said GC Images

Leonardo DiCaprio recalled Keaton being truly kind when they worked together on 1996s Marvins Room. Getty Images

Amy Sedaris wrote, Heartbreaking





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A true original. Artist. Beautiful. Spirit in the sky







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Cynthia Nixon posted a tribute, too, writing, When I was a kid, Diane Keaton was my absolute idol. I loved her acting. I loved her vibe. I loved her everything. Starting with when I was 12, I tried to dress like her. I wore my hair long. I sported mens hats and vests and (even though my eyes were fine) I wore bookish glasses because I thought they made me look more like her. A little more than a decade ago I got to be in a movie called Five Flights Up with her and it was like a dream come true. I was very shy around her, but I think she liked me and that meant everything to me.

If you wanna know more about Diane Keaton watch Annie Hall, watch Reds, watch Shoot the Moon. She is extraordinary in them, she continued. But also read Then Again her stunningly honest autobiography which not only tells her own story but contrasts it fascinatingly with her mothers life. She was one of a kind. Im so sad she is gone.

Viola Davis said Keaton defined womanhood. AFP via Getty Images

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Sarah Jessica Parker talked about working with Keaton on two films, calling her an inspiration. WireImage

Andy Garcia, who worked with Keaton on both The Godfather Part III as well as the Book Club franchise, said that her sublime light will shine forever. Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection

Sarah Jessica Parker said Keaton was one of her inspirations.

I was very privileged to witness her singular skill and talent on both First Wives Club and The Family Stone,' she wrote. I will cherish those memories on set as well [as] her touching, delightful and perfectly own cinematic career. Which is a gorgeous legacy of an exquisite person.

Viola Davis was in disbelief over Keatons death and said the iconic actress defined womanhood.

The pathos, humor, levity, your ever-present youthfulness and vulnerability  you tattooed your SOUL into every role, making it impossible to imagine anyone else inhabiting them, Davis shared. You were undeniably, unapologetically YOU!!!

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Andy Garcia shared personal photos of Keaton that he took while filming The Godfather III with her in Sicily. The two also starred together in the Book Club films.

Diane you will be deeply missed, but your sublime light will shine forever, he wrote.
Kylian Mbappes (26) mother, Fayza Lamari, has addressed the France captains stardom during the Demain le Sport event, organised by Radio France, LEquipe, and France Televisions last Tuesday.

Lamari spoke about her son during a roundtable, called Mothers of Champions. She spoke alongside Celine Bonnet, mother of Olympian Leon Marchand.

The latter revealed that she had contacted Lamari, prior to the Paris Olympics, to speak about how Mbappe dealt with stardom. That conversation, Bonnet revealed, lasted an hour and a half.

Lamari on Mbappe: He doesnt have a life

The pair then went on to discuss their sons, largely their personal life and how stardom has affected it. He is a lot more at ease on the pitch than off it. Off the pitch, he doesnt have a life, but it is the one that he has chosen, said Lamari.

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Speaking last week during a press conference, Mbappe evoked his life being a bit calmer having made the move from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid back in 2024. I am a bit calmer in Madrid than in Paris, said the France captain.

Lamari also evoked her sons romantic life. I had a talk with him last year when it wasnt going so well. I asked him if he didnt want a girlfriend. He told me: Do you see a woman in this mess? He sometimes went around the ring road in a Peugeot 206, just to see what it was like. He cant even walk in the street anymore. It makes me sad, said Lamari in the panel, transcribed by Le Parisien.

She then went on to evoke her sons trip to Stockholm, which led to a rape enquiry that was later closed. At the time that he went to Stockholm in October (2024), I went with 35 friends to an island to celebrate my 50th birthday. In a few months, I put on 12kg. I was hurt. I trusted Kylian, but I asked him: Did you do it? and he said, Are you finished with this madness? It is the only trip that we didnt organise and we paid the price, said Lamari.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle
The late chef, author, and TV personality Anthony Bourdain was no snob when it came to food. He had some controversial food takes, like his love of Waffle House and his belief that fast food mac and cheese is fantastic. When it came to Kentucky bourbon, on the other hand, he did have some high-end tastes. In fact, one of his absolute favorites boasts some incredibly pricey bottles and includes some rare picks that you'd be lucky to find.

It's Old Fitzgerald, which officially dates back to the 1880s and is still made today. But it wasn't just any bottle of Old Fitzgerald he loved. Bourdain had a thing for Very Very Old Fitzgerald, a limited series of bottlings only put out from the early 1960s through the 1980s that today can cost thousands of dollars. For example, in September 2025, one extremely rare bottle went for more than $100,000. Still, Bourdain knew what he liked. "My favorite Kentucky bourbon? Very Very Old Fitzgerald, that's some nice stuff," Bourdain wrote in a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) post in 2016. "If you were to present me with a bottle of very very very very very old Fitzgerald, I don't know if it exists, but man that's good."

Read more: 12 Bourbons You Should Leave On The Shelf

What makes Very Very Old Fitzgerald so special?

glass of bourbon - David Crockett/Getty Images

First produced in 1870 in Frankfort, Kentucky, the bourbon was branded as Old Fitzgerald (named for distiller John E. Fitzgerald) in 1884. Following a change in producers, Prohibition, and a merger, the Stitzel-Weller Distillery produced Old Fitzgerald under the leadership of the famous master distiller Julian "Pappy" Van Winkle. He turned Old Fitzgerald into a wheated bourbon, meaning the second grain in its mash bill after corn is wheat, which tends to give it a sweeter, milder flavor. It was under Van Winkle that the first Very Very Old Fitzgerald bottlings were produced that would encompass 12- to 18-year-old bourbon. It was often bottled in bond, meaning its production had to adhere to strict standards, including being bottled at 100 proof.

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The reasons Very Very Old Fitzgerald is so expensive include the age of the bourbon, the connection to Pappy Van Winkle, and its very limited supply. Additionally, the original distillery closed in 1994 (before being revived by Heaven Hill in 1999), all adding up to one very, very expensive bourbon. Anthony Bourdain was lucky enough to get to taste these pricey bottlings thanks to a friend, the chef Sean Brock, who Bourdain claimed was "constantly coming up with these freakishly rare bottles of bourbon," per the Reddit AMA. Bourdain may not have been a food snob, but his taste in bourbon was definitely very, very fancy.

Want more food knowledge? Sign up to our free newsletter where we're helping thousands of foodies, like you, become culinary masters, one email at a time.

Read the original article on Chowhound.
Prince Harry is being accused of trying to upstage Prince William and Kate Middleton with a cynical PR stunt.

The accusations came after Harrywho is estranged from William, Kate and his father King Charlessent a wreath and a handwritten letter to be placed in honor of his grandfather, Prince Philip, at the Burma Star Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in London on September 2025. The service, which was held on VJ Day, honored the Forgotten Army, who fought in the Pacific during World War II. many members of the british royal family, including Charles and his wife Queen Camilla, were also at the event.

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For me, this anniversary carries an added layer of meaning. My late grandfather, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, served in the Pacific campaign. He spoke with quiet humility about those years, but I know how deeply he respected all who stood beside him in that theatre of war, Harry wrote in the letter.

He continued, Your story is part of our shared heritage, and it must never be forgotten. With the deepest respect, thank you. While the note was heartfelt, royal experts questioned its timing. One source said the move felt far too polished to be genuine.

Charles, William, Harry

Weeks later, Harry is accused of using the memorial as a PR play to earn positive press. Harrys move was no accident. Arriving after the King had gone made it seem respectful on the surface  but the timing, the note, and the perfectly staged photos made it obvious it was a PR play. People in the palace were livid. It was meant to be the Kings moment of remembrance, yet Harry managed to turn the spotlight back on himself, a source told Radar Online in October 2025.

The insider continued, If this wasnt a PR stunt, Harry could have laid the note quietly and walked away. But the fact it was captured and shared so neatly tells you everything you need to know.

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Another source told the site that Harrys move caught everyone off guard. as no one had Harry on the schedule. The insider continued, The event had been planned for months, with the King and Camilla front and center. For Harry to appear afterward, conveniently with cameras waiting, felt very deliberate and carefully orchestrated.

The insider also accused Harry of trying to steal the spotlight from William and Kate, whose health is still recovering after battling cancer earlier in 2025. Everyone knows Kate is still easing back into things and prioritizing her recovery and family. William fully backs her on that. But some people saw Harrys gesture as a way of stepping into the spotlight  a reminder that he still wants to be noticed, the insider said.

Another source also added how Philip would have felt, Philip was a serviceman. He never made things about himself. Hed have thought Harrys letter was self-indulgent.

As for Charles opinion, a source added that the king was deeply frustrated by Harrys move. Charles intended the day to honor the veterans and the nations remembrance, the insider said. But once again, it turned into a story about family tensions. It was exactly the kind of distraction he doesnt need.

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Heidi Klum shared rare throwback photographs of her and Seals daughter, Lou, as she celebrated her birthday. On Thursday, the model took to social media to congratulate her daughter on turning 16.

Lou my beautiful sunshine



/ Happy 16 th Birthday







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, Klum wrote in the caption of an Instagram post. I love you with my whole heart





Heidi Klums daughter Lou celebrated a milestone birthday

Her post included several family photos and videos, including one in which we see Klum, Lou and her siblings Leni, Henry and Johan. They are seen posing in front of a brick wall and at the beach. In the carousel, one video shows Lou celebrating her fifth birthday.

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Lou is Klum and Seals youngest child. The model has three other children, 21-year-old Leni Klum, 20-year-old Henry Samuel and 18-year-old Johan Samuel, according to E! News.

Klum has shared family moments with the public in the past. Last month, Klum celebrated her inaugural HeidiFest in Germany, where she was joined by her family to celebrate Bavarian culture.

Those are my roots  even if Im not from Bavaria, Im still German, she told OK! Magazine. I grew up here, too, and in that respect, I think its nice for my children to see a bit of my roots, too.

She was joined by her four children at the event. Her husband Tom Kaulitz, brother-in-law Bill Kaulitz and mother Erna Klum were also present.

Heidi Klum says her daughter Lou loves Halloween as much as she does

October is an important month for Klum and her fans, as she is known for her yearly Halloween party and show-stopping costumes. Yet, she dedicates a particular passion to the celebration to her daughter Lou, whom she said loves to dress up.

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Lou, especially. She makes her own things, Klum told People in 2024. Shes also really into anime. She makes all the wigs herself.

Shes pretty talented, I have to say, more talented than me when it comes to building things, she added. If anyone has the major block about dressing up and that stuff, it would be my Lou.







The post Heidi Klum And Seals Daughter Lous 16th Birthday Celebrated With Rare Photos appeared first on Blavity.
MILAN  Footwear designer and entrepreneur Cesare Paciotti has died. He was 69.

Details about the cause of death were not disclosed. A statement issued on Sunday night said Paciotti died in Civitanova Marche, in central Italy, surrounded by his family and children.

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Together with his sister Paola, he wrote a fundamental page in the history of Made in Italy shoes, the statement said. It continued: The iconic pointed-dagger, the brands symbol, will remain as a declaration of identity and courage. He will be remembered for his seductive style and his extraordinary human generosity.

Paciottis namesake signature brand is known for its sexy and feminine footwear designs. At Milan Fashion Week last month, the dagger heel was in the spotlight once again as the label doubled down on its heritage.

The company was founded in 1948 in Civitanova Marche  one of Italys main shoes manufacturing hubs  by Giuseppe and Cecilia Paciotti, Cesare and Paolas parents. Their mission was to create artisanal footwear made by hand.

Cesare Paciotti launched his namesake brand in 1980 and turned it into an established and international business, with its sharp stilettos and innovative designs garnering success with the likes of Beyonce Knowles-Carter and Paris Hilton to name a few. Fur-lined or crystal-embellished sandals and boots were some of the hits. The brand became a fixture at Milan and Paris Fashion Week.

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In 2007, the designer debuted a full apparel line under the Paciotti 4US label.

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NEED TO KNOW

Ilse Koch was married to the commander of the Buchenwald concentration camp during the Holocaust and allegedly tortured prisoners

Ilse was also accused of taking human remains and making items out of them

Ryan Murphy used parts of Ilse's story in his Netflix show Monster: The Ed Gein Story



Ilse Koch's story is being resurfaced for Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennans Monster: The Ed Gein Story.

In the series, Vicky Krieps plays Ilse, who was Nazi commander Karl-Otto Koch's wife and was known as the "Witch of Buchenwald." Karl-Otto was the head of the Buchenwald concentration camp, where more than 50,000 people were killed during World War II, according to the Buchenwald Memorial. After the war ended, Ilse was arrested for war crimes and tried in both the American and West German courts.

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During her trials, she was accused of using the skin of murdered prisoners to make various objects, including lampshades and book bindings. She was never officially convicted of abusing human remains, with officials saying there was insufficient evidence, but she was sentenced to life in prison for war crimes before her American sentence was reduced to four years.

She was then sentenced to life in prison for a second time in West Germany. Ilse died by suicide in her prison cell in September 1967.

More than 50 years after her alleged disturbing acts surfaced, Ilse was featured in Monster. Although Krieps admitted that she was "scared" to take on the role, she found that Murphy's "comic" portrayal of Ilse made her feel more comfortable.

"That was freeing to me, and why I felt I can do this, because this is actually clearer, portraying someone whos larger than life," Krieps told Variety in October 2025. "To me, she was like a mix of an old Hollywood star and a 50s housewife who wants to be perfect. Because she wants to be so perfect, she doesnt realize that what shes doing is going over dead bodies."

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Here's everything to know about the German war criminal Ilse Koch and how she was portrayed in Monster: The Ed Gein Story.



Who was Ilse Koch?

Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Ilse Koch in January 1940. Ilse Koch in January 1940.

Ilse, who was born in September 1906, was a German war criminal. Although she had no technical involvement in the Nazi party, she was married to the commander at the Buchenwald concentration camp, Karl-Otto.

During his time as commander from 1937 to 1941, Karl-Otto oversaw the torture and murder of thousands of prisoners, per the Buchenwald Memorial. Ilse and Karl-Otto lived in a house on Buchenwalds property and allegedly held lavish parties, according to Britannica. The couple had three children: son Artwin and daughters Gisele and Gudrun.

After four years as head of Buchenwald, Karl-Otto was fired from his post and was later internally convicted by the Nazi party of corruption, fraud and embezzlement, among other charges. He was executed in 1945.



Why was Ilse Koch called the Witch of Buchenwald'?

ullstein bild/ullstein bild via Getty Ilse Koch at her Augsburg trial in November 1950. Ilse Koch at her Augsburg trial in November 1950.

Ilse was given several nicknames due to the alleged actions she committed during her husband's reign at Buchenwald. Some of those nicknames were "The Witch of Buchenwald," "The Beast of Buchenwald," "The Queen of Buchenwald," "The Red Witch of Buchenwald," the "Butcher Widow" and "The B---- of Buchenwald."

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She received those monikers because of her alleged torture of prisoners, sexual abuse allegations and reported use of human remains as fabric. After she was arrested for war crimes in 1945, she was tried in a sensational case where the allegations surfaced.

In the American 1947 trial, eyewitnesses testified that she abused prisoners and ordered certain prisoners to be killed, per Britannica. In addition to her alleged torture, Ilse was also accused of turning deceased prisoners' skin into various items, including lampshades, book bindings, a briefcase and gloves. Ilse denied all the allegations and claimed that she never tortured any prisoners nor saw anyone being treated poorly at the camp, per The New York Times.

Prosecutors were unable to prove the disturbing claims about the human remains, so she was not convicted on those charges. Instead, she was sentenced to life in prison for being part of the "common design" to torture prisoners, per Britannica.

Ilse was sentenced to life in prison and avoided the death penalty because she was pregnant with a fourth child. She gave birth to her son, Uwe, in October of that year.

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Two years into her prison sentence, she was released on Oct. 17, 1949. However, that same day, she was arrested by West German authorities and was charged with abusing German citizens. Later that year, she was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for a second time.



Did Ed Gein really study Ilse Kochs crimes?

Toronto Star Archives/Toronto Star via Getty; Getty Ilse Koch in August 1947 and Ed Gein arrested in 1957. Ilse Koch in August 1947 and Ed Gein arrested in 1957.

The Netflix series Monster: The Ed Gein Story tells the story of real-life murderer Ed Gein. In addition to being convicted of murdering two women, he also robbed graves for human remains to make household items and clothing.

In the show, Charlie Hunnam plays Gein and contextualizes his character by detailing things and people that may or may not have influenced Gein to commit his crimes. In the series, one of the people the fictional Gein admires is Ilse. The series depicts Gein's alleged girlfriend, Adeline Watkins (played by Suzanna Son), telling him about Ilse. Her trial took place 10 years before his 1957 arrest.

The show insinuates that Gein became intrigued by Ilse allegedly crafting items out of human remains and took after her. In Monster, after Gein was convicted of his crimes and committed to an institution on the basis of insanity, he had an imaginary radio conversation with Ilse.

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Although it's possible that Gein was aware of Ilse and her war crimes because of the widespread media attention, there is no evidence to show that her alleged activities inspired him.



What happened to Ilse Koch?

European/Archive Photos/Getty Ilse Koch at the the District Court at Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany in December 1950. Ilse Koch at the the District Court at Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany in December 1950.

On Sept. 1, 1967, Ilse died by suicide at a female prison in Aichach, Germany, after allegedly experiencing delusions, according to the 2015 book KL: A History of the Nazi Concentration Camps. She was 60 years old.

Decades later, Ilse's case remains a topic of discussion and speculation. In 2023, Tomaz Jardim released his book Ilse Koch on Trial: Making the Bitch of Buchenwald and argued that while she was a war criminal, Ilse ended up being a "convenient scapegoat" for postwar Germany, while other war criminals walked free.



Read the original article on People
In Netflixs new historical drama House of Guinness, the legacy of Sir Benjamin Guinness looms large. Even though he dies before the opening credits roll, his memory still feels like a threat.

But who was the real Benjamin Guinness? (Not to be confused with his son, played on the show by Fionn OShea.) The series explains that while he is not the founder of the great Guinness Brewery (that would have been his grandfather, the first Arthur Guinness), he was the first of the company leaders to make it into the international success it eventually became.

Here is a brief background on the story of Benjamin Guinness, Sr.:

The entrepreneur

DEA / BIBLIOTECA AMBROSIANA - Getty Images

Born in Dublin in 1798, Benjamin Guinness started working in the brewery as soon as he was a teenager. He took full control after the death of his father, Arthur Guinness II, in 1855, making him the richest man in Ireland. Under his leadership, Guinness became the largest brewery in the country and one of the most profitable in the world. He expanded facilities and adopted state-of-the-art brewing techniques that greatly increased output. By the 1860s, Guinness stout was being exported throughout the British Empire and beyond, solidifying its reputation as Irelands most iconic beer.

The philanthropist

SAKhanPhotography - Getty Images

Guinness gained a reputation for using his wealth to support public works, most notably the restoration of St. Patricks Cathedral in Dublin in 1860, which had fallen into disrepair. He personally funded the full cost of the restoration of the cathedral and the adjoining Marsh Library, without seeking public donations or credit. The restoration was completed in 1865, and Guinness handed the cathedral back to the Church of Ireland in a formal ceremony. In recognition of his service to the Crown, he was created a baronet by Queen Victoria in 1867.

The politician

In 1851, Guinness entered political life as Lord Mayor of Dublin. He was later elected as a conservative member of Parliament, representing Dublin, in 1865, a seat he held until his death three years later. Though not especially vocal in Parliament, his election reflected his growing influence in Irish public life. While he promoted Irish business interests, his politics leaned toward Protestant conservatism, and he was no fan of the Fenians, who wanted Irish independence from Great Britain.

The patriarch

Sir Benjamin married Elizabeth Guinness (also nee Guinness, his first cousin), and together they had four children. His eldest son, Arthur Edward Guinness, inherited both the baronetcy and leadership of the brewery, continuing the familys legacy in business and politics. Arthur would later be elevated to the peerage as Baron Ardilaun. However it was his third son, Edward, oversaw the expansion of Guinness to the United States. Edward also became the 1st Earl of Iveagh. Taking the lead from his father, Edward was also a major philanthropist. In 1890, he established The Guinness Trust, with the vision to provide safe and decent homes for working class people.

Richard Baker - Getty Images

Benjamin also had one daughter: Anne, who married Lord William Plunket in 1863. Anne was also active in charitable works in Dublin, and setting up a training center for Church of Ireland nurses in 1876.

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Sir Benjamin Guinness, Sr. died at the age of 69 at his Park Lane home in London, England while still serving in Parliament. He is buried in Dublins Mount Jerome Cemetery, which was the first privately owned cemetery in Ireland when it first opened in 1836. It used to be an exclusively Protestant cemetery, but Roman Catholics have also been buried there since the 1920s.





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For a lot of fans, Jason and Britts brief but intense romance was one of those lightning in a bottle storylines that General Hospital got absolutely right. Their connection came out of some classic GH storytelling: fugitives on the run, danger everywhere, and stolen kisses that evolved into something more. But as quickly as their relationship began, it all came crashing down. Literally. Jason died in a tunnel collapse. Later, Britt died fighting The Hook. And the story that might have been was suddenly over. Or so everyone thought. Now that theyre both back from the dead, the stage is set for a reuniononly this time, its not instant fireworks. Its a slow burn.

Key Takeaways

Jason and Britts first romance was short but unforgettable  born out of danger, fugitives on the run, and an emotional bond that hooked fans fast.

Their story was cut short twice by tragedy, first when Jason was presumed dead in a tunnel collapse, and later when Britt was believed to have died fighting The Hook.

Jasons discovery that Britt was alive and being held in Croatia set the stage for a second chance, but things arent the same this time around.

Britt has returned colder and more guarded, with secrets tied to her mysterious work at the Five Poppies lab.

Their connection hasnt vanished, but rebuilding trust will take time  exactly the kind of messy, layered storytelling GH does best.

A Love Interrupted by Death  Twice

Jason (Steve Burton) and Britts (Kelly Thiebaud) original love story was messy in all the best ways. He risked his life to save her from Cyrus (Jeff Kober) henchmen, and their escape sent them on the run. Their relationship deepened when they hid out at a Canadian lighthouse, and she let him in on her most vulnerable side, including the truth about her genetic Huntingtons marker. They fell for each other fast, only to have loyalty, mob wars, and tragedy tear them apart.

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Jason had to let her go so he could enter into a marriage that was a business arrangement. Sonny (Maurice Benard) was presumed dead, and Carly (Laura Wright) took over his organization, so as a show of strength, they agreed to get married. That was over before it started when Sonny turned up alive just after they said I do, but it was too late; the damage had been done.

Fast forward to after Jasons death, when Britt was believed to have been poisoned while battling The Hook to save Josslyns (Eden McCoy) life. But after his own resurrection, he realized Britt was alive. He followed the clues and found her at the Five Poppies resort in Croatia, and managed to bring her back to Port Charles. But the woman he brought home isnt the same woman he fell for. Shes colder, distant, and hiding something big.

Secrets, Shadows, and a Long Road Ahead

Britts evasiveness seems tied to her time working in that Five Poppies lab  and whatever dangerous man was pulling her strings. Jason keeps trying to let her know that shes still important to him, but shes been keeping him at arms length. With Britt keeping some major secrets, this isnt a fairytale reunion; its two broken people circling something they once had but cant fully touch yet.

Their path forward wont be quick or easy, but the attraction is still there. Between Jasons own baggage and whatever Britts hiding  maybe even involving Nathans (Ryan Peavey) own return from the dead, the machinations of Professor Dalton (Daniel Goddard), or a familiar villain like Jerry Jacks (Sebastian Roche)  their next chapter looks complicated. But thats what makes it a slow burn. It may not happen overnight but its hard to shake the feeling it will happen.

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This story was originally reported on Soap Hub on October 12, 2025. Add Soap Hub as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
As one of the more popular white wine grapes, sauvignon blanc is grown worldwide, spanning plenty of terroirs. Its origins trace back to the Loire Valley in France in the 1500s, though it has since moved abroad  currently,  of the plantings are found in France, the U.S., and New Zealand. The latter is especially well known for its sauvignon blanc, which makes up more than 70% of the country's vineyards. Additionally, sauvignon blanc is grown in South Africa, Chile, Italy, and Argentina, among other areas of the globe, ultimately resulting in a wide range of styles.

Sauvignon blanc spans numerous taste profiles, pretty much guaranteeing there's a bottle to suit everyone. Some versions lean toward grassy, herbaceous flavors, while others are heavier on tropical fruit aromas or mineral-driven with citrusy notes. Either way, sauvignon blanc brings plenty of zing to the table, with a bright acidity that's refreshing on the palate and great with food.

Sauvignon blanc was the first grape variety I could easily identify, and my go-to choice at the start of my wine journey. Over the years, my studies as a Certified Specialist of Wine, as well as my harvest, cellar, and wine travel experiences, have expanded my repertoire considerably. As much as you might love sauvignon blanc too, if you're looking to discover similar varieties, these offer overlapping characteristics. Some veer toward the herbal aromas present in sauvignon blanc wines, while others boast fruity or mineral aromas. Read on for some alternatives to this popular white wine.

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Read more: The 30 Best Bourbon Brands, Ranked

Grillo

bottle of wine on a table with appetizers - Fondo Antico / Facebok

Native to the island of Sicily, grillo is a white grape that's used in the production of the local fortified wine, Marsala. As well, it is used to make white wines that cover a few different profiles, from light and easy to more complex. Almost exclusively grown in Italy (namely Sicily and Puglia), grillo stems from one of the most ancient wine grapes, muscat of Alexandria. This variety is known for its musky, perfumed aromas, which are subtly present in some styles of grillo. Its other parent grape is cataratto (another local Sicilian variety), which boasts more vegetal notes, balancing out the fragrant character.

Grillo is increasingly vinified solo, offering a taste of its nuances and the diversity of the Sicilian terroir. Tropical fruit and citrus notes are present in lighter, more youthful styles, providing a refreshing option to enjoy chilled on a warm day. Meanwhile, some versions display hints of almond, white flowers, and herbs, for a more savory sip that pairs well with vegetables and seafood. Grillo also presents a bright acidity along with mineral and saline notes from its coastal influences, giving it a crispness that makes it oh-so-pleasant to drink.

Try a bottle of Fondo Antico Grillo Parlante, brimming with notes of passion fruit, peach, citrus, and white flowers. The family-owned estate has been producing wine for over a century, so you're guaranteed a pure expression of this Sicilian variety.

Gruner veltliner

bottle of Gruner veltliner wine - thefoxsmallbar / Instagram

Austria's darling grape, gruner veltliner, is another delightful white wine option for sauvignon blanc lovers. It covers about  of the total vineyard area in its homeland, and is grown in minor quantities in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, and Italy. It, too, spans a spectrum of styles, from lighter, easy-going options to more complex ones worthy of aging.

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The former exhibits lively notes of citrus, stone fruit, herbs, and minerality, sometimes with a subtle effervescence to emphasize its bright nature. Notes of white pepper are quintessential too, infusing the wine with a hint of spice. On the other hand, gruner veltliner from more prestigious regions in Austria may be aged prior to release, including spending some time maturing in large neutral oak casks, adding richness to the palate. Meanwhile, lees aging can result in a creamier texture, giving the wine more weight in the glass. Regardless of the overarching style, gruner veltliner is typically high in acidity, making it a great option to pair with fattier foods to cleanse the palate.

Laurenz V. Singing Gruner Veltliner offers vibrant fruit aromas, a telltale hint of white pepper, and a fresh acidity you'll love. It's also a great match for difficult-to-pair vegetables like artichokes and asparagus, so keep that in mind when planning your menu.

Verdicchio

bottle and glass of white wine - mazzamurello / Instagram

As the country with the most indigenous grapes, Italy has a never-ending supply of unique, centuries-old varieties worth discovering. Case in point, verdicchio is native to the Marche region in central Italy, where it shines in the local DOC wines, namely Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC and Verdicchio di Matelica. (It's worth noting that verdicchio is also called trebbiano di soave in northern Italy and peverella in Brazil, as genetic testing has confirmed these as identical.)

Verdicchio is often revered as one of the country's most impressive white wine grapes, and worthy of sampling whether or not you're looking for an alternative to sauvignon blanc. Full-bodied and age-worthy, wines made with verdicchio exhibit diverse tasting notes depending on their terroir, though complexity and balanced acidity are typically guaranteed.

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Lighter styles display hints of tree fruit, melon, and citrus, along with fragrant notes of white flowers. More nuanced styles layer on the aromas, with notes of almonds and marzipan, herbs, minerality, and salinity coming into play. Keep an eye out for sparkling versions too, which play up the grape's crisp acidity.

Villa Bucci Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico showcases notes of apple and almond, with an elegant character that is delicious with or without food. If you want a richer style, look for a Riserva bottle, which is typically higher in alcohol and aged in oak.

Chenin blanc

hand pouring white wine into glass - Lubanzi Wines / Facebook

Often described as a chameleon grape, chenin blanc has many personas, ranging from crisp still wines to sweet botrytis dessert wines and sparkling options, too. Native to the Loire Valley in France, it has also found great success in South Africa, where it's the most-planted variety (locally referred to as steen), and in smaller volumes in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand. It's been around since roughly the 800s, highlighting its longstanding nature. In the vineyard, chenin blanc retains a vibrant acidity in hot climates, ensuring the wines are well-balanced.

Considering the vast styles possible, it's hard to pinpoint a single characteristic of the grape, but it typically displays notes of tree fruits like apple, pear, and quince, stone fruits, citrus, as well as white flowers and honey. If matured in oak, it takes on notes of baked apple, hazelnut, and caramel. On the other hand, lighter styles exhibit a more citrusy character to complement the zingy acidity, reminiscent of zesty sauvignon blanc. Meanwhile, the sweet dessert wines evoke similarities to sauternes, a popular botrytis wine made with sauvignon blanc and other Bordeaux grapes. No matter what you're in the mood for, chances are chenin blanc can fill the void in your glass.

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Sample a bottle of South African Lubanzi Chenin Blanc, brimming with notes of melon, peach, pear, and lemon, complemented by a crisp, mineral acidity. If you're feeling festive, you can try a bottle of sparkling Vouvray from the Loire Valley to celebrate in style.

Albarino

bottle and glass of white wine - Piccionidivino / Facebook

Known as albarino in Spain and alvarinho in Portugal, this white wine grape exudes a playful character. Aside from its home in the Iberian Peninsula, the grape has also found success in Uruguay, California, and New Zealand. In Spain, you'll find it in lively white wines from Galicia and Rias Baixas, whereas in Portugal, it's commonly blended in the popular Vinho Verde wines. Albarino typically displays a bright acidity and a saline quality thanks to its coastal influences.

Peach and citrus notes mingle with a mineral character, which comes together seamlessly in a refreshing sip. A subtle white flower fragrance is often perceptible, giving the wine a layered aromatic quality that keeps it interesting. Herbaceous qualities are present at times, too, leaning into this common sauvignon blanc tasting note. Additionally, select producers may opt for light oak or lees aging, adding complexity and texture to the wine. Albarino is indisputably delicious paired with seafood, and fares well alongside creamy cheeses as well, due to its palate-cleansing acidity.

Pick up a bottle of Bodega Garzon Albarino Reserva for a citrusy, saline wine balanced by a creamy texture from lees aging. This process leaves the spent yeast cells in contact with the wine, infusing it with richness and flavor.

Torrontes

hands holding white wine bottle - Susana Balbo Wines / Facebook

One of a family of three grapes in Argentina bearing the same root name, torrontes Riojano is by far the most interesting, especially when grown in high-altitude vineyards in Salta. It boasts an aromatic nature thanks to its parent grape, muscat of Alexandria, which is praised for its perfumed characteristics. Torrontes Riojano is almost exclusively grown in Argentina and in small amounts in Uruguay, where it produces an elegant, crisp white wine with fragrant aromas.

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Notes of lemon, peach, and citrus are present, along with hints of rose petals (sometimes leaning toward potpourri), white flowers, and minerality. Though it comes off as heady on the nose, it is generally dry and vibrant with a fresh acidity on the palate. Torrontes is delightfully unexpected, brimming with fragrance yet ultimately expressing more of a zesty style. It's an excellent pairing for seafood curry and teriyaki glazes thanks to its nuanced flavor profile and medium body.

Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontes is a reliable bottle if you want to taste the essence of this variety, with its floral notes, hints of citrus and tree fruit, and mineral finish. Surprise your guests with its fragrant nose and dry palate, an excellent match for a savory meal.

Assyrtiko

bottle of white wine in wine shop - keywestfinewines / Instagram

Greece is another country home to numerous indigenous grapes, including assyrtiko, one of its signature white varieties. Originally grown on the island of Santorini, its production has expanded to other islands and the mainland, and even in small amounts in Australia and Lebanon. The most prestigious (and expensive) assyrtiko wines come from Santorini, where they are often made from incredibly old vines that have lasted centuries in the unforgiving volcanic landscape, with direct sun, wind, and minimal water to contend with.

Expect a light-bodied wine with high acidity, boasting notes of citrus, pear, apple, flint, and salinity. More tropical aromas like passion fruit are sometimes expressed too, with an underlying minerality that keeps every sip decidedly crisp. Some versions are fermented in oak, adding richness to the texture, and a honeyed characteristic if further aged. This vibrant white wine is perfect with seafood, salads, and tangy cheeses.

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Experiment with an affordable bottle of Atma Assyrtiko by Thymiopoulos Vineyards to sample this Greek grape. If you're smitten with it, consider splurging on a pricier one made on Santorini island, Thalassitis by Gai'a Wines.

Verdejo

bottle of verdejo white wine - 305wines / Instagram

This Spanish grape boasts fruity aromas paired with a crisp palate, two features of many sauvignon blanc wines. It is also commonly blended with the latter, making it an excellent stand-in if you're looking to switch up your white wine portfolio. The variety is primarily grown in Spain, but minute percentages of plantings exist in Europe, North and South America, and Australia. In its homeland, it features most predominantly in the wines of Rueda DO (which will be indicated on the label).

Verdejo has an herbaceous character, with hints of grass, lime, melon, fennel, and peach. Younger versions are higher in acid, with a crispness that keeps them refreshing. As it ages, it develops nutty aromas with hints of almond and a fuller texture. Occasionally, it is fermented in oak, lending a creamier mouthfeel with notes of toasted oak. This white wine pairs well with a range of foods, adding brightness to any dish.

Familia Torres Celeste Verdejo is a great example to savor the vibrant essence of verdejo. When in doubt, Spanish white wines labeled Rueda will offer a taste of the grape.

Riesling

white wine bottle on table with oysters and sashimi - Pewsey Vale Vineyard / Facebook

Some people hear riesling and automatically assume it's going to be a sweet wine. And while riesling is produced to make excellent, well-balanced dessert and off-dry wines, it has a much wider potential. With a searing acidity and rich aromatic profile, riesling makes for a very interesting dry white wine. More than half of riesling vineyards are found in Germany, followed by France (namely Alsace), the U.S., Austria, and Australia. It's also gaining momentum in cooler growing climates like Canada.

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Its nuanced flavors vary with ripeness, ranging from lemon and lime to stone fruits, like peach and apricot, and even pineapple. Jasmine, ginger, and beeswax sometimes come to the foreground, and aged versions have a telltale hint of petrol on the nose. Indeed, thanks to its intense acidity, riesling fares well over time and is worthy of aging. Its bright character and aromatic nature make it a great match for creamy foods and spicy dishes.

For something distinct, try a bottle of Pewsey Vale Vineyard's Estate Riesling from Australia. Alternatively, Germany is the obvious source for riesling; if you're looking for a dry wine, make sure the ABV is at least 11%, as anything lower will be off-dry.

Ortega

bottle of Kutatas white wine - baobei1 / Instagram

This German grape variety is a cross between muller-thurgau and siegerrebe and was invented in 1948. It has characteristics that make it beneficial for cooler climate regions, such as being more resistant to frost and ripening early. Consequently, although its origins point to Germany, it is now increasingly common in England and Canada. Here, it manages to develop a significant sugar content regardless of temperatures, ensuring the must can ferment successfully, and preventing the common plight of overly acidic wines.

Although ortega's higher sugar levels make it a suitable contender for dessert wines, it's also used to make dry wines. These commonly feature notes of green apple, grapefruit, stone fruit, and herbs, with subtle floral aromas that add fragrance to the glass. Thanks to its aromatic nature and freshness, ortega is a good pairing for mildly spiced dishes and curries, bringing nuance to every bite. Keep an eye out for wines made from ortega, as more winemakers experiment with this cross.

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Kutatas Winery on Salt Spring Island in Canada makes an excellent Ortega wine. Although the variety is not widely available, it is a great choice as the climate changes and cooler regions begin producing wine.

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Though delicious, tamales are difficult to make perfectly at home. Luckily, we've found the perfect alternative to making them yourself. After carefully taste-testing and ranking seven store-bought tamale brands, Tasting Table confirmed that the best brand for flavorful tamales is Tucson Tamale. These delicious, savory tamales are made using an old family recipe and all-natural ingredients.

Our taste tester tried five varieties of Tucson Tamales: green chile and cheese, green chile, pork and cheese, green chile chicken, and black bean and corn. They found that the chicken and pork were perfectly seasoned, and that the black bean and corn tamale contained whole beans and corn without relying on pureed ingredients. They also noted that each tamale contained a generous layer of masa alongside its fillings. Despite being store-bought and reheated, the tamales remained moist. In fact, each tamale could be microwaved right in the package in just three minutes for optimal serving temperature.

Tucson Tamales are sold online nationwide by parent company Tucson Foods, and you can find them in certain retail stores across the country, including Kroger and Whole Foods. The company also operates a local market and restaurant in Tucson, Arizona. The restaurant has a 4.3 star rating on Google, with one customer saying, "We stopped here on our tamale tour, throughout the southwest and had such a delicious lunch. The beef tamales were divine!" The brand's green chile and cheese tamales have a five star rating on Kroger's website, with one customer raving, "This was one of the best store bought tamales I have ever had."

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Read more: 22 Best Trader Joe's Frozen Foods Under $5

A small tamale company that found national success

Tucson Tamales on a plate next to packages of them - Robin Miller/Tasting Table

Founded in 2008 by husband and wife team Todd and Sherry Martin, Tucson Tamale has undergone many changes since its inception. It has grown from being a small, local business to a national operation, selling its tamales online as well as in more than 6,000 retail grocery stores across the United States. In 2022, it reported selling 10 million tamales nationwide. Yet the Martins still use the family tamale recipe perfected by Sherry's mother, Celia.

Each tamale is hand-rolled in the company's 13,671 square foot production facility in Tucson. The company's retail product catalog features eight standard tamale flavors, including green chile chicken, red chile pork, and blue corn and veggie, with new flavors added both monthly and seasonally. Additionally, all of the tamales are gluten-free and allergen-free, and Tucson Tamale prides itself on using healthy, clean ingredients.

The company has been the recipient of local and national recognition. Its tamales have also been chosen as the Best Tamale by the Tucson Weekly's Best in Tucson awards every year since 2009. Tucson Tamale is also one of Food Network's Alton Brown's favorite restaurants in the U.S. In 2015, Brown traveled around the country trying out restaurant recommendations from fans. He visited Tucson and dined at Tucson Tamale, saying, "I stood 20 minutes in line to get two tamales and I would have spent 20 minutes to get another two" (via USA Today).

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The Caribbean is a hotspot destination for many, known for its turquoise blue waters, mouthwatering eats, and island resort stays. Belize, in particular, is a beautiful Caribbean gem to visit, especially in the fall. The largest island in Belize, Ambergris Caye, takes all that tropical allure and turns the dial up a notch. The paradisiacal location pairs world-class snorkeling with relaxed beach restaurants and the second-largest coral reef system in the world, the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System.

To reach the island, travelers will need to fly into Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport, Belize's main airport. From there, a short domestic flight or scenic ferry ride will bring you to the town of San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. Surely, you'll enter island time, where you can take morning dives with sea turtles and sting rays, followed by fresh seafood lunches with your toes in the sand. Whether you're exploring Hol Chan Marine Reserve, dancing to island beats at a local beach bar, or simply soaking in a golden sunset, Ambergris Caye offers the perfect balance of natural beauty, culture, and a holiday you'll never want to leave.

Read more: 14 Safest Caribbean Islands For A Stress-Free Vacation, According To Research

Water adventures in Ambergris Caye, Belize

Someone snorkeling in Belize - Ventu Photo/Shutterstock

Some of the world's best snorkeling destinations lie in the Caribbean due to the area's crystal clear waters and barrier reef access. You can add Ambergris Caye to that list, as it offers some of the most stunning and unforgettable experiences beneath the ocean blue. Just a short boat ride from the island's shore lies the Belize Barrier Reef, teeming with vibrant coral formations, sharks, stingrays, sea turtles, and an explosion of tropical fish. (Before diving in, check out how to safely snorkel around the reef). Some of the most popular destinations to see the marine life include Shark Ray Alley, Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Tres Cocos, and Mexico Rocks.

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Adventure seekers can participate in diving excursions to the famous Blue Hole, the largest geological formation of its kind in the world. Travelers can also take a full-day sailing trip to remote cayes, offering another immersive experience of Belize's aquatic magic. Sunset catamaran cruises and guided paddleboard tours provide a more relaxed but equally scenic way to enjoy the sea. No matter how you explore it, Ambergris Caye is thrilling yet peaceful, and enough to work up an appetite for tasty island bites.

Ambergris Caye's cultural atmosphere

A woman taking a photo of her beachside food - Jessica Peterson/Getty Images

Ashore on Ambergris Caye, you'll discover a vibrant cultural atmosphere that adds flavor and rhythm to every guest's experience. The island's food scene is a delicious fusion of Caribbean, Latin, and Creole influences, reflecting Belize's diverse heritage. Due to its coastal location, as you may presume, fresh seafood is the star of most menus. Grilled lobster, conch fritters, and conch ceviche are just some of the dishes you'll taste. Local favorites include fry jacks (fluffy fried dough) that you can get at The Fry Jack House. Also, rice and beans with stewed chicken can be found in both beach shacks and casual eateries in San Pedro.

By night, the island comes alive with the sounds of Garifuna drumming, reggae, punta, and Latin beats echoing from beach bars and open-air restaurants. Live music is a staple here, with local bands setting the mood as travelers and locals gather for an evening of dancing. You might find yourself sipping a rum cocktail under the stars or grabbing tacos from a roadside vendor. A trip to Ambergris Caye is more than a beach getaway; it's a chance to experience the true spirit of the Caribbean.

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Tucked away in Bavaria's Berchtesgaden National Park lies one of Germany's most beautiful lakes. A glittering jewel nestled in the folds of the Berchtesgaden Alps, Lake Konigssee is a stunningly beautiful glacial lake that brings to mind the picture-perfect fjords of Norway, and it is one of the most sought-after outdoor destinations for in-the-know European travelers.

Lake Konigssee is located in a tiny pocket of southeastern Germany that juts out into Austria, and it is almost completely surrounded by the latter country's borders. The nearest German city to Lake Konigssee is Munich, about 100 miles away, and Munich International Airport can be reached in around two hours by car. Most visitors, however, choose to arrive at the charming Austrian city of Salzburg, which is just 20 miles away and around half an hour's journey by car. Salzburg Airport is Austria's second-largest airport and is served by routes from all over Europe.

Once you've arrived, you'll discover a mind-blowing combination of dramatic scenery, charming traditional customs, and beautiful historic architecture, as well as some truly spectacular hiking trails. It is also one of the best places in Europe to take a beautiful fall getaway, offering a blast of golden, crimson, yellow, and orange foliage alongside crisp, sunny days and clear night skies.

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Read more: Explore Europe As Glamorously As Possible On 5 Of Its Most Luxury Train Rides

What to see at Lake Konigssee

a red-domed church sits on the shores of Lake Konigssee - Westend61/Getty Images

The highlight of any visit to Lake Konigssee is getting out on the emerald-green water. Most people take an official boat tour on the lake's iconic and unique electric boats, which take passengers out to Pier St. Bartholomew. It's a delightful journey with a wonderfully sustainable twist, something you'll appreciate when you are immersed in the region's crisp, clean natural beauty. Return tickets cost just over 22 (around $26) and let you go and come back whenever suits you.

The main attraction of the boat tour is the stunning St. Bartholemew's Church, with its gorgeous and unusual deep-red onion domes, which create a remarkable contrast with the stark mountain cliffs behind. It was built in 1134, but the current architectural style is actually a later design following a rebuild at the end of the 17th century. The main beauty of the church is seen from the outside, although there is some exquisite stucco work on the roof around the apse. Another charming touch to the boat tour is the blowing of a trumpet about halfway to the church, to demonstrate the extraordinarily clear echo that the lake is famous for.

Hiking around Lake Konigssee is another amazing experience, and there are some fantastic trails to explore. Rothbach Waterfall offers a simple out-and-back trail. Heading out to the Ice Chapel offers a slightly more challenging route, while experienced thrill-seekers may want to take on the Jenner Summit for a much tougher climb. It is also worth taking time to visit the Eagle's Nest to discover the darker side of Konigssee's past. This sumptuous mountain resort was built for Adolf Hitler, and it was there that he and his advisors plotted some of history's worst atrocities.

Plan your trip to Lake Konigssee

traditional hotels and restaurants at Lake Konigssee - Solarisys/Shutterstock

Staying around Lake Konigssee is a rustic yet exhilarating experience. The best way to experience the dramatic natural beauty of this place is to spend a night in one of the quaint mountain huts hidden away on the slopes around the lake. Spots like Kuhrointhutte, Watzmannhaus, and Berggaststatte Gotzenalm combine outstanding scenery with a wonderfully warm, traditional Bavarian welcome  including excellent, filling meals. If you prefer something a little less adventurous, the nearby town of Schonau am Konigssee has plenty of good hotels and guesthouses, such as the Hotel Garni Landhaus Sonnenstern and the Biopension Krennleiten. The Hotel Konigssee is also worth staying at, thanks to its enviable lakeside location.

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Eating and drinking around the lake makes for a pleasant experience, too. There are a variety of tiny traditional cottage-restaurants around the lake, including the Fischerei St. Bartholoma, which is located by St. Bartholemew's Church, as well as Gaststatte Echostuberl and Seehaus am Konigssee, both at the northern end of the lake near Schonau am Konigssee. It's worth trying lake trout, the local speciality, as the chances are that it'll have been caught that morning. Otherwise, the fare tends to consists of rich and hearty delicacies of German and Austrian origin.

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Some movies make you laugh; others make you cry. And a rare few make you book a plane ticket. One film's sweeping shots of Iceland's steam-filled valleys, dramatic lava fields, and glacier-carved fjords had travelers packing their bags for a glimpse of these otherworldly landscapes in person. That film was "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty."

Very loosely based on a 1939 short story by James Thurber published in The New Yorker, Ben Stiller's 2013 adaptation sent a daydreaming photo editor chasing real-life adventure across Iceland and beyond. The country's landscapes served as some of the film's most iconic backdrops and had a profound effect on moviegoers. For some, it was instantaneous. As commenter u/publiusnaso explained on Reddit's r/TrueFilm forum: "Within 24 hours of watching this film I had a flight booked to Iceland."

Many other Redditors write of being inspired to travel to Iceland by the movie, be it for a honeymoon, a getaway with friends, or a family vacation. There are tales of the movie inspiring quiet reflection, with u/StackProne in r/movies writing of their trip, "I sat in a quiet spot by a waterfall and listened to "Step Out" from the soundtrack and just cried the happiest tears." For others, it was truly life-changing. Redditor u/Banfimous writes of getting a longboard because of the movie (one scene shows Mitty riding a longboard down a particularly beautiful stretch of road). That choice led to their career, and years later, they finally made it to Iceland.

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Discover the Walter Mitty filming locations in Iceland

Man longboarding down scenic road - Cristian Negroni / 500px/Getty Images

Iceland is best explored by road trip, and you'll want to rent a car if you're hoping to check out the Walter Mitty filming locations. Beginning in the east of the country, Stykkisholmur is a charming fishing village with colorful houses that stood in for Nuuk, Greenland, in the movie. (Certain scenes in Greenland and the Himalayas were shot in Iceland.) Stykkisholmur is also a jumping-off point for a trip to Flatey, a remote, secluded island off the coast, well worth a side quest. Nearby, you'll also find Grundarfjorur, one of Mitty's cycle routes in Greenland.

South toward Reykjavik, make sure to stop in Borgarnes, where the Geirabakari Kaffihus was transformed into a Papa John's for the film. The scenic views make it a good coffee stop. In the east of the country, Hofn is a spectacular stop, and the little harbor town stood in for the Greenland airport. About an hour away, you'll find Vatnajokull National Park, and just on its edge is Fjallsarlon Glacial Lagoon, with floating icebergs that made for a stunning filming location. Intense glacier-walking scenes set in the Himalayas were also filmed in this area.

Finally, travel to the east fjords, where one of the film's most memorable sequences unfolds: Walter's exhilarating longboard ride down a winding road into Seyisfjorur, one of the best stops on Iceland's famous Ring Road. This colorful, mountain-framed town, known for its blue church and rainbow-painted street, is the perfect place to end a Walter Mitty journey through Iceland. Redditor u/Lonestarr357 sums it up perfectly: "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. If there's someone who saw this and didn't want to fly to Iceland afterwards, I don't want to meet them."

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In a state where 78% of the landscape is covered by forest, as is the case in Vermont, hamlets and villages tend to suddenly appear in small pockets of tree breaks along roads before disappearing just as quickly. Fairfax, Vermont offers yet another example of this typical Vermont experience. Situated at the intersection of route 104 and the Lamoille River, Fairfax presents a small downtown core of markets, churches, and municipal buildings that are surrounded by a ring of farmland, beyond which, the wilds take over. Populating this is about 5,500 people, which seems few, but still exceeds that of neighboring towns like Cambridge, Fletcher, and Georgia.

Like those towns and villages, Fairfax puts nature lovers on the doorstep of a number of great Vermont hikes and bikes, and it's easy to reach, too, thanks to its proximity to Interstate 89 and several Vermont population centers, including this underrated lakeside town that surprises with Victorian streets, craft brews, and cute shops. In fact, Vermont's largest city, an artsy urban escape surrounded by mountains, is just 25 miles away. As this is also mountain country, several ski resorts are close by, most notably Smuggler's Notch Resort and Stowe Mountain Resort.

Read more: One Of West Virginia's Best-Kept Secrets Is A Train Ride Through A Canyon You Can't Reach By Car

Inns and outs

Farm in Fairfax, Vermont - Felix Lipov/Shutterstock

Within Fairfax itself are two inns. Back Inn Time spreads across five acres of trees and a meadow, complete with a babbling brook and a lake view. Inside, the vibe and design of the two suites lean into the traditional New England but updates it with modern bells and whistles, such as a saltwater hot tub and infrared sauna. Seven miles away, find the Inn at Buck Hollow Farm, offering the quintessential country Vermont inn experience  four-poster beds and all  on an estate from the 1790s. What's more, there are 400 acres of land to spread out in, with trails connected to the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers network. To get even closer to the land, look to Maple Grove Campground, which offers several levels of roughing it, from tents to trailers.

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All put visitors within close proximity to several area attractions. Chief among these is the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, a 93-mile route stretching from St. Johnsbury to Swanton. The nearest access point to Fairfax is 8 miles away, in Cambridge. Twenty miles north of Fairfax, in Sheldon Junction, the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail crosses paths with the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail, which runs 26.4 Miles from St. Albans to Richford. Whichever route you take to either trail, include a detour to Maple Street Covered Bridge, transporting locals since 1865. Other hiking opportunities in Fairfax itself include Fairfax Community Park and Recreation Path and the trails in 100 Acre Woods.

Travel Tips for Fairfax, Vermont

Woman hiking in Vermont - Ann Stryzhekin/Shutterstock

By air, the best way to reach Fairfax, Vermont is from Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport, 20 miles south. But Fairfax is also close to the Canadian border, putting Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport just 87 miles away. Across Lake Champlain, passing through these picturesque, romantic islands for outdoor lovers, there's also Plattsburgh International Airport, at just 42 miles away. Amtrak stops nearby, too, with the final station of the Vermonter line in next-door St. Albans. Amtrak's Ethan Allen Express offers a second rail option, with the terminus in Burlington. Beyond those depots, however, a car is required, as no buses pass through Fairfax.

Any trip to rural Vermont means keeping a keen eye on the weather, as the famous joke by Mark Twain still applies: "If you don't like the weather in New England now, just wait a few minutes." This is particularly so from November to May, when temperatures plummet and snow storms fall. Climate change is also bringing more instances of flash flooding. When entering rural areas like Fairfax, it's important to prepare for whatever wrenches Mother Nature might throw at you. Also keep in mind that many roads remain dirt or gravel, which heavy rain and snow can turn into mud bogs. Phone signals can also struggle, if not disappear entirely, in certain parts of the state, making it a good idea to download maps ahead of time or bring paper ones.

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If you love local history and nature views, the East Coast's Blue Ridge Mountain range is a must-visit destination. The region is home to beautiful landscapes, one of America's most underrated wine regions, and the world's "Gem Capital." You may be surprised to know that you can also get a taste of Europe in the American South by heading to the tiny town of Little Switzerland, a featured spot along the Blue Ridge Parkway, punctuated by a picturesque tunnel located at milepost 333.4. This North Carolina gem is home to the striking Little Switzerland Tunnel.

This 575-foot-long tunnel was built in the mid-20th century, though the masonry outside the east entrance was not added until the mid-1950s and 1960s. This is said to be the case for most tunnels along the Blue Ridge Parkway. If you're driving into the mountain region, it serves as a gateway deeper into the Blue Ridge. Driving into the area, travelers can see panoramic views of the mountain range. On the other side of the tunnel, you'll drive through lush, dense forests and scenic green hills, reminiscent of the Swiss Alps.

The Little Switzerland Tunnel is one of the Blue Ridge Parkway's 26 tunnels. Travelers are encouraged to stop, stretch their legs, and admire the tunnel up close. The structure is actually a relic of the parkway project that was first conceptualized in 1933 with the participation of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

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Read more: One Of West Virginia's Best-Kept Secrets Is A Train Ride Through A Canyon You Can't Reach By Car

Planning your visit to the Little Switzerland Tunnel

Entrance to the Little Switzerland Tunnel along the Blue Ridge Parkway - devineholland/Instagram

Little Switzerland is the aptly named home of the Little Switzerland Tunnel. Owing its name to its natural surroundings reminiscent of the Swiss Alps, Little Switzerland was established in 1910 as a summer holiday destination. Today, it continues to win the hearts of travelers with its small-town charm, Swiss-style architecture, and proximity to North Carolinian outdoor fun. It offers plenty of spots to fuel up, including cafes and restaurants, and some small souvenir shops for those who like to collect items from every place they visit.

Nicknamed "the jewel of the Blue Ridge Parkway," Little Switzerland has an abundance of activities beyond the tunnel. That said, it's important to note that most of its shops, restaurants, and even hotels close at the end of October only to open again in April. Little Switzerland and its eponymous tunnel are located a two-hour drive from Charlotte if you're driving from central North Carolina, or a 2-hour and 45-minute drive from Knoxville if you're coming from Tennessee.

If you're flying in from out of state, the nearest major airport is Asheville Regional Airport, located about an hour southwest of the Little Switzerland Tunnel by car. And if you're looking to stay overnight, the Switzerland Inn is a beloved local favorite offering cozy rooms with mountain views just half a mile from the tunnel.

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Often treated as a pit stop on the way to Machu Picchu, Lima deserves far more attention. Peru's capital has earned a place on the world's culinary map for being home to four restaurants in the prestigious World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list and is the only city worldwide with two spots in the top 10. Leading the pack is Maido, helmed by chef Mitsuharu "Micha" Tsumura, whose Japanese heritage shapes the restaurant's celebrated Nikkei cuisine. This style blends Peruvian ingredients  like aji peppers, native tubers, and exotic Amazon fruits  with Japanese techniques and precision. Tasting menus range from $370 to $715 per person (as of this writing). Not everyone knows it, but Lima's craze for Peruvian-Japanese flavors is in full swing you can spot Nikkei restaurants across the city for every budget. Japanese immigrants, like their Chinese counterparts before them, have helped shape the city's culinary identity, layering new techniques and flavors onto the already rich Spanish-influenced traditions.

For another world-class experience, head over to the Bohemian district of Barranco and you'll find the ninth best restaurant in the world: Kjolle by Pia Leon. The only female chef in the top 10 pays homage to Peru's biodiversity in the many ingredients and techniques she uses in her dishes. The country's ecosystems stretch from the Pacific coast to the Andes and the Amazon, creating a pantry unlike any other: ancient highland tubers and quinoa, exotic rainforest fruits, and  believe it or not  over 3,000 varieties of potato. Tasting menus start at $98.

Read more: Think Twice Before Visiting These Dangerous South American Destinations

Innovative tasting menus redefine Peruvian cuisine

Sign at Casa Tupac, home of Central and Kjolle - Mark Green/Shutterstock

Maybe you've seen Virgilio Martinez's Central on Netflix's high-profile food documentary series "Chef's Table"  the restaurant that took first place in 2023 when Pia Leon was still co-running it. Now immortalized in the World's 50 Best Best of the Best hall of fame, Central occupies the same building as Kjolle -- an unmissable stop if your budget stretches to a once-in-a-lifetime meal.

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In the heart of Barranco, walk along the seaside cliff, and just a block away from Kjolle, you'll find Merito, ranked No. 26 in the world. Venezuelan chef Juan Luis Martinez invites guests right into the kitchen to watch the team at work and pick up a few cooking tips from the pros themselves. The tasting menu, about $125 as of this writing, is known for its experimental spirit. As Peruvian critics at El Comercio explained, the dishes feature a mix of influences from the Amazon, the Andes, the Caribbean, and the urban landscape.

The 39th spot belongs to Mayta, led by chef Jaime Pesaque. Its name comes from Aymara, an indigenous Andean language, and means "noble land," which is why Pesaque defines his work as "territory cuisine". As he wrote on Instagram, "At Mayta, we reinterpret Peruvian tradition from a contemporary perspective, without losing connection to our roots." Here, tasting menus range from $100 to $200.

Alternatives to fine dining in Lima

Restaurants and food stalls at Surquillo's Mercado 1 - Lecker Studio/Shutterstock

As Chef Mitsuharu Tsumura told El Pais, "Peru isn't Latin America's food capital because of just five haute cuisine restaurants. ... You can also eat well in the streets and marketplaces. We're a really tight-knit bunch of restaurant people. ... You never know what you're going to find!" In the district of Miraflores alone, there are more than 300 restaurants.

Go explore Lima's flavors with a local food guide  it's the best way to taste the city's variety in just a few hours. Lima Gourmet Company runs $139 tours through multiple districts that combine scenic walks with tastings and a stop at the high-end Huaca Pucllana restaurant, found in the pre-Incan ruins of the same name. You'll try dishes and cocktails from Peru's three main regions  the coast, Andes, and Amazon  and finish with artisanal chocolate. Cooking classes are available for an extra fee.

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For a more hands-on experience, Exquisito Peru offers $99 tours with live demonstrations where chefs prepare ceviche, lomo saltado, and the national cocktail pisco sour, while sharing the history behind each dish. On a tighter budget, Food Tour Lima costs $49 and takes you to Mercado No. 1 in Surquillo, a no-frills market where stalls dish up authentic local fare. Celebrity Chef Gaston Acurio once called it one of the world's best fruit markets, home to over 100 Peruvian varieties (via GQ). Traveling by yourself? Then don't miss the most culinary avenues: La Mar, La Paz, Reducto, and Larco. Just watch out for cars  Lima has the worst traffic in Latin America.

Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter for access to the world's best-kept travel secrets.

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An annual tradition, each fall is the release of the latest Best Colleges guide by U.S. News & World Report. First published in 1983, it has been described as the most influential institutional ranking in the country. The highly anticipated 2026 ranking has now been released, assigning pecking order to nearly 1,500 four-year institutions that offer bachelors degrees.

The latest edition cites the same Top 5 Best National Universities from last year: Princeton, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard, Stanford and Yale. This year, the University of Chicago was awarded sixth place and there was a four-way tie for seventh place: Duke, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, and University of Pennsylvania.

California Institute of Technology ranked 11th, Cornell ranked 12th, Brown and Dartmouth tied for 13th, and Columbia and University of California  Berkeley tied for 15th place.

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More: Top 5 college planning resources for students | College Connection

There was a three-way tie for 17th place among Rice, Vanderbilt, and UCLA, and a four-way-tie for 20th place among Carnegie Mellon, University of Michigan  Ann Arbor, University of Notre Dame, and Washington University in St. Louis.

The next highest ranking universities, in sequential order, were Emory, Georgetown, UNC  Chapel Hill, University of Virginia, University of Southern California, University of California  San Diego, University of Florida, University of Texas  Austin, Georgia Tech, NYU, University of California  Davis, University of California  Irvine, Boston College, Tufts, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Wisconsin  Madison, and University of California  Santa Barbara.

While the ranking of a school is not the only criteria that students, and their parents, should assess, its a valuable guideline due to the many factors that are considered. Data utilized by U.S. News in assigning its rankings include peer assessment, graduation rate, financial resources per student, faculty salaries, student-faculty ratio, and borrower debt.

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More: How do college admissions offices really view well-rounded students? | College Connection

The Best Colleges guide is particularly valuable to students who have determined their future major and want to identify the universities that offer the strongest program in that specific field. There is a separate listing for the best undergraduate business programs, which is further broken down by specialties: accounting, analytics, entrepreneurship, finance, international business, management, and more.

The same is offered for the best undergraduate computer science programs, with specialty listings in artificial intelligence, computer systems, cybersecurity, data analytics, game/simulation development, and more.

For engineering, top colleges are ranked with specialties in aerospace, biomedical, chemical, civil, electrical, environmental, mechanical, petroleum, and more.

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While there are many useful resources for college-bound students in identifying potential best-fit colleges, Best Colleges is an ideal starting point in assessing which schools warrant further investigation.

Susan Alaimo is the founder & director of Collegebound Review, offering PSAT/SAT preparation & private college advising by Ivy League-educated instructors. Visit CollegeboundReview.com or call 908-369-5362.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: 2026 Best Colleges rankings released by US News
1. One of the most bizarre trials in history is the one in which Pope Stephen VI put the prior pope, Pope Formosus, on trial in 897. What's so strange about it? Formosus was dead. Stephen VI had him exhumed so his corpse could stand trial, propping his body up. Formosus was found guilty of usurping the role of pope, meaning everything he'd done as pope could be undone. Stephen VI then had him dressed in rags, cut off three of his fingers, and dumped his body in a river. Good ol' Stephen didn't last long as pope; he was strangled a bit over a year later.

Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images

Formosus's body was actually recovered and put back in its tomb.

2. TIL that there was once a bear who was a private in the Polish army. He was a Syrian brown bear named Wojtek, and an army subdivision adopted him after his mother died, raising him to assist in World War II. Wojtek would help carry artillery, and even had his own rank and number. He apparently liked beer and cigarettes (which he ate) and was quite friendly and mischievous, and served overall as a morale booster.

New York Public Library / Via commons.wikimedia.org

3. Anyone else find mannequins creepy? Well, if you do, you might also find this story a little disturbing. Basically, back in the day, mannequins were made of wax, and they weren't very realistic. Sculptor Lester Gaba (along with other artists) sought to change this with more realistic mannequins that included details and imperfections, like freckles. Enter Cynthia, a particularly realistic mannequin who essentially became a celebrity. She attended events with Gaba, had her own magazine spread in LIFE magazine, and was even issued a Saks credit card. But wait, it goes further  brands sent her jewels and clothes. She became a movie star. She got her own radio show. And she was engaged for a time to another radio star.

CBS Photo Archive / CBS via Getty Images

Cynthia's fame eventually faded, and when Gaba entered the Army, she was sent to live with his mother.

4. Leather can be made from many different types of skin, but there's one you probably haven't thought much about...human skin. There are a few stories about human leather, but you'd expect those to be reserved for oddballs and murderers, not a state governor. That's right, folks  Wyoming's first Democratic governor owned human skin shoes and even reportedly wore them to his inauguration.

Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images

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Whose skin was it, you ask? Local train thief and horse robber George Francis Warden*, known as "Big Nose George," who was lynched after killing multiple lawmen. Two doctors stole George's body, one of whom, John E. Osborne, had a personal grudge against George after he held up a train Osborne was in, causing him to miss a party. He made a bag and shoes out of George's skin; the shoes also contained parts from George's own shoes that he had been wearing when he was lynched.

Warden went by multiple other names, including "George Parrott."

5. In another creepy historical moment concerning a politician, former Republican Senator Jeremiah A. Denton, from Alabama, was a long-term prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. Denton was captured in 1965, and the next year, he was actually interviewed on-camera while still a prisoner. As part of a propaganda effort, Denton had been told by captors to speak against the US government in an interview with a Japanese reporter. However, he refused to follow his instructions, speaking in favor of the US, although he also said he was being adequately taken care of. In the interview, he blinked strangely, complaining about the lights; US Naval Intelligence was able to decipher this as Denton blinking out Morse code for the word "torture." This confirmed suspicions that POWs were being tortured in North Vietnam, without alerting his captors that he had done so.

Associated Press / Via youtube.com

6. The CIA has done some wild things over the years, but one you almost definitely haven't heard of is the project Acoustikitty (also known as "Acoustic Kitty")...which is essentially exactly what it sounds like. Basically, in the '60s, the CIA attempted to turn cats into spies, implanting a microphone and a transmitter into the cat, and putting an antenna in its fur. The project was largely a failure, as it was almost impossible to get the cat to go where the agents wanted it to go.

Grace Cary / Getty Images

The project reportedly cost $20 million and was rumored to involve a test cat being hit by a car, but this second part was debunked by the CIA.

7. And in a move that would be right at home in The Hunger Games, the CIA also used pigeons to take surreptitious photographs and attempted to use surveillance shaped like dragonflies as spies. But perhaps most oddly, they used tiger poop to track movement during the Vietnam War. Creating "seismic intruder detection devices" that mimicked the look of tiger poop (tigers were then more common in Vietnam), the CIA tracked movement through vibrations so they could try to figure out if people or vehicles were passing a certain area.

Sandra Standbridge / Getty Images

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8. And in an example that relates back to cats (sorry, I like cats), the CIA also came up with a plan to use dead rats to send messages to spies in the field  except cats kept stealing the rats, which were used to house money, carry messages, or store film. In an attempt to make the rats unappetizing to cats, they covered the rats in things like hot sauce. This did not prove effective, but wormwood oil did.

Central Intelligence Agency / Via youtube.com

9. Speaking of the CIA, they once invented the "heart attack gun," which used a modified pistol with bullets of frozen shellfish toxin (saxitoxin) to near-silently shoot victims, who would then suffer symptoms similar to a heart attack and die with very little evidence of murder (just a tiny red dot where the bullet went in). It's unknown to the public whether it was ever used, but it was meant for use in the Cold War. The KGB actually invented a similar weapon using cyanide and used it for at least two assassinations. Metal or terrifying? You decide.

10. The Greek man Mihailo Tolotos reportedly never saw a single woman in his 82 years of life (except perhaps his mother directly after being born). His mother is said to have quickly died after his birth, and Tolotos was raised in an Orthodox monastery on Mount Athos, where he encountered precisely zero women and only knew of their existence from stories and books. As an adult, he apparently chose to remain on Mount Athos and died there in his 80s. Not only had he never seen a woman, but this article states he had also never seen a car, airplane, or film.

11. In an example of hypocrisy perhaps unsurprising to modern Americans, Congress had its very own bootlegger during Prohibition. His name was George Cassiday, and he was well known by Congress members  and Capitol police  to smuggle and deliver alcohol to House and Senate offices. He was known by his green hat, and thus became memorialized as The Man in the Green Hat. He essentially got into a cat-and-mouse game with a man who became known as the Dry Spy, undercover agent Roger Butts, who eventually caught Cassiday. Cassiday then revealed in an article that 80% of Congress members had broken Prohibition laws through his services. The drama!!!

Alamy

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12. Another Prohibition fun fact Some moonshiners would wear these special cow shoes that would make their footprints look like those of cows, and aid them in escaping the notice of police as they came to and from the fields or forests where they brewed their liquor. They were also called "heifer heels" and were inspired by a Sherlock Holmes story in which a character did something similar to cover horse tracks. They became less useful when police found a pair and learned how to detect them.

Library of Congress / Via commons.wikimedia.org

13. Did you know that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has been to Disneyland? Not the one in America, but Tokyo Disneyland, which has existed since the early '80s. Japanese officials state that Jong-un, along with his brother Jong-chul, used fake Brazilian passports to visit the attraction in the '90s. Their eldest brother, Jong-nam, tried to sneak in using a Dominican passport in 2001, but was caught at the airport; this is actually potentially why their father ended up passing over Jong-nam to succeed him (though Jong-nam contested this).

ALEXANDER KAZAKOV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

14. Speaking of Disneyland, did you know that they used to sell bras? One of the shops on Main Street sold "Intimate Apparel, Brassieres, Torsolettes." The store featured a rotating stage with recreations of undergarments from the 1890s versus today, with a large animatronic of the brand's mascot, the Wonderful Wizard of Bras, introducing the setup. The store lasted less than a year, which is unsurprising considering the park is mostly geared toward children.

Los Angeles Examiner/USC Libraries/Corbis via Getty Images

15. I'm sure you remember the story of Abraham Lincoln's assassination by John Wilkes Booth, but I highly doubt you know that Booth's brother Edwin actually once saved Lincoln's son's life. During the Civil War, Abraham's son Robert was traveling from Harvard, while the successful Shakespearean actor Edwin Booth, brother of John Wilkes, was traveling with the owner of Ford's Theater, where the president would later be assassinated. Robert was pressed up against the train due to crowding as passengers purchased their tickets, and when the train started to move, he was pushed into the open space between the platform and the train. Edwin grabbed his collar and pulled him back to the platform. Having saved Robert would later give Edwin comfort after his brother killed the president.

Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty images, Graphic House/Archive Photos / Getty Images

16. Evita, and you may even know that it tells the story of Eva Peron, who was the second wife of the former President of Argentina, Juan Peron. But I doubt you know the journey her body went through after she died of cancer  first, Juan You've probably heard of the musicaland you may even know that it tells the story of Eva Peron, who was the second wife of the former President of Argentina, Juan Peron. But I doubt you know the journey her body went through after she died of cancer  first, Juan tried to build a giant monument to display her body. When he was forced into exile as a result of a coup, the new regime ordered Eva's body to be buried, though they didn't want anyone to know where, lest she become a revolutionary symbol. They stored her corpse in trucks, military locations, behind a cinema, etc....before it came into the possession of Major Arancibia, who reportedly engaged in necrophilia with the corpse (this is disputed) and then shot his wife in the throat when he was discovered.

Bettmann / Getty Images

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The corpse then went to Colonel Carlos Eugenio de Moori Koenig, who allegedly also had feelings for her and, according to some accounts, had his officers pee on her when the corpse did not return his affections. Her body was finally returned to her husband, Juan, who was now remarried, though a freak accident killed the transporters. The couple kept Eva's body on their dining room table. His wife, Isabel, would reportedly comb Eva's hair and sometimes lie beside her. Juan eventually became president again, with Isabel succeeding him after his death, and she had the corpse displayed. She was eventually buried in her family's mausoleum, though another freak accident during transport again killed all three men accompanying her body. She currently resides in her fortified tomb, which has a trapdoor and fake coffins to distract from Eva's real one.

Keystone / Getty Images

17. I can't believe I've never heard of Edgar Allan Poe's mysterious death before. Basically, in 1849, the then-40-year-old poet left Virginia to help edit a colleague's poems, but never arrived at his destination. Nearly a week after leaving, he was found delirious outside a Baltimore public house, wearing old clothes and lying in the gutter. He remained out of it for days, plagued by hallucinations and calling out for "Reynolds," then died due to brain swelling on Oct. 7, potentially caused by alcohol consumption. He was set to get married just days later. There are multiple theories as to his death, including murder and rabies, but it remains a mystery.

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive

One popular theory posits that Poe was kidnapped and forced to vote multiple times in multiple disguises in order to influence the sheriff election, then given alcohol, which Poe was sensitive to and had had adverse reactions to before. As Poe was found near a polling location, this feels plausible.

18. Mystery writer Agatha Christie also went missing. Christie was 36 and had recently lost her mother, as well as discovered that her husband was cheating on her. After putting her daughter to bed, she drove off, and her car was later found abandoned, hanging over the edge of a pit. She had left three letters behind: one to her brother-in-law claiming she had gone to a spa, another to her secretary with "scheduling details," and a third to her husband, who never revealed what the letter said. To find her, the police dredged a lake, brought in dogs , enlisted the help of over 10,000 people, and even looked to her novels for clues.

Hulton Archive / Getty Images

She was eventually found at a spa, like she had told her brother-in-law  except according to her husband, she no longer remembered who she was or recognized him. She had checked in under his affair partner's surname, but with a different first name, going by Teresa Neele. In the only time Christie ever spoke of it, she admitted to considering driving into the pit her car was found by, and hitting her head  this, accompanied by the trauma of her husband cheating and her mother dying, led to memory loss. Still, people have continued to speculate that it was all a publicity stunt.

Hulton Archive / Getty Images

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19. One of the strangest unexplained moments from history involves the so-called Dancing Plague of 1518 , where a group of people in Strasbourg in the then-Holy Roman Empire began to dance uncontrollably and constantly  some even to their own deaths. The city brought in a stage, professional dancers, and a band to support the hundreds of dancers, but it wasn't all fun, with heart attacks and strokes sweeping through the group. The only explanation at the time was "Hot blood," though some may have thought they were cursed by a saint, and the treatment was to just keep dancing until the urge subsided. This kept on for weeks until the remaining dancers were taken to pray at a shrine.

There are many more modern theories as to why the dancing occurred: It may have been stress-induced religious hysteria, prompted by the trauma of disease and hunger, along with prominent religious beliefs that the Catholic saint St. Vitus could curse people with a dancing plague. Or the dancing may have been a result of a toxic mold causing spasms and hallucinations.

20. If you doubt whether mass hysteria is a thing, it occurred in what's now known as Tanzania in 1962, with over 1,000 people becoming afflicted with incessant laughing, which was accompanied by rashes, fainting, and restlessness. This began with young girls, forcing school closures due to the disruptions they caused. Fits could be interspersed with crying and last from hours to as many as 16 days. The cause was simply high stress, caused by both school and the country's newfound independence.

Elevator Films / Via youtube.com

21. As someone terrified by plane crashes because they usually mean certain death, I'm always intrigued by stories where all  or most  passengers survive. That happened in 1988, during Aloha Airlines Flight 243 in Hawaii , where a large part of the roof ripped off the plane in the middle of the short flight. One flight attendant, Clarabelle "CB" Lansing, was ejected from the plane and died. However, the rest of the passengers  many of whom were completely exposed to the freezing, hurricane-level wind  survived after the captain successfully landed. Wires dangled dangerously, debris flew, and without access to oxygen, passengers struggled to breathe on the 13-minute descent. "I remember yelling, 'I'm being electrocuted.' I really thought I was being burned alive," Passenger William Flanigan remembered.

Smithsonian Channel / Via youtube.com

The cause was metal fatigue and corrosion caused by the elements, which had been missed in the inspection; the FAA increased regulations to account for this.

Many were treated in a hospital after landing. Still, all survived in what air crash investigator Greg Feith called "one of the most remarkable flying events in history," as "No airplane has ever landed with this amount of damage." The cockpit was connected to the rest of the plane through floor beams only, essentially "holding on by a thread."

Smithsonian Channel / Via youtube.com

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Let this be a lesson to always have your seatbelt on, even if you're just lounging; all passengers wore their seatbelts, which helped them survive.

22. In a more devastating plane crash due to the death of nearly all its passengers, 17-year-old Juliane Koepcke was traveling with her mother to her zoologist parents' ecological research station on Christmas Eve in 1971. During the flight, lightning struck the plane, causing it to disintegrate and the passengers to fall. Koepcke, still seat-belted and in her seat, survived the 10,000-foot fall...and also 11 days in the Amazon rainforest. Though she was injured, she was able to survive by pouring gasoline on a maggot-infested wound, and by following survival skills she'd learned from her parents, such as following water to civilization and sticking to edible food and drink. She was rescued and is still alive today.

The Viceregal Archive / Via youtube.com

Koepcke was not the only one to survive the crash  her mother survived the fall but died from her injuries soon after, and this may have happened to others as well. But Koepcke was the only one to also survive the wilderness.

23. In a more disturbing bit of history than most on this list, did you know that the KKK had youth chapters called the Junior Ku Klux Klan (for boys) and the Tri-K-Klub (for girls)? They went even younger, too, with "Ku Klux Kiddies" and "cradle clubs." Some were baptized not only into Christianity, but into the Klan and its ideology.

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive via Getty Images

Children mainly did fun, everyday activities that were, of course, exclusive to only white protestants, like a "Kool Koast Kamp," but once they reached teenager-hood, they may have become more involved in their parents' Klan activities, with the Junior sect in particular involved in fires and shows of power. Later, KKK youth groups would be encouraged to act out against desegregation.

24. In a similarly disturbing fact, many countries  including the US  once had human zoos. These were basically small fake villages where Indigenous peoples from different places  often Africa  would live in an exaggerated version of the culture these (primarily white) countries thought they lived in. Many of the residents died in these villages. One man, Ota Benga, was actually displayed (and caged) with an orangutan in the Bronx Zoo, suggesting he was an evolutionary link between orangutans and modern humans.

Keystone-France\Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Human zoos still (kind of) exist. There was an episode of An Idiot Abroad where they visited a faux village of people with dwarfism called "the Kingdom of the Little People" who perform and interact with tourists. There's been a bunch of controversy about whether or not the establishment is in fact a human zoo  inhabitants are paid  but it certainly sounds similar to past "human zoos."

25. Wanna hear a really weird coincidence? The story concerns Virginian farmer Wilmer McLean, whose farm was the location of the Civil War's first battle. Wanting to get far, far away from the battle site, he moved to the Appomattox Court House and became a merchant. His new home ended up being the very place where Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses Grant. It literally happened in McLean's living room.

Ed Vebell / Getty Images

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26. One odd and sad historical story is about the first dog in space. Shortly after the Soviets achieved the feat of the first manufactured object in Earth's orbit, they built another spacecraft with a compartment for an animal . They chose stray dog Kudryavka (later dubbed Laika by the public), sending her into space with no intention of her returning. They had only left enough food for a single meal due to weight restrictions, and she could only move a few inches. She had a week's supply of oxygen and was expected to die of oxygen deprivation just seconds after it ran out. Instead, she died shortly after reaching orbit due to a rapid temperature rise in the capsule. The Soviet Union pretended Laika had survived for multiple days.

Sovfoto/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Laika had had a surgical device implanted into her to monitor her vitals. It showed she was terrified during the ordeal, with her heart rate three times its resting rate and her breath rate four times what it usually was. After she died, the spacecraft orbited with her body for five months before burning up and disintegrating.

Keystone / Getty Images

Later on, a cat was sent into space. Her name was Felicette, and she was a French stray who was flown in the rocket Veronique in 1963. This story has a happier ending; she made it back safely, and to this day, she remains the only cat to have traveled to space.

- / AFP via Getty Images

27. And finally, sorry to tell you this, but the lack of mummies in museums is because we used to eat them. In the 16th and 17th centuries, many Europeans would consume "medicines" made from human corpses that were supposed to cure a number of different maladies. Some were from burial sites, stolen from gravediggers  other medicines were made from mummies stolen from Egypt. They'd crumble them and create tinctures as well as make powders out of skulls.

KHALED DESOUKI / AFP via Getty Images

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Five people were injured and rushed to hospitals after a helicopter crashed in Huntington Beach, California, on Saturday.

The helicopter came down around 2 p.m. local time in a beach parking lot between Twin Dolphins Drive and Beach Boulevard, according to city officials.

Videos taken by bystanders showed the wreckage lodged in palm trees near a hotel.

Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images - PHOTO: la-me-helicopter-crash

Dramatic video shows bystanders lift helicopter that crashed on California freeway

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Two people were pulled from the helicopter wreckage and three others on the ground were hurt, a city of Huntington Beach spokesperson said in a statement.

The victims were all taken to area hospitals in unknown conditions, the spokesperson said.

The city said in a news release the helicopter was associated with a "Cars and Copters" event scheduled for Sunday.

There's no word yet on a cause of the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified, the city said.

Timothy Bartlett said he was filming a TikTok video of helicopters landing when he captured the moment of the crash.

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"I was stunned," Bartlett said. "As soon as I saw it spinning, I knew it was going to crash because it just didn't look right, and I knew something was wrong."

People ran to the site of the crash and police started moving everyone back, Bartlett told ABC News. From what he witnessed, he said it appeared a tail rotor broke off from the helicopter.

Bartlett said that while the helicopter did not burst into flames, he saw what appeared to be helicopter fuel leak out.

"I just was hoping, praying that everyone was OK," Bartlett said.
NEED TO KNOW

There were three separate shootings on the same night following homecoming games in Mississippi

Eight people are dead and more than 20 are injured following the incidents

Suspects have been arrested in two of the three shootings

Eight people are dead and more than 20 were injured after three separate high school homecoming celebrations in Mississippi ended in gunfire.

The most deadly of the shootings took place in the downtown area of Leland at around 12 a.m. local time on Saturday, Oct. 11, per KSL.com and the Associated Press. Four people were killed on the scene, and two later died at the hospital, per the AP.

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The area was busier than usual as residents were out celebrating a homecoming game, the AP reported.

Getty Police car (stock image) Police car (stock image)

People were just congregating and having a good time in the downtown of Leland, state senator Derrick Simmons said while speaking to the AP, adding that he was told by police that the scene was very chaotic.

He continued, Its just senseless gun violence. What we are experiencing now is just a proliferation of guns being in circulation.

No arrests in connection with the shooting have been announced at this time. PEOPLE reached out to the Leland Police Department (LPD) on Sunday, Oct. 12, but did not receive an immediate response.

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Another shooting took place at Heidelberg High School in Heidelberg, which is about 80 miles east of the state capitol. Police said three people were shot on school grounds, and two of them died from their injuries, per the AP.

Police declined to state whether the victims were students at the school, according to the outlet.

Tylar Jarod Goodloe, 18, is currently in custody in relation to the Heidelberg shooting, according to a Facebook post from the Jasper County Sheriffs Department (JCSD).

Jasper County Sheriff's Department, Mississippi/Facebook Heidelberg shooting suspect Tylar Jarod Goodloe Heidelberg shooting suspect Tylar Jarod Goodloe

PEOPLE reached out to the Heidelberg Police Department for comment on Oct. 12 but did not receive an immediate response.

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A third shooting took place in the state  also following an Oct. 10 homecoming game  in Sharkey County, according to a statement shared on Facebook by the Sharkey County Sheriffs Office (SCSO). Authorities have arrested and charged two individuals in connection with the shooting, per the statement.

Sheriff Ceaser [wants] to make it absolutely clear that acts of violence in our community will not be tolerated. Our team of law enforcement officers are committed to pursuing justice swiftly and ensuring the safety of all residents and visitors that come to our county," the statement continued. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims family during this incredibly difficult time. We ask the community to come together in support and remain positive as the investigation continues."

People reached out to the Sharkey County Sheriffs Office on Oct. 12 but did not receive an immediate response.

Read the original article on People
Oct. 10The Alaska Supreme Court ordered backers of Gov. Mike Dunleavy to respond to subpoenas that seek to find whether they violated state campaign finance laws in the lead-up to the 2022 election.

Alaska's top court issued its ruling on Friday, affirming a lower court decision from January 2024.

The ruling stems from a 2022 complaint filed by two Alaska watchdog organizations, the Alaska Public Interest Research Group and the 907 Initiative, alleging that the Republican Governors Association created a group called A Stronger Alaska ahead of the 2022 election as a shell entity to improperly spend money in support of Dunleavy's reelection campaign without disclosing its donors as required by Alaska law.

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The RGA donated $3 million to A Stronger Alaska  an independent expenditure group  in 2021, shortly before new voter-approved disclosure laws came into effect. The complaint alleges there was little separation between the RGA, which has millions of dollars at its disposal and regularly weighs in on competitive gubernatorial races, and the newly formed group as they shared bank statements and key personnel.

The Alaska Public Offices Commission, which regulates Alaska political campaigns, was tasked with investigating the complaint and issued subpoenas for RGA's bank statements and other records.

RGA and A Stronger Alaska denied that they had violated the law and declined to respond to the subpoenas.

After the commission took the matter to court, Anchorage Superior Court Judge Una Gandbhir ordered the groups to comply with the subpoenas. The groups appealed to the Alaska Supreme Court, which affirmed the lower court's ruling Friday.

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Anchorage attorney Scott Kendall, who represented the two groups that filed the original complaint against the RGA, said Friday that the Supreme Court ruling rendered the subpoenas "bulletproof."

Attorneys Stacey Stone and Richard Moses, who represented A Stronger Alaska and the RGA in the proceedings, did not immediately reply to questions on whether their clients would comply with the subpoenas following the ruling.

Though nearly three years have passed since the 2022 election that is at the heart of the original complaint, Kendall said the results of the subpoenas and the commission's eventual ruling on the complaint could have implications for next year's election, and the RGA's involvement in it.

"One, the public will know whether they broke the law in the past, and two, they will obviously be required to produce their true sources as they use their money, so it actually, weirdly, is going to have very good timing for being relevant to this upcoming election," Kendall said.

More than 10 Alaska GOP candidates have filed to run in next year's race for governor, with Dunleavy termed out from running again for the seat.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  Another sure sign of fall made an appearance in Albuquerque Saturday as Dixons Apple Orchard made its annual drop off. The orchard first planted roots in New Mexico back in 1944, but fires and flooding moved the operation out of state in 2012.

Every year since then, the Mullane family has made a trip back to the Land of Enchantment, filling semi trucks with bins of champagne apples, honeycrisp apples, and more. The Mullane family says coming back always feels like home.

Rail Yards Market exploring adding a permanent daily market space

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We love coming back here. We will never forget the customer base we had here and the wonderful people that love our apples. Were just so glad to bring them down from

Wisconsin, says Dixons Apple Orchards Luke Mullane.

More information on when Dixons Apples will be back in New Mexico is available on their website.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
CAIRO (AP)  As the Middle East broadly welcomes a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Iran finds itself at one of its weakest moments since its 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Tehran has operated its self-described Axis of Resistance over several decades, supporting militant groups and nations allied with it against Israel and the United States. But as Israel bombed the Gaza Strip, it also turned its crosshairs toward top leaders abroad in militant groups like Hamas, Lebanon's Hezbollah and even the top echelon within Iran's military and nuclear program  killing many and disrupting their ability to fight back.

As President Donald Trump prepares for a Middle East trip that likely will see him praised by Israel and Arab nations, Iran won't be at the table as it still struggles to recover from June's 12-day war.

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How Tehran's theocracy responds in the weeks and months ahead, whether that means lashing out or trying to rebuild its hobbled economy at home, will be crucial.

Undoubtedly this is a not a proud moment for Iran," said Ali Vaez, the Iran project director at the International Crisis Group. Its alliance system in the region is in ruins but it doesnt mean that the 'Axis of Resistance' is no more.

'Like a bankrupt gambler'

Iranian state media has sought to describe the Gaza ceasefire as a victory for Hamas, despite the war destroying the Gaza Strip and killing over 67,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the dead are women and children.

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Iran's Foreign Ministry welcomed any decision ... that guarantees halting the genocide of Palestinians. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated that on Saturday, telling state television that Hamas decided to accept the deal and that Tehran has "always supported any plan, any action that led to the halt of crimes, genocide by Israel against the people of Gaza.

But perhaps more tellingly, an adviser to Iran's 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei suggested the ceasefire would only lead to conflict elsewhere in the region.

The start of the ceasefire in Gaza may be the behind-the-scenes end of the ceasefire somewhere else! Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Khamenei, wrote on X, referencing Hezbollah, Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and Iraq.

The fear of further Israeli strikes, particularly on Iran, remains acute in the public's mind as much of Iranian air defenses likely were destroyed by Israel in June. Khamenei has not resumed his usual routine of weekly speeches to audiences. Without explanation, Iran avoided holding a major military commemoration marking the end of the Iran-Iraq war in September, which typically sees top officials watch drones and missile launchers parade past them.

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Iran's economy also has suffered under international sanctions and as global energy prices fall.

Iran has always focused on its interests, we do not have resources anymore, our economy has weakened," said Tehran-based analyst Saeed Leilaz. "Our support to Hamas was a reaction to U.S. to divert conflicts from our borders.

Others are less optimistic.

Iran is like a bankrupt gambler after winning some small money in the first rounds," said Amir Kazemi, a university student in Tehran. "When Hamas attacked Israel, Iran was happy about it. But now, after the ceasefire, Iran finds nothing in its pocket.

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Mideast looks far different

In the immediate years after Iran's revolution, its theocratic government sought to export its Shiite revolutionary ideology more widely in the Middle East. That morphed following its devastating 1980s war with Iraq into more of an effort to provide a level of deterrence as Arab nations around it purchased sophisticated American bombs, warplanes and tanks that Tehran couldn't access due to sanctions.

The U.S. military's presence across the Persian Gulf also expanded following the 1991 Gulf War, with Arab nations granting basing rights to American forces to Tehran's constant anger.

The peak of the Axis of Resistance came in the chaotic years after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and Yemen's subsequent collapse into a civil war. Then, it could count on Hezbollah, Syrian autocrat Bashar Assad, the Houthis, Iraqi militant groups and even Hamas  a Sunni militant group.

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Today, the Mideast looks far different.

In Syria, rebels overthrew Assad last year, Israeli strikes killed Hezbollah and Hamas' top leaders, while Iraqi militant groups faded into the background. Yemen's Houthis, while still capable of launching attacks on Israel and commercial shipping in the Red Sea corridor, find themselves now targeted by increasingly precise Israeli strikes.

And the 12-day war in June left Iran likely no longer enriching uranium for its nuclear program, which the West long has worried could be weaponized.

Collapsing regional clout

Iran, meanwhile, has yet to receive any major support from either China or Russia, despite providing Beijing with likely discounted oil and Moscow with the drones it uses in its war on Ukraine. Tehran has also shied away from confronting women who are increasingly abandoning the hijab, or headscarf, instead executing prisoners it already holds at a rate unseen in decades.

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The ceasefire is reflective of Tehrans collapsing regional clout following the unraveling of its long-powerful Axis of Resistance since 2024, said Ali Fathollah-Nejad, the director of the Berlin-based Center for Middle East and Global Order. The ceasefire will free Israeli military capacities that would now be used against Iranian interests  whether in Lebanon against Hezbollah or directly against Iran.

For his part, Trump seized on Iran accepting the ceasefire as terrific" news. However, there's been no move toward renewed public negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear program.

Time is not on Irans side but their problem is no one is really giving them an exit ramp, Vaez said. But whether Tehran would take the ramp also remains in question as its leaders still debate what turn to now take.

___

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Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.

___

EDITORS NOTE  Jon Gambrell, the news director for the Gulf and Iran for The Associated Press, has reported from each of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran and other locations across the Mideast and the wider world since joining the AP in 2006.
Astal has reportedly been able to liberate an area from Hamas occupation, managing to establish a safe city of almost one square mile in Khan Yunis.

Hossam al-Astal, leader of one of the anti-Hamas militias in Gaza, said in an interview with The Telegraph that he was willing to cooperate with former British prime minister Tony Blair in the establishment of a security force inside Gaza.

Astal has reportedly been able to liberate an area from Hamas occupation. Were using mainly handguns and AK-47s taken from Hamas, Astal said, and added, I cant say how many fighters we have. Right now, thats very sensitive  were in a war.

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According to the report, which was not confirmed by the IDF, Astals men have managed to establish a safe city of almost one square mile that works as a refuge for 200 people and is free of Hamas.

Astals comments also assure that he received logistical cooperation from the IDF, something that the military did not comment on, while also receiving freedom of action, protection from air strikes, and bespoke access to aid.

Palestinians walk past rubble as they return to their neighborhood, following Israeli forces' withdrawal from the area, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip October 11, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/Ramadan Abed TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

The day after Hamas in Gaza

Astal worked until 2007 as a security official in the Palestinian Authority (PA), until Hamass coup of 2007 that saw the expulsion of the PA from the strip. He also survived an execution attempt and even managed to escape one of Hamas prisons during the post-October 7 chaos in Gaza.

Tony Blair is a decent politician, he told theTelegraph. I think his help can be useful, especially if its coming with an international agreement or mandate. We are ready to cooperate with anyone who will bring help to our people in Gaza.

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The article points out that this might be jumping the gun, taking into account that the current deal only covers a partial retirement of Israeli forces from the strip in exchange for all the remaining hostages.

We will not stop fighting Hamas, Astal insisted. We have martyrs  Hamas has our blood on its hands. Even if Israel signs a treaty and stops the war with Hamas, we will not stop.

I am in touch with tens of former PA officers around Gaza, and we are all ready and waiting for zero hour, the moment when we are all going to liberate the Gaza Strip from Hamas, he also warned.
SYDNEY (Reuters) -Tens of thousands joined a pro-Palestinian rally in Sydney on Sunday, organisers said, one of dozens of demonstrations across Australia, with some protesters expressing scepticism a ceasefire in Israel's two-year-old assault in Gaza would hold.

The organiser, the Palestine Action Group, estimated a crowd of 30,000 in Sydney, the nation's most populous city, one of about 27 nationwide. Police did not have a crowd estimate for the protest.

The Gaza ceasefire appeared to be holding early on Sunday and Israeli troops had pulled back under the first phase of a U.S.-brokered agreement to end the war, which has killed tens of thousands and left much of the narrow enclave in ruins.

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"Even if the ceasefire holds, Israel is still conducting a military occupation of Gaza and the West Bank," Amal Naser, an organiser of the Sydney rally, said in a statement. "The occupation as well as systemic discrimination against Palestinians living in Israel constitute an Apartheid system."

Australian Broadcasting Corp footage showed protesters, many carrying Palestinian flags and wearing keffiyeh scarves, marching on closed city streets. Police said no arrests were made.

The rally was held in the business district after a court last week blocked a move to hold it at the Sydney Opera House.

Protester Abbi Jordan said she was at the rally because "this so-called ceasefire will not hold".

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"Israel always breaks every ceasefire they've ever done. For 78 years, they've been conducting an illegal occupation in Palestinian territories, and we demand the Australian government sanction Israel," Jordan told Reuters.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry, an umbrella group for more than 200 Jewish organisations, condemned the protest organisers. "They want the deal to fail, which would mean the war would continue," co-Chief Executive Peter Wertheim said in a statement.

Pro-Palestinian protests have been common in Australia, especially in Sydney and Melbourne, since the war in Gaza erupted when militants of the Palestinian militant group Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis in an attack on October 7, 2023.

Gazan authorities say more than 67,000 people have been killed in Israel's military response, and much of the enclave has been flattened.

(Reporting by Sam McKeith and Cordelia Hsu in Sydney; Editing by Raku Gopalakrishnan and William Mallard)
By Eduardo Baptista and Selena Li

BEIJING/HONG KONG (Reuters) -China called President Donald Trump's latest U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods hypocritical on Sunday and defended its curbs on exports of rare earth elements and equipment, but stopped short of imposing new levies on U.S. products.

Trump on Friday responded to Beijing's most recent export controls by imposing additional tariffs of 100% on China's U.S.-bound exports, along with new export controls on critical software by November 1.

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The revived trade tensions have rattled Wall Street, sending Big Tech shares tumbling, worried foreign companies dependent on China's production of processed rare earths and rare earth magnets, and could derail a summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month.

China's commerce ministry said in a lengthy statement its export controls on rare-earth elements - which Trump on Friday called "surprising" and "very hostile" - followed a series of U.S. measures since bilateral trade talks in Madrid last month.

Beijing cited the addition of Chinese companies to a U.S. trade blacklist and Washington's imposition of port fees on China-linked ships as examples.

"These actions have severely harmed China's interests and undermined the atmosphere for bilateral economic and trade talks. China firmly opposes them," the ministry said.

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Beijing stopped short of explicitly connecting these U.S. actions to its curbs on exports of critical minerals, saying its curbs were motivated by concern about these metals' military applications at a time of "frequent military conflict".

It also held off on announcing a corresponding levy on China-bound U.S. imports, unlike earlier in the year, when both superpowers progressively ratcheted up tariffs on each other until the U.S. rate was 145% while China's was 125%.

"Threatening to impose high tariffs at the drop of a hat is not the right way to deal with China. China's position on tariff wars has always been consistent: we don't want to fight, but we are not afraid to fight," the commerce ministry said, adding that China would take corresponding measures if the U.S. did not correct its course.

However, China's decision not to immediately respond to Trump's opening salvo in this latest round of trade tensions could leave the door open for both countries to negotiate a de-escalation.

(Reporting by Eduardo Baptista in Beijing and Selena Li in Hong Kong; Editing by William Mallard)
NEED TO KNOW

Newly released surveillance video shows Bryan Kohberger shopping after he murdered four University of Idaho students

In the footage, Kohberger is seen being turned away from a Costco store for not having a membership card, while another video shows him browsing and using a self-checkout register

Kohberger was sentenced to four life sentences plus an additional 10 years for burglary in the deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Ethan Chapin

Newly released surveillance video shows convicted killer Bryan Kohberger shopping soon after he murdered four University of Idaho students.

In the footage obtained by Fox News, Kohberger, 30, is seen being turned away from a Costco store for not having a membership card, while another video  obtained by the outlet from police in Moscow, Idaho  shows him browsing and using a self-checkout register.

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Additional footage, which police said they would have used during a trial against Kohberger, before he pleaded guilty in July  shows the 30-year-old's white Hyundai Elantra in multiple locations, before and after the murders.

NEW: Just hours after the Idaho student murders, Bryan Kohberger is caught on surveillance video being turned away from Costco  for not having a membership card. pic.twitter.com/ufuGTLkCCA  Fox News (@FoxNews) October 10, 2025

In December 2022, Kohberger was charged with four counts of murder and one count of felony burglary for the slayings of Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Ethan Chapin.

Goncalves, 21, Mogen, 21, Kernodle, 20, and Chapin, 20, were stabbed to death in an off-campus rental home in Moscow on Nov. 13, 2022. Two more roommates at the 1122 King Road residence, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, were home and unharmed. Early in the investigation, the surviving roommates were ruled out as suspects.

On July 2, Kohberger formally entered guilty pleas to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. Prosecutors had previously indicated they intended to seek the death penalty before a plea deal was reached.

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Kohberger was sentenced to four life sentences plus an additional 10 years for the burglary charge as well as $270,000 in fines and civil penalties on July 23. He will not be offered parole.

Angela Palermo/Idaho Statesman/Tribune News Service via Getty Images The house at 1122 King Road, where the murders took place, in Moscow, Idaho. The building has since been demolished.

The motive behind the murders is still a mystery, nearly three years after the four college students' deaths  though the convicted killers acquaintances and fellow criminology classmates at Washington State University have speculated to police that Kohberger wanted to see if he could get away with the crimes he often studied.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

A source familiar with the investigation previously told PEOPLE that Kohberger also had photos of one of the female victims on his phone. They did not specify whether the images were taken by Kohberger or pulled from social media.

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According to the case's probable cause affidavit, which was reviewed by PEOPLE, Kohberger was caught after a sheath of the knife used in the murders was left at the scene in the bed where Mogen and Goncalves were found.

Courtesy of Chapin Family; Maddie Mogen/Instagram; Kaylee Goncalves/Instagram; Xana Kernodle/Instagram Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves

The affidavit states that this is where detectives found DNA linking Kohberger, which they then matched to trash taken from Kohberger's parents' home in Pennsylvania. In June 2023, prosecutors revealed that a DNA sample taken directly from Kohberger matched DNA found on the sheath of a knife.

The affidavit also alleged that around 4:20 a.m. on the night of the killing, a white sedan referred to as "Suspect Vehicle 1" in the affidavit was seen leaving the area of the home. The document also stated that the vehicle and a phone associated with Kohberger returned to the scene between 9:12 a.m. and 9:21 a.m.

Additionally, the affidavit alleged a cell phone associated with Kohberger pinged in the area of the 1122 King Road home on at least 12 occasions prior to Nov. 13, 2022.

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"All of these occasions, except for one, occurred in the late evening and early morning hours of their respective days," the affidavit read.

In August, the Daily Mail reported that Kohberger had complained to guards that he is being "taunted" by his fellow inmates at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution.

"The inmates are tormenting him at night and almost all hours of the day  taunting him through the vents in his cell," said retired homicide detective Chris McDonough, who now works for the Cold Case Foundation. "Theyre utilizing the vent system. Theyre kicking the doors. Theyre taunting him. And theyre ... torturing him."

Kyle Green-Pool/Getty Bryan Kohberger on July 2, 2025 Bryan Kohberger on July 2, 2025

Public Information Officer Blake Lopez, a spokesperson for the Idaho Department of Corrections, confirmed that Kohberger has complained about his treatment, though he could not confirm the exact accusations.

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"We are aware of Kohbergers complaints about what he considers taunting. Incarcerated individuals commonly communicate with each other in prison," Lopez told PEOPLE at the time. "Bryan Kohberger is housed alone in a cell, and IDOC security staff maintain a safe and orderly environment for all individuals in our custody."



Read the original article on People
Immigrants selling food, flowers and other merchandise along the sidewalks of California will have new privacy protections intended to keep their identities secret from federal immigration agents.

The measure, signed into law this past week by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, comes on the heels of other recently enacted state laws meant to shield students in schools and patients at health care facilities from the reach of President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement actions.

Democratic-led states are adding laws resisting Trump even as he intensifies his deportation campaign by seeking to deploy National Guard troops to Democratic-led cities to reinforce U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers who are arresting people suspected of being in the U.S. illegally.

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By contrast, some Republican-led states are requiring local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with ICE agents.

The actions of the states really reflect the polarization of the country on this issue, said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, which supports immigration restrictions. We have seen some states move to cooperate to the greatest extent that they possibly can with Trumps administration and others doing what they can to try to thwart immigration enforcement in their state.

Across the U.S, state lawmakers this year have passed more than 100 bills relating to immigration, according to an Associated Press analysis aided by the bill tracking software Plural. The measures are divided almost evenly between those providing and denying protections to immigrants.

California is shielding immigrant information

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Immigrants comprise a significant portion of California's urban sidewalk vendors. Some have been swept up in immigration enforcement actions, in part, because their outdoor work in public places makes them easier targets than people behind closed doors.

California's street vendors typically need permits from cities or counties. The new law prohibits local governments from inquiring about vendors' immigration status, requiring fingerprinting or disclosing personal information  name, address, birth date, social media identifiers and telephone, driver's license and Social Security numbers, among other things  without a judicial subpoena.

The law, which will take effect Jan. 1, was prompted by concerns that vendor databases kept by local governments could be accessed by federal immigration agents to target people for detention and deportation.

Were talking about really security - security for businesses, security for human beings, security for people who have gone through so much," said Sergio Jimenez, a street vending organizer with the nonprofit Community Power Collective in Los Angeles.

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Additional laws recently signed by Newsom add immigration status to a list of protected medical information and prohibit schools from granting access to immigration enforcement officials without a court warrant. Another new California law directs schools and higher education institutions to immediately notify staff and students or parents when immigration officials are on campus.

Democratic states create safe places for immigrants

Upon taking office, Trump reversed a policy restricting federal immigration agents from arresting people at sensitive locations such as schools, churches and hospitals. Like California, other Democratic-led states responded with laws attempting to create safe places for immigrants.

A Maryland law enacted earlier this year requires public schools, libraries and health care facilities to restrict access for immigration enforcement officials unless presented with a court warrant. Nevada's Republican governor vetoed a similar measure for schools that had been passed by the Democratic-led Legislature.

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Meanwhile, a new Colorado law allows civil penalties of up to $50,000 for public child care centers, schools, colleges, health care facilities and libraries that collect information about peoples immigration status, with some exceptions. New laws in Rhode Island prohibit health care providers and landlords from inquiring about people's immigration status. Oregon also enacted a similar law for landlords.

States split on aiding federal immigration agents

By contrast, Republican-led states have passed numerous laws intended to bolster Trumps immigration policies.

New laws in Texas, Florida and Arkansas require sheriffs who run jails to enter into federal agreements for their officers to be trained to help U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. State and local participation in the federal 287(g) immigration enforcement program  named after the section of law that created it  has exploded from 135 agreements in 21 states before Trump took office in January to more than 1,000 agreements presently in place in 40 states.

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But some Democratic-led states have refused to take part. A new Delaware law prohibits participation in the program, similar to statutes already in place in California and Illinois. Democratic-led Vermont also tightened its restrictions on participating in federal immigration enforcement programs, repealing an exemption that had allow it during emergencies.

A Connecticut law that took effect in October allows people to sue local governments that cooperate with federal immigration authorities in violation of the states Trust Act.

Public benefits are a point of contention

In Washington, new state laws allow workers to take paid leave to attend immigration proceedings for themselves or family members and prohibit employers from using immigration status to coerce their employees.

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But some Republican-led states have enacted laws limiting benefits for people in the country illegally.

A new Idaho law prohibits immigrants without legal status from receiving some publicly funded health benefits, including vaccinations, crisis counseling and prenatal and postnatal care for women. A new Louisiana law requires applicants for public benefits to be screened for legal immigration status and, if lacking it, reported to federal immigration authorities

Several Republican-led states  including Florida, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Tennessee and Wyoming  have adopted laws invalidating certain drivers licenses issued to immigrants in the U.S. illegally.

College tuition discounts are diminishing

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Entering into this year, nearly half the states provided in-state tuition to public colleges and universities for residents living in the U.S. illegally. But that number has dwindled since Trump took office and the U.S. Department of Justice began suing states. The federal lawsuits assert states are violating the Constitution by providing in-state tuition for people without legal status while not offering the same benefit to out-of-state U.S. citizens.

Florida repealed its decade-old law allowing in-state tuition for students lacking legal status, effective July 1. Republican-led Texas and Oklahoma both ended similar tuition policies after getting sued by the Justice Department. Kentucky, which has a Democratic governor, also has taken steps to halt its policy after getting sued.

California lawmakers attempted to enhance tuition benefits for immigrants with a first-of-its kind measure allowing community college students who get deported or voluntarily leave the U.S. to continue receiving in-state tuition while taking online courses from afar. But Newsom vetoed the measure earlier this month, citing significant constitutional concerns that the tuition break was offered only to students who left the country and not also to residents of other U.S. states.

A bill passed by New Mexico's Democratic-led Legislature this year would have expanded in-state tuition breaks to immigrants who earned income in New Mexico during the previous two years or who attended at least two semesters of adult education courses. But Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham let the bill die without her signature.
Polls opened in Cameroon on Sunday in a presidential election that sees incumbent Paul Biya, 92, seek an eighth consecutive term after 43 years in power. There are 11 other candidates on the ballot, but some analysts say divisions among the opposition are clearing the path for Biya's reelection.

The candidates were in full campaigning mode until Friday, having had just two weeks to set out their stalls before the 12 October presidential election.

The presidential party, the RDPC, campaigned for Biya without his physical presence until Tuesday, when he attended a meeting in Maroua, the capital of the Far North Region of Cameroon. Biya had not made a public appearance at a party event until then, and hadn't addressed Cameroonians since a 10 February Youth Day speech.

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"I have an opportunity to tell you that my determination to serve you remains intact. I would like to reaffirm this today," he told the crowd of supporters.

Fears over divided opposition and instability, as Cameroon heads to the polls

Enrica Picco, Central Africa director for the International Crisis Group (ICG), told RFI: "Many Cameroonians, inside and outside the country, hoped that President Biya would have listened to the many calls, from opposition parties, civil society and from his own party and allies, to step down after 42 years in power."

However, the opposition did not seize the opportunity to unite behind a strong alternative candidate.

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"Though this is not the first time they were told to identify a single candidate to challenge Biya, they didn't manage to do so," said Picco.

She added that this could discourage many people from voting  especially those in the far north of Cameroon, where security is a huge issue, making going out to vote potentially dangerous.

Anglophone regions

The election campaign has been severely disrupted in the country's two predominantly English-speaking regions, the Northwest and the Southwest.

Since September, armed separatist groups have been calling for "ghost town" action, with varying degrees of impact.

Civil society groups called on the belligerents, both armed groups and the state, to do everything possible to allow English-speaking citizens to vote this Sunday, so that these two regions would not be excluded from the electoral process.

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Spotlight on Africa: Cameroon votes, Niger Delta oil pollution, South Africa - US ties

Ayah Abine, a leading figure in English-speaking Cameroon and president of the Ayah Foundation based in Buea, the capital of the Southwest Region, told one of RFI's reporters in Cameroon: "The economy is on the floor, schools arent working, not much is really happening, thats deplorable... but the brave will come out [to vote]."

"I, for example, will go to vote, really hoping that everything will go well," he added. "But many wont have the courage to face armed men."

Electoral logistics

There are around 7.845 million registered Cameroonians voters, including 26,800 in the country's diaspora.

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For the previous presidential election on 7 October 2018, there were 6,687,000 registered voters, and participation was 53.85 percent across the national territory and 48.1 percent within the diaspora.

Outcry in Cameroon as opposition leader Kamto barred from presidential race

The presidential election in Cameroon is a single-round, majority vote. The candidate with the most votes wins the election, for a seven-year mandate, renewable without limit since the reform of the constitution in 2008.

There will be 30,357 polling stations open across the country on Sunday, and in 44 diplomatic missions and consular posts.

The authorities deployed the equipment and personnel of Elecam (Elections Cameroon), the body in charge of the election, the week before the polls opened.
Cameroon has voted in an election that could see the worlds oldest serving head of state extend his rule for another seven years.

The single-round election held on Sunday is likely to return 92-year-old incumbent Paul Biya as president for an eighth term in the Central African nation of 30 million people.

Biya, in power for 43 years, faced off against 11 challengers, including former government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary, 79, who has generated unexpected momentum for a campaign calling for an end to the leaders decades-long tenure.

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Bakary  a close ally of Biya for 20 years, who resigned from the government in June to join the opposition  is considered the top contender to unseat the incumbent after another leading opponent, Maurice Kamto, was barred from the race.

But analysts predict Biyas re-election, given his firm grip on state machinery and a divided opposition.





Reporting from Yaounde on Sunday, Al Jazeeras Ahmed Idris said the voters, whether they sought change or the return of Biya, were desperate for the winner to tackle issues confronting the country.

What all of them agree upon is the situation in Cameroon needs a lot of commitment, he said.

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Idris said while the countrys GDP had been growing since 2023, unemployment, falling commodity prices and rising poverty amid a cost of living crisis were impacting ordinary Cameroonians, while new infrastructure investment was also sorely needed.

More than eight million people registered to vote, including over 34,000 overseas. The Constitutional Council has until October 26 to announce the final results.

Divide to rule

We shouldnt be naive. We know full well the ruling system has ample means at its disposal to get results in its favour, Cameroonian political scientist Stephane Akoa told the AFP news agency, noting that the campaign had been much livelier in recent days than previous versions.

This poll is therefore more likely to throw up surprises, he said.

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Francois Conradie, lead political economist at Oxford Economics, told the Reuters news agency that while a surprise is still possible, a divided opposition and the backing of a formidable electoral machine will, we predict, give the 92-year-old his eighth term.

Biya has remained in power for nearly 43 years by deftly dividing his adversaries, and, although we think he isnt very aware of what is going on, it seems that the machine he built will divide to rule one last time, Conradie said.

Presidential candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary casts his vote in Garoua, Cameroon [Desire Danga Essigue/Reuters]

Biya  who has won every election in the past 20 years by more than 70 percent of the ballot  ran a characteristically low-profile campaign, appearing in public only on Tuesday for the first time since May, AFP reported.

His sole rally in Maroua, the regional capital of the strategic Far North region, drew a crowd of just a few hundred people, far smaller than a rally in the same city by Bakary this week, which drew thousands, AFP said.

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Biya, whose health is a subject of frequent speculation, spends much of his time in Europe, leaving day to day governing to party officials and family members, the Associated Press news agency reported.

We want change

Cameroon is Central Africas most diversified economy and a significant producer of oil and cocoa.

But voters in a country where about four people in 10 live below the poverty line, according to the World Bank, complain about the high cost of living, high unemployment and a lack of clean water, healthcare and quality education.

Hassane Djbril, a driver in the capital, Yaounde, told Reuters that there were no jobs for those seeking work. He said he planned to vote for Bakary. We want change because the current government is dictatorial.

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Herves Mitterand, a mechanic in Douala, told Reuters he also wanted Biya to go.

For me, things have only gotten worse, he said. We want to see that change, we want to see it actually happen. We dont want to just keep hearing words any more.

The vote took place in the shadow of a conflict between separatist forces and the government that has plagued the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions since 2016.
Three T-6A Texan IIs sit on the flightline during a training event at Del Rio International Airport in Del Rio, Texas, Sept. 30, 2025. Operators launched over 70 sorties from Laughlin before noon, approximately 20 more than a typical day of operations, contributing to 169 total sorties flown at Del Rio International Airport that day. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jarrett Smith

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bipartisan bill Thursday that aims to prevent the states home insurer of last resort from running out of money following a natural disaster.

The FAIR Plan is an insurance pool that provides policies to people who cant get private insurance because their properties are deemed too risky to insure. The number of homeowners forced onto the FAIR Plan has skyrocketed. With high premiums and basic coverage, the plan is designed as a temporary option until homeowners can find permanent coverage.

But more Californians are relying on it than ever as increasingly devastating and destructive fires spark across the state, including in densely populated areas. There were nearly 600,000 home policies on the FAIR Plan as of June. Leaders of the plan last year warned state lawmakers that it could go insolvent after a major wildfire or disaster.

That reality came true earlier this year after wildfires swept through Los Angeles and destroyed more than 17,000 structures. The plan faced a loss of roughly $4 billion and needed a $1 billion bailout from private insurers to pay out claims. Half of that cost is expected to be passed onto all policyholders.

The law Newsom signed allows the FAIR Plan to request state-backed loans and bonds and spread out claims payments over multiple years after a disaster. Insurance companies were previously required to pay the full bailout within 30 days. Supporters of the new law said it will prevent the need for future bailouts that raise rates for everyone.

The kinds of climate-fueled firestorms like we saw in January will only continue to worsen over time. Thats why were taking action now to continue strengthening Californias insurance market to be more resilient in the face of the climate crisis, Newsom said in a statement.

Republican state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil said the measure was a good step to help stabilize the FAIR Plan.

This bill doesnt solve everything. But it does help to ensure that the FAIR Plan customers can rely on coverage in their time of greatest need, she said in September during a floor debate.

Newsom also signed another bill to expand the FAIR Plan board, which currently consists of nine voting insurers and four nonvoting members appointed by the governor. The new law adds two representatives from the Legislature to serve as non-voting members on the board.

Supporters, including the states top insurance regulator, said the law adds a new layer of oversight and transparency. Opponents said it wouldnt make a difference because the new members dont have any voting power.

California is undergoing a yearslong effort to stabilize its insurance market after several major insurance companies either paused or restricted new business in the state in 2023, which pushed hundreds of thousands of homeowners onto the FAIR Plan. Wildfires are becoming more common and destructive in California because of climate change, and insurers say that is making it difficult to truly price the risk on properties.

Of the top 20 most destructive wildfires in state history, 15 have occurred since 2015, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The state now gives insurers more latitude to raise premiums in exchange for issuing more policies in high-risk areas. That includes regulations allowing insurers to consider climate change when setting their prices and allowing them pass on the costs of reinsurance to California consumers.

By TRAN NGUYEN

Associated Press
NEOSHO, Mo.  The legacy of Neoshos Camp Crowder is celebrated today.

Military historian and author, Jeremy Amick, took the stage Saturday for the The Legacy of Camp Crowder: WWII and beyond presentation at Central Campus.

Amick, a U.S. Army and Missouri National Guard veteran, covered the early history and development of the Signal Corps training site during World War II, starting with what Neosho looked like and who played a role in making Camp Crowder what it is today.

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Using materials from Camp Crowders archives, he talked about the construction of the camp, the number of soldiers brought to the city, their roles, and the impact Camp Crowder continues to have today.

For the people who grew up here. They not only grew up going to Camp Crowder back whenever it was being disassembled, whether it be the Olympic-sized pool or their parents or grandparents went to and worked at Camp Crowder, is just a really interesting history that we have and just very, very excited to share with everybody, said Justin Carnahan, Newton County Historical Society.

I think its interesting; its still being utilized by the Missouri National Guard as a training site. So that legacy that began with the US Army has carried forward through the decades, and its Camp Crowder is still there, being maintained and used, said Jeremy Amick, Military historian and author.

This was a collaboration between the Newton County Historical Society and the Neosho Arts Council.

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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 KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com.
Michael Fidanza, professor of plant and soil science at Penn State Berks, has been named president of the Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture. Fidanza will serve as PSPAs 239th president for a one-year term.

Fidanza traces his interest in agriculture back to childhood, where he worked on his fathers mushroom farm in Chester County. His research interests focus on turfgrass ecology, the evaluation of plant health products, soil surfactants, seed technology, and cultural practices (fertilizers, biostimulants) in turfgrass ecosystems, and the biology and ecology of fairy ring disease in turfgrass.

Education delegate

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Dr. Rebecca West Burns, dean of the College of Education at Kutztown University, represented Pennsylvania as part of a 40-member U.S. delegation at the Teacher Apprenticeship Summit held in Oxford, England. Delegates from Pennsylvania, Colorado and Arkansas gathered to explore global models of apprenticeships and develop action plans to strengthen the educator workforce.

Items are supplied by the colleges involved
A Chinese coast guard vessel reportedly deployed a powerful water cannon and subsequently rammed a Philippine government ship on Sunday, causing minor damage to the anchored vessel near a Filipino-inhabited island in the disputed South China Sea.

The BRP Datu Pagbuaya, a vessel from the Philippines' fisheries fleet, sustained slight damage, though no injuries were reported among its Filipino crew members.

This incident, occurring off Thitu island  known as Pag-asa by the Philippines  represents the latest escalation in the protracted territorial disputes involving Manila, Beijing, and four other governments in the region.

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While China has not yet issued a direct response to the incident, it consistently reiterates its claim of sovereignty and control over virtually the entire South China Sea, a crucial global trade route.

This stance is maintained despite a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated its historic claims, a decision China rejects but which is supported by the United States and its Western and Asian allies.

According to Philippine coast guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela, the Pagbuaya and two other Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessels were anchored in Thitu's territorial waters when Chinese coast guard and suspected militia ships initiated "dangerous and provocative maneuvers."

China Coast Guard ship (R) deploying water cannon as seen from a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries vessel during an incident near Thitu island (Philippine Coast Guard)

Commodore Tarriela firmly stated that such aggression would not prompt Manila to "surrender a square inch of our territory to any foreign power."

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A Chinese coast guard ship with bow number 21559 fired its water cannon directly at the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, hitting the vessel, then rammed the stern of the Philippine fisheries vessel three minutes later, causing minor structural damage but no injuries to the crew.

Video issued by the Philippine coast guard shows a Chinese coast guard ship firing a water cannon, hitting the vessel and its two Philippine flags. The Filipino-manned ship is seen moving away from the Chinese coast guard ship.

Despite these bullying tactics and aggressive actions, the Philippine coast guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources remain resolute, Tarriela said. We will not be intimidated or driven away.

The harassment we faced today only strengthens our resolve, Philippine coast guard commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said.

The Chinese coast guard targeted Pagbuaya off the Philippines-occupied Thitu island in the latest flare-up of the long-simmering territorial disputes involving Manila, Beijing and four other governments (Philippine Coast Guard)

Filipino fisherfolk depend on these waters and neither water cannons nor ramming will deter us from fulfilling our commitment to Pres. Ferdinand Marcos to not surrender a square inch of our territory to any foreign power.

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Thitu is the largest of nine islands, islets and reefs inhabited by Philippine forces and also has a fishing community in the Spratlys archipelago, the most fiercely disputed region of the South China Sea, where China turned seven barren reefs into island bases protected by a missile system.

Three of the artificial islands have runways, including Subi, which lies just more than 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Thitu, which China also claims.

The latest territorial faceoff in the South China Sea adds to domestic emergencies being dealt with by the Marcos administration, including recent earthquakes, which left more than 80 people dead in the central and southern Philippines and back-to-back typhoons that devastated the same regions.
Tensions between China and the Philippines have flared again in the South China Sea following a collision between their vessels near the disputed Thitu Island on Sunday.

Both sides have offered conflicting accounts of the event and traded accusations of misconduct and provocation.

The China Coast Guard claimed that two Philippine government vessels "illegally intruded" into waters near Tiexian Reef, also known as Sandy Cay, without permission.

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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.

Despite "repeated stern warnings", one of the Philippine ships allegedly "dangerously approached" a Chinese vessel, resulting in a collision "for which the Philippine side bears full responsibility", coastguard spokesman Liu Dejun said in a statement.

Chinese forces "took control measures in accordance with the law and firmly expelled the vessels", Liu said, describing the operation as "professional, standardised, reasonable and legal".

Sandy Cay, a low-tide elevation, and nearby Thitu Island - known as Zhongye Island in China and Pag-asa Island in the Philippines - are part of the Spratly Islands claimed by both nations.

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Beijing's statement reaffirmed its "indisputable sovereignty" over the Spratlys, known in China as the Nansha Islands.

Liu accused the Philippines of "seriously infringing upon China's territorial sovereignty", violating the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and undermining regional peace and stability.

"We sternly warn the Philippine side to immediately cease its infringements and provocations," he said, adding that the China Coast Guard would continue law enforcement operations within its claimed jurisdiction.

The Philippine Coast Guard, on the other hand, accused the Chinese ship of deliberately ramming its vessel after firing a water cannon at it, "causing minor structural damage but no injuries to the crew".

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It also released photos and videos showing the Chinese vessel shadowing its ship with its water cannon deployed, with a spokesman describing the moves as "bullying tactics".

Manila condemned the incident as a "clear threat" and an escalation of aggressive behaviour.

The US also immediately condemned "China's aggressive actions in defiance of international law" and expressed support for the Philippines, a close Asian treaty ally, Associated Press reported on Sunday.

US ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson praised the Filipino personnel involved in the incident for their "tremendous valour and skill in the face of China's dangerous ramming and use of water cannons", the report said.

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According to Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Jay Tarriela, their vessels were anchored near Thitu Island, roughly 500km (310 miles) west of the island province of Palawan, as part of a government programme to protect local fishermen.

The Chinese manoeuvres were "dangerous and provocative", Tarriela said, and emphasised that the Philippine presence in the area was "crucial for protecting the rights and livelihoods of Filipino fishermen".

"Despite these bullying tactics and aggressive actions ... we will not be intimidated or driven away," he said.

Tensions between the two countries have steadily escalated over the past year, marked by frequent maritime confrontations involving collisions, water cannon usage and alleged dangerous manoeuvres.

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Beijing claims nearly the whole of the South China Sea, and does not recognise a 2016 international tribunal ruling that invalidated its expansive assertions.

China's claims are also contested by other Southeast Asian nations besides the Philippines, including Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.

In April, China Coast Guard personnel landed on Sandy Cay and raised a Chinese flag, prompting a counter-response from the Philippines, which called the move "illegal boarding".

More recently, confrontations have intensified around Scarborough Shoal - known in China as Huangyan Island - which lies within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone but is controlled by Beijing. Manila refers to the maritime feature as Panatag Shoal.

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Last month, China said it used water cannons and other "control measures" against Philippine vessels near the shoal, including one it claimed had "deliberately" collided with a Chinese ship. The Philippine government reported at least one injury.

A China-Philippines confrontation near Sandy Cay in the disputed South China Sea on May 21. Photo: Philippine Coast Guard/Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources via AP alt=A China-Philippines confrontation near Sandy Cay in the disputed South China Sea on May 21. Photo: Philippine Coast Guard/Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources via AP>

In August, a China Coast Guard vessel reportedly collided with a Chinese navy ship while pursuing a Philippine cutter in the same area.

And in September, Beijing announced plans to establish a nature reserve on Scarborough Shoal.

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Manila denounced the move as "illegitimate and unlawful", calling it "a clear pretext towards eventual occupation".

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also condemned the move, calling it "another example of Beijing using pressure tactics to push expansive maritime and territorial claims, disregarding the rights of neighbouring countries".

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker vowed Sunday to use the power of state government to resist President Donald Trumps deployment of National Guard resources and federal law enforcement agents like ICE to Chicago, while Vice President JD Vance said the White House may escalate things even further.

Pritzker was on ABCs This Week, where he challenged Vance over a tidal wave of lies about the city of Chicago and other cities run by liberal mayors and leadership. He also responded once again to Trumps call for his arrest this past week.

As Ive said before, come and get me, said the governor.

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Pritzkers comments come as the White House moved this past week to deploy National Guard troops to Illinois largest city using a provision of federal law that allows it to be activated without the consent of the governor. Though Guard troops in the city will not have direct law enforcement powers, they will be able to assist federal law enforcement operatives carrying out immigration enforcement and other activities which fall under the umbrella of crime prevention.

A federal judge then ruled on Thursday in favor of the state, temporarily blocking the deployment.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker denied that attacks against law enforcement were occurring in Chicago (X - ABC's This Week)

The Trump administration argues that American cities like Chicago, Portland and Baltimore are lawless hellholes where law enforcement and citizens are attacked openly, a false perception fueled by right-wing media like Fox News.

None of his planned or existing federal takeovers of U.S. cities have been popular with the residents of the respective areas, especially Washington D.C. where the only vocal supporters of the crackdown have been Republican transplants working in Congress or the broader administration  or the media.

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Also on Sunday, Vance warned on NBCs Meet the Press that the president was not ruling out invoking the Insurrection Act to crush dissent in liberal cities and other areas.

Are you seriously considering invoking the Insurrection Act? moderator Kristen Welker asked Vance.

He continued: The problem here is not the Insurrection Act or whether we actually invoke it or not. The problem is the fact that the entire media in this country, cheered on by a few far left lunatics, have made it OK to tee off on American law enforcement. We cannot accept that in the United States of America.

Pritzker responded in an interview following Vance on ABC, arguing that there was absolutely no legal justification for invoking a law allowing the president to federalize individual National Guard units and deploy military assets against U.S. citizens, which under the Constitution can only be used to address an insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination or conspiracy which prevents law enforcement from taking action normally or where a state government is unable, fails, or refuses to protect Americans rights.

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"If the Constitution means anything, and I guess we all are questioning that right now, the Insurrection Act cannot be invoked, Pritzker told host George Stephanopolous. There has to be a rebellion.

JD Vance defended Trump's federalization of National Guard resources and warned that use of the Insurrection Act was on the table in dual interviews Sunday (X - ABC's This Week)

They just want troops on the ground because they want to militarize especially blue cities in blue states, the governor added. He argued that Vance and Trump both were contradicting arguments in court made by DOJ attorneys claiming that the militarization of the Illinois Guard was necessary to protect ICE and its related facilities in the state.

He went on to note that Illinois was the 19th safest state in the United States.

Trump has flirted with invoking the legislation before, such as during the George Floyd protests in 2020 during his first term. The law hasnt actually been used to suppress political demonstrations in the United States since it was invoked by George H.W. Bush to call in the Guard to quell riots in Los Angeles in 1992.

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In Washington D.C., his federalization of the Guard (and, briefly, D.C.s police force) led to a surge of arrests, with around 40 percent being for immigration-related offences. Over the course of the first three weeks of the White Houses deployment, nearly 1,700 arrests were carried out around the District of Columbia.

A federal judge blocked the administration from deploying troops to Chicago this past week, arguing that it would add fuel to the fire and unnecessarily escalate tensions between residents and law enforcement.

The judge wrote in her opinion that she had seen no credible evidence that there is a danger of a rebellion in the state of Illinois and derided the DOJs explanations as unreliable.

Vance, in a separate interview on ABCs This Week, clashed with Stephanopoulos over reporting that Tom Homan, the White House border czar, had allegedly accepted a $50,000 bribe from an FBI informant.

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And heres, George, why fewer and fewer people watch your show, and why youre losing credibility, he said, before repeating his claim that he didnt know about a video purporting to show Homan accepting the bribe.

In the same interview, he repeatedly dodged questions about whether he agreed with Trumps call to jail Pritzker, before claiming that he certainly believed that the governors supposed failure to uphold his fundamental oath of office was criminal.

After attacking the shows ratings, he was cut off by Stephanopoulos, who ended the interview over Vances protestations: You did not answer the question. Thank you for your time.
NUNNELLY, Tenn. (AP)  Just miles from a rural Tennessee plant leveled by a devasting explosion, the congregants of Maple Valley Baptist Church devoted Sunday's service to the 16 deceased victims and their families.

Several of the dozens of people praying at the small church knew someone who worked at the plant owned by Accurate Energetic Systems, which supplies and researches explosives for the military and is a well-known employer in the area.

Theres a somber kind of vibe right now in the community just because its so many lives that have been affected by it, said Pastor Jimmy Andrews of the church in Nunnelly. Its family and friends just trying to hold each other up during this most difficult time.

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Churches across many of the area's small close-knit communities, including another one attended by Gov. Bill Lee on Sunday, did the same through vigils and services as many tried to make sense of the devastation.

The losses are staggering, Lee told reporters after surveying the damage by helicopter and attending Compassion Church in nearby Waverly.

The cause of Fridays blast remained under investigation. Crews were carefully going through incinerated property, searching for possible evidence. Authorities warned of smaller controlled explosions Sunday to dispose of hazardous materials.

Extraordinary precautions are in place to prevent further damage and injuries, the Humphreys County sheriffs office said in a statement. The community around the area is safe but you may hear noise and see some smoke.

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The initial blast was felt for more than 20 miles (32 kilometers), leaving a smoldering wreck of twisted and charred metal and burned-out vehicles at the plant. Authorities said there were no survivors. They had not identified the deceased by Sunday.

The plant is located in a heavily wooded area of middle Tennessee, between the vital Tennessee River to the west and Nashville to the east.

Brandon Brake, 42, said many in the area were leaning on their church families to make it through. He attended Maple Valley Baptist.

Its been a tragic time, he said. Were going to pull through.

The community of McEwen lowered its flags to half-staff on Saturday out of respect. A Sunday evening candlelight vigil was planned outside the Humphreys County Courthouse. Schools in the county said counseling services would be available to students on Monday.

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We will continue to play a support role to those affected in any way possible as they are our friends, neighbors, and citizens of our community, McEwen Mayor Brad Rachford said in an email Sunday.

Andrews, the pastor of Maple Valley Baptist, told congregants to look out for each other.

Lord, I just pray we lift up those that are continuing to suffer through this tragic event, he said.

___

Tareen reported from Chicago.
HEALTH AFFAIRS: Many paramedics and first responders from Magen David Adom, who treated the wounded on October 7, 2023, remain haunted by the memories.

As the two-year anniversary of October 7 passes, Israel is still reeling in shock, and the fatal wounds of that day remain painfully raw. Families of victims, hostages, and fallen soldiers continue to navigate the long and difficult healing process.

Alongside them, many paramedics and first responders who treated the wounded remain haunted by the memories. Among these, Magen David Adom paramedics were instrumental in saving countless lives. Now, two years later, their reflections offer a powerful glimpse into the tragedy and its lasting impact.

Zvi Tibber: I didnt think twice

Zvi Tibber, a senior MDA volunteer paramedic, hi-tech professional, and married father of three, recalled the harrowing events of that day.

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Like most Israelis, he was awakened by sirens at 6:30 a.m. When MDA called and asked if he was prepared to go to the South, he responded of course and jumped into his ambulance without hesitating.

I didnt think twice, he told The Jerusalem Post.

ZVI TIBBER stands next to a Magen David Adom ambulance. (credit: MDA)

Together with another ambulance driver from his yishuv (community), Alfei Menashe, Tibber set off for Ofakim in an armored ambulance, listening to news reports in an attempt to understand the unfolding crisis. But the true extent of the horror was unimaginable.

Within minutes of arriving, they began treating the wounded. Their first patient was a police officer with a severe bullet wound to the hand. Tibber managed to stop the bleeding.

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Another officer was suffering a massive panic attack, after fighting terrorists for hours. Inside the ambulance, he was finally able to release all the stress hed been holding on to. I was sure I wouldnt survive this day, he told Tibber. I have been fighting since 7 a.m. It was 11 a.m. at this point.

Tibber managed to calm the man but couldnt transport him to a hospital, as intensive care was reserved only for the most severely wounded.

Another patient was a reservist who was traveling with a friend when terrorists opened fire on his car. They managed to flee the car and reach Ofakim while the terrorists continued shooting at them. The reservist had a serious back wound and was bleeding heavily. Tibber transported him to Soroka Medical Center, Beersheba, and called the mans wife, telling her to meet them there.

Throughout the day, Tibber and his colleague made repeated trips between Ofakim and Soroka. By evening, they moved toward Gaza, evacuating the wounded from nearby yishuvim and transferring them to helicopters. Tibber also had to identify many bodies, many of which had been mutilated in ways he still cant fathom.

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There was a shooting. How could a body look like this? he said. I just couldnt imagine how someone could do this to someone who had already died or while they were dying.

Two years later: Could I have done more?

When asked how he feels now, two years later, or how October 7 has changed him, Tibber said that it was a complex question. We have all moved on with our lives, but we are still living in the shadow of the war, which has been going on for two years already, along with all the challenges, like the Iran war.

He stressed that the ordeal isnt over, as 48 hostages are still being held captive. We really want to reach closure, but its impossible while the hostages are still there.

On that fateful day, Tibber knew there were terrorists, and that their ambulance could be hit by Hamas RPGs. But he could never have anticipated the full scale of the horror. The ongoing war has forced him to reflect and face tough questions, such as could he have done more?

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When asked how October 7 changed how MDA operates, Tibber said that it has elevated the organizations level of preparedness. It now has better resources, improved equipment, and knows how to identify personnel for emergency situations.

Living in an isolated community himself, he said that neither MDA nor the yishuvim were adequately prepared. His ambulance wasnt equipped for treating more than one or two patients, forcing multiple trips to Soroka to replenish his supplies. Soroka itself was running low on resources. We had to manage as much as we could.

Today, he said, MDA is ready for dangers far beyond what anyone could have imagined before October 7.

Although he doesnt personally attend therapy or support groups, Tibber shared that speaking about his experience helps him. Since the attack, he has shared his story several times on behalf of MDA.

Dr. Shafir Botner

Dr. Shafir Botner, director of MDAs Paramedic School and a senior member of the elite Medevac Helicopter and ECMO Unit, helps certify about 650 paramedics annually. The medevac unit operates two emergency helicopters from hubs in northern and southern Israel, while the ECMO Unit makes MDA one of the few emergency organizations worldwide to use this advanced technology.

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On October 7, Botner was at home when the sirens went off. Like everybody else, I woke up from the sirens. It took just a few minutes to realize this was no false alarm.

After seeing the reports, he put on his uniform  as I always do, he said  and headed south, as directed by a colleague.

At the Sde Teiman junction, Botner faced a choice, which, in hindsight, may have ultimately saved his life: turn right to Ofakim or left to Beersheba. Choosing Beersheba, thinking he could be more efficient there, he headed left. Looking back, he said, We most probably would not be speaking right now, had he chosen to head to Ofakim.

Botner spent several hours assisting the dispatch center in Beersheba before he was called to Sde Teiman and asked to prepare a third helicopter for evacuations  a rare request, as MDA usually operates only two. Within minutes, Botner and his colleague were treating three severely wounded soldiers. Over the next 72 hours, from Shabbat morning until Monday evening, he and his colleague evacuated and treated casualties throughout the Negev and some in central Israel, too.

A near-death experience

On Monday evening, Botner was transporting three patients from the helipad at Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon to the Center when he suddenly heard a massive explosion that shook the entire helicopter violently.

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It felt like being inside a spinning washing machine. It lasted 30-40 seconds but felt like forever, he said. Believing theyd been hit by a missile, he thought, Its over for us.

Later he learned that a missile had been intercepted just above them and that a piece of shrapnel had hit the aircraft and broken a blade off, nearly tearing the helicopter apart.

Somehow, while this was happening, Botner managed to call for help. I asked for ambulances to come, because in a few seconds I was going to be the one who needed an ambulance.

News spread quickly on social media. His daughter, an MDA medic, saw reports that an MDA helicopter had been hit. Knowing that her father was on a helicopter, she called him repeatedly in a panic. Eventually, he managed to answer and reassure her that he was alright.

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That was when he knew he had to go home to see his family, said Botner. After 72 hours in the field, Botner returned home, only to return to the helipad the following day. We knew that if we didnt continue flying then, we may never fly again.

A new perspective

Two years later, Botner is still piecing together what happened, and has a whole new understanding of the significance and meaning behind this famous Jewish saying Whoever saves one soul, its as if he saved a whole world.

He shared several poignant stories illustrating this newfound perspective. One night, his brother-in-law, a policeman, visited a colleague who had been severely wounded on October 7. All the man remembered was being evacuated by helicopter. Botner recognized him instantly from a photo; it turns out that he had treated this man. He was in such a bad condition, Botner recalled. He begged me, Keep me alive. I have a new baby.

Botner related another story in which he found out that the three Counterterrorism Unit soldiers he had treated on October 7 later took part in the daring rescue of hostages Luis Har and Fernando Marman from Gaza. A colleague of theirs, now a student in Botners paramedic school, sought him out to personally thank him for saving his friends.

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In another incident, this time during the Iran war, Botner responded to a missile strike in Beersheba. Inside the damaged building, he saw a policeman rescuing someone. The policeman turned out to be a man he had treated on October 7. Here he was, a year and a half later, alive and saving others.

These encounters reaffirm how important my job really is, educating and preparing paramedics, Botner said. Who knows who they will save in the future?

When asked how October 7 has changed him or how he works, Botner said that it has made him view emergency situations entirely differently. In his 20 years as a paramedic, he rarely paused to think about the risks or of what he was leaving behind every time he responded to a call. Now, hes more aware of the dangers and of the importance of family.

MDA has long been regarded as among the worlds most advanced emergency services. But nothing could have prepared it for the horrors of October 7. According to Botner, the unprecedented events of that fateful day have pushed MDA to an entirely new level. Now, the organization is better equipped, better trained, and has improved its procedures. We are at a completely different level now than we were on October 7. Absolutely. Unfortunately.

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The trauma of that day also sparked a rise in mental health challenges across Israel. In light of this, Botner highlighted that MDA has expanded its services to provide active support to frontline responders as well as dispatchers and others deeply affected.

We are not leaving this subject on the side. Its very important. Its a long process, and were not even in the middle of it, he said.

For Botner, sharing his experiences has become a form of therapy, especially as he grasps just how meaningful his work is.

He also emphasized the vital role of paramedics in Israel and noted a surprising trend: since October 7, many more people  military and civilian  have enrolled in paramedic training. Despite the trauma of what so many endured, the desire to help others has only grown stronger.

As the nation continues to heal from the wounds of October 7, the stories of paramedics like Zvi Tibber and Dr. Shafir Botner stand as powerful testaments to courage, resilience, and the enduring commitment to save lives against all odds.
Oct. 12 (UPI) -- On this date in history:

In 1492, Christopher Columbus reached America, making his first landing in the New World on one of the Bahamas Islands. Columbus thought he had reached India.

In 1810, the citizens of Munich were invited to join in celebrating the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen in what would become the first Oktoberfest.

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In 1915, British nurse Edith Cavell, 49, was executed by a German firing squad in Brussels for helping Allied soldiers escape from Belgium in World War I.

In 1933, the United States Army Disciplinary Barracks on Alcatraz Island, otherwise known as The Rock, was acquired by the United States Department of Justice. Less than a year later, the prison would become home to some of the country's most notorious criminals.

Two attendees wear fur coats as they enter the 143rd Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden in New York City on February 12, 2019. On October 12, 2019, California became the first state in the United States to ban the sale of new fur products. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI

In 1945, President Harry Truman awarded the Medal of Honor to Desmond T. Doss, the first conscientious objector to receive the honor. Doss was the subject of Hacksaw Ridge, a 2016 movie starring Andrew Garfield.

President Barack Obama (2nd-R) delivers remarks on the passing of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, at the White House in Washington on October 28, 2009. The bill expands upon 1969 U.S. federal hate-crime law by extending its scope to protect crimes motivated by a victim's gender, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. Obama was joined by Dennis (L) and Judy (2nd-L) Shepard, the parents of Matthew Shepard, and Louvon Harris the sister of James Byrd Jr., both of who were victims of hate crimes. Matthew Shepard died October 12, 1998. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

In 1960, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev removed one of his shoes and pounded it on his desk during a speech before the United Nations.

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In 1964, the Soviet Union launched Voskhod 1 into orbit around Earth, with three cosmonauts aboard. It was the first spacecraft to carry a multi-person crew and the two-day mission was also the first orbital flight performed without spacesuits.

Survivors from a car bomb in Bali, Indonesia, find loved ones and help the injured on October 12, 2002. File Photo by Brian Richards/UPI

In 1973, U.S. President Richard Nixon nominated House Minority Leader Gerald Ford of Michigan for the vice presidency to replace Spiro Agnew, who had resigned two days earlier.

In 1984, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher escaped injury in the bombing of a hotel in Brighton, England. Four people were killed in the attack, blamed on the Irish Republican Army.

James Charles arrives on the red carpet at the 36th annual MTV Video Music Awards at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on August 26, 2019. On October 12, 2016, CoverGirl announced Charles as its first male model. File Photo by Serena Xu-Ning/UPI

In 1992, an earthquake near Cairo killed more than 500 people and injured thousands.

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In 1998, University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old gay man, died six days after he was beaten, robbed and left tied to a fence. The U.S. Hate Crimes Prevention Act is often called the "Matthew Shepard Act."

President Harry Truman awards the Medal of Honor to conscientious objector Desmond T. Doss on October 12, 1945. File Photo courtesy the U.S. government

In 2000, 17 sailors were killed and 39 injured in an explosion on the USS Cole as it refueled in Yemen. U.S. President Bill Clinton blamed the attack on al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

UPI File Photo

A National Park Service employee cleans the Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain in front of Union State, on April 23, 2013 in Washington, D.C. On October 12, 1492, Columbus reached America, making his first landing in the New World on one of the Bahamas Islands. Columbus thought he had reached India. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

In 2001, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to bring peace to the world and his work against AIDS and poverty.

In 2002, terrorist bombings near two crowded nightclubs on the Indonesian island of Bali killed more than 200 people.

Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev shouts "This is my America" at a New York cabbie from his window at the Russian U.N. delegation's headquarters during the 1960 United Nations' General Assembly. On October 12, 1960, Khrushchev removed one of his shoes and pounded it on his desk during a speech before the United Nations. File Photo by Gary Haynes/UPI

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In 2010, the U.S. government lifted a ban on deep-water oil and natural gas drilling for companies that obey stricter rules aimed at avoiding a repeat of the massive BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

In 2016, CoverGirl announces its first male model, James Charles. The 17-year-old high school senior caught the attention of the makeup brand through his popular Instagram account.

On October 12, 1984, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher escaped injury in the bombing of a hotel in Brighton, England. Four people were killed in the attack, blamed on the Irish Republican Army. UPI File Photo

In 2019, California became the first state in the United States to ban the sale of new fur products.

In 2022, a Connecticut jury ordered Infowars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to pay nearly $1 billion to the families of eight Sandy Hook shooting victims and an FBI agent who responded to the 2012 massacre for spreading lies and calling the attack a hoax.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Katie Porter is fighting back.

After a disastrous week that saw calls for the former Democratic congresswoman to end her campaign for California governor, supporters are rallying around her and seeking to deflect criticism about her temperament and readiness for the states top job.

On Wednesday, a snippet of a recent TV interview went viral showing the progressive favorite Porter in an awkwardly tense back-and-forth with a reporter  at one point she threatened to walk out. Shortly afterward, a video surfaced of a 2021 interview showing her loudly berating a staffer.

After a round of condemnation from her Democratic rivals and a flood of online mockery, Porter showed no sign of stepping aside while her campaign lined up supporters to help her weather the fallout.

In this critical moment in our country we dont need to be polite, go along to get along, establishment politicians that keep getting run over by the opposition, said Teamsters California Co-Chairs Peter Finn and Chris Griswold, which endorsed Porter in September. We need strong leaders like Katie Porter that are willing to call it like it is and stand up and fight for everyday Californians.

Tiffany Muller, president of End Citizens United, said in a post on the social media platform X that Porter is one of the toughest, most authentic leaders Ive ever met. Jessica Mackler, the president of EMILYs List, which works to elect Democratic women who favor abortion rights and endorsed Porter last month, said in a statement that Americans know that Porter is the gutsy leader California needs to go toe to toe with (President) Donald Trump.

An unexpected word of support came from Whoopi Goldberg, who said on The View that Some people apparently are surprised by these videos. I am not. We see these videos with  lots of different people.

Human beings have bad days, Goldberg added.

Its yet to be seen whether Porter suffers with voters, if at all  the primary isnt until June, and the general election is in November 2026. But the unflattering videos are certain to encourage other potential candidates to give the wide-open, crowded race a look.

Padilla considers running

Democratic U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla is among those who have not ruled out a run in the 2026 contest.

There are quite a few people looking at this field and saying, There has got to be somebody better,  said Democratic consultant Andrew Acosta. Potential candidates are watching, How far does Porter fall?

I think this whole thing is indicative of a race that is not catching fire, he added.

Porter  who became a social media celebrity by brandishing a white board at congressional hearings to dissect CEOs and break down complex figures into assaults on corporate greed  is probably the best- known candidate in a race that was bypassed by former Vice President Kamala Harris. Porter is known for her potent small-dollar fundraising across the country.

The crowded field to replace outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom includes former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former Biden administration health secretary Xavier Becerra and former state controller Betty Yee, all Democrats, and Republicans Steve Hilton, a conservative commentator, and Chad Bianco, the Riverside County Sheriff, among others.

Testy exchange with reporter

A segment of Porters recent interview with Julie Watts, a CBS California reporter, went viral. In the clip, Watts and Porter get into a testy back-and-forth discussion and Porter at one point says, I dont want to keep doing this. Im going to call it, clapping her hands.

Porters campaign said the interview continued for 20 minutes after the tense exchange settled down.

Porter issued a statement in response to the video of her shouting at a staffer, obtained by the website Politico, saying, I have sought to be more intentional in showing gratitude to my staff.

Campaign spokesperson Peter Opitz said in a statement, Californians are hungry for a governor  they trust can fight for them against Trump.

Katie is never going to be shy about calling out B.S., Opitz said.

Statements of support for Porter implied, sometimes indirectly, that the videos illustrated a well-known aspect of her style  shes known to display a tough, even if sometimes blunt, personality.

Katie Porter is a fighter, Democratic U.S. Rep. Dave Min, who holds Porters former Orange County seat, said in a statement. She would make a great governor.

By MICHAEL R. BLOOD

AP Political Writer
A nor'easter is wreaking havoc throughout Delaware and is causing a voluntary evacuation in Bowers.

The evacuation order is for residents east of Whitwell Delight Road. Those needing refuge can seek shelter at the Magnolia Fire Company at 2 N. Main St. People with questions can call the Kent County EOC at (302) 735-3465.

Delaware is under a coastal flood warning until 8 p.m. Oct. 13. Sussex County is under a wind advisory until 6 a.m. Oct. 13.

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At the Indian River inlet, Delaware Natural Resources Police are not allowing cars on the south side of the inlet. The southwest exit/entrance is impassable due to flooding.

The storm is combining strong onshore winds; high surf and high tides will lead to major coastline flooding from North Carolina to New Jersey.

Coastal Flooding advisory

How will nor'easter impact Delaware?

Confidence remains high for significant impacts from major coastal flooding & substantial beach erosion with the coastal storm today through Monday



Latest information: https://t.co/vFyCuxLx2K



Summary (1/4) pic.twitter.com/VmdRCqtjH0  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) October 12, 2025

The First State can expect the following through Monday:

Moderate to major tidal flooding in the coastal areas of Delaware, including the Delaware Bay.

Gale and storm force winds (gusts near 44 to 55 knots) and wave heights on the ocean from 15 to 20 feet in the Atlantic coastal waters of Delaware and the coastal Delaware Bay.

Northeast winds gusting to 50 to 60 mph along the Delaware coast and 30 to 40 mph winds inland. Power outages and damage are possible.

Rainfall amounts around the coast of 1 to 3 inches.

How to stay safe in a flood

Coastal flooding advice

As heavy rains come into the area, people need to be aware of their surroundings. Here are a few suggestions from ready.gov, a website run by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security:

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Evacuate immediately, if told to evacuate. Never drive around barricades. Local responders use them to safely direct traffic out of flooded areas.

Listen to EAS, NOAA Weather Radio or local alerting systems for current emergency information and instructions regarding flooding.

Do not walk, swim or drive through flood waters. Turn around. Dont drown!

Stay off bridges over fast-moving water. Fast-moving water can wash bridges away without warning.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: How will nor'easter impact Delaware?
WASHINGTON  The U.S. Department of Education fired nearly everyone in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in a wave of new layoffs that began Friday, according to the union representing the agency's employees.

Without an official estimate from the agency, it wasn't immediately clear how many people in the division were fired. Yet based on reports from staff and their managers, most employees below the leadership level were part of the workforce reduction, said Rachel Gittleman, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252.

Separately, employees involved in the college access program known as TRIO, which is located in a different office, were also let go, she said.

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Read more: Education Department lays off roughly 20% of its workforce amid shutdown

The firings, which the union has challenged in court, "double down on the harm to K-12 students and schools across the country," Gittleman told USA TODAY.

A U.S. Department of Education worker acknowledges a crowd of supporters after leaving the Department of Education building on March 28, 2025. President Trump signed an executive order attempting to eliminate the U.S. Education Department on March 20, 2025. Congress would ultimately need to approve a closure of the Education Department, but Trump's workforce reduction will shrink it. A U.S. Department of Education worker is comforted after leaving the Department of Education building during a clap-out event on March 28, 2025. President Trump signed an executive order attempting to eliminate the U.S. Education Department on March 20, 2025. Congress would ultimately need to approve a closure of the Education Department, but Trump's workforce reduction will shrink it. Department of Education workers leave the Department of Education building after clearing out their desks on March 28, 2025. President Trump signed an executive order attempting to eliminate the U.S. Education Department on March 20, 2025. Congress would ultimately need to approve a closure of the Education Department, but Trump's workforce reduction will shrink it. Supporters of Department of Education workers participate in a clap-out event in front of the U.S. Department of Education building as employees pack up their belongings and leave the building on March 28, 2025. President Trump signed an executive order attempting to eliminate the U.S. Education Department on March 20, 2025. Congress would ultimately need to approve a closure of the Education Department, but Trump's workforce reduction will shrink it. U.S. Department of Education workers hug each other before entering the Department of Education building as supporters cheer during a clap-out event on March 28, 2025. President Trump signed an executive order attempting to eliminate the U.S. Education Department on March 20, 2025. Congress would ultimately need to approve a closure of the Education Department, but Trump's workforce reduction will shrink it. Rachel Fishman Feser of Alexandria and her son Sam, 8, join other supporters of Department of Education workers in a clap-out event in front of the U.S. Department of Education building as employees pack up their belongings and leave the building on March 28, 2025. President Trump signed an executive order attempting to eliminate the U.S. Education Department on March 20, 2025. Congress would ultimately need to approve a closure of the Education Department, but Trump's workforce reduction will shrink it. A U.S. Department of Education worker acknowledges a crowd of supporters after leaving the Department of Education building on March 28, 2025. President Trump signed an executive order attempting to eliminate the U.S. Education Department on March 20, 2025. Congress would ultimately need to approve a closure of the Education Department, but Trump's workforce reduction will shrink it. Dorie Holt, right, joins other supporters of Department of Education workers in a clap-out event in front of the U.S. Department of Education building as employees pack up their belongings and leave the building on March 28, 2025. President Trump signed an executive order attempting to eliminate the U.S. Education Department on March 20, 2025. Congress would ultimately need to approve a closure of the Education Department, but Trump's workforce reduction will shrink it. U.S. Department of Education workers acknowledge a crowd of supporters before entering the Department of Education building to clear out their desks on March 28, 2025. President Trump signed an executive order attempting to eliminate the U.S. Education Department on March 20, 2025. Congress would ultimately need to approve a closure of the Education Department, but Trump's workforce reduction will shrink it. A U.S. Department of Education worker leaves the Department of Education building with a box of belongings on March 28, 2025. President Trump signed an executive order attempting to eliminate the U.S. Education Department on March 20, 2025. Congress would ultimately need to approve a closure of the Education Department, but Trump's workforce reduction will shrink it. A U.S. Department of Education worker acknowledges a crowd of supporters after leaving the Department of Education building on March 28, 2025. President Trump signed an executive order attempting to eliminate the U.S. Education Department on March 20, 2025. Congress would ultimately need to approve a closure of the Education Department, but Trump's workforce reduction will shrink it. A U.S. Department of Education worker walks towards a crowd of supporters after leaving the agency on March 28, 2025. A U.S. Department of Education worker is comforted after leaving the Department of Education building during a clap-out event on March 28, 2025. President Trump signed an executive order attempting to eliminate the U.S. Education Department on March 20, 2025. Congress would ultimately need to approve a closure of the Education Department, but Trump's workforce reduction will shrink it. Former Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona speaks to supporters of education workers during a clap-out event in front of the U.S. Department of Education building in Washington D.C. on March 28, 2025. President Trump signed an executive order attempting to eliminate the U.S. Education Department on March 20, 2025. Congress would ultimately need to approve a closure of the Education Department, but Trump's workforce reduction will shrink it. Sam Feser, 8, claps and Rose Jamison, 8, makes signs as they participate in a clap-out event in front of the U.S. Department of Education building as department employees pack up their belongings and leave the building on March 28, 2025. President Trump signed an executive order attempting to eliminate the U.S. Education Department on March 20, 2025. Congress would ultimately need to approve a closure of the Education Department, but Trump's workforce reduction will shrink it. After Trump layoffs, Education Department workers pack up offices 1 of 15 A U.S. Department of Education worker acknowledges a crowd of supporters after leaving the Department of Education building on March 28, 2025. President Trump signed an executive order attempting to eliminate the U.S. Education Department on March 20, 2025. Congress would ultimately need to approve a closure of the Education Department, but Trump's workforce reduction will shrink it.

Spokespeople for the Education Department did not respond to requests for comment Saturday. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has said on multiple occasions that safeguarding students with disabilities, and making sure they have access to the educational resources they're legally entitled to, is a top priority.

Read more: Their time at the Education Department may be over. The grieving isn't.

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"I would like to see even more funding go to the states for that," she told CNN in March.

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon testifies before a Senate appropriations hearing on President Donald Trump's budget request for the Department of Education on June 3, 2025.

In a Friday court filing, the Justice Department said more than 460 Education Department employees had been laid off, cutting roughly a fifth of the agency's already-hamstrung workforce.

The terminations, which have hit more than half a dozen federal agencies, are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to pressure congressional Democrats to end the ongoing government shutdown. Nearly 90% of the Education Department is furloughed, too.

An Education Department staffer told USA TODAY the agency laid off just about every employee who works to administer funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, the primary federal law supporting students with disabilities. He was unsure how those programs will exist moving forward.

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Read more: Colleges report widespread problems with financial aid since Education Department layoffs

A protester stands near the Department of Education headquarters after the agency said it would lay off nearly half its staff, a possible precursor to closing altogether, as government agencies scrambled to meet President Donald Trump's deadline to submit plans for a second round of mass layoffs, in Washington, D.C., on March 12, 2025.

"The system is designed to happen at the school level, with oversight from the district, with oversight from the state, and then with oversight form the federal level," said Glenna Wright-Gallo, who served as assistant secretary in the office from 2023 to 2025. "Now we're losing that checks and balances system."

More: 'Keep your mouth shut. Tempers flare over shutdown with no end in sight

Secretary McMahon has suggested that oversight of IDEA funding could be better positioned in the Department of Health and Human Services, rather than at her agency. Officially moving it would take an act of Congress, though.

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In the likely absence of federal wraparound services for students with disabilities, Wright-Gallo recommended that parents and advocates start paying more attention to support systems at the local and state level.

Zachary Schermele is a congressional reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Education Dept. wipes out special ed office, union says
The Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip is expected to reopen to civilians next week, according to several sources.

The facility is expected to officially reopen for pedestrian traffic on Tuesday, Palestinian sources said.

The Palestinian Authority will jointly manage the Palestinian side of the crossing with a European Union mission, the sources added.

An Egyptian security source meanwhile said coordination is under way with all sides to reopen the crossing on Tuesday to transport wounded and sick people from the Gaza Strip and allow the entry of those stranded in Egypt.

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Israeli security sources emphasized that all those entering or leaving the strip would be subject to Israeli approval.

On Friday, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said the Rafah crossing would be reopened in both directions on Tuesday under US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan.

The crossing was briefly reopened during a January ceasefire that later collapsed.

Israel took control of the Palestinian side of the facility in an offensive in May last year, saying it sought to prevent the Palestinian militant Hamas movement from smuggling weapons into Gaza through border tunnels.

In the past week, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire and hostage release deal, seen as a breakthrough to end two years of devastating war.

Egypt has repeatedly said it has kept the crossing open from the Egyptian side and blamed Israel for disruptions to aid supplies for the heavily populated Gaza Strip.
Five people have been arrested following an alleged assassination attempt on Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, according to the countrys energy minister Ines Manzano.

Noboas car was surrounded by a group of around 500 people throwing rocks as he traveled in a convoy to Canar province, where he was scheduled to announce a set of infrastructure projects, the minister said Tuesday.

Signs of bullet damage were later found on the car, according to the minister, but Noboa was not hurt in the attack.

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CNN could not independently confirm whether shots were fired.

A video released by the Ecuadorian presidency shows hundreds of people on both sides of the road, many waving arms and shouting, surging forward as the motorcade approaches. Members of the crowd throw rocks toward the vehicles, hitting and cracking some of the windows. In the background, a panicked voice can be heard warning passengers to duck.

Authorities said those detained will face terrorism and attempted murder charges.

Shooting at the presidents car, throwing stones, damaging state property  thats just criminal, Manzano said Tuesday after formally filing a report of an assassination attempt against Noboa, according to Reuters. We will not allow this.

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This is not the first time a convoy carrying Noboa has been attacked. In September, roughly 350 people attacked a motorcade carrying the president and diplomats during a protest in Imbabura province, according to officials.

Authorities said the attackers ambushed the convoy with fireworks, molotov cocktails and rocks.

The attacks come amid unrest in Ecuador sparked by the government saying it would end a subsidy on diesel to reduce public spending, curb fuel smuggling and free up funds for social programs.

In recent weeks, demonstrators led mostly by Ecuadors Indigenous community have blocked roads and clashed with security forces, with one incident a week ago leaving one civilian dead and several injured.

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The presidency claims terrorist groups have infiltrated the demonstrations, but protesters argue the government is violently repressing dissent over the new fuel policy.

Indigenous leaders have also accused the government of allowing unchecked mining and oil drilling on ancestral lands.

Following Tuesdays incident, national Indigenous confederation CONAIE again accused the government of violence toward demonstrators, saying in a post on X that the five detained people were protesters who  alongside elderly women  had been attacked in a brutal police and military action.

At the weekend, the government declared a state of emergency in 10 provinces where there have been protests, citing serious internal unrest, but it has not prohibited peaceful demonstrations. The provinces affected have large Indigenous communities.

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Noboa has insisted the fuel subsidy cut is here to stay. Those who choose violence will face the law. Those who act like criminals will be treated as criminals, the president said Sunday on X.

With additional reporting from Michael Rios and Ana Maria Canizares.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
The annual Bayeux Awards for war correspondents were announced at an emotional ceremony in Normandy on Saturday evening. The Palestinian photojournalist Saher Alghorra won first prize for photography, while journalists from RFI and France 24 received accolades for their work on Syria. Reports on Ukraine and Sudan were also among the prizes.

Alghorra (Zuma Press), who is still in Gaza, was recognised for his series "Trapped in Gaza: Between Fire and Famine". Last year, he won Bayeux's young reporter award.

His work on the plight of civilians trapped in the Palestinian territory by the Israeli military campaign also saw him pick up the 2025 Humanitarian Visa d'Or award at Visa pour l'image festival in Perpignan in September.

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Gaza was the focus of the other two recipients for this category with Ali Jadallah (Anadolu Agency) in second place and Jehad Alshrafi in third.

Jadallah's image of Israeli fire raining over Deir al-Balah in Gaza also won the Public's Choice award.

In the print journalism category, Wolfgang Bauer (Zeit Magazin) from Germany won first place for "The Forgotten", about the only hospital still able to perform surgery in Sudan's capital, Khartoum.

The journalist thanked "all the doctors, nurses and volunteers" at the hospital "who do everything they can to save lives every day" in a video message, on the verge of tears.

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Reports from Gaza, Sudan, DRC honoured at French photojournalism festival

Second place in the print category went to Declan Walsh's "Sudan on Fire" published by The New York Times. His article also won the honorary Ouest-France-Jean Marin prize.

Third place went to Alexander Clapp for "Cocaine, bananas, and tongueless children: behind the scenes of the world's latest narco-state Ecuator" for The Economist.

Syrian women have their say

Swiss-Canadian journalist Maurine Mercier (RTS-RTBF) received the top prize for radio for her report "Pokrovsk: Two Flowers in the Ruins", about the sexual lives of women in eastern Ukraine.

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"These women live, they defend democracy and freedom," Mercier told the nearly 1,560 spectators gathered at the award ceremony, "but I didn't think you would be 'punk' enough to award this report."

Second prize in radio went RFI's Manon Chapelain for "Barrage de Tichrine: le dernier front de Syrie" (Tichrine Dam: Syria's last frontline) and third prize to Radio France's Aurelien Colly for "Syrie: la folie de la tyrannie" (Syria and the folly of tyranny).

In the television category, Julie Dungelhoeff, James Andre and Sofia Amara from France 24 won first place for their report, "Inside Assads terror machine", focused on the prisons liberated by the Syrian regime.

"It's important that we continue to go out into the field whenever possible to tell these stories," said Amara told the audience.

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The second prize in television went to Solenn Riou, Pauline Lormant and Oleksii Sauchenko for a report on Ukrainian commandos on the frontline.

The third prize went to Jomana Karadsheh, Tareq Al Hilou, Mohammed Al Sawalhi, Mick Krever and Mark Baron from CNN for their documentary about the lives of children in Gaza which also won the special Normandy Region Prize, designated by students and trainees.

A documentary on the conflict in Ethiopia called "Tigray: rape, the silent weapon" by Agnes NABAT, Marianne Getti (Kraken Films / Arte) scooped up the Grand Format television trophy, awarded by the Caen Memorial museum.

The Young Reporter Award was awarded to Pierre Terraz (Politis, Neue Zurcher Zeitung, Grands Reportages), who distinguished himself with "Burma: A Clandestine Plunge into Civil War."

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"Every day, Burmese journalists are arrested, imprisoned, tortured, and executed, sometimes in public," Terraz said on stage. "I think about them every day."

Global press freedom at 'tipping point', media watchdog RSF warns

Tributes to journalists who perished

The Video Image Award went to Edward Kaprov (Lila Production for ARTE Reportage) for "Donbass, Between Life and Death," a poignant account of the war in Ukraine.

Presided by American journalist Jon Lee Anderson, the international jury of the 32nd edition of the Bayeux Calvados-Normandy Award combed through hundreds of entries to chose winners in the ten categories.

"This has definitely been one of the strongest journalistic offerings I have seen since I have come to the Prix Bayeux," Anderson said after seeing the numerous entries.

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"We evaluated an incredible array of material that included many examples of real journalistic excellence, and it came from all over the globe. We had vigorous debates which were always stimulating and ultimately rewarding. I am tired, but feel very satisfied by the process we have engaged in, and I trust that the public will agree with our choices," Anderson said.

During the ceremony, tributes were paid to journalists killed recently in the line of duty.

Aida, the partner of French photojournalist Antoni Lallican, who was killed on 3 October in Donbass, eastern Ukraine, in a Russian drone attack, sent a message saying she "already misses the joy of living" of the "talented" reporter who died at the age of 37.

A tribute was paid to Syrian journalist Anas Kharboutli, who died a few days before Bashar al-Assad fled the country.

The Bayeux Calvados-Normany Awards for war correspondents exhibitions are open to the public until 9 November.
Georgia State Representative, Mandi Ballinger, died after a long and courageous battle against cancer, House Speaker Jon Burns announced Sunday.

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Ballinger was serving her fourth term in the Georgia House of Representatives, representing District 23, where she chairs the Judiciary Juvenile Committee.

In a statement, Burns shared he is deeply saddened by Ballingers death.

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For over a decade, Chairlady Ballinger served our state and her community with unwavering resilience and the utmost dedication. Her commitment to advocating on behalf of the most vulnerable among us, including children and survivors of domestic violence, has certainly left an indelible mark on countless lives across the entire state of Georgia.

While her leadership and impact extended far beyond the walls of the Capitol, Chairlady Ballinger will be greatly missed by each of us who had the profound honor of serving alongside her, and all those who knew and loved her."

According to officials, Bellinger began her career in the non-profit world, working in a domestic violence shelter, after which she worked for a district attorneys office as a Victim Advocate. She left the district attorneys office and returned to the non-profit arena, serving as the founding director for a Child Advocacy Center

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Gov. Brian Kemp also released a statement, stating in part, Ballinger was an advocate for justice in our state.

Burns asked that everyone keep her husband, State Court Judge Allen Morris, son, Henry, family, and loved ones in prayer as they face this devastating loss.

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German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has drawn attention to the nearly 700 million people worldwide suffering from hunger, speaking on Sunday at an event in Berlin marking Welthungerhilfe Week (World Hunger Aid Week).

"We must not fail on the way there, despite all the setbacks that unfortunately exist," Steinmeier said, referring to the United Nations' goal of a world without hunger by 2030.

The hunger aid week is an annual campaign organized in Germany by the humanitarian Welthungerhilfe (WHH) organization to raise awareness of global hunger and encourage action to end it.

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The United Nations set the goal of a world without hunger 10 years ago for 2030. According to a UN report published in July 2025, about 673 million people suffered from hunger last year, about 8% of the world's population.

The report stated this was a slight decrease compared with 2023 (8.5%) and 2022 (8.7%), but that the level remained above that recorded before the coronavirus pandemic, adding that high food prices had also slowed the recovery.

In his speech, Steinmeier pointed to the causes of hunger, saying wars and conflicts prevented people from growing or distributing food.

He added that the consequences of climate change  droughts, storms and floods  were increasingly destroying harvests and livelihoods, and that food was being wasted or traded unfairly on world markets.

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Nevertheless, there are stories that give hope, he noted, speaking of a family from the West African country of Sierra Leone that, with the support of the WHH aid agency and a partner organization, had learned to grow its own healthy food.

It can now even sell the surplus to work its way out of "the vicious circle of poverty and indebtedness," he said.
Germany is committing 1 billion ($1.16 billion) over the next three years to support the global fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, Development Minister Reem Alabali-Radovan announced on Sunday at the start of a World Health Summit in Berlin.

"With this, we are sending an important signal: Germany will continue to engage in protecting people worldwide from diseases," Alabali-Radovan said, confirming the country's 20262028 financing support for the Global Fund.

Alabali-Radovan said this commitment was achieved despite painful budget cuts and significant financial pressures within the ministry.

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Combating major infectious diseases is not only a humanitarian imperative but also a matter of common sense, as pathogens know no borders, she said.

"Every euro invested in the fund pays off. It strengthens the health systems of partner countries and makes the world more resilient. This way, we save millions of lives," she said.

Founded in 2002, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is the largest multilateral grant provider in the health sector for low-income countries. It is funded by governments, foundations and private donors.

According to the German Development Ministry, the goal of the current funding round is to save more than 23 million additional lives. Germany's pledge includes 100 million in debt swaps.

The World Health Summit was set to formally open in Berlin on Sunday evening.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will travel to Egypt on Monday for a summit of around 20 world leaders, where a formal agreement on a ceasefire after two years of conflict in Gaza is to be signed.

"Germany will be committed to implementing the peace plan, initially focusing on maintaining a stable ceasefire and providing humanitarian aid," a government spokesman in Berlin said.

"The chancellor is underlining this commitment with tomorrow's trip."

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The ceremony will take place in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh in the afternoon. US President Donald Trump, whose peace plan was approved by Israel and Hamas late last week, is also attending.

French President Emmanuel Macron and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres have confirmed their participation, as has British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Following the ceasefire, which took effect on Friday, all remaining hostages are expected to be released by midday Monday in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

Trump is scheduled to arrive in Israel early on Monday, meet with relatives of hostages, address parliament, and then continue on to Egypt for the summit.
Jeff Smith was dumbfounded when he received a colon cancer screening kit in the mail.

The 68-year-old Minnesota man hadn't asked for the Cologuard test, and his doctor hadn't mentioned anything about it. And why in the world would he need such a test? Smith has lived most of his life without a colon. As a child, he had ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease. Doctors removed his colon.

Smith's experience, which included additional uncomfortable testing after he completed the kit, has some doctors worried about the idea of mailing tests to patients without consulting their doctors first. Early detection of colon cancer is crucial  it's the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, with nearly 53,000 people projected to die from it in 2025, according to the American Cancer Society.

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But the disease is highly treatable if caught early; screening is recommended for adults ages 45 to 75 at average risk. Yet nearly 1 in 3 eligible adults are not up to date on colon cancer screening.

Consumers increasingly have testing options beyond the once-a-decade colonoscopy. Tests that can detect signs of the disease in a person's stool are available, and the Food and Drug Administration approved a blood test in 2024. Exact Sciences, the company that markets the Cologuard test, teamed up with health insurance companies and health systems to send kits to the homes of eligible people who have never been screened for colon cancer or are past due.

Some doctors not affiliated with Exact Sciences are raising questions about the home screening program. They worry that in some cases, doctors are being cut out of the decision-making process, which can lead to inappropriate testing, they say  much like what Smith had to deal with.

Naresh Gunaratnam, one of Smith's doctors, is a gastroenterologist and president of the Digestive Health Physician Association, which represents nearly 3,000 doctors specializing in digestive care. He said he worries such mail-home tests can be prescribed inappropriately and create angst and worry among patients.

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"You're destroying the doctor-patient relationship," Gunaratnam said.

How does the Cologuard home testing program work?

Paul Limburg, chief medical officer of screening for Exact Sciences, said the company partnered with several major insurance companies and health systems to ship Cologuard kits to the homes of people who are due for screening.

Health insurance plans send lists of eligible patients to Exact Sciences, which completes its own checks to verify someone is due for screening. A person must not have been screened with Cologuard within the past three years. High-risk patients who carry a genetic condition that puts them at higher risk of colon cancer might need more frequent testing than someone at average risk.

Limburg cited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-published research on another colon cancer test mailed to homes of people due for screening. The CDC research examined community health centers that mailed fecal immunochemical tests, or FIT tests, to patients.

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Cologuard and FIT tests are less expensive and easier to complete than a colonoscopy. But a positive test on the results might require a follow-up colonoscopy.

Limburg said the program is designed to reach people who have not been screened because of lack of medical access or transportation barriers  as well as those who are anxious or fearful over getting a colonoscopy.

"Colorectal cancer is a highly preventable disease, but it's way too common," Limburg said. "We estimate there's between 50 and 60 million people who are unscreened or under-screened, meaning that even if they've been screened in the past, they're overdue."

Man without a colon is tested for colon cancer

Smith received a letter that accompanied the kit that said the test was "recommended by your provider," Smith said. "The way that this letter was worded, it really confused us. ... I didn't know whether that meant my insurance company or if it meant my doctor."

Minnesota resident Jeff Smith received a colon cancer screening test in the mail even though he doesn't have a colon. After the test returned a positive result, he needed additional uncomfortable testing to rule out cancer.

Smith ended up following the test's instructions and mailed the completed test kit to a laboratory. He reasoned his doctor might have ordered the test to check his small intestine, which is still intact.

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Weeks later, "they called me and said, 'You have genetic markers for cancer,'" Smith said. "You hear 'cancer' and, whoa, I'd better check this out."

Smith said a doctor who is part of Gunaratnam's practice recommended he get a scope to check for signs of throat or stomach cancer. Cologuard checks for blood or abnormal DNA in the entire digestive tract, Gunaratnam said. The doctor performed an endoscopy on Smith to rule out cancer anywhere in his digestive tract.

There were no signs of cancer. They determined Cologuard likely picked up blood from his ostomy bag used to clear waste from his body.

Gunaratnam said Smith never should have received the Cologuard test because he doesn't have a colon. But the doctor said the follow-up scope was necessary to check for cancer.

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His practice "was forced to do that test because I didn't want to miss something," Gunaratnam said. "Once you've opened up that can of worms, you've got to follow through."

Smith said it took about a month to get the scope scheduled and completed after his Cologuard test. He said he was stressed and anxious during that time. He didnt want to upset his wife, but he thought about a possible cancer diagnosis and his mortality.

He said the endoscopy "isn't a comfortable thing, because they put a scope down your throat and look around."

He was relieved the endoscopy did not find any signs of cancer, but relief turned to anger. He questioned why the Cologuard test was mailed to him in the first place.

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"I felt kind of pissed. I was angry," Smith said.

Gunaratnam said the test shows the potential pitfalls when insurance and testing companies might not be familiar with a patient's full history.

"This failed on so many different levels," Gunaratnam said. "When insurance companies and a publicly traded company (Exact Sciences) affect public policy and public health because they're trying to promote their test, that's really bad. That's wrong."

Cologuard relies on lists from insurers, health systems

Limburg said the company relies on list of eligible patients from health insurance companies as well as health systems that have such "gap closure" screening programs.

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He said Exact Sciences doesn't have access to the patients' health records, so they are unable to identify when individuals, such as Smith, should not have received a test.

"We don't have the level of detail that the plans and the payers have," said Limburg, who added the company modifies the list if it discovers a person should not be screened. He added the company informs the consumers they have the right to opt out of testing. The company also alerts consumers' primary care doctors if they have such information, he said.

"We're doing everything that we can to make sure that the patients who receive the Cologuard kit are the appropriate ones," Limburg said.

Limburg said the home tests are prescribed by a doctor or health provider identified by the health insurer or Exact Sciences telehealth partner, Recuro Health.

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Smith's insurance provider, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, said mailing Cologuard tests to eligible customers is "a cost-effective, timesaving and minimally invasive screening solution for colorectal cancer."

The insurer said it has identified fewer than 900 customers who would be eligible for such home screening. Blue Cross sent information about the screening program to customers' health care providers. The insurer also sent information directly to consumers, including instructions to opt out if they did not want to receive the kit, the company said.

Exact Sciences said the nation's top 10 largest private insurers have at least one health plan participating in the program to mail Cologuard kits to consumers.

Though some might be confused by insurance companies sending letters urging consumers to get screened, some advocates say any awareness about colon cancer screening is welcome.

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Andrew Spiegel, CEO of the Global Colon Cancer Association, said screening options are important because some consumers want to avoid an invasive colonoscopy.

"The most effective cancer screening test is the one that the patient will get done," Spiegel said. "They all work. You just have to pick one and do it."

Email consumer health reporter Ken Alltucker at alltuck@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Colon cancer screening tests are being mailed to homes. Why?
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (AP)  President Donald Trump on Sunday warned Russia that he may send Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles if Moscow doesnt settle its war there soon  suggesting that he could be ready to increase the pressure on Vladimir Putins government using a key weapons system.

I might say, Look: if this war is not going to get settled, Im going to send them Tomahawks, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew to Israel. The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, very offensive weapon. And honestly, Russia does not need that.

Trump also said, I might tell them that if the war is not settled  that we may very well. He added, We may not, but we may do it. I think its appropriate to bring up.

His comments came after Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Trump said he mentioned possibly sending Tomahawks during that conversation.

Do they want to have Tomahawks going in that direction? I dont think so, Trump said of Russia. I think I might speak to Russia about that. He added that Tomahawks are a new step of aggression.

His suggestions followed Russia having attacked Ukraines power grid overnight, part of an ongoing campaign to cripple Ukrainian energy infrastructure before winter. Moscow also expressed extreme concern over the U.S. potentially providing Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine.

Putin himself has previously suggested that the United States supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine will seriously damage relations between Moscow and Washington.

For his part, Zelenskyy described his latest call with Trump as very productive, and said the pair had discussed strengthening Ukraines air defense, resilience, and long-range capabilities, along with details related to the energy sector.

In an interview with Fox News Channels The Sunday Briefing after his call with Trump, Zelenskyy was asked whether Trump had approved the Tomahawks and said, we work on it.

Im waiting for president to yes, Zelenskyy said. Of course we count on such decisions, but we will see. We will see.

The Ukrainian president said Friday that he was in talks with U.S. officials about the possible provision of various long-range precision strike weapons, including Tomahawks and more ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in remarks published Sunday that the topic of Tomahawks is of extreme concern.

Trump, who has been frustrated by Russia in his efforts to end the war, said last week that he has sort of made a decision on whether to send Tomahawks to Ukraine, without elaborating. A senior Ukrainian delegation is set to visit the U.S. this week.

The U.S. president in recent weeks has taken a notably tougher tact with Putin, after the Russian leader has declined to engage in direct talks with Zelenskyy about easing fighting.

Last month, Trump announced that he now believes Ukraine could win back all the territory lost to Russia  a dramatic shift from the Republicans repeated calls for Kyiv to make concessions to end Russias war in Ukraine.

But Trump, at least so far, has resisted Zelenskyys calls for Tomahawks. They would allow Ukraine to strike deeper into Russian territory and put the sort of pressure on Putin that Zelenskyy argues is needed to get the Russians to seriously engage in peace talks.

Trump said aboard Air Force One of the war: I really think Putin would look great if he got this settled and that Its not going to be good for him if not.

___

Weissert reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani contributed to this report from Washington.

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE and WILL WEISSERT

Associated Press
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has announced the launch of a petition in Hungary against what he called "Brussels' war plan" to support Ukraine in the war.

Source: Orban on Facebook, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Orban claimed that Europe is "on the brink of a hot autumn as it heads ever faster towards war".

Quote from Orban: "A few weeks ago in Copenhagen, Brussels presented its war plan: Europe will pay, the Ukrainians will fight, and Russia will eventually be exhausted. No one's told us how much it will cost or how long it will last."

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Orban added that he had made it clear when he was in Denmark that Budapest does not support this, claiming that since then a campaign has been waged against Hungary using what he called a "vast arsenal"  including accusations of espionage, fake news and legal machinations.

Quote: "We can't just sit idly by. We have to show once again that the Hungarian people does not want war. So today we're starting to collect signatures against Brussels' war plans. We'll be in every city and every village, because every peace-loving Hungarian is needed now."

Background:

Parliamentary elections are due to take place in Hungary next year. Ahead of the vote, the government has stepped up its openly anti-Ukrainian and anti-European rhetoric.

On Friday 10 October, Orban claimed that Ukrainian intelligence is not only monitoring Hungary but has infiltrated the country through the Tisza party, which he says is pro-Ukrainian.

In response, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said that accusations from the Hungarian side are now routine and becoming more and more absurd.

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Monday, Oct. 13, will be a holiday, though who you celebrate will depend on your worldview.

Michigan will recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said, while President Donald Trump will stick with Columbus Day, a federal holiday, at the federal level.

Columbus Day honors 15th century explorer Christopher Columbus, who sailed to the Caribbean, setting off European settlement in the Americas, while Indigenous Peoples' Day celebrates Native peoples who suffered historical injustices amid European colonialism, according to National Geographic and the National Museum of the American Indian.

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Columbus Day is a federal holiday, and while Indigenous Peoples' Day doesn't share that status, former President Joe Biden issued proclamations recognizing the holiday from 2021-24, the first U.S. president to do so, according to Smithsonian Magazine.

The two holidays on the same day reveal competing narratives over U.S. history, largely across political divides.

Here's a look at the origins behind these holidays and what they represent.

When is Indigenous Peoples' Day?

Indigenous Peoples' Day is Oct. 13, 2025.

Will Michigan celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day?

Yes, Whitmer declared in a proclamation that Michigan will celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day.

"We should honor the historic and contemporary significance of Indigenous Peoples, their cultures, their governments, and their ancestral lands that also became known as the Americas, and we celebrate their contributions to communities throughout the land we now call Michigan, the United States, and all over the world," the proclamation read in part.

When is Columbus Day?

Columbus Day is Oct. 13, 2025.

Who does Columbus Day celebrate?

Columbus Day honors Christopher Columbus, a 15th century Italian explorer and navigator who sailed to the Caribbean on behalf of the Spanish monarchy in 1492, according to National Geographic. The voyage marked the start of a new era, ushering in centuries of European colonialism in the "new world," the Americas, according to Norwich University.

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However, historians note Columbus actually intended to sail to India, mistakenly thinking sailing west would offer a quicker route to South Asia from Western Europe, according to PBS.

How did Indigenous Peoples' Day come about?

Indigenous Peoples' Day began in the late 1980s amid efforts to promote Native American rights, providing another option instead of Columbus Day, according to the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

The holiday affirms indigenous heritage, shifting the focus away from honoring Europeans who brought harm to Native peoples, historians note. The National Museum of the American Indian recalls how Indigenous peoples suffered theft, loss of their homelands, enslavement, death, forced displacement and disrupted cultural traditions due to European settlement. Native America saw its population decline by 95% within 130 years of initial European contact, the museum said.

More: Looking for things to do in October? See the list of upcoming holidays, special events

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More: Landmark DIA exhibit of regional Native American art is first in decades

"Celebrating Columbus and other explorers like him dismisses the devastating losses experienced by Indigenous Peoples of the Western Hemisphere in the past and the ongoing effects of colonialism today," the museum's website says.

Is Columbus Day a federal holiday?

Yes, Columbus Day is a federal holiday.

President Trump issued a proclamation Oct. 9 recognizing Columbus Day, praising Columbus and sharply criticizing efforts to reframe the day around Indigenous peoples.

"Today our Nation honors the legendary Christopher Columbus  the original American hero, a giant of Western civilization, and one of the most gallant and visionary men to ever walk the face of the earth. This Columbus Day, we honor his life with reverence and gratitude, and we pledge to reclaim his extraordinary legacy of faith, courage, perseverance, and virtue from the left-wing arsonists who have sought to destroy his name and dishonor his memory," the proclamation began.

How did Columbus Day come about?

Columbus Day celebrations in the U.S. date back to 1792, according to Smithsonian Magazine.

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Starting in 1892, the holiday became an occasion to honor Italian immigrants, then the subject of discrimination, under a proclamation by former President Benjamin Harrison.

Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt designated Columbus Day a federal holiday in 1934, according to Smithsonian Magazine.

Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day, US Columbus Day
Iran's basic approval of the Gaza ceasefire deal must not be mistaken for support of US President Donald Trump's Middle East policy, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday.

"Mr Trump expresses his preferred positions in different formats, but these are mostly in contradiction to our ideological convictions," Araghchi said on state television.

He stressed that Iran's backing of the peace initiative merely served the aim of ending the violence, but said a realistic prospect of peace for the Palestinian Territories was not in sight.

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"There is a fundamental difference between the current situation and the very unclear outlook for the future," Araghchi said. He added that Israel in particular had repeatedly failed to adhere to such agreements.

Support for militant groups such as Hamas and the creation of an independent Palestinian state are central elements of Iran's foreign policy doctrine. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Tehran has not recognised Israel as a state and avoids mentioning it by name.

Instead, it always refers to the "Zionist regime."
Israel is preparing not only to receive living hostages but also to identify the bodies of the dead, with the Ministry of Religious Services having completed the necessary preparations, the Jerusalem Post reported on Sunday.

Under the agreement struck between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant organization must release all hostages it holds, living or dead.

The ministry's director general, Yehuda Avidan, said there was concern that Hamas might not be able to hand over all the remains, in an interview with public broadcaster Kan radio.

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Media reports have cited the massive destruction in the Gaza Strip as a factor that could prevent the bodies from being found.

According to Israeli information, 48 hostages remain in the Gaza Strip, of whom 20 are said to be alive.

The Israeli authorities have previously expressed great concern about the fate of two other hostages - a German-Israeli national and a Nepalese agriculture student.

Only one of the remaining hostages is a woman. She had been declared dead.

"We are preparing to receive between one and 28 [bodies]," Avidan told the broadcaster Kan, according to the Jerusalem Post. He said his greatest fear was Hamas claiming that some bodies could not be found, leaving families without closure.

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After strict security checks, the bodies are to be taken to a forensic institute in Tel Aviv for identification.

The handover of the living hostages is expected on Monday morning, Israeli radio reported. The handover of bodies is also expected to begin then.
Teams are preparing to identify the fallen hostages, determine the causes of death, and support families, using scientific methods and human compassion

A nationwide operation to identify the fallen is underway: the Health Ministry and the National Center of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir said they have completed preparations to receive the remains of the hostages expected to return to Israel on Monday.

According to the official statement, this is among the most sensitive and complex processes in Israels health system, combining rigorous scientific work with a profound commitment to the families and the state.

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The center, headed by Dr. Chen Kugel, is responsible for identification, investigating the circumstances of death, and providing certainty to families. The work will be carried out in close cooperation with the IDF, the Military Rabbinate, the Israel Police, and the Religious Services Ministry.

Dozens of specialists are involved at the institute, including forensic pathologists, anthropologists, radiologists, imaging and laboratory technicians, DNA experts, and forensic dentists, each responsible for a different stage of the identification process.

The Health Ministry emphasized that since the start of the war, the institute has operated continuously. Over the past two years, it has identified more than 50 hostages who were killed while in captivity. The accumulated experience enables the teams to act swiftly and professionally now as well, while safeguarding human dignity and providing emotional support to families.

People pay their respects while the convoy with the slain hostages arrive at the L. Greenberg Institute of Forensic Medicine at Abu Kabir. February 20, 2025. (credit: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

The process of identification

Identification will proceed in precise stages, in line with accepted international protocols. Upon arrival, the remains will undergo an advanced full-body CT scan to locate unique markers, such as medical implants or old fractures, that can be matched with medical records provided by families.

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A full forensic medical examination by specialist physicians will follow, including documentation of external identifying features, tattoos, scars, and injuries sustained before or after death.

Dental examinations will be performed by dentists from the Israel Police volunteer unit, comparing dental X-rays and previous records. The forensic radiology department, headed by Dr. Alon Krispin, will carry out additional comparisons using X-ray and CT imaging to identify distinctive anatomical features.

Samples will then be taken for advanced DNA testing at the centers biological laboratory, led by Dr. Nurit Bublil. There, precise genetic analyses will be conducted and compared with reference samples collected from families.

The goal is to reach the highest possible level of certainty, which often requires an integrated effort across several disciplines, including genetics, anatomy, anthropology, and radiology.

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Where findings are clear and the condition of the remains allows, identification can be completed in as little as an hour and a half. In complex cases, the process may take many hours or even several days until complete scientific certainty is achieved. Once identification is finalized, the findings will be submitted to the relevant authorities in the Health Ministry and the defense establishment, and families will be notified in person. Only then will the bodies be released for burial, in accordance with the families wishes and IDF procedures.

The human element is never forgotten

The institute stressed that even after the identification process is completed, its staff will remain available to families to explain the findings and answer questions. The aim is to ensure families fully understand the information and can reach personal closure.

The Health Ministry also addressed the psychological dimension of this national trauma. It noted that uncertainty and tension surrounding the identification process affect the entire public and urged awareness of ones own mental state and that of the community.

Recommendations include mutual support among family and friends, avoiding disturbing videos or rumors, and engaging in activities that strengthen emotional resilience, such as spending time with loved ones and maintaining routine.

In addition, the ministry warned against spreading information that does not come from official sources and called on the public to act responsibly and sensitively toward bereaved families and those returning from captivity. We all carry the invisible wounds of grief and pain, the statement said. It is likely that many around us are coping with loss. Be sensitive, and help those in distress.
Sheena Allende-Smith has been waiting on calls continually for the last two weeks. Calls from attorneys, calls from anyone  family or friends  offering support as she struggles through the aftermath of an ICE raid.

But most of all, at any minute, any hour, the call Allende-Smith most craves is one from her 58-year-old father, Jose Manuel Allende, owner of the Palm Bay-based M.A.K. Home Improvements business. Targeted in a raid by ICE agents last month and picked up at his Palm Bay home, he has been shipped from facility to facility in south Florida  including the state's newly built immigration detention center, Alligator Alcatraz.

The four-day September sweep in Brevard that led to Allende's detention took 150 immigrants into custody.

Palm Bay resident Sheena Allende-Smith holds a photo of her father, Jose Allende- Uton, with her and her three sisters. He came to America on a Freedom Flight from Cuba in 1969, was picked up by ICE agents the morning of Sept. 26 and taken to Alligator Alcatraz.

The controversial, sometimes aggressive, seizures of immigrants at construction sites, apartment complexes, courts and in the streets, along with distress caused to families left behind, continue to draw protests and outcry around the nation and world. In September, Roman Catholic Pope Leo, a Chicago native with a heritage tied to immigrants, weighed in with strong words on the issue.

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Someone who says, Im against abortion but says, Im in favor of the death penalty, is not really pro-life, the pope said in a statement on the Catholic news services EWTN News.

Jose Allende-Uton, who came to America on a Freedom Flight in 1969, was picked up by ICE agents on Sept. 26 and is now detained in Alligator Alcatraz.

Someone who says that, Im against abortion but Im in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants who are in the U.S. I dont know if thats pro-life.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem  who oversees ICE and the U.S. Border Patrol  said in September that in addition to those placed in detention facilities like Allende, another 1.6 million undocumented immigrants were deported out of the country over the last 200 days, although that figure has not been independently verified.

This is massive. This means safer streets, taxpayer savings, pressure off of schools and hospital services and better job opportunities for Americans, Noem said.

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Thank you, President Trump.

An American dream, deferred

"This is something different. I've never seen it like this," said Orlando-based immigration attorney David Stoller. "It's like the Wild West in an environment where people haven't seen this kind of enforcement since the (Sept. 11th terrorist attacks). I've never seen this level of (agents) doing whatever they want, wearing masks. They know that the president is going to back them up."

Allende, his daughter said, had been in the country since he was 2 years old, part of the legendary Freedom Flights which brought thousands of Cubans escaping tyranny to the U.S. in the 1960s to early 1970s. Many settled in south Florida, where 1.2 million Cubans intersect with business, politics and culture.

The government flew him in. But hes a business owner, he pays his taxes and he has a family, said Allende-Smith.

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She adds that her father is not a citizen but that his parents tried to get him citizenship when he was younger. Allende tried again as an adult, his daughter said, but lost a good deal of his paperwork during Hurricane Andrews passage through south Florida in August 1992. He does have a drivers license and Social Security card.

A former Miami resident, the father of four daughters moved to Palm Bay seven years ago.

"Really, this is all he knows, Allende-Smith said.

Cuban immigrants typically enjoyed a protected status in the United States because of the islands ties to then-Communist Russia. A lack of diplomatic relations between the two nations also impeded the return of citizens marked for deportation, Stoller said. But Allende had legal blemishes on his record going back to 1999 that landed him in court in 2014 under an order of supervision with annual appearances before a judge, his daughter said.

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Then on Sept. 26, she received a frantic call from her father. He had just dropped off his 14-year-old daughter at school. As he arrived back home, several officers  including ICE agents  approached him in his vehicle.

He just put his cup in the cupholder. They told him to get the (expletive) off the phone," she said.

He said Mama, ICE is here, theyre taking me, she recalled, heartbroken that she did not have a chance to see her father one last time and hurt knowing that she was the one who had to tell other family members about his detention.

Allende was transported by bus to a Fort Lauderdale processing facility before being assigned to Alligator Alcatraz. Allende-Smith said her father called to tell her that he was at the 5,000-bed facility in a cage with 12 other men. It was a devastating, discouraging change for a man who loved the freedom of working to improve homes across the Space Coast, she said.

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He said theres no clock, no television. They even took his dentures and threw them away, she said of the conditions at Alligator Alcatraz before the move.

Outerspaces Landscapes following an apparent ICE raid in Pensacola on Oct. 9, 2025.

I know hes asked for a Bible but they gave him a book about prison, she said. He asked to see a doctor and he asked to up his prescription for his stomach problems. Hes lost weight. If he didn't get grits for breakfast, he wouldn't know what time it was."

Life on hold

This past week, Allende-Smith could not reach her father for 35 hours, raising concern. Then she learned from the wife of another detainee that he was moved to the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami.

The detention center sits within walking distance of the proposed Trump Presidential Library near the city's landmark Freedom Tower. Allende-Smith said she was told that her father ended up at the facility after another bus headed to the Krome Detention Center for immigrants broke down, prompting the switch.

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"He's in good spirits but I think he's doing it for us," she said.

The one glimmer of light is the help, compassion and encouragement she's gotten from others as her father's story has been shared, even back in Cuba.

Stoller said the ICE raids likely will get worse before they get better.

"Now (ICE) seems desperate to find people and put them on a plane, he said. They just want to do the job."

J.D. Gallop is a criminal justice/breaking news reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jgallop@floridatoday.com. Or X, formerly known as Twitter: @JDGallop

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: 'Mama, ICE is here' Daughter fears for Palm Bay man taken away in raid
The largest great white shark tagged, sampled and released by OCEARCH, a nonprofit organization that studies sharks, has moved on from Cape Cod waters.

In July, the shark, called Contender, pinged about 100 miles off the coast Nantucket. Measuring in at 13-foot, 9-inch, 1,653-pounds, Contender is the largest shark OCEARCH has tagged, though far from the largest recorded in Cape waters.

Now, he's pinged from a "rare" spot where OCEARCH doesn't usually recieve tags: Canada.

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Specifically, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, northeast of Anticosta Island, Canada, which is 857 miles from the Cape Cod ping, John Tyminski, a senior data scientist for the project, stated in a video posted to Instagram.

"Although we have tagged and released a number of sharks as part of this project, animals of adult size have proven elusive," said Dr. Harley Newton, OCEARCH's chief scientist and veterinarian. "Male white sharks are mature at around 11.5 feet and 26 years of age, so Contender at nearly 14 feet is an adult male probably in his early 30's and early in his reproductive life."

"He is an important part of the effective breeding population and will hopefully contribute to the rebuilding of the western North Atlantic white shark population."

Contender was tagged in January offshore of the Florida-Georgia border.

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Tracking Contender: Massive 13-foot great white shark pings off New England coast

Why did the shark travel so far?

The shark most likely traveled up to the Gulf of St. Lawrence because there there is prey, such as harbor and grey seals, as well as schools of fish, in the area, according to Tyminski.

While it isn't unusual for sharks to move up to the Gulf of St. Lawrence at this time of year, they don't usually move to the area where Contender is located, the researcher said.

How far has the shark traveled since he was tagged?

Since being tagged on Jan. 17, Contender has traveled 3,119.9 miles over 266 days, according to the OCEARCH Shark Tracker app.

How to tracking Contender, other sharks

People interested in tracking sharks like Contender and others tagged by OCEARCH can download the nonprofit's shark-tracking app, OCEARCH Shark Tracker, through the Apple Store and Google Play.

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This article has been updated with new information.

Julia is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers scientific studies and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Great white shark Contender left Cape Cod. Now, in usual spot, Canada
A mutinied army unit declared Sunday that it was taking control of all Madagascar military forces as President Andry Rajoelina said an "attempt to seize power illegally" was under way.



The CAPSAT contingent of administrative and technical officers joined thousands of protesters in the city centre on Saturday in a major shift in a more than two-week anti-government youth-led protest movement.

The unit had earlier declared that it would "refuse orders to shoot" and criticised the gendarmerie, who have been accused of using heavy-handed tactics against protesters, causing several deaths.

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"From now on, all orders of the Malagasy army  whether land, air or the army  will originate from CAPSAT headquarters," officers of the CAPSAT contingent of administrative and technical officers claimed in a video statement.

The officers said they had named General Demosthene Pikulas as the head of the army  a post that had been vacant since the former head was appointed minister of armed forces last week  although it was not clear if the posting could be considered official.

There was no immediate response from other units or the military command.

Soldiers based in the outskirts of Antananarivo on Saturday morning called on security units to "join forces" and to "refuse orders to shoot", repudiating the violent crackdown on the protests.

Calls to resign

They clashed with gendarmes outside a barracks and rode into the city on army vehicles to join the demonstrators on the symbolic Place du 13 Mai in front of Antananarivo's city hall, where they were welcomed with cheers and calls for Rajoelina to resign.

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The president released a statement Sunday saying "an attempt to seize power illegally and by force, contrary to the Constitution and to democratic principles, is currently under way."

"Dialogue is the only way forward and the only solution to the crisis currently facing the country," he said, calling for "unity".

Officers of the gendarmerie, which has been accused of violence against protesters, on Sunday morning released a video statement recognising "faults and excesses during our interventions" and calling for "fraternity" between the army and the gendarmes.

"We are here to protect, not to terrorise," they said, adding that "from now on, all orders will come solely" from the gendarmerie's headquarters.

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The soldiers calling on the military to desist from cracking down on protesters were from the CAPSAT contingent of administrative and technical officers in the Soanierana district on the outskirts of Antananarivo.

The Soanierana military base in 2009 led a mutiny during a popular uprising that brought Rajoelina to power.

How Gen Z is taking the fight for their rights from TikTok to the streets

The African Union Commission on Sunday expressed "deep concern" at the situation in Madagascar.

"The Chairperson of the Commission welcomes the Government's renewed commitment to dialogue and urges all Malagasy stakeholders, both civilian and military, to exercise calm and restraint," it said in a statement.

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Neighbour South Africa also called upon "all parties to respect the democratic process and constitutional order".

Ready to listen?

Saturday's demonstration in Madagascar's capital Antananarivo was one of the biggest since the protest movement erupted on 25 September, sparked by anger over power and water shortages.

The United Nations has said that at least 22 people were killed in the first days of the protests, some killed by security forces and others in violence sparked by criminal gangs and looters in the wake of the demonstrations.

Rajoelina has disputed the toll, saying last week there were "12 confirmed deaths and all of these individuals were looters and vandals".

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According to local media, the emergency services reported another two dead and 26 injured on Saturday. The CAPSAT unit said a soldier was also shot by gendarmes and died.

In an effort to address the unrest, Rajoelina last week dismissed his entire government. On Monday he appointed army General Rufin Fortunat Zafisambo as prime minister and gave him six months to improve basic services and curb corruption, a move which has failed to ease tensions.

The government on Sunday ensured that Rajoelina remained "in the country" and was "managing national affairs", while the newly appointed prime minister said the government was "standing strong" and "ready to collaborate and listen".

Also on Sunday, Air France announced a suspension of flights to Madagascar for two days.

(with AFP)
Madagascars presidency says an attempt to seize power illegally and by force is under way, a day after soldiers from an elite military unit joined a youth-led protest against the government.

In view of the extreme gravity of this situation, the President of the Republic  strongly condemns this attempt at destabilization and calls upon all forces of the nation to unite in defence of constitutional order and national sovereignty, President Andry Rajoelinas office said in a statement on Sunday.

The statement did not identify who was behind what it identified as an attempted coup, but members of the elite CAPSAT military unit, which once installed Rajoelina in power, said it has taken over control of the armed forces after three weeks of deadly Gen Z protests.

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From now on, all orders of the Malagasy army  whether land, air or [naval]  will originate from CAPSAT headquarters, officers from CAPSATs administrative and technical contingent said in a video message on Saturday.

It was not clear whether other units of the army would follow the order.

In the face of snowballing protests, Rajoelina faces the gravest political crisis of his rule of the African nation.

So whats happening in Madagascar? Is this the end for Rajoelina? And what do the Gen Z protesters want?

Protesters in Antananarivo, Madagascar, hurl stones during nationwide demonstrations on October 11, 2025 [Zo Andrianjafy/Reuters]

Whats the latest?

The protests by a group calling itself Gen Z Madagascar have spilled onto the streets for a third week. Saturday witnessed one of the largest protests since the unrest began last month over a range of issues, including a cost of living crisis and corruption.

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Addressing crowds of protesters from an armoured vehicle, Colonel Michael Randrianirina of the CAPSAT unit, said on Saturday: Do we call this a coup? I dont know yet.

The CAPSAT officers said they had named General Demosthene Pikulas as the head of the army, a post that has been vacant since its former occupant was appointed minister of the armed forces last week, the AFP news agency reported. However, it was not clear if the posting could be considered official.

There was no immediate response from other units or the existing military command.

On Saturday, a group of soldiers clashed with gendarmes at a barracks before driving into the city to join the Gen Z protesters calling for Rajoelina to step down.

Why are antigovernment protests happening in Madagascar?

On September 25, young protesters started demonstrations against water and electricity shortages, inspired by a wave of Gen Z-led protest movements in countries including Kenya, Indonesia, Morocco, Nepal and Bangladesh.

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They soon escalated and snowballed into calling for the end of Rajoelinas rule, dismantling the Senate and ending privileges for business owners perceived to be close to the president. They also want Rajoelina to apologise for the violence, in which at least 22 people have been killed and more than 100 injured, according to the United Nations.

Madagascar  an island nation off the east coast of Africa with a population of more than 31 million people, 80 percent of whom are affected by severe poverty  has a history of political crises. Several leaders have been forced out in uprisings since it gained independence from France in 1960.

The Gen Z protesters are demanding radical change to build a free, egalitarian and united society.

Among the issues they aim to address are systemic corruption, embezzlement of public funds, nepotism, failures in access to basic services and education, and a vibrant democracy.

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Rajoelina, 51, first rose to prominence in 2009 after leading protests against the government as the mayor of the capital, Antananarivo, which resulted in a military-backed overthrow of President Marc Ravalomanana.

A military council took power and handed it over to Rajoelina as transitional leader. Later, in 2018, he was elected as president and then again in 2023 when the vote was boycotted by opposition parties.

Protesters gather around a military vehicle during a protest in Antananarivo on October 11, 2025 [Zo Andrianjafy/Reuters]

Whats Gen Z Madagascar?

Gen Z Madagascars logo is a pirate skull and crossbones. The image from the Japanese comic series One Piece has become central to the global wave of Gen Z protests and is worn by generally black-clothed demonstrators in Madagascar.

From Kenya to Nepal, this image from the series, which follows the adventures of a young pirate and his crew against an authoritarian government, has come to symbolise the Gen Z movements.

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In Madagascar, the image has been personalised by adding a traditional Madagascan hat on the skull.

The group has its own website, a presence on social media platforms and a GoFundMe page to raise money. Their website header reads: Political movement of young people, by young people, for Madagascar.

They didnt want to hear us in the streets, the website says. Today, thanks to digital technology and the voice of Generation Z, we will make our voices heard at the table of power on the opposition side. To put an end to 16 years of inaction, lets demand transparency, accountability and deep reforms.

Responding to Rajoelinas offer for talks, the protesters said in a statement: We do not reach out to a regime that every day crushes those who stand up for justice. This government talks about dialogue but rules with weapons.

Protesters chant slogans at Independence Place in Antananarivo on October 11, 2025 [Zo Andrianjafy/Reuters]

The Madagascan protesters are being compared to youth-led protest movements in Bangladesh, Nepal and Kenya, which have forced political change. In Nepal, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was forced to resign after mass protests last month while Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to flee to neighbouring India after a student-led uprising in August 2024.

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Across the world, Gen Z, or people below 30, are leading a new wave of protests. Unlike traditional movements, these demonstrations are often organised online, using platforms like TikTok and Discord to spread messages, plan actions and connect with other young people.

From Africa to Asia and Latin America, Gen Z protesters are demonstrating against corruption, economic hardships, climate inaction and social inequality, calling for an overhaul of the system.

What has the government said?

Prime Minister Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo, speaking on the state-run TVM channel late on Saturday, said the government was fully ready to listen and engage in dialogue with all factions  youth, unions or the military.

Zafisambo was appointed by Rajoelina after he dissolved the previous government last week in response to the protests. However, the move failed to assuage public anger.

The armys chief of staff, General Jocelyn Rakotoson, later made a statement broadcast on local media urging citizens to assist the security forces in restoring order through dialogue.
ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) -Madagascar's presidency said on Sunday that "an attempted illegal and forcible seizure of power" was underway in the African nation, without providing details, a day after some soldiers joined a protest movement that had begun last month.

Troops from the elite CAPSAT unit that helped President Andry Rajoelina seize power in a 2009 coup, urged fellow soldiers to disobey orders and back the youth-led protests, which began on September 25 and pose the most serious challenge to Rajoelina's rule since his reelection in 2023.

A Reuters witness saw three people injured after shots were fired along a road to the CAPSAT barracks on Sunday. Other witnesses said there was no sign of ongoing clashes.

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RIVAL FORCES CLAIM TO COMMAND SECURITY OPERATIONS

Rival forces claimed on Sunday to have command over security operations in the country, with one group - representing the CAPSAT soldiers - saying it would coordinate all branches of the military from its base on the outskirts of Antananarivo.

Spokespeople for the defence ministry and the military general staff declined to comment.

The gendarmerie, which has tackled the protests for the last few weeks together with the police and has been accused by protesters of using excessive force, said its orders would come "exclusively from the National Gendarmerie Command Center."

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The protests, inspired by Gen Z-led movements in Kenya and Nepal, began over water and electricity shortages but have since escalated, with demonstrators calling for Rajoelina to step down, apologise for violence against protesters, and dissolve the Senate and electoral commission.

CALLS FOR DIALOGUE TO RESOLVE THE CRISIS

Thousands gathered in Antananarivo on Sunday to protest against the government and pay tribute to a slain CAPSAT soldier, whom the army unit alleged was killed by the gendarmerie on Saturday.

The peaceful gathering was attended by church leaders and opposition politicians, including former president Marc Ravalomana, in addition to CAPSAT troops.

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In a statement on the presidency's official social media account, Rajoelina's office said he condemned attempts to destabilise the country and urged "dialogue to resolve the crisis.

The African Union commission's chief Mahmoud Ali Youssouf on Sunday welcomed "the governments renewed commitment to dialogue" and called for calm and restraint.

Videos on social media on Saturday showed CAPSAT soldiers urging fellow troops to "support the people."

A video broadcast by local media showed that dozens of soldiers left the barracks later on Saturday to escort thousands of protesters into the May 13 Square in Antananarivo, the scene of many political uprisings, which had been heavily guarded and off limits during the unrest.

(Reporting by Lovasoa Rabary; writing by Ammu KannampillyEditing by Bernadette Baum)
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A man accused of attacking and stabbing another passenger on a Greyhound bus traveling through Southern New Mexico is being held without bond, according to the Sixth Judicial District Attorneys Office.

Ryan Kenny, 24, is being held without bond after being charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, the DAs Office said.

Kenny is accused of stabbing another passenger on Sept. 29 as a Greyhound bus was traveling between Steins and Lordsburg along Interstate 10 in Southern New Mexico, the DAs Office said.

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The attack was eerily similar to one in Charlotte that made national news earlier this year. Iryna Zarutska was stabbed and killed in an unprovoked attack on a light-rail train on Aug. 22.

In New Mexico, several passengers saw Kenny stand up as if he was heading to the restroom, but moments later was seen falling onto another passenger and the two appeared to struggle.

Kenny was then seen stabbing the victim with a knife, the DAs Office said.

The bus driver pulled over to the side of the interstate. Passengers evacuated for safety.

Kenny tried to flee but was caught by officers from the New Mexico State Police, the DAs Office said.

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Tucson TV station 13 News spoke to the victim, a Tucson man they identified as Jorge Quintanilla.

I had suddenly heard somebody moving quickly on the other side of the aisle from me, Quintanilla told Tucson 13 News said. When I looked over, it was this guy who was lunging across the aisle with what at the time I thought was a pen. And he stabbed me straight in the neck, and then after that, I was able to grab his wrist and was trying to push him off me, and in that time, he kept stabbing and jabbing, and it was more towards the head.

Quintanilla was stabbed six times in the head, neck, and arm, according to 13 News.

He was airlifted to a hospital in El Paso for treatment.

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He was reported to be in stable condition at the time of the incident and is expected to be OK.

His family, however, was shaken up, 13 News reported, after the unprokoved attack that was reminiscent of the attack that killed Iryna Zarutska, a Ukranian national, in Charlotte.

Iryna Zarutksa Photo by AP

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
A Massachusetts man previously sentenced to a decade in prison for a shooting pushed his way into a womans house and robbed her in Somerset Thursday.

Jesse Brule, 35, is expected to be arraigned on Tuesday in Rhode Island and then extradited to Massachusetts to face multiple felony charges, including breaking and entering in the daytime and assault and battery on an elderly person.

Around 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 9, Brule knocked on a door at 311 Highview Ave. in Somerset and asked if a specific person lived at the residence, according to Somerset police. He was told that no one by that name resided there.

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He knocked the woman to the ground and went inside the home. The woman was able to flee the home and run to a neighbors home for help. The neighbor immediately called 911.

A neighbor was also able to get the license plate information on a car he had parked nearby.

The woman later reported that several items had been stolen from her home.

Officials spent days searching for Brule.

At about 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, officials found Brules unoccupied car in the Burger King parking lot in Middletown, Rhode Island. Shortly thereafter, a detective saw Brule walking through the parking lot toward the vehicle and positively identified him.

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Brule then left the lot and parked behind Planet Fitness. He was then arrested.

In 2018, Brule was convicted by a jury after a three-day trial in Fall River Superior Court regarding a 2016 shooting. The jury found Brule guilty of assault and battery by discharge of a firearm, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon-causing substantial injury and carrying an illegal firearm.

On Aug. 5, 2016, another man was sleeping on his friends couch in a South Main Street apartment. The man woke up after hearing noises outside. When he looked outside, he saw individuals with flashlights looking into vehicles.

The man and his friend confronted the individuals and briefly chased them. But Brule held the man and his friend at gun point. Brule shot the man twice when he tried to lunge at him.

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The man recovered.

Assistant District Attorney Patrick Driscoll had previously argued for Brule to get a 13 to 20 year state prison term.

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Oct. 12In a community buzzing with the promise of growth, small business owner Kiki Salcido is learning how long it can take for that promise to reach his store.

Salcido is the owner of MyMarket, a small grocery store serving the master planned community of Mesa del Sol on the southern edge of Albuquerque. The store, which includes a coffee shop called K2 Brew, opened inside a nearly 6,000-square-foot space at 5700 University SE in 2023.

Two years later, Salcido's journey has proven to be a bumpy ride.

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"I know it takes a while for a new business to be noticeable," Salcido said. "But it's been hell. Definitely drained all my accounts."

Feeling desperate, Salcido took to TikTok a little over a month ago to talk about the reality of being a small grocery store owner in a growing but young community  and to plead for help, ideas and support.

"I need your guys' help to make this place successful," Salcido said in the three-minute video, posted on Sept. 11.

Salcido went on to explain that before MyMarket, he was a commercial real estate broker and had been working to get a national grocery store chain to come to Mesa del Sol. They all declined, so Salcido decided to fill the need himself, motivated by the desire to become a developer and his faith in the development.

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"I think it's probably one of the coolest ideas here in New Mexico," Salcido, a born and raised New Mexican, said in the video.

Spanning 12,900 acres surrounded by wide open spaces, Mesa Del Sol is one of the few remaining areas of Albuquerque yet to be fully developed. The developer's vision of growth has been in the works for years, encapsulating the community with an air of potential that has attracted many homebuilders and businesses.

Today, Mesa del Sol has added roughly 706 houses and 330 apartments, housing around 2,150 residents, according to Steve Chavez, managing partner of MDS Investments, the master developer of Mesa del Sol.

Chavez said developers plan to build more than 500 single-family homes, 550 apartments, 230 build-to-rent houses, 61 condos, 500 military units and 330 affordable housing units over the next 30 months.

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Companies like Netflix and Kairos Power have fueled Mesa del Sol's development in recent years by establishing a presence in the community. Several other companies, like Maxeon Solar Technologies and Star Scientific Ltd., have also announced plans to set up shop in the community, though some have not yet come to fruition.

It was announcements like these that prompted Salcido to move forward with the market.

"I saw the writing on the wall and said, 'This could be a huge opportunity,'" he said in the video.

And yet, the community's growing numbers have not translated into foot traffic for Salcido, who panned the camera across an empty market in his September video.

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"Those big grocery stores, they weren't wrong," Salcido said in the video. "There is not a lot of people out here."

It is typical for national stores to hold off establishing locations until a development reaches between 4,000 and 5,000 residents, Chavez said.

Mesa del Sol is home to several successful small businesses, the developer said, but retail is a whole other ballgame that heavily relies on people living and working in the community.

Salcido agreed, adding that noticeably more traffic comes into MyMarket during construction projects or Netflix productions.

The area will see more activity in the coming months. MDS Investments has two purchase agreements in the works with a national fast-food restaurant and convenience store that Chavez said will be operational within 24 months.

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A 550-unit apartment complex just across the street from MyMarket will also break ground at the end of this month, supporting about 200 construction workers over the next few years, Chavez said.

"The existing retail we have is at the cusp of really doing well because they have taken the chance to recognize the future growth, and they will see the increase of construction jobs in the next few months, as well as the increase in population," Chavez said.

Salcido remains hopeful despite challenges that extend beyond the community's gradual growth, he said. Learning the ins and outs of the grocery store business has also been a struggle, starting with the first week of business.

"Our opening week, there were so many problems and issues that I think we lost a lot of the buy-in from the community," Salcido said.

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Competing with established convenience stores in town, Salcido decided to make MyMarket more of a specialty store to offer people something unique and perhaps even worth driving to Mesa del Sol for, offering items like Tonnino's yellowfin tuna belly and The Preservatory's pink grapefruit and champagne preserve. But $70,000 worth of product going bad squashed that concept.

The store shifted to more conventional offerings, but it took months to rebuild and fill empty shelves, prompting some community members to ask if the store had closed, Salcido said.

The store is starting to stabilize, but the buying power that a new, small grocery store has is also an issue, Salcido said, giving the example of Coca-Cola only shipping to the business once a month.

With sometimes limited inventory, the owner said he's discovered people have less grace for small businesses. One person left a one-star Google review of the market because an employee didn't greet them when they walked in, Salcido said.

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"I highly doubt that happens in Smith's or Walgreens," Salcido said.

Salcido would do some things differently, though. He said he wishes he had started marketing the business earlier and embraced a hands-on approach without a manager.

Getting more involved in the community was a suggestion that many commenters offered on Salcido's TikTok, which has already made a difference in more ways than one.

Since posting the video, the store's sales have increased "dramatically," and people have driven from as far as Rio Rancho to support the business, Salcido said.

The owner is in discussions with the New Mexico Grocery Association to explore joining a co-op, which he said would give the store more buying power. He has also started exploring deeper community involvement through starting a book club, hosting movie nights and volunteering at local schools.

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"I think the more I feed into the community, they'll feed into me," Salcido said, calling the support thus far "extremely motivational."

Mesa del Sol leaders have also stopped by the market to encourage Salcido to keep going, he added.

Chavez's message for small business owners in Mesa del Sol and entrepreneurs considering coming to the community is one of utter confidence, stating the community could one day grow close to 137,000 residents.

"It is the future growth of Albuquerque, and we are committed to providing a community that has a work, live and play environment that will be unmatched (by) what any other master planned community is doing in the state or even in the Southwest. The future is now," Chavez said.

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For Salcido, the future is still slightly unknown, but the present moment is looking more optimistic.

Just a few weeks ago, if you asked Salcido if he regretted opening a small grocery store at Mesa del Sol, the answer would have been yes, he said. But the support from the community and social media has provided a much-needed boost.

"I'm not one to ever be like, 'Hey, I'm struggling.' So for me to do a video like that  I thought I was going to get trolled, but for people to come in to support, now I don't feel like I'm regretting it," Salcido said. "I feel motivated and excited, and I do think it is just going to take some time. Ask me a few months from now whenever my bank account is negative again, but right now, I'm excited."
One day long ago, the Miss Belmar sailed out of the Shark River Inlet and went full speed ahead to the Hudson Canyon fishing grounds, 90 miles to the east and a long way from the Jersey Shore.

It took all day for the wooden-bottom Miss Belmar to reach its destination, and when it did, an excited teenager from Neptune in love with the sea wanted to mark the occasion of his first visit to the hallowed fishing grounds.

So John Forsyth did what so many nautical lovers had done before: he scribbled a note on a piece of brown lunch bag and stuffed in a Dr. Pepper bottle, then tossed it overboard.

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Sent off fishing boat Miss Belmar 90 miles east of Belmar Inlet, the note said. "If found please call or write John Forsyth," and gives a six-digit phone number and his address in Neptune City. It ends with a simple Thank you.

Forsyth fished for many years on the Miss Belmar, first as a paying customer, then as a mate, and by 1975, became the skipper. But no one ever called or wrote to say they found his message in a bottle, and those closest to him didnt even know about it when he died in Freehold in January 2022.

No one, that is, until a teacher-turned-musician-turned beachcomber from Utah, Clint Buffington, stumbled on the weather-beaten bottle on a remote island in the Bahamas in March.

It wasnt like a normal beach, with dunes at the back. On this one, the land gradually sloped up, and the terrain was rough, Buffington recalled. So when I saw an opening between the bushes, I figured I better take it. And there it was.

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Buffington is a serious beachcomber who by his own estimate has discovered 140 bottles with messages in them in a hobby that began in 2007 but has evolved into a mission. Buffington isnt a collector; hes a connector who goes looking for the writer  or if the writer has passed, his family and friends.

When I first started finding messages in the bottle, it was pure adventure, Buffington said. But now I realize that Im in a very strange position, one that Ive come to embrace, as a messenger.

Buffington brought that message aboard the S.S. Belmar on Thursday in a Zoom call with family and friends of John Forsyth. No one had ever heard of John Forsyths message in a bottle until Buffington found it and contacted them through the videos he posted on Instagram and TikTok, but now it all seem to fit together.

Message in a Bottle discovered after 54 years at sea

I dont recall him ever mentioning it, but it was definitely something I could see him doing, said Jill Bryan, Forsyths girlfriend at the time of his death. We were together 14 years, and he used to tell these incredible stories. He lived a life of romance and adventure.

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Forsyths sister, Kathy Ruding, said her brother began working on the Miss Belmar around 1968 as a teenager. He eventually got his captains license in 1975, and piloted the Miss Belmar until about 1982, she said.

Message in a Bottle discovered after 54 years at sea

After his death, Ruding found logs that her brother kept detailing his years aboard the Miss Belmar. One entry for the year 1971, appears to solve the mystery of the message in a bottle. It reads:

Out of high school I started full (time) on the Miss Belmar, year round fishing. This was a special year because we made our first Hudson Canyon trip for Tile Fish 8-10 hours one way to the fishing grounds ...

No one can be sure, but it makes sense that a teenager enthralled with fishing on his first trip to the Hudson Canyon would want to tell the world  and hope at least one other person was listening.

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He just loved the ocean, Ruding said. He started working the boats when he was 13 years old. He cleaned fish, he cleaned the boats. He was a mate, and then in 1975, he went and got his captains license.

The gathering doubled as a celebration for the Miss Belmar, which is celebrating its 90th year on the water. Al Shin, a current skipper whose grandfather started the fleet, remembered Forsyth as a free spirit

Al Shin, who grandfather started the Miss Belmar 90 years ago, said the boat that Forsyth took to the Hudson Canyon was on old Navy PT boat that could only do about nine knots.

It would have taken them nine or 10 hours just to get there, he said. Its a long trip for us now. But there are a lot of big Tile Fish out there that makes the trip worthwhile, he said.

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Forsyth made the news in October of 1977, when he anchored the Miss Belmar about 12 miles off Long Branch for a night of blue fishing. The giant luxury liner Queen Elizabeth II set sail out of New York Harbor and nearly collided with the fishing boat, which had 27 people aboard, according to newspaper accounts.

As the QE II closed in, Forsyth ordered his mate to cut the lines on the two anchors he had dropped.

It was coming through the water like a giant knife, Forsyth later told reporters. It was a sickening feeling. I yelled at the mates to cut anchor lines and I threw all four engines in reverse. A minute later, it was passing right where we had been fishing.

Message in a Bottle

The near-miss made headlines and Forsyth enjoyed his 15 minutes of fame. By 1982, hed left the fishing business for better paying work in Port Newark, his sister said.

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It breaks my heart that I didnt get to know John, Buffington said. He said of the 140 message bottles that he has found, the Forsyth bottle had been missing the longest. He cant be sure when it washed up in the Bahamas, but Buffington believes the bottle circled the Atlantic at least three times before washing ashore.

Buffington began his search by posting videos on Instagram and TikTok where he read the note and asked people to help him find the writer. This search was relatively easy because the message contained a name, an address and a phone number.

He said connecting with Forsyths family was very surreal and humbling. What excites him, is the thought that from the minute I was born, Johns message in a bottle was already floating in the ocean. That bottle was out there waiting to be found. Anyone could have found it, but I got to find it.

Buffington estimates that of the 140 messages he has found in bottles, hes been able to make contact with the writers of about half of them.

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As a kid, i wanted to have a pen pal, he said. Ive always been compelled by the experience of meeting people from far away.

Besides their mystical connection, Jill Bryan said Forsyth had another thing in common with Buffington.

John was a beachcomber, too, she said. He loved to collect sea glass. He would pack a lunch, get up about four oclock in the morning and go to Sandy Hook. He would come home not only with sea glass, but pieces of pottery. And one time he found two Rosary beads.

Richard Cowen

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Elon Musks drilling company, Boring Co., has been accused of committing nearly 800 separate environmental violations in Las Vegas over the past two years by Nevada authorities.

ProPublica reports that the company allegedly released untreated water onto construction sites and into storm drains, spilled muck from its trucks, and began drilling before obtaining the proper permits from environmental agencies, citing a cease-and-desist letter from the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP).

Neither Musk nor the Boring Co. have publicly addressed the allegations as of this writing, though a state spokesperson told ProPublica that the company intends to dispute the violation letter.

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The reported violations all occurred during work on Boring's project, The Loop, an underground transport system designed to ferry passengers beneath the city in Teslas. The Vegas Loop began operation as an 0.8-mile route from the Las Vegas Convention Center, though the long-term plan is to expand it into a much larger network with 68 miles of tunnels and 104 stations.

In 2022, the Boring Co. signed a settlement agreement with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection for discharging groundwater into storm drains without a permit, intended to prevent future violations. ProPublica notes that under the terms of that agreement, the agency could have fined the company more than $3 million, though it chose to reduce the penalty to $242,800.

Given the extraordinary number of violations, NDEP has decided to exercise its discretion to reduce the penalty to two $5,000 violations per permit, which it believes offers a reasonable penalty that will still serve to deter future non-compliance conduct, read the letter.

The Boring Co. was also hit with more than $112,000 in fines from Nevada's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, mainly due to workers being burned by chemicals used in the concrete mix for the tunnels. And in early September, the company was forced to halt work on a tunnel to Vegas' Harry Reid International Airport due to a crushing injury, according to Fortune.
Donald Trump is en route to Israel and Egypt to oversee the critical hours of a Gaza ceasefire he helped broker, as relatives of hostages held their breath ahead of their expected release.

For the first time, Hamas militants have agreed to release all 48 remaining hostages  20 alive, 26 confirmed dead, and two whose lives were in serious danger with an unknown status. The deadline for Hamas to return the captives who have been held for two years expires at midday on Monday (0900 GMT).

Shortly afterwards, 1,700 Palestinians detained from Gaza since October 2023 and 250 more serving life sentences will be released from Israeli detention. The bodies of 360 Palestinians Israel is holding will also be returned.

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Leaving to fly to Israel ahead of the planned releases, Mr Trump told reporters his trip would be: A very special event.

We're going to have an amazing time, he added: This is going to be a very special time. Everybody is very excited about this moment in time.

People in Tel Aviv hold placards with pictures of hostages who were kidnapped on 7 October 2023 (Reuters)

Israeli spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said Israel was prepared and is ready for the release, adding that the living hostages will be released in one go to Red Cross vehicles, but warned against any sick displays by Hamas. during the handover.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described the expected return of the hostages as a historic event.

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In a statement issued on Sunday evening, he said: Citizens of Israel, my brothers and sisters, this is an emotional evening, an evening of tears, an evening of joy. Because tomorrow, children will return to their border. This is a historic event.

But he also warned the campaign is not over.

There are still very great security challenges ahead of us, he said: Some of our enemies are trying to rebuild themselves to attack us again. And as we say  Were on it.

A lot is riding on the exchange: if it proceeds as planned, a fragile ceasefire will hold and hopefully progress to second phase of a long-term agreement. The truce so far has also allowed a limited Israeli military withdrawal and so the return of tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians.

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On Sunday, Palestinian families continued the perilous journey north to what remains of their homes, after two years of slaughter, famine, and forced displacement. Others flocked to the additional much needed trucks of aid that have finally been permitted to enter.

Mr Trump has staked his desired reputation as a peacemaker president on this deal which he has heralded as a momentous breakthrough that will deliver everlasting peace in the Middle East. And so as the clock is ticking, he has scheduled a whirlwind visit to both Israel and Egypt to push it through after previous truces collapsed or stalled at the initial phase.

He is expected to land in Israel at 9.20am local time, where he will be welcomed by Mr Netanyahu, then address the Knesset, and meet the families of hostages. By lunchtime, he will fly to Egypt to attend a formal signing ceremony, joining British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.

In anticipation of his arrival, roads between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have been lined with US and Israeli flags, as well as towering posters thanking the US president .

Key details of the deal:

Hostage release:

Twenty living hostages will be handed over on Monday morning in one coordinated release. They will be transported by Red Cross vehicles to Israeli-controlled territory within Gaza, then transferred to Reim base in southern Israel for reunification with families and initial medical checks. The International Committee of the Red Cross will have ambulances on standby for hostages in critical condition. They will be transported to Sheba or Ichilov medical centres in Tel Aviv, or Beilinson in Petah Tikva. The bodies of deceased 28 hostages will be taken to the Abu Kabir forensic institute for identification before they will be released to family for burial.

Palestinian prisoner release:

250 prisoners serving life sentences will be released: 15 of them will be able to return to East Jerusalem and 100 to the West Bank, but 135 slated for deportation, according to Israeli media. A further 1,700 detainees from Gaza  including 22 minors under 18  who were arrested after 7 October 2023 will also be freed. Israel will release the remains of 360 deceased Palestinians currently in their custody at some point during this period. The largest Palestinian prisoners association told The Independent they had not yet received full confirmation of the exact release list or location.

Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Saturday (Reuters)

In Hostage Square, a main rallying point in Tel Aviv, tension crackled. In the final hours before the deadline, rumours circulated that Hamas might release the hostages as early as Sunday. Hamas reportedly does not know the locations of all the deceased.

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Ilan Dalal, father of Guy GilboaDalal, 22 who was taken by Hamas during during the 7 October raid on the Nova music festival, said on Sunday the family felt relief and fear.

Guy appeared haggard and thin alongside fellow captive Evyatar David, in a disturbing video released by Hamas in September.

Our nightmare is finally is coming to an end now. Tomorrow morning I'm going to hug my son for the first time after two years, Ilan said with visible emotion.

But I don't know what kind of son I'm going to get back. I hope that he wasnt so harmed that we cant easily rebuild his life. In the last video, Hamas published, we saw the despair in his eyes.

Palestinians rally around aid trucks in Khan Younis on Sunday (AFP/Getty)

Ilan was speaking alongside Tal Shoham, 38, a former hostage who was taken from his family home in Kibbutz Beeri on 7 October and held in underground tunnels with Guy until his release earlier this year. Mr Shoham said he was struggling to block hope and excitement so I wont break apart if [the deal] doesnt happen.

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But the days are going on, I almost sure that they will be home. I'm letting myself feel more and more from the happiness and joy of this process, he added.

There was also anxiety in the occupied West Bank where Palestinian families said they had been given no information about if and when their loved ones would be released. Palestinian officials told The Independent that they believe that most will be freed from Israels Ofer prison, located in the West Bank, but they were still getting the details.

Among those slated for release are 1,700 detainees, including 22 children, arrested from Gaza since 7 October 2023. The Independent investigated Israels mass arrests of Palestinians since it launched its unprecedented bombardment of Gaza in 2023, revealing evidence of torture leading to deaths in detention, arbitrary detention, and sexual violence  ill treatment Israel denies.

Israel will also free 250 prisoners serving life sentences who were detained before 7 October 2023. Israeli media has reported that 115 of them will be permitted to travel to East Jerusalem and the West Bank, but 135 who were convicted of murder are slated for deportation with no further details given.

US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff spoke at Hostages Square, flanked by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump on Saturday night (Reuters)

Among those who will be deported is Hamdallah Sarma, 50, who was arrested in 1995 and sentenced to life for intentional homicide according to the Israeli ministry of justice.

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Noama Sarma, his mother who is in her eighties, told said they have no further information about if or when he will be released and where he will be sent to.

I know nothing, no one called us, we heard some of them will be sent abroad, we don't know. But I am overjoyed to finally hopefully see him, she added.

Mr Trump has pinned a lot on this deal, and joined regional countries including Qatar, Egypt and Turkey to impose significant pressure on all sides of the conflict.

On Saturday, his top envoy Steve Witkoff, along with son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka Trump, travelled to Israel and joined rallies in Tel Aviv. There they were met by large crowds of supporters who unfurled a giant banner reading Nobel President Trump and chanted Thank you, Trump.

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Visibly emotional, both Mr Witkoff and Mr Kushner pledged to see the deal through. Mr Witkoff said it proved that miracles can happen.

Palestinians have been returning to find their homes in ruins after two years of assaults by Israel (AP)

At the rally there was no love for Mr Netanyahu who has been accused by many families of deliberately scuppering previous deals, and intensifying the ground offensives on Gaza to placate extreme-right war mongering members of his razor-thin coalition.

Crowds were booing Mr Netanyahu so loudly when he was mentioned by Mr Witkoff that the US envoy begged the gathering to let him finish his sentence.

When asked about the booing, Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said on Sunday that Mr Netanyahu has gotten us to this point.

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This is why we are here today waiting for our hostages to return home through military, through diplomatic pressure. Prime Minister Netanyahu took risks and those risks led us to this point, she added.

Israel launched an unprecedented bombardment and siege on Gaza in the aftermath of Hamas 7 October attacks on southern Israel where, according to Israeli estimates, around 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

In the two years since then, Palestinian health officials say that more than 67,000 people have been killed, including thousands of children.

Swathes of Gaza have been razed to the ground, more than 90 per cent of the 2.3 million-strong population has been forced to flee their homes multiple times, and famine has unfolded, according to the UN-backed global hunger monitor.

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On Monday, the UK will host a three-day conference on Gazas recovery and reconstruction, as Sir Keir Starmer promised the UK will play a leading role in the next stage of the peace process.

As the PM travelled to Egypt for the signing ceremony for the Gaza peace plan on Monday, he promised a 20m humanitarian aid package to deliver essential water, sanitation, and hygiene services to tens of thousands of civilians across Gaza.

The funding, delivered through Unicef, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), will help those facing famine, malnutrition and disease, UK officials said.

Sir Keir is expected to say on Monday the UK will support the next stage of talks to ensure the full implementation of the peace plan, so that people on both sides can rebuild their lives in safety and security.

Additional reporting by Rateb Qaissy




A nor'easter moving up the East Coast reached Connecticut Sunday afternoon, bringing high winds and potential flooding, the National Weather Service said.

The storm barreled up the East Coast early Sunday, causing a state of emergency to be declared in New Jersey and parts of New York and some airports posting delays and cancellations ahead of the storm, the Associated Press reported. Most flights in and out of Connecticut's Bradley International Airport and Tweed in New Haven were on time Sunday evening.

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A coastal flood advisory and a wind advisory was issued for Connecticut's shoreline in preparation of the storm, the weather service said. The advisories meant areas could see 1 to 2 feet of flooding and winds could reach up to 50 mph, the NWS said.

A National Weather Service graphic showing potential wind gusts in Connecticut from a nor'easter on Sunday. (Courtesy of the National Weather Service)





The weather service said from noon Sunday until 6 p.m. Monday, winds along the shoreline are expected to be between 20 and 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph possible. The weather service said the strongest winds are expected Sunday night into early Monday.

Winds could bring down limbs and trees and cause power outages, the weather service said. Eversource, the state's largest electricity provider, reported hundreds of Connecticut power outages Sunday morning that were mostly due to downed tree limbs.

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"Northeast wind direction and fully leaved vegetation may increase the magnitude of downed tree limb, tree and power line impacts," the weather service said.

The Town of Greenwich reported Sunday evening that Byram Terrace Drive was closed after a tree fell in the road and that Brookside Drive was partially blocked due to low hanging wires.

Meanwhile, the state Department of Transportation reported around 6 p.m. that state Route 207 in Lebanon was closed in both directions at Seabury Road due to a tree down with wires.

The Norwalk Police Department announced around 7:15 p.m. that Chestnut Hill was closed at Field Street after a tree fell. Police said motorists should use Newtown Avenue or Main Avenue as alternate routes.

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Connecticut's shoreline could also see between 1 and 3 inches of rain from what the weather service described as a "long-duration" storm. The rain could cause flooding and some damage along the shoreline.

In an update shared Sunday evening, the weather service said the potential for major coastal flooding has decreased slightly from earlier in the day, but noted that the threat of localized to scattered flooding remains.

A National Weather Service graphic showing rainfall expectations in Connecticut from a nor'easter on Sunday. (Courtesy of the National Weather Service)





The storm is worse on Long Island where widespread flooding was expected along the south shore in Nassau and Suffolk counties, the weather service said. Damaging winds are expected across eastern portion of Long Island into early Monday, the weather service said.

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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued an emergency declaration for eight southern counties in her state on Sunday evening. She urged people to monitor forecasts and avoid travel.

All of New Jersey has been under a state of emergency since Saturday night. It's expected to last into Monday, authorizing the state's emergency services personnel to be activated as necessary.

In Delaware, emergency management officials activated the state National Guard in response to rising floodwaters and harsh winds. In South Carolina, several motorists had to be rescued when rising waters inundated their cars, local officials told the Post and Courier.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

This article originally published at Nor'easter hits CT with gusty rain, knocking down trees and cutting power in some places.
The piece noted that Hamass assault had severe negative repercussions for the regional standing of the Axis of Resistance led by Iran, chief among them Syrias drift away from Iranian influence.

An Iranian newspaper aligned with Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel a grave mistake and strategic error that cost Iran dearly after previously praising the massacre.

Contrary to many opinions and analyses, the Al-Aqsa Flood operation was a mistake," an editorial published this week in Islamic Republic, a newspaper overseen by Khameneis representative, stated.

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The piece noted that Hamass assault had severe negative repercussions for the regional standing of the Axis of Resistance led by Iran, chief among them Syrias drift away from Iranian influence. Syrias departure from the Axis of Resistance and its shift toward alignment with the United States and Israel is one of the most damaging developments of the past two years."

This should be regarded as one of the negative outcomes of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation," the article continued.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio shakes hands with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel, on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York City, US, September 22, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/BING GUAN/POOL)

Recognizing the cost of the Israel-Hamas War

The remarks, published in a paper long considered a mouthpiece of the regime, mark an exceptionally unusual tone. Until now, both Khamenei himself and senior Iranian officials had repeatedly expressed full support for Hamass attack, calling it the move that changed the balance of power against Israel.

In this weeks editorial, however, Tehrans messaging appears to have shifted dramatically: from celebrating the victory of the resistance to acknowledging the heavy regional costs of the war, particularly Damascuss rapprochement with Washington and Jerusalem and the resulting strain on Irans pro-resistance bloc across the Middle East.
Israels Religious Services Ministry officials said the transfer of bodies from Gaza could be incomplete, leaving some families without closure.

Israels Religious Services Ministry has finalized procedures to receive and identify the bodies of Israelis expected to be returned by Hamas, but officials worry the transfer could be incomplete, leaving some families without closure, Director-General Yehuda Avidan said in a radio interview.

We are preparing to receive between one and 28 [bodies], Avidan said, adding that authorities still do not know the final number. Readiness remains as we were throughout the war, he said, with maximum sensitivity for the bereaved. His comments were made on KAN Reshet Bet with hosts Prof. Yuval Elbashan and Moriah Kor.

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Avidan warned of a worst-case scenario in which Hamas asserts that some remains are missing. My biggest fear is that we will be told not found, and families will be left without closure, he said. He later added a simple wish: May we hear only good news. May we not have to deal with such things.

Because of past incidents, each transfer will begin with strict safety screening. We do not trust them with anything, Avidan said, noting that grenades and other explosives had previously been found on bodies. Only after security checks and an initial identification conducted by the International Committee of the Red Cross across the border will remains be moved to Israels National Center of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv, known as Abu Kabir, for full forensic work.

There begins the entire complex identification process, Avidan said, describing how forensic specialists match remains with intelligence files compiled for each of the fallen. He said most of the 28 had already been formally declared dead by a special state committee convened for the first time and led by Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef. There is no chance of a mistake, he said, emphasizing that decisions were based on solid evidence, including to allow widows to remarry under Jewish law.

Israeli security forces stand guard at the L. Greenberg Institute of Forensic Medicine at Abu Kabir, February 20, 2025. (credit: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Preparations ready for funerals of slain hostages

The ministry is preparing to hold funerals for families that already observed mourning or held symbolic burials after the earlier declarations of death. We give them the arrangements, and in every family, we do the funeral again, Avidan said, describing a tailored approach meant to ensure the family receives what it deserves in accompanying their loved ones to burial.

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Coordination is being carried out with the IDF, Israel Police, and other agencies, Avidan said. Ministry teams are staying in constant contact with next of kin and accommodating specific requests regarding burial and farewell rites wherever possible. He said the posture is one of high alert, with procedures refined to balance security, forensics, and religious law.

Avidan reiterated that the ministrys focus is twofold: protecting dignity for the dead and providing close support for families. We are ready for one, and we are ready for 28, he said. We are doing everything so that the families can say goodbye in the most respectful way.
SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44)  According to a recent analysis, South Burlington is one of the top 10 cities in the U.S. to start a business as a Hispanic person.

As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, the website WalletHub published its list of the top cities for Hispanic entrepreneurs. The list ranked 182 cities across the US, including the two biggest in Vermont. Burlington was ranked just 146th overall, and 177th for friendliness towards Hispanic entrepreneurs.

But neighboring South Burlington cracked the top of the list, ranking 10th overall. South Burlingtons high ranking was primarily due to it being named the second-best city for Hispanic purchasing power in the country.

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The community development director for South Burlington, Ilona Blanchard, says the city has always been welcoming to all kinds of businesses and entrepreneurs but cited recent changes for the high rank.

We have a new library, we have a new city hall, we have a new downtown. We have a new business association so there have been major shifts as South Burlington grows and changes.

Maria Gualpa is a Hispanic entrepreneur, and the owner of The Ecuatorian on Williston Road. The store opened in September, after seeing success at her other location in Massachusetts. She says the decision to expand to South Burlington came after she noticed a lack of Latin people in the area.

City leaders say they want to create even more space for entrepreneurs to expand into South Burlington but will build up instead of developing on more environmental land.

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Matt Cota of the South Burlington Business Association says, South Burlington still has room to grow and we still have opportunities. Were not done yet.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44.
Military bases are typically ultra-high-security facilities that don't allow the public to drive around on their own. Forget about scooting across an active runway if the base happens to have one. No such thing exists in the United States, to be sure, but sitting high in the Swiss Alps is a military airbase that has not one, but two public roads that cut straight through the heart of its very active runway.

Meiringen Air Base is located in the Bernese Highlands in Switzerland. It first opened in December 1941 and, since January 2006, has been home to Air Force Squadron 11, one of the three F/A-18 Hornet squadrons operated by the Swiss Air Force. Their other two F/A-18 squadrons are based in Payerne in western Switzerland. Having public roads crossing over an active airstrip really shouldn't come as a surprise, though, as the Swiss have a very different way of thinking. While most know them for their Army Knife (the world's most recognizable multi-tool), but they also have a public shooting range that fires over the top of a bustling highway.

See, public roads serve a dual purpose in Switzerland. They utilize a unique strategy that intentionally integrates civilian infrastructure with its military air operations. Not only can they be used by the public during times of peace, but if the base is destroyed or the main runway becomes unusable, their roads can be used as alternate airstrips. Their ability to maintain operational readiness at all times has been in place since the Cold War.

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Read more: 11 Of The Most Iconic Ground Attack Military Planes In History

Be sure to look both ways when crossing the airstrip!

In June of 2024, the Swiss Air Force performed an exercise called "Alpha Uno," where several F/A-18 Hornet (a fighter that initially had a serious design flaw) actually landed onto and took off from the A1 motorway near Payerne. These tests keep Air Force pilots honed and ready to use non-traditional airfields in a threatened security environment where bases or military airfields might not be available.

The safety and security measures involved in allowing civilian traffic to cross over the airstrip are highly regulated. First, and what should be most apparent, vehicles are not permitted on the runway while planes are taking off or landing. And the public's ability to cross the airstrip is entirely dependent on the country's threat level at the time. The two entry points at Meiringen Air Base are slightly different, but both are very reminiscent of a typical railroad crossing found in the United States.

When a pilot is ready to take off, the air traffic controllers sitting in the tower engage the barriers. One has flashing red lights and an audible warning sound that accompanies the barrier as it closes. The other is a much sturdier sliding metal gate, sans the red lights and sounds. Military police are on hand to ensure safety and security, plus the runway controller (also in the tower) observes every takeoff and landing and can cancel a takeoff or landing if needed. A vibrant tourist industry has sprouted up around the base, because when's the last time you met someone who drove across an active working military airstrip?

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Palestinian journalist Saleh Aljafarawi has been killed during clashes in Gaza City, just days after Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian sources told Al Jazeera Arabic that the 28-year-old, who had gained prominence for his videos covering the war, was shot and killed by members of an armed militia while covering clashes in the citys Sabra neighbourhood.

Al Jazeeras Sanad agency verified footage published by reporters and activists showing his body  in a press flak jacket  on what appeared to be the back of a truck. He had been missing since Sunday morning.

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Palestinian sources said clashes were taking place between Hamas security forces and fighters from the Doghmush clan in Sabra on Sunday, although this has not been confirmed by local authorities.

A senior source in Gazas Ministry of Interior told Al Jazeera Arabic that the clashes in Gaza City involved an armed militia affiliated with the [Israeli] occupation.

The source said security forces imposed a siege on the militia, adding that militia members killed displaced people as they were returning from southern Gaza to Gaza City.

Despite the recent ceasefire, local authorities have repeatedly warned that the security situation in Gaza remains challenging.

I lived in fear for every second

Speaking to Al Jazeera in January, several days before the start of a temporary ceasefire in the war at the time, Aljafarawi talked about his experiences being displaced from northern Gaza.

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All the scenes and situations I went through during these 467 days will not be erased from my memory. All the situations we faced, we will never be able to forget them, Aljafarawi said.

The journalist added that he had received numerous threats from Israel due to his work.

Honestly, I lived in fear for every second, especially after hearing what the Israeli occupation was saying about me. I was living life second to second, not knowing what the next second would bring, he said.

In the deadliest-ever conflict for journalists, more than 270 media workers have now been killed in Gaza since the start of Israels war in October 2023.

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Aljafarawis death comes as the current ceasefire in Gaza has held for a third day, ahead of an expected hostage-prisoner exchange.

United States President Donald Trump is set to gather with other world leaders on Monday in Egypts Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh for a Gaza summit co-hosted by Egypts President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

It aims to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and usher in a new era of regional security and stability, according to the Egyptian presidents office.

During the historic gathering, a document ending the war in the Gaza Strip is set to be signed, Egypts Foreign Ministry said on Sunday. Neither Israel nor Hamas will have representatives at the talks.
A Palestinian inmate slated for release under the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal attacked a female prison guard before being restrained and detained.

A Palestinian prisoner who was set to be released as part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas attacked a female prison guard during the preparation process to release the prisoners, a spokesperson for the Israel Prison Service announced on Saturday evening.

Other prison staff subdued the prisoner, and the guard received medical treatment on-site.

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The prisoner involved was subsequently transferred for detention and interrogation by the Israel Police.

The number of Palestinian security prisoners being released by Israel in exchange for the return of 48 hostages, 20 still alive, is the lowest ratio agreed upon in decades, Walla reported on Friday night.

Walla learned that the final list of security prisoners includes 195 prisoners serving life sentences, and only 60 of them are Hamas operatives. Just for comparison, in the Gilad Schalit deal, 450 Hamas operatives were released, including prisoners who led significant terrorism against the State of Israel.

Gilad Schalit and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (credit: STEWART WEISS)

The 1,700 Gaza detainees who will be released will not be terrorists who raided on October 7, 2023, and the release of Hamas operatives has been limited as much as possible.

Who are some of the prisoners being released?

Jihad A-Karim Azziz Rom, a terrorist who participated in the lynching 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.

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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.

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.

Danielle Greyman-Kennard, Amir Bohbot, and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
MANILA/BEIJING (Reuters) -The Philippines and China accused each other on Sunday of responsibility for a maritime confrontation near disputed islands in the South China Sea, further escalating tensions in the resource-rich waterway.

The Philippines alleged Chinese maritime forces used water cannon and rammed a Filipino vessel near Thitu Island, locally known as Pag-asa Island, describing the actions as a "clear threat," its coast guard said in a statement.

According to Manila's coast guard, three vessels were anchored near the island early on Sunday as part of a government program to protect local fishermen when Chinese ships reportedly approached and used water cannon to intimidate them.

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An hour later, a Chinese coast guard ship allegedly fired its water cannon directly at a Philippine vessel before ramming its stern, causing minor damage but no injuries, the coast guard said.

China's coast guard said two Philippine government vessels "illegally entered" waters near Sandy Cay, a coral reef in the northern Thitu Reefs within the Spratly Islands, leading to a collision.

Beijing said a Philippine vessel "dangerously approached" a Chinese coast guard ship, for which it held Manila responsible.

Manila's authorities vowed to continue operations in the area, emphasizing the need to protect Filipino fishermen's livelihood.

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The disputed area, part of the Spratly Islands, has been the site of repeated confrontations between the two nations over the years.

Tensions have heightened recently, particularly over the Scarborough Shoal and other contested regions in the South China Sea, which China claims almost entirely.

Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam also assert claims over portions of the waterway, a strategic trade route that facilitates over $3 trillion in annual ship-borne commerce.

(Reporting by Phuong Nguyen in Hanoi, Karen Lema in Manila, Selena Li in Hong Kong and Eduardo Baptista in Beijing; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
MANILA/BEIJING (Reuters) -The Philippines and China accused each other on Sunday of responsibility for a maritime confrontation near disputed islands in the South China Sea, further escalating tensions in the resource-rich waterway.

The Philippine Maritime Council, an inter-agency government body, blamed Chinese maritime forces for deploying water cannon and ramming a Filipino vessel near the Philippine-occupied Thitu Island, locally known as Pag-asa, "strongly condemning" the incident and vowing to pursue "appropriate diplomatic action".

According to Manila's coast guard, three vessels were anchored near the island early on Sunday as part of a government program to protect local fishermen when Chinese ships reportedly approached and used water cannon to intimidate them.

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An hour later, a Chinese coast guard ship allegedly fired its water cannon directly at a Philippine vessel before ramming its stern, causing minor damage but no injuries, the coast guard said.

China's coast guard said two Philippine government vessels "illegally entered" waters near Sandy Cay, a coral reef in the northern Thitu Reefs within the Spratly Islands, leading to a collision.

Beijing said a Philippine vessel "dangerously approached" a Chinese coast guard ship, for which it held Manila responsible.

Manila's authorities vowed to continue operations in the area, emphasizing the need to protect Filipino fishermen's livelihood.

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U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson condemned what she described as China's "dangerous ramming" of a Filipino vessel, calling the incident "aggressive actions" in the South China Sea, in a post on social media platform X.

The disputed area, part of the Spratly Islands, has been the site of repeated confrontations between the two nations over the years.

Tensions have heightened recently, particularly over the Scarborough Shoal and other contested regions in the South China Sea, which China claims almost entirely.

Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam also assert claims over portions of the waterway, a strategic trade route that facilitates over $3 trillion in annual ship-borne commerce.

(Reporting by Phuong Nguyen in Hanoi, Karen Lema in Manila, Selena Li in Hong Kong and Eduardo Baptista in Beijing; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)




Fleet Week pilots face a unique challenge when they fly over San Francisco, according to Canadian Snowbirds lead pilot Brent Handy. It's not the wind or fog, but the "distraction of such a beautiful city."

The formation flyers can't pay much attention to the scenery when they're soaring in formation, just 4 feet from the neighboring planes. But video footage shared with the Chronicle showed the sweeping views of the bay that the Canadian flyers got during the air show this week.

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"Anytime you're sneaking a peek at the Golden Gate Bridge or anything like that, it's quite a beautiful sight," Handy said ahead of the Snowbirds' three formation flights. "We're really excited."

As Canada's premier military flight demonstration team, the Snowbirds perform everywhere from the Toronto waterfront to the remote communities of northern Canada. Of all the places where the team has flown, Handy said, San Francisco is "absolutely in the top three."

The Snowbirds had been scheduled to appear ahead of the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels, which traditionally headlines the event. But with the federal government shut down - and nonessential military operations such as aerobatics on pause - the Canadian pilots took the starring role in this year's festivities.

The Snowbirds offered a different style of air show to what San Franciscans typically see during Fleet Week. While the Blue Angels fly fighter jets that can quickly be made combat-ready, their Canadian counterparts' vintage red-and-white planes have been lovingly maintained since the 1960s. They also fly as a team of nine jets instead of the Blue Angels' six, changing formation dynamically as they loop across the sky.

This article originally published at Fleet Week pilots share stunning video of San Francisco taken from planes.
WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD)  Two people were arrested and face carjacking charges after a vehicle was stolen from Wyoming, police say.

Around 11 a.m. Sunday, officers with the Wyoming Police Department were called to 44th Street near Yorkton Avenue SW for a report of a carjacking. According to preliminary information, at least one person with a weapon had taken the victims vehicle and drove off.

Officers later found the vehicle off of 28th Street SE east of Patterson Avenue in Cascade Township, according to Wyoming police.

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A man and a woman were charged with carjacking and booked into the Kent County Correctional Facility, police say. They were not identified to News 8.

Police at a gas station on 28th Street SE in Cascade Township, where a stolen vehicle was found and two were arrested after a carjacking, according to police. (Oct. 12, 2025)

Police at a gas station on 28th Street SE in Cascade Township, where a stolen vehicle was found and two were arrested after a carjacking, according to police. (Oct. 12, 2025)

The carjacking is still under investigation. Anyone with information should contact WPD detectives at 616.530.7300 or Silent Observer at 616.774.2345.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that the U.S. will allow Qatar to build a facility at an Air Force base in Idaho  just months after Qatar gifted the Pentagon with a luxury jet that President Donald Trump plans to use for Air Force One.

Hegseth, 45, made the announcement during a meeting with his Qatari counterpart, Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on Friday, Oct. 10.

Hegseth said that Qatari pilots will train alongside U.S. troops, and that the arrangement will be mutually beneficial to both the U.S. and Qatar.

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Today were announcing [and] 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 the lethality, [and] interoperability, he said. Its just another example of our partnership.

John McDonnell/Getty Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thaniin and Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on Oct. 10 Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thaniin and Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on Oct. 10

In a statement posted on X later that day, Hegseth shared what he called an important clarification.

The U.S. military has a long-standing partnership w/ Qatar, including todays announced cooperation w/ F-15QA aircraft. However, to be clear, Qatar will not have their own base in the United Statesnor anything like a base. We control the existing base, like we do with all partners, he wrote.

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Sources told CNN that the plan to build a Qatari facility within the U.S. is not new, and even dates back to the previous administration. Additionally, a U.S. official told the outlet that permitting partner nations to build facilities on U.S. Air Force bases has been happening for decades, and cited partnerships with both Germany and Singapore.

Hum Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Fighter jet at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho Fighter jet at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho

However, the move has sparked public outrage among many factions  including some close to Trump, 79. Conservative political activist and vocal Trump ally Laura Loomer has posted about the deal dozens of times on X since it was announced, calling it an abomination.

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Just unbelievable, she wrote in one post.

Hegseth signed an agreement with Qatar in July which outlined the terms of Qatars unconditional donation of a luxury jet to the U.S. Department of Defense. The plane is expected to be used by Trump for official White House travel once it has been upgraded for security.

This donation is made in good faith and in the spirit of cooperation and mutual support between the parties, the signed document said, per CNN. Nothing in this MoU is, or shall be interpreted or construed as, an offer, promise, or acceptance of any form of bribery, undue influence, or corrupt practice.

Read the original article on People
This story has been updated to correct Andrea Lauago's title with the Office of Construction Review.

For years, residents of the West End and Old Louisville have complained about recovery programs buying up homes and altering the fabric of their neighborhoods.

In the last five years, both state and local governments have started taking a closer look at how the homes are licensed and certified, prompting some cities to take a more active role in ensuring programs are following regulations.

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Both residents and Louisville officials have campaigned for more oversight when it comes to recovery homes. In 2024, Metro Councilman Kahlil Batshon put forward a proposal asking the Office of Planning to review its licensing and review process.

But the city's multi-pronged local licensing process is already intense and confusing to program owners, with one comparing it to mountains of paperwork and endless hoops to jump through.

Here's what to know about how recovery homes are currently licensed and certified.

Related: Laws meant to crackdown on halfway houses in Louisville aren't working. What can be done?

What are recovery homes?

Recovery homes are specialized residential facilities for people who have recently been released from correctional facilities or substance abuse treatment centers that are designed to give them a place to stay while still receiving support services.

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Although Louisville requires all recovery homes to get shelter permits, the city divides them into two categories: transitional and rehabilitation.

Andrea Lauago, an executive administrator for the Office of Construction Review, said when it comes to transitional and rehabilitation homes, its kind of an all Jacuzzis are hot tubs, but not all hot tubs are Jacuzzis deal.

Under the city's Land Development Code, transitional houses are defined as temporary residential living arrangements for persons participating in a program that provides supportive services. That could mean a home for people whove graduated from a substance abuse program or who have been recently released from jail.

A rehabilitation home is defined as a place where clients receive supervised medical or professional care for drug or alcohol abuse or psychiatric disorders or are required to stay as a condition of parole.

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The real difference  and this is my quick question to help determine whether something is transitional or rehabilitation  is to ask people if detox is happening, Lauago said. So if there's medical detox happening on a site, then it's a rehabilitation home per the Land Development Code, and they need a conditional use permit. If there's not, then it could be a transitional home.

How does Louisville's licensing process work for recovery homes?

Both transitional and rehabilitation homes have to go through a fairly intensive process with the Office of Planning to obtain a shelter license.

All rehabilitation homes are also required to get conditional use permits (CUP), while only some transitional homes must do so, often if they want to expand their capacity. The monthslong CUP process includes neighborhood meetings and passage through the planning commission, Metro's Planning Committe and, finally, Metro Council.

Between January 2021 and September 2025, 23 of the 50 CUPs filed for transitional and rehabilitation homes were approved. Only nine CUPs were denied, while other requests were withdrawn, pending or expired.

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Shelters with a CUP, including transitional and rehabilitation homes, are required to be at least 1,000 feet apart, Lauago said. But that spacing rule doesnt apply to transitional homes without a CUP, allowing them to bypass that distance and the neighborhood meeting process.

Once a recovery home is approved for a site, owners must contact the Division of Construction Review to submit a building permit application. The building will then go through an inspection process to ensure occupancy rules are followed, the space is up to health and fire code and the property follows city guidelines.

After obtaining a building permit, owners must submit an application for a shelter license, go through another round of inspections and finally receive a license.

The licensing process is a lot of rechecking step one and two and then also getting those other agencies to inspect, like property maintenance and the health department to just make sure that the facilities are safe and healthy for people to be in, Lauago said.

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All licenses annually expire in September and must be renewed by each transitional and rehabilitation home. When licenses expire or are denied, the Department of Code and Regulations automatically schedules an inspection, said Joel Dock, a planning manager with the city.

That means a code enforcement officer will go out to check and see if there's a shelter in operation and if there is, they would get a notice of violation, Dock said.  So for the ones we know about and are in our system, we have something set up for us to check. For the ones we dont know about that are operating illegally, likely it will be based on a complaint.

Code and Regulations employees rely on neighbors and community members to submit complaints for recovery homes they suspect are operating illegally or are violating local or state laws.

But while the city licenses focus on occupancy and building structure, they have little to deal with what programs or structures residents follow inside these houses.

What is Kentucky's certification process for recovery homes?

Since House Bill 248 was passed in 2023, Kentucky has required all recovery homes to be certified. Previously, recovery homes could seek certification, but it wasnt required by law.

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Our hope is potential barriers can be identified  like location, transportation and language services accommodations  and that programs can be created to overcome these obstacles and get more people the quality care they need, Gov. Andy Beshear said in 2023 when the bill was signed.

Kentucky Recovery Housing Network was the state body that certified recovery homes for years. But in 2025, it signed an affiliate agreement with the National Alliance of Recovery Residences, becoming the Kentucky Alliance of Recovery Residences (KYARR).

Religious organizations and Oxford House recovery homes, which are democratically run by residents, are exempt from KYARR certification.

Its not a perfect system. KYARR has only three officials to do site visits throughout the state and ensure homes and their programs are up to standards. The agency has certified 337 recovery homes in Kentucky, KYARR Executive Director Dane Preston said, and hes been to most of them.

The Gateway to Hope Recovery House, LLC is going to open by Ethel Graham. Sept. 19, 2025

KYARR saw a dramatic increase in homes looking to start the certification process in 2024 after House Bill 248 went into effect. The certification process includes a document review, interview and site visit. The documentation process is the longest part of certification, Preston said. For the more than 330 homes, there are only 95 operators, who usually submit similar documentation for several properties that they own, speeding up the process for Preston and his team.

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This is a quality assurance and learning experience for everyone involved, Preston said. Were trying to help people raise the standard and create positive recovery experiences.

Preston works closely with recovery homes and local officials, who have increased authority over recovery home certification with the passage of House Bill 462 in 2024.

Chris Elam, the recovery residence compliance officer for Elizabethtown, often does a preliminary site visit for homes before KYARR comes to certify them, ensuring operators are prepared and can pass the site visit when Preston or another KYARR inspector arrives.

More: How one Kentucky city successfully reduced illegal recovery homes

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KYARR will also only schedule a site visit once the home reaches 50% occupancy, Elam said.

So technically, there's kind of a window there where they're actually operating illegally, so to speak, because they're operating but they're not certified, but they can't get certified unless they're at least 50% occupied, Elam said.

When it comes to homes not following standards, KYARR is limited in what it can do. Grievances can be filed on the organization's website, but it only has jurisdiction for properties that are certified or have started the certification process. Any recovery residences that have not sought certification through KYARR must be reported either to the local government or the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

Reach reporter Keely Doll at kdoll@courierjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: How recovery homes in Louisville are licensed, certified
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP)  Fifty years ago, Banhine National Park in Mozambique was a wildlife haven, teeming with herds of giraffe, buffalo and antelope. Then, it was stripped nearly bare by decades of civil war and unchecked poaching.

But a project is underway to restore Banhine to its former glory. Fences have been rebuilt and roads fixed. Finally, the trickiest part: bringing in the animals.

Private conservationists working with the government of Mozambique have moved nearly 400 animals  zebra, wildebeest and several species of antelope  by truck to Banhine. It's an attempt to restart a game reserve that is part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a series of reserves in Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe that form a wildlife corridor and a key conservation area.

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The animals that will restock Banhine came from the Maputo National Park, itself a success story after a similar rehabilitation 15 years ago.

The process of getting the animals to Banhine was difficult and delicate. They were herded toward a large funnel-shaped enclosure with a helicopter. From there, they were guided up a ramp and into crates on the back of trucks for an 18-hour drive north. In all, the operation took 12 days.

The 385 animals were introduced into an 8-square-mile "sanctuary" that will be increased in size until they have acclimatized fully and are ready to roam the larger park, said Donald Sutton, head of operations and development at Banhine.

We are contributing now to the biodiversity, the bigger biodiversity, of Banhine National Park, he said. Which hopefully means that slowly but surely as the number of animals here increase and we release them into the greater Banhine National Park system, our tourism will increase as well.

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Banhine is the latest reserve identified for rehabilitation in Mozambique, which once boasted some of the region's richest wildlife resources, only for reserves to be left desolate by poaching, drought and a bloody 15-year civil war between 1977 and 1992.

Peace Parks Foundation works to restore cross-border conservation areas in southern Africa and was involved in the animal relocation to Banhine.

It is also spearheading a project to restock Mozambique's Zinave National Park, another reserve that's part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park and was stripped of wildlife over the years.

At Zinave, critically endangered black rhinos have been reintroduced after being moved from South Africa and are now the first black rhino population in Mozambique in decades.

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Peace Parks says it has moved more than 18,000 animals to previously degraded conservation areas that are being revived.

Sutton said it took 2 1/2 years of backbreaking work to get Banhine ready for wildlife again but he now hopes to see herds migrating in and out of the reserve once more.

I see the future of Banhine being what it was over 50 years ago, he said.

___

AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth  who calls himself the War Secretary amid an administration rebranding of the Defense Department  issued a clarification after widespread criticism from MAGA supporters over the news that the U.S. will host a Qatari air force facility on American soil.

Speaking alongside Qatars Minister of Defense Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Hegseth announced Friday, Today, were announcing a letter of acceptance in building a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.

The announcement sparked immediate backlash from conservative critics, most notably Laura Loomer, who has the ear of President Donald Trump, prompting Hegseth to post an important clarification on X later in the day.

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The U.S. military has a long-standing partnership w/ Qatar, including todays announced cooperation w/ F-15QA aircraft. However, to be clear, Qatar will not have their own base in the United Statesnor anything like a base. We control the existing base, like we do with all partners, he wrote.

Despite the clarification, far-right activist Loomer doubled down on her remark that allowing people linked to Hamas to train on U.S. soil poses a national security threat.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth clarified Friday on X that Qatar's training facility will be within a U.S. base, not a full foreign base of their own (Getty Images)

Nobody wants the funders of HAMAS in America being trained to fly fighter jets on US soil. A jihadist in a suit is still a jihadi. Its a threat to our national security, Loomer replied to Hegseths follow-up post.

Earlier Friday, Loomer called the plan an abomination.

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I dont think Ill be voting in 2026. I cannot in good conscience make any excuses for the harboring of jihadis. This is where I draw the line, she wrote.

Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon and the Idaho Freedom Foundation also condemned the plan.

"There should never be a military base of a foreign power on the sacred soil of America, Bannon told Newsweek.

The MAGA-friendly Idaho Freedom Foundation said on X, To unilaterally decide that Idaho will host a foreign nations Air Force facility, which would house and train foreign nationals whose loyalties dont align with our own national and state interests, is a completely unacceptable overreach.

Far-right activist Laura Loomer, a Trump ally, called the Qatar air force base an 'abomination,' and said she doesn't plan on voting next year (Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the Qatari embassy confirmed that the training facility is part of a 10-year commitment to enhance interoperability between the two nations' air forces. The embassy also noted that the project will create American jobs and support broader U.S.-Qatari military cooperation.

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The establishment of the facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base, home to the 366th Fighter Wing, follows a precedent of hosting foreign military personnel for training. Similar arrangements have been made with other allies, such as Singapore, which has trained its pilots at the base since 1998.

The facility is expected to accommodate 12 Qatari F-15 jets and approximately 300 personnel.

In September, Trump signed an order pledging U.S. defense of Qatar if attacked and urged Israels leader to apologize for a deadly strike on a Qatari serviceman.

Earlier this year, Qatars royal family gave Trump a $400 million jet, which he said would eventually go to his presidential library.
Community arts organizations are the heart of the Southern Delaware Cultural fabric. These offerings by highly talented residents continue to expand in both breadth and quality, providing accessible, exciting performances and opportunities for participation.

For many years, local actors, theater producers, and wind/percussion musicians had ample opportunities to cultivate or rediscover their talents. Theater companies like the Rehoboth Beachs Clear Space, and musical groups like the Southern Delaware Chorale and the Rehoboth Concert Band have consistently featured "neighbors performing for neighbors.

Often, these groups were established by artists who moved to our area and, finding no suitable outlets for their passions as they had in their previous homes, created groups for themselves and like-minded individuals right here in southern Delaware.

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However, until 2022, string players lacked a similar opportunity to perform in an orchestra, non-string players had no place to play the orchestral repertoire with an ensemble that included strings, and audiences typically had to travel to enjoy this kind of music.

The moment of SODELO

SODELO at Freeman Stage this August.

Our Southern Delaware Orchestra, SODELO, changed this by filling the orchestral "white space." Starting as a 20-person string ensemble in a small Lewes church, SODELO has grown into a 75-piece full orchestra.

Building bonds

SODELO is built on a passion for sharing orchestral music. But beyond music, we create strong social bonds among musicians and volunteers, and with the community. Rehearsals, performances and community outreach become opportunities for shared experiences, friendships, and a sense of belonging within the community. The shared pursuit of a common artistic goal creates unbreakable bonds while contributing to the cultural vibrancy of the region.

A community orchestra also inspires intergenerational connections. I vividly recall my own teen years in a New York community orchestra many years ago, an experience that not only shaped my musical path but imparted crucial lessons in collaboration and relationship-building beyond my peers, immediate family and their circle. Today, interacting with the young members of SODELO, its exciting to see those same valuable connections and insights unfolding.

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New chapter: Delaware Symphony Orchestra embraces future with new music director

This collaborative spirit also extends to relationships between cultural organizations, and Southern Delaware is poised to experience this firsthand. The Southern Delaware Chorale and SODELO are collaborating for the first time with joint performances of Handel's Messiah, with future programs in the works. These emerging relationships between our musicians and leadership will provide southern Delaware with a new and exciting way to enjoy community artistry.

For information and tickets to these performances at Cape Henlopen High School on Dec. 13 and 14, visit sodelomusic.org, where you can also buy tickets for an Oct. 12 performance of our "Fantasies and Fairy Tales" program.

Enriching the cultural landscape

Members of the Southern Delaware Chorale perform their May 2025 concert of 'In Her Own Words,' celebrating female composers and poets throughout history.

SODELO serves as a dynamic educational platform for musicians, audiences, and the broader community. For musicians, it provides a structured yet supportive environment to refine technique, deepen musical understanding, and gain invaluable practical experience within an intricate ensemble. This continuous learning process extends beyond formal instruction, as members learn from Music Director James Allen Anderson, from each other, and from the collaborative act of making music. Participating in a community orchestra builds discipline, teamwork, confidence, and offers a deeply fulfilling creative outlet.

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Resurrecting an icon Massive N.C. Wyeth mural out of public eye for 17 years gets new life in a Delaware barn

Community groups like ours enrich the cultural landscape with a wonderfully diverse and thoughtfully curated repertoire. This includes timeless classical masterpieces and beloved popular music, all aimed at spreading the joy of orchestral music. This diverse programming resonates with a wide spectrum of tastes and preferences, rewarding existing orchestral music lovers and inspiring future generations of musicians, as well.

In essence, a community orchestra is far more than just a group of musicians; it is a vibrant, grassroots cultural movement. It profoundly celebrates music not as an exclusive art form, but as a universal and shared passion, a powerful force that unites people from all walks of life. In doing so, it not only enriches the lives of its dedicated members but also significantly enhances the cultural vibrancy and overall quality of life for the wider community it serves.

About Southern Delaware Orchestra (SODELO)

Steve Greifer is one of the co-founders of the Southern Delaware Orchestra and serves as board president.

The Southern Delaware Orchestra (SODELO) is Sussex County's premier orchestra, dedicated to promoting and performing orchestral music. Through concerts, educational initiatives, and community engagement, SODELO aims to make orchestral music accessible and enjoyable for everyone in Southern Delaware.

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Author Steve Greifer is one of the co-founders of the orchestra and serves as board president.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: But beyond music, SODELO creates strong social bonds among musicians and volunteers, and with the community.
Oct. 11 (UPI) -- A hidden breeding facility in Spain was found to contain the remains of 250 animals and 171 live animals that were endangered and recovered to receive veterinary care.

The illicit breeding facility was located in the back of a warehouse in Meson do Vento in Ordes, Spain, the Spanish Civil Guard announced Saturday.

The warehouse manager has been detained and faces charges for alleged animal abuse, professional intrusion in the field of veterinary medicine and illegal possession of protected species.

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Most of the deceased animals were dogs and birds, including Chihuahuas, and some of the animals found living fed on the remains in the absence of food.

Many were in "different stages of decomposition, some even mummified," the Civil Force said, as reported by CBS News.

Exotic birds, dwarf horses, chinchillas, chickens and ducks were among those found living, as well as dogs.

The kennels and cages housing the animals were covered in excrement, which contributed to the dangers faced by the remaining animals.

Civil Guard officers also found a large supply of expired medicines and other veterinary materials that lacked prescriptions.

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Spanish authorities have discovered several animal trafficking rings this year, including one in which two men had more than 150 exotic species kept and an unlicensed pet store in Nules.

Officers also broke up an online ring based in the Balearic Islands that trafficked large cats, including pumas, lynx and white tigers.

The site of the latest illicit pet breeding facility was located in northwestern Spain and about 350 miles north of Lisbon.
Syria is moving to capitalize on its new ties abroad.

Syria welcomed the US Senates adoption of a provision within the budget bill calling for the repeal of the so-called Caesar Act, which was imposed on the former regime due to its crimes, Syrian state media SANA reported.

The Syrian government affirmed that the continued enforcement of the act after the deposed regime has caused severe humanitarian and economic repercussions for the Syrian people and negatively impacted civilian life across various sectors.

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Syrias Foreign Ministry said it appreciates the US approach. The ministry affirmed that this decision represents a constructive step toward correcting the course of bilateral relations with the United States, contributing to regional security and stability, and opening the door to promising opportunities for humanitarian and economic cooperation, SANA noted.

Syrias Defense Minister Major-General Murhaf Abu Qasra also praised the US Senates vote.

The US Senates decision to repeal the Caesar Act is a clear and renewed acknowledgment of Syrias return to its rightful place and its regional and global role. Abu Qasra stated on X. He also noted that a new chapter is opening for all national institutions, defined by work, reconstruction, and the consolidation of stability and Syrias advancement.

United Arab Emirates' Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan walks with Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa upon his arrival at Al Bateen Executive Airport, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, July 7, 2025. (credit: Abdulla Al Bedwawi/UAE Presidential Court/Handout via REUTERS)

Syrias Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani also said his ministry has worked to lift one of the heaviest burdens that has constrained our nation economically and politically. He noted also that this step restores the dignity of the Syrian people and their right to rebuild and shape their future, while reviving the vitality of state institutions to rise and prosper.

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SANA noted that the Syrian Civilian Protection Act, commonly known as the Caesar Act, was enacted in late 2019, based on testimonies and leaked photos from inside the former regimes detention centers documenting crimes against humanity. It came into force in 2020 as part of a series of US sanctions aimed at pressuring the former regime, deepening its financial, economic, and political isolation, and punishing its supporters to halt its repressive practices against the Syrian people and force it to accept a political solution based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

Syria capitalizes on new diplomatic ties

Syria is moving to capitalize on its new ties abroad. The Syrian transitional President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, was in New York for the UN General Assembly in September. He hosted US envoy Tom Barrack in Damascus last week alongside the head of US Central Command Admiral Brad Cooper. The head of the US-backed SDF Mazloum Abdi was also in Damascus to work on a ceasefire to reduce tensions with Damascus.

This weekend, Shaibani also received the credentials of new ambassadors from Saudi Arabia, Armenia, Italy, and Bangladesh. These are all countries that Syria can work with.

Saudi Arabia, especially is important to Syria. The foreign minister received copies of the credentials from Faisal Al-Mujfel, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Ruben Kharazyan, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia; Stefano Ravagnan, Ambassador of the Italian Republic; and Noor-E Helal Saifur Rahman, Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, SANA noted.
The Taliban has demanded that its flag fly over the Afghan embassy in Berlin.

The regime wants to replace the Afghan national flag with its white flag with black writing, which is an Islamic declaration of faith.

It also plans to rename the embassy from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, as the country was known between 2004 and 2021, to the Embassy of Afghanistan.

In July, Germany struck an agreement with the Taliban to deport dozens of Afghans back to Kabul, including sex offenders, violent criminals and failed asylum seekers.

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But while in Berlin for discussions about the deal, Taliban envoys also made demands about the embassy, which put Germany in a difficult position, not least because of the flags association with extremist activity.

Any pushback by Berlin could sabotage a deal that has made Germany one of the first European countries to deport Afghans and make progress towards addressing tensions around migration that have led to the rise of far-Right politicians.

Activists, mostly Afghans living in Berlin, protest after Germany issued entry visas to two Taliban diplomatic consular representatives in the summer - Sean Gallup/Getty

Soldiers from Germanys armed forces, which fought against the Taliban for almost two decades in their largest and longest ever deployment, were quick to voice their opposition.

A terrorist organisation against which we have waged war for two decades, which is responsible for attacks in Europe, now wants to raise its flag in our country. And theres no political outcry, Robert Muller, who was seriously injured in a 2005 rocket attack, told the Zeit newspaper.

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Condemnation has also come from the far-Right Alternative for Germany party. MP Gerold Otten said the demands were further evidence of the progressive normalisation of radical Islam in our country.

While the foreign office acts surprised, the German government silently accepts the fact that a fundamentalist regime displays its symbols in the heart of Berlin, he added.

The Greens also accused the government of secret diplomacy with terrorists.

Responding to the criticism, Germanys foreign office said it intended to maintain the status quo.

We have clearly communicated to the Afghan side our expectation that the embassy will continue to use titles and insignia of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, a spokesman said.

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PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB)  The ultimate coastal celebration kicked off at Captain Andersons Marina this weekend.

The inaugural Panama City Beach Seafood Festival is sure to provide fresh seafood and family fun.

Admission is free, and it includes access to bounce houses, face painters, and live music.

Theres seafood everywhere you look, with local vendors selling conch fritters, blue crab, oysters, and fried shrimp. While youre there, you can check out the Panama City Beach Fishing Rodeo, a tournament with cash prizes for the biggest catches.

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Pirates of the High Seas and Renaissance Fest continues all weekend in Panama City Beach

We just kind of wanted to showcase what we already had going on here with the exciting tournament, and we were like, well, lets combine a seafood festival. What goes better with fishing than seafood, and it just kind of turned into a big party for the community, Panama City Beach Seafood Festival Event Coordinator Chelsea Adami said.

The festivities will continue Sunday at Captain Andersons Marina starting at 11 a.m.

Dont miss the grand finale for both events with a fireworks show over the Grand Lagoon at 8:30 p.m.

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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 mypanhandle.com.
SYDNEY (Reuters) -Tens of thousands of people joined a pro-Palestinian rally in the business district of Australia's most populous city, Sydney, on Sunday, organisers said, after a court this week blocked a move to hold the protest at the Sydney Opera House.

Around 27 protests took place across Australia on Sunday, including in Melbourne and Sydney, said the organiser, the Palestine Action Group, which estimated a crowd of 30,000 at the Sydney rally. Police did not have a crowd estimate for the protest.

The rallies took place against the backdrop of Israeli troops pulling back under the first phase of a U.S.-brokered agreement to end the war in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands of people and left much of the enclave in ruins.

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Amal Naser, an organiser of the Sydney rally, said "even if the ceasefire holds, Israel is still conducting a military occupation of Gaza and the West Bank".

"The occupation as well as systemic discrimination against Palestinians living in Israel constitute an Apartheid system," she said in a statement.

Australian Broadcasting Corp footage showed protesters, many carrying Palestinian flags and wearing keffiyeh scarves, marching on closed city streets. Police said no arrests were made.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry, an umbrella group for more than 200 Jewish organisations, condemned the protest organisers. "They want the deal to fail, which would mean the war would continue," co-chief executive Peter Wertheim said in a statement.

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Pro-Palestinian protests have been common in Australia, especially in Sydney and Melbourne, since war in Gaza erupted after Hamas miltants killed 1,200 Israelis in an attack on Oct. 7, 2023.

Gaza authorities say more than 67,000 people have been killed and much of the enclave flattened since Israel began its military response to the Hamas attack.

(Reporting by Sam McKeith in Sydney; Editing by Raku Gopalakrishnan)




Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he's tired of seeing "fat" soldiers who give he military a "bad look."

Now, the statement is drawing more attention, after hundreds of Texas National Guard Troops landed in Chicago at President Donald Trump's order in response to protests against the government's immigration policies.

A viral photo of heavyset Texas troops wielding rifles as they descend from a truck in Chicago has people poking fun at the comments Hegseth made during a Sept. 30 speech to hundreds of top military commanders gathered in Quantico, Va. He derided troops who were out of shape and overweight. Seeing them in such condition was "unacceptable," he said.

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"Frankly, it's tiring to look out at combat formations, or really any formation, and see fat troops. Likewise, it's completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon and leading commands around the country and the world," Hegseth said in his Quantico speech. "It's a bad look. It is bad, and it's not who we are."

Members of the Texas National Guard have arrived in Illinois, according to sources familiar with their whereabouts and video taken of them at an Army Reserve training facility in a Chicago suburb.



Read more: https://t.co/AkmU3diD97 pic.twitter.com/chTjQ1TrFY - ABC News (@ABC) October 7, 2025

After the speech, Hegseth mandated that active-duty troops take two physical fitness tests each year and work out every day.

On social media, some people alluded to the photo of the chubby Texas Guard members in pointing out the irony of Hegseth's comments.

ALSO READ: Pete Hegseth calls himself secretary of war but he's actually not. Here's why.

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"Pete isn't going to be happy with this picture at all," one person wrote on Facebook.

"Them boys be looking for the nearest Chicago pizza spot," another wrote on Reddit.

The photo, shared by ABC News on Oct. 7, has drawn millions of views.

A statement from the National Guard Thursday said troops have to meet height, weight and fitness standards.

"When mobilizing for active duty, members go through a validation process to ensure they meet requirements. On the rare occasions when members are found not in compliance, they will not go on mission," the statement said "They will be returned to their home station, and replacements who do meet standards will take their places."

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ALSO READ: Chicago federal judge temporarily blocks Texas National Guard deployment

Weight is one of several qualifiers for people looking to join the military. Being overweight is the biggest disqualifier for military service for Americans between the ages of 17 and 24, according to the Associated Press.

This month, Trump called 400 Texas National Guard troops to Chicago, Portland, Ore., and other Democrat-led cities to respond to protests against his administration's crackdown on immigration. Federal judges blocked the deployments in both Oregon and Illinois, saying Trump lacked evidence of any rebellion - the justification he used to invoke a law allowing him to federalize state Guard troops.

The deployment set off a legal and political fight between Trump and Democratic leaders like Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who are challenging the deployments in court.

This article originally published at Texas Guardsmen photo mocked online after Hegseth's 'fat troops' speech.
The Texas Military Department has removed an unspecified number of National Guard troops deployed to Chicago for not being in compliance with its validation process.

A spokesperson for the Texas Military Department confirmed to Task & Purpose that a small group of the 200 National Guard members sent to Illinois this past week have been replaced after they were found to not meet certain standards. The move came amid criticism on social media over pictures that showed some of the Guard members appearing to be overweight, and as an appeals court temporarily blocked the deployment of the Texan troops into Illinois.

In less than 24 hours, Texas National Guardsmen mobilized for the Federal Protection Mission, a spokesperson told Task & Purpose by email this weekend. The speed of the response necessitated a concurrent validation process, during which we identified a small group of service members who were not in compliance and have been replaced.

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A set of viral photos by ABC News earlier this week showed troops arriving in Chicago, with several appearing heavyset. The Texans were met with derision online for their appearance, with several people noting Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseths comments about fitness standards during his September speech to top military leaders.

The Texas Military Departments response was to questions from Task & Purpose about whether Guardsmen were being evaluated for height and weight standards as a result of the pictures.

The Texas Military Department did not say exactly how the 200 deployed National Guard members were out of compliance and being replaced. The National Guard Bureau issued a statement on Oct. 9 saying that National Guard Soldiers and Airman are required to meet service-specific height, weight and physical fitness standards at all times. The statement did not include any context about what prompted it, not did it mention the photos criticized on social media.

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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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When mobilizing for active duty, members go through a validation process to ensure they meet those requirements. On the rare occasions when members are found not in compliance, they will not go on mission, the National Guard Bureau statement continued. They will be returned to their home station, and replacements who do meet standards will take their places.

Earlier this month the Trump administration federalized 300 members of the Illinois National Guard, orders to protect federal personnel and property in Chicago. 200 members of the Texas National Guard were also sent to the Chicago area to join the force. The troops sent from Texas currently are blocked from deploying to guard federal buildings or conduct patrols. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge April Perry temporarily blocked the deployment of federalized National Guard troops from operating in Chicago and the state of Illinois as a whole. The decision echoed a similar ruling on the deployment of federalized troops to Oregon a few days prior. After an appeal by the Trump administration, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit ruled that troops under Title 10 federal control can remain federalized and stay in Illinois, but cannot deploy.
Thelma Armstrong's family, friends, coworkers and church community gathered over the weekend to remember the faithful and kind woman they said lit up their lives.

Armstrong, 54, was one of four victims killed in the Sunday, Sept. 28 shooting and fire at the Grand Blanc Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township.

Armstrong always had a strong faith, and joined the Church of Latter-day Saints in 2011 after two missionaries with Jesus Christ on their name tags knocked on her door, Armstrong's daughter Charne Lichtenberg recalled during the memorial service on Saturday, Oct. 11.

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More: 'He was loved immensely': Hundreds gather to mourn man who died in Grand Blanc Twp. attack

Armstrong lived most of her life in South Africa, and moved to the U.S. in 2019 to live with her daughter, son-in-law and her grandchildren, who currently live in Grand Blanc.

Armstrong took pride in her work and the people she worked with, according to her children and coworkers. She started her career in retail and eventually became a manager at Food Zone local grocery store in Klerksdorp, South Africa, where she was born, according to her obituary.

Thelma Armstrong

Some of the people she worked for in South Africa were Greek. Though Armstrong's family was not Greek, Armstrong embraced Greek culture, Lichtenberg said. Armstrong was known to her grandchildren and many others  including children in the class she taught at the church in Grand Blanc Township  as "Yia Yia," which means grandmother in Greek.

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After receiving her green card and moving to the U.S., Armstrong was excited to find a job, her family said. She most recently worked as a quality technician at American Axle.

During her memorial service, coworkers shared stories of her asking about the small details of their lives and remembering them. One coworker said Armstrong would greet him with a smile when she got to work every day, and then make him give her a smile before she left.

Another coworker remembered the way she'd cheer up the office with her colorful desk decorations for every holiday. Armstrong also had all kinds of pink office supplies, the coworker said. Her favorite colors were pink and red.

Litchenberg said her mother loved to decorate. Armstrong had already decorated for Halloween, as her son, Litchenberg's brother Damon Du Bruyn, was visiting from South Africa and she wanted him to experience the holiday.

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Litchenberg, Du Bruyn and some of Armstrong's friends who spoke at the service said she also loved to give gifts.

"My mother loved giving gifts," Litchenberg said. "I never expected anything in return. Trust me, I gave her gifts, and it was never as impactful as when she gave gifts. Sometimes it was silly, but as time goes by, those silly little gifts now mean so, so much."

Du Bruyn said she gifted him a red suitcase when he started considering taking a job in China, saying he was going to travel the world with a red suitcase. Though he had to retire the original, when he arrived in the U.S. to visit his mom about two weeks before her tragic death, his belongings were in a red suitcase.

Almost every person who spoke during Armstrong's memorial said they could tell how much she loved her family because she would always talk about them.

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Du Bruyn said though he lived across the world from his mom, he'd call her every day. He said hadn't met most of the people at her memorial service, but had heard about many of them and the joy they brought to his mom's life in frequent phone calls.

"The thing that will stay with me forever is my mom's kindness," he said. "She never knew how to hold a grudge, and she loved everybody in this room and everybody back home."

Along with her children, Armstrong is survived by her brother Jaco Du Bruyn and her sisters, Charmaine and Belinda, according to her obituary.

Jaco Du Bruyn couldn't make it to the memorial from South Africa, but Damon Du Bruyn read a statement from him. The statement said Armstrong never sought attention, yet her presence filled the room with peace.

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She lived with grace, gave with an open heart, and believed in the power of compassion, according to the statement. Even in the face of tragedy, we choose to remember not the way she was taken from us, but the way she lived with faith, love and gentleness. Though our hearts are broken, her spirit will forever remain in every act of kindness we do, every smile we share and in every prayer we whisper.

Armstong was known to be kind to missionaries. Shane Lichtenberg, Armstrong's son-in-law, met Charne after coming to Armstrong's door as a missionary. He said he helped paint one of the walls in her house red, and that every missionary there left a white handprint on the wall, which became so full of handprints the wall expanded to the ceiling.

"It was a testament of how she cared and how much she loved ... The love she gives so freely is a reflection of God's own eternal love," Shane Lichtenberg said.

The memorial service took place at Sharp Funeral Homes Fenton Chapel in Fenton and was livestreamed.

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The other three congregants killed in the Sept. 28 attack were John Bond, 77, of Linden; Pat Howard, 77, of Holly; and Craig Hayden, 72, of Fenton. Eight others were injured in the attack, which began when a man rammed a pickup truck into the church and then opened fire with a gun. The gunman was fatally shot by police, who arrived within minutes.

Armstrong's family is accepting donations on a verified GoFundMe page, which has more than $73,000 as of Sunday, Oct. 12.

"Things won't be the same," Damon Du Bruyen said. "I feel like the world has lost a little bit of joy, a little bit of fire. But I hope that if you guys ever see something red, that you will think of my mom.

Contact Natalie Davies at ndavies@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Victim of Grand Blanc church attack remembered as faithful, kind woman
Germany is preparing to pledge at least 100 million - an undisclosed "three-digit" number of millions - to support the reconstruction of Gaza, Development Minister Reem Alabali-Radovan said on Sunday.

Part of the development aid, which had been frozen following the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, is now available again, Alabali-Radovan told broadcaster ARD.

The exact amount has not yet been determined, and Alabali-Radovan said only that the contribution would be a three-digit number of millions.

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Much of Gaza, including hospitals and schools, has been destroyed or damaged under two years of bombardment. UN development agency UNDP previously said Israel's attacks on Gaza caused the worst destruction witnessed since World War II.

Germany, a staunch backer of Israel during its military campaign in Gaza, authorized arms exports worth almost half a billion euros to Israel from October 7, 2023, to May 13, 2025, the German Ministry of Economics said in June.

Alabali-Radovan said Germany would now also provide direct transitional aid to Gaza, such as emergency shelters that are already prepared.

At the same time, Alabali-Radovan emphasized that the total cost of Gaza's reconstruction is very high and cannot be borne by Germany alone. "We must achieve this together as part of the international community," she said.

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Germany, together with Egypt, plans to invite participants to a reconstruction conference. "This will take place in the coming weeks," the minister said, adding that she expects further details in the coming days.

People walk past destroyed buildings as displaced Palestinians return to their homes after the Israeli army withdrew from some areas east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, following the announcement of an agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas on the implementation of the first phase of the US peace plan for the Gaza Strip. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa
The mass shooting in Leland, Mississippi Friday night wasn't the only one in the state ... police say there were two more shootings in different towns.

Cops say after the dust settled from the three shooting incidents, a total of 8 people were dead and around a dozen were injured.

The worst of the shootings took place in Leland, where reportedly 6 people were shot to death and at least 10 were wounded during a street celebration for Leland High School's homecoming weekend.

townofheidelberg.net

Another shooting broke out at Heidelberg High School in Heidelberg, MS, a small town 80 miles east of the state capitol of Jackson. Police say 3 people were shot at the high school and two of them were killed, but the third survived. Cops reportedly took a person of interest into custody for questioning.

rollingfork.ms.gov

The last shooting occurred at South Delta High School in Rolling Fork -- a town 40 miles south of Leland, where at least one person was reportedly shot, and two suspects were charged in connection with the incident. The gunshot victim was taken to a hospital but is in stable condition, according to local reports.

Authorities have not disclosed motives for any of the shootings ... but they clearly have their hands full, as does the state of Mississippi.
The prime minister's address comes after Israel declared a ceasefire in Gaza on Friday at noon.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Israeli public Sunday night. In his address, Netanyahu thanked the IDF for bringing about the return of the Israeli hostages from Gaza and warned that the threat to Israels security has not ended.

Text of Netanyahus address translated from the Hebrew:

Citizens of Israel, my brothers and sisters. This is an emotional evening. An evening of tears, an evening of joy. Because tomorrow the sons will return to their border.

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This is a historic event that is filled with sadness over the release of murderers  and joy over the return of hostages. This is a historic event that some didnt believe would happen. But our warriors believed. Many in the nation believed. And I believed.

I know there are many disagreements among us. But on this day, and I hope also in the period ahead, we have every reason to put them aside. Because with joint forces we achieved tremendous victories. Victories that amazed the entire world. And I want to say: Everywhere we fought  we won.

A view of a new sign reading Welcome Back Home at Habima Square in Tel Aviv, ahead of the expected release of hostages from Hamas captivity tomorrow morning, on October 12, 2025. (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90)

But equally, I must tell you: the campaign is not over. There are still very big security challenges ahead of us. Some of our enemies are trying to recover in order to attack us again. And as they say here  Were on it. There are also great opportunities that we didnt know existed  precisely because of the victories we brought.

I am convinced that with joint efforts we will overcome the challenges and realize the opportunities. During the war, my wife and I met many times with the families of the kidnapped. We saw their pain, their longing, their tears. These meetings accompanied me in every decision I made during the war. We hugged the families, and I promised them: I will not rest until I bring your loved ones back.

Thanking the IDF

I would like to thank the IDF soldiers, the commanders, the security forces, the bereaved families who lost their dearest, our wounded heroes who bear their pain in body and soul, and I would like to thank you, the citizens of Israel. You who stood firm, day after day, with love for our country and faith in the righteousness of our path.

Tomorrow is the beginning of a new path. A path of construction, a path of healing, and I hope  a path of uniting hearts. Together we will continue to strengthen our country, together we will continue to win, and with Gods help  together we will ensure the eternity of Israel.
By Nidal al-Mughrabi, Steven Scheer, Alexander Cornwell and Steve Holland

(Reuters) -The war in Gaza has ended and the Middle East is going to "normalize," U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday as he flew to Israel, which was waiting for Hamas to release Israeli hostages as world leaders were gathering to discuss the next steps toward peace.

"The war is over, you understand that," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he began a flight from Washington to Israel.

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Asked about prospects for the region, Trump said, "I think it's going to normalize."

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held in Gaza for a third day on Sunday ahead of the expected release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners and a scheduled address by Trump to Israel's parliament.

Thousands of Palestinians continued to travel north towards Gaza City, the focus of Israeli attacks over the past two months, hopeful the ceasefire would bring an end to the war.

Tomorrow is the beginning of a new path. A path of building, a path of healing, and I hope  a path of uniting hearts, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised statement.

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Such optimism was shared broadly.

"There is a lot of joy among the people," said Abdou Abu Seada, a resident of Gaza who added that the joy was tempered by exhaustion after two years of war that has destroyed much of Gaza.

Government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said Israel expected hostages to start being released early Monday morning with the 20 living hostages to be released together.

In the event that hostages were released earlier, Israel was ready to receive them, she said. Their release is to be followed later by the handover of bodies of the remaining 28 deceased hostages.

TRUMP DUE TO ADDRESS THE KNESSET

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Under the ceasefire agreement, Hamas is due by noon on Monday (0900 GMT) to release the remaining hostages. They were taken captive on October 7, 2023 when the group's militants launched the surprise attack on Israel that ignited the war.

Israel's hostages coordinator Gal Hirsch said on Thursday a task force would be formed to help find the remains of any dead hostages that Hamas could not locate.

Trump is due to arrive in Israel on Monday to address the Knesset, the parliament, before travelling to Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt for a world leaders' summit on ending the Gaza war.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will also attend the summit, an Axios reporter said on Sunday, citing a senior Palestinian official.

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Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner addressed a rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday, which many Israelis hoped would be the final one urging the release of hostages and an end to the war.

The U.S., along with Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, mediated what has been described as a first phase agreement between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas and prisoners and detainees by Israel.

"For two years we (have been) waiting for this day for this moment... All of us feel happy for the family, for the hostages, that finally...we will see them," said demonstrator Dalia Yosef, thanking Trump.

GAZANS RETURNING TO NORTH FIND DEVASTATION

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The Israel Prison Service said it had transferred some Palestinian prisoners to other facilities ahead of their expected release. The Israeli Ministry of Justice has released the names of 250 Palestinians, convicted of murder and other serious crimes, who are to be freed under the deal.

The list does not include senior Hamas commanders that the Islamist militant group had sought to free, or prominent figures from other factions such as Marwan Al Barghouti or Ahmed Saadat.

Although that was not expected to derail the agreement, Hamas' prisoners information office said talks were ongoing with Israeli mediators over the list of prisoners to be freed.

Israel is also to release 1,700 Palestinians who have been detained in Gaza since October 7, 2023, and 22 Palestinian minors, along with the bodies of 360 militants. Israeli government spokesperson Bedrosian said the prisoners would be released once the living hostages reach Israeli territory.

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Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that once the hostages were returned, the military would destroy underground tunnels in Gaza built by Hamas.

Palestinians returning to northern Gaza have described widespread devastation. Rescue workers warned there could be unexploded ordnance and bombs in the area.

Amjad Al Shawa, who heads a Palestinian organisation coordinating with aid groups, estimated 300,000 tents were needed to temporarily house 1.5 million displaced Gazans.

"We couldn't believe the destruction we have seen," Rami Mohammad-Ali, 37, said by phone after walking 15 km (9.5 miles) with his son from Deir Al Balah to Gaza City.

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"We are joyful to return to Gaza (City) but at the same time we have bitter feelings about the destruction," he said, describing seeing human remains scattered along roads.

(Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo, Alexander Cornwell and Steven Scheer in Jerusalem; additional reporting by Maayan Lubell; Writing by Nidal al-Mugrahbi, Alexander Cornwell, Phil Stewart and Richard Cowan; Editing by Bernadette Baum, Ros Russell, Edmund Klamann and David Gregorio)
The first time President Donald Trump tried to push Nicolas Maduro out of power, he wasnt coy about it. He accused the Venezuelan dictator of stealing an election, stripped U.S. recognition from Maduros government, imposed sanctions on Caracas and rallied other countries to pressure Maduro to quit.

It didnt work.

In his second term, Trump is targeting Maduro differently, and his message is, uncharacteristically for Trump, less direct. Even though Trump continues to say Maduro is an illegitimate leader, he has said were not talking about regime change in Caracas. Instead, hes emphasizing the long-standing accusations that the strongman is a drug lord and a dangerous criminal. The plan, people familiar with the situation tell me, is to force Maduro out as part of Trumps ongoing fight against drug cartels.

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The effort has included labeling such groups as terrorist organizations, carrying out military strikes against alleged drug-carrying boats from Venezuela, raising the U.S. bounty on Maduros head to $50 million and cutting off diplomatic talks with Caracas. The campaign may not formally be about regime change, but if the pressure from the anti-cartel moves happens to topple Maduro, well, the president and his team will be delighted.

While Trump admires many of the worlds autocrats, he has long appeared to genuinely dislike Maduro. The South American has socialist roots, not far-right tendencies the way Trump favorites such as Hungarys Viktor Orban and Russias Vladimir Putin do. And  Ive heard this from multiple U.S. officials over the years  Trump is truly aghast at how Maduro savaged the economy of a once-vibrant Venezuela.

Would everyone like Maduro to go? Yes, a Trump administration official said of the U.S. president and his aides. We're going to put a tremendous amount of pressure on him. Hes weak. It's quite possible that he'll fall from this pressure alone without us having to do anything more direct.

But is Trump willing to eventually do anything? Send an invasion force to Venezuela or launch a missile with Maduros name on it, maybe? Trumps team doesnt seem to be ruling anything out.

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Trump has many plans available to him, including ones calling for airstrikes against drug targets on Venezuelan soil, but he has issued no order to directly take out Maduro, the official said. Still, one person familiar with the discussions suggested that if Maduro is considered a drug lord and a terrorist, he could become a fair target. Don't we go after indicted narco traffickers and terrorists all the time? the person said. I granted both people anonymity to talk about sensitive internal deliberations.

The White House didnt respond to a request for comment.

Im not sure if theres some special term for this approach. Regime change on the side? Whatever you call it, it may prove harder to pull off than the steps Trump has taken so far.

The U.S. has tried an array of pressure campaigns against authoritarians in the past. Some have gone heavy on economic sanctions (Iran, Cuba). Some have armed rebels (Afghanistan). Some have used the U.S. military in ways that technically were not about ousting a regime (Libya)  or were (Iraq).

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These efforts can weaken autocrats and sometimes hasten their fall. But they also can take many years, and it's often not clear whether U.S. pressure or another factor forced them out.

The U.S. takedown of Manuel Noriega, the military ruler of Panama and troublesome longtime CIA asset, provides an interesting comparison to the face-off with Maduro. The U.S. imposed sanctions on Panama in the 1980s, indicted Noriega on drug trafficking charges and refused to diplomatically engage the puppet regime he oversaw.

But Noriega didnt lose power until the U.S. invaded Panama with more than 20,000 troops in late 1989 and detained him. The invasion was spurred in part by Noriega forces attacks on Americans in Panama as well as concerns about control over the Panama Canal, but then-President George H.W. Bush made sure to mention the drug charges in explaining his decisions.

Venezuela is a bigger, more complicated country, making the Trump teams approach even more unpredictable. Maduro has survived for a long time with the support of the countrys security forces, even if there is strong evidence that the countrys citizens keep voting against him.

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I believe Trump is willing to escalate his anti-cartel campaign, but Im not convinced hed ever send a full-on invasion force to topple Maduro. Thats partly because it could trigger alarm bells in the MAGA base, which has a strong isolationist streak.

But a smaller force that goes after just Maduro, the drug kingpin? Maybe. The MAGA base is much more supportive of battling the cartels.

Sticking to an anti-Maduro campaign without officially labeling it regime change has other benefits, former U.S. officials told me. Trump would look weak if he loudly proclaimed he was trying to oust Maduro but it doesnt work (It wasnt a great look last time). The U.S. also would be less responsible for the potentially costly fallout in Venezuela if it avoids an all-out invasion and sticks to what it insists is a law enforcement mission.

The Trump administrations calculation could be that doing regime change on the cheap will help them avoid the penalties of the Pottery Barn rule, said Peter Feaver, a former national security hand in the George W. Bush administration. That was former Secretary of State Colin Powells famous aphorism that if you break Iraq, you have bought Iraq and are responsible for security stabilization in the aftermath.

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Venezuela has a steady opposition that has various plans for what to do if the regime falls. The main opposition figure, Maria Corina Machado, was on Friday awarded the Nobel Peace Prize  an honor Trump himself covets. Machado dedicated her Nobel in part to Trump "for his decisive support of our cause."

The person familiar with the discussions told me that the Trump administration is not coordinating its actions with the Venezuelan opposition, though U.S. officials are in touch with them.

David Smolansky, a representative of Machado, declined to say if the opposition is coordinating with the Trump team on its moves against the cartels. But Smolansky said Machados office is in constant communication with the administration and Congress, including providing information about drug activity emanating from Venezuela.

Leopoldo Lopez, an opposition activist who spent years as a political prisoner in Venezuela, said the U.S. administration is simply now in sync with what he and others have said for years: that Maduro should be approached as the head of a criminal enterprise, not a head of state.

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Lopez compared Maduro with a more famous narco. If you had Pablo Escobar as the president of Colombia, going after Pablo will be the same thing as making political change possible, Lopez said.

The U.S. steps against Maduro  elements of which were previously reported by The New York Times  also dovetails with the individual goals of some Trump aides.

Secretary of State and acting national security adviser Marco Rubio  a Floridian of Cuban descent  has long wanted to eliminate the Venezuelan regime in part because it could damage the regime in Cuba, a Caracas ally. Trump adviser Stephen Miller, a hard-core anti-immigration voice, hopes a new government in Caracas will make it easier to deport Venezuelans in the U.S., especially if post-regime chaos is limited. Trump aides also hope their crackdown on Maduro unnerves other leftist Latin American leaders, and reduces the flow of drugs.

While the people I talked to werent willing to predict how and whether Trump would escalate his anti-drug-cartel-but-not-technically-regime-change operation, they did indicate that he wouldnt de-escalate anytime soon.

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For one thing, the president is quite enjoying green-lighting airstrikes against boats alleged to be ferrying drugs.

He can blow boats out of the water every week for quite a long time, the Trump administration official said.
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (AP)  President Donald Trump on Sunday warned Russia that he may send Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles if Moscow doesnt settle its war there soon  suggesting that he could be ready to increase the pressure on Vladimir Putin's government using a key weapons system.

I might say, Look: if this war is not going to get settled, Im going to send them Tomahawks, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew to Israel. The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, very offensive weapon. And honestly, Russia does not need that.

Trump also said, "I might tell them that if the war is not settled -- that we may very well." He added, "We may not, but we may do it. I think its appropriate to bring up.

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His comments came after Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Trump said he mentioned possibly sending Tomahawks during that conversation.

Do they want to have Tomahawks going in that direction? I dont think so, Trump said of Russia. I think I might speak to Russia about that. He added that Tomahawks are a new step of aggression.

His suggestions followed Russia having attacked Ukraines power grid overnight, part of an ongoing campaign to cripple Ukrainian energy infrastructure before winter. Moscow also expressed extreme concern over the U.S. potentially providing Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine.

Putin himself has previously suggested that the United States supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine will seriously damage relations between Moscow and Washington.

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For his part, Zelenskyy described his latest call with Trump as very productive, and said the pair had discussed strengthening Ukraines air defense, resilience, and long-range capabilities, along with details related to the energy sector.

In an interview with Fox News Channels The Sunday Briefing after his call with Trump, Zelenskyy was asked whether Trump had approved the Tomahawks and said, we work on it.

Im waiting for president to yes, Zelenskyy said. Of course we count on such decisions, but we will see. We will see.

The Ukrainian president said Friday that he was in talks with U.S. officials about the possible provision of various long-range precision strike weapons, including Tomahawks and more ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles.

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Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in remarks published Sunday that the topic of Tomahawks is of extreme concern.

Trump, who has been frustrated by Russia in his efforts to end the war, said last week that he has sort of made a decision on whether to send Tomahawks to Ukraine, without elaborating. A senior Ukrainian delegation is set to visit the U.S. this week.

The U.S. president in recent weeks has taken a notably tougher tact with Putin, after the Russian leader has declined to engage in direct talks with Zelenskyy about easing fighting.

Last month, Trump announced that he now believes Ukraine could win back all the territory lost to Russia  a dramatic shift from the Republicans repeated calls for Kyiv to make concessions to end Russias war in Ukraine.

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But Trump, at least so far, has resisted Zelenskyys calls for Tomahawks. They would allow Ukraine to strike deeper into Russian territory and put the sort of pressure on Putin that Zelenskyy argues is needed to get the Russians to seriously engage in peace talks.

Trump said aboard Air Force One of the war: I really think Putin would look great if he got this settled" and that Its not going to be good for him if not.

___

Weissert reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani contributed to this report from Washington.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Troops patrol train stations and streets in the nation's capital. Masked federal law enforcement agents detain District of Columbia residents. Congress passes bills that further squeeze the city's autonomy. And the one person who could act as a voice for Washington on Capitol Hill has been a rare sight.

Even longtime allies say Democrat Eleanor Holmes Norton, the district's nonvoting delegate in the House, has not risen to the challenge of pushing back against the Trump administration's intervention into her city. They cite her age, 88, and her diminished demeanor.

That has raised questions about the 18-term lawmaker's future in that office and has led to calls for her to step aside and make way for a new generation of leaders. The race to replace her has began in earnest, with two members of the D.C. Council, including a former Norton aide, announcing campaigns for the 2026 contest.

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D.C. is under attack as at no other time in recent history, and we need a new champion to defend us, Donna Brazile, a onetime Norton chief of staff, wrote in a Washington Post opinion essay.

Brazile acknowledged Nortons legendary service and why she might wish to continue. As Ive told her in person," Brazile said, "retirement from Congress is the right next chapter for her  and for the District.

Norton has so far resisted that call. Her office declined to make her available for an interview and her campaign office did not respond to requests for comment. The oldest member of the House, Norton came to office in 1991 and has indicated she plans to run next year.

Federal intervention created new demands

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Washington is granted autonomy through a limited home rule agreement passed by Congress in 1973 that allowed residents to elect a mayor and a city council. But federal political leaders retain ultimate control over local affairs, including the approval of the budget and laws passed by that council.

That freedom came under further restrictions after Republican President Donald Trump issued an emergency order in August. It was meant to combat crime as he federalized the city's police department and poured federal agents and National Guard troops into the city. Trump's emergency order expired in September, but the troops and federal officers remain.

While the D.C. delegate position is a nonvoting one, it grants the people of the district, who have no other representation in Congress, a voice through speechmaking on the House floor and bill introduction.

Even without a vote in Congress, there are so many things that the delegate can do from that position, even if its just using the bully pulpit, said Cliff Albright, co-founder of Black Voters Matter, a voting rights group. Even if its just giving folks encouragement or showing that fight that a lot of people want to see.

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At public appearances, Norton has seemed unsteady and struggled to read from prepared notes, including at a recent committee hearing focused on stripping some of Washingtons independence on prosecuting crime.

During Trumps monthlong security emergency and since, Norton has not been as publicly visible as city officials, who attended protests and held media events denouncing the intervention.

Without a push for party unity from congressional leaders on Washingtons interests, the delegate's role has added importance, said George Derek Musgrove, associate professor of history at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.

The delegate really has to be a one-person whip operation to try and hold the caucus in line against this Republican onslaught, Musgrove said.

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City leaders step in

It is unclear what a more energetic delegate could have done, given Trump's expansive view of executive power and Republican control of Congress. Nonetheless, some critics of her performance have suggested it might have helped the city avoid a recent federal budget plan that created a $1.1 billion budget hole earlier this year. Months later, Congress has yet to approve a fix for the shortfall, even though Trump has endorsed one.

With Norton quiet, other leaders in the Democratic-run city have filled the void since Trumps emergency declaration.

Mayor Muriel Bowser has stepped in as the district's main mediator with the administration and Congress, joined by the council, although that outreach has been fragmented. D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb sued the administration in the most combative stance against the federal governments actions.

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As she left a recent House hearing about the district, she responded with a strong no when asked by reporters whether she would retire.

Among those seeking to challenge her in next year's Democratic primary are two council members  Robert White Jr., a former Norton aide, and Brooke Pinto. Many others in the city have expressed interest. Allies, including Bowser and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, have declined to publicly endorse another Norton run.

A push for new faces

Nortons life is a journey through American history.

In 1963, she split her time between Yale Law School and Mississippi, where she volunteered for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. One day during the Freedom Summer, civil rights activist Medgar Evers picked her up at the airport. He was assassinated that night. Norton also helped organize and attended the 1963 March on Washington.

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Norton went on to become the first woman to lead the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which helps enforce anti-discrimination laws in the workplace. She ran for office when her predecessor retired to run for Washington mayor.

Tom Davis, a former Republican congressman from Virginia and a staunch Norton ally who worked with her on a number of bills, said voters should know who she is and what she is capable of, even now.

She saved the city, he said, listing off accomplishments such as the 1997 act that spared the city from bankruptcy, as well as improving college access. She was a great partner.

Davis said both major political parties are yearning for new faces.

Shes still very well respected. Shes got a lot of seniority, he said. I think shes earned the right to go out on her terms. But thats gonna be up to the voters.
Editor's note: The story was updated with the comments of President Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladyslav Voloshyn, the Southern Defense Forces spokesperson.

Ukrainian troops have liberated the village of Mali Shcherbaky in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine's 24th Separate Assault Battalion "Aidar" announced on Oct. 12.

According to the statement, units of the Aidar Battalion, together with the 33rd Separate Assault Regiment raised the Ukrainian flag over Mali Shcherbaky.

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"The settlement is under the control of the Ukrainian Defense Forces," the battalion said, releasing footage purportedly showing Ukrainian soldiers in the village.

The liberation of the village was later confirmed by the General Staff. Ukrainian forces advanced 3.5 kilometers (about 2.2 miles) inland, reportedly inflicting heavy losses on Russian troops and capturing several prisoners, according to the statement.

It remains unclear when exactly the village was liberated.

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his evening address on Oct. 12 that Ukrainian forces were continuing counteroffensive operations near Dobropillia in Donetsk Oblast, as well as in other areas, including around Orikhiv in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

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Vladyslav Voloshyn, the Southern Defense Forces spokesperson, confirmed to the Kyiv Independent that Ukrainian forces are continuing an operation to improve the tactical situation along this section of the front line.

According to Voloshyn, Ukrainian troops are holding defensive positions and preventing Russian forces from advancing, particularly near the settlements of Kamianske, Stepove, and Plavni. Meanwhile, Russian forces are attempting to bring assault units closer to the front line, especially near the village of Mala Tokmachka.

"(Russia) plans to carry out assault operations using small infantry groups. In addition, the enemy continues to launch frequent attacks with kamikaze drones," Voloshyn said.

"Every day we record an increase in the number of artillery strikes  over 250 daily. If earlier (Russian forces) used 700800 rounds per day, now it is 1,000 to 1,100 or more," the spokesperson said, adding that Russia's goal is the complete destruction of Ukrainian positions.

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Voloshyn also emphasized that it is still too early to speak of a Ukrainian advance, as the operation is ongoing.

Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast (Nizar al-Rifai/The Kyiv Independent)

Mali Shcherbaky lies in the Orikhiv sector in Ukraine's southeastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Russian troops advanced toward the settlement in early summer. Since then, it had remained either in a contested grey zone or under Russian control, according to the open-source battlefield monitoring group DeepState.

In early September, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said that Russian forces had planned to launch a major offensive in the Zaporizhzhia direction but Ukrainian troops prevented the operation.

Moscow currently occupies about 70% of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, but the regional capital, Zaporizhzhia, remains under Ukrainian control.

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Over the past month, Ukrainian forces have been pushing back Russian troops who had advanced 15-20 kilometers (6 miles) toward the strategic DobropilliaKramatorsk highway, near the contested city of Pokrovsk.

In the meantime, Russian forces continue pushing into the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk Oblast though Syrskyi called the presence of Russian troops there merely "declarative."

Read also: US helps Ukraine target Russian energy infrastructure, FT reports

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that he and US President Donald Trump discussed Patriot air defence systems and Tomahawk cruise missiles during a second phone call in as many days, according to a post on Telegram.

"We see and hear that Russia is afraid that the Americans can give us 'Tomahawks'," Zelensky wrote. "This is a signal that such pressure can work for peace."

The Ukrainian president left open whether concrete agreements had been reached on the delivery of new weapon systems.

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"We have agreed with President Trump that our teams, our military, will do everything we have discussed," Zelensky added.

Earlier, Zelensky had spoken on the phone with French President Emmanuel Macron and the "key" issue of air defence was also discussed, he said.

Given the gaps in Ukraine's air defence, which recently was only able to shoot down just under three-quarters of the Russian drones and missiles approaching, Kiev is dependent on further deliveries of weapon systems.

Following the phone call, Macron condemned Moscow's continued belligerence. "If Russia continues on its war course and refuses to come to the negotiating table, it will have to pay a price," he wrote on X.

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France strongly denounces the Russian attacks on critical Ukrainian infrastructure, which at the start of winter were effectively aimed at the civilian population.

"Together with our partners, we are assessing what assistance is needed to restore and secure basic services," Macron added.
Ukrainian assault units have conducted a successful counteroffensive operation on the Zaporizhzhia front, liberating the settlements of Mali Shcherbaky and Shcherbaky as well as part of Stepove.

Sources: Colonel Valentyn Manko, Head of the Assault Units Department of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; fighters from the 24th Aidar Separate Assault Battalion

Details: Manko reported that Ukrainian forces have advanced 3.5 km and expanded the front line by more than 5 km thanks to the actions taken by the 24th Aidar Separate Assault Battalion and the 33rd Assault Regiment.

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Quote from Manko: "The settlements of Mali Shcherbaky and Shcherbaky and part of Stepove have been liberated, and we have advanced there and in the surrounding areas and are continuing our operation. I think this will not be the last settlement we liberate on this front. The operation is going well, the enemy is suffering losses and many have been taken prisoner. We have advanced about 3.5 km forward and expanded the front by about 5 km, and we are continuing our operation."

More details: Aidar Battalion Commander Oleksandr Kovalenko posted a video in which Ukrainian soldiers say they have liberated Mali Shcherbaky and raised the Ukrainian flag there.

Background: On 18 August, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reported that Russian forces were redeploying troops from Sumy to Zaporizhzhia, where they planned to launch an offensive.

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The Vice President also said that the US was not planning to put any "boots on the ground" in Gaza or Israel.

US Vice President JD Vance said that the hostages could be released from Gaza at "any moment," in an interview with NBC News on Sunday.

"It really should be any moment now," Vance told NBC News' Meet the Press.

"The president of the United States is planning to travel to the Middle East to greet the hostages Monday morning, Middle Eastern time, which should be late, you know, Sunday night, or very early Monday morning here in the United States," he added.

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"You cant say exactly the moment they will be released, but we have every expectation -- thats why the president is going  that he will be greeting the hostages early next week," Vance stated.

Trucks carrying humanitarian aid line up near the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Rafah, Egypt, August 13, 2025. (credit: Stringer/Reuters)

Over 200 US troops expected in Israel

Vance also said that the US was not planning to put any "boots on the ground" in Gaza or Israel.

This comes after a US official told The Jerusalem Post that roughly 200 American troops will land in Israel over the coming days to establish a coordination center aimed at managing international efforts in Gaza.

The official said that all personnel are expected in Israel by Sunday. The new center, to be based in Israel, will focus on coordinating humanitarian aid, logistical assistance, and communication among the various countries and organizations that will take part in reconstruction and security efforts in the Gaza Strip.

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The goal is to avoid chaos and ensure everyone can communicate effectively, the American official said, emphasizing that the center will serve as a hub for dialogue and coordination among international partners.

However, the official stated that there will be no American troops operating inside Gaza.

There will be no US soldiers on the ground. However, personnel will be monitoring developments, and aircraft may operate over the Strip to provide situational awareness. But no American boots will enter Gaza.

Amichai Stein contributed to this report.
NEED TO KNOW

Vasi the sloth bear lived in the wild until he got caught in a snare trap

The incident led to a leg amputation for the bear and a full-time residency at the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre in Bangalore, India

The sloth bear recently made history by being the first of his species to receive a prosthetic limb. Made possible with help from Wildlife SOS and Derek Campana

A sloth bear who lost a foot to a snare trap is back to walking on four legs thanks to his dedicated caretakers.

Vasikaran, also known as "Vasi," the sloth bear, was originally a wild animal roaming the lush land of Karnataka, India. Unfortunately, during his journey, Vasi encountered a wire snare trap, which ended up clamped around his back leg in September 2019.

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It was clear Vasi needed help to survive the encounter with the trap, which left the bear with a horrific injury to his hind paw. Wildlife SOS, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping India's distressed and injured wildlife, stepped in to assist Vasi, relocating the bear to the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre (BBRC) in Bangalore.

At the center, Vasi had his injured back leg amputated, since the paw was too damaged from the trap to be saved. The sloth bear adapted to life on three limbs, but the injury prevented the bear from returning to the wild, so he became a full-time resident at BBRC.

According to Wildlife SOS, it didn't take the bear long to endear himself to the staff of Wildlife SOS and BBRC, all of whom fell in love with Vasi through his playful attitude, curiosity, and penchant for sitting upright like a human.

Wildlife SOS Vasi the sloth bear with out his prosthetic leg at Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre in India Vasi the sloth bear with out his prosthetic leg at Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre in India

While caring for Vasi, BBRC noticed that the bear had become accustomed to walking on three feet, but he wasn't moving comfortably. Despite there being no precedent for making a prosthetic paw for a sloth bear, Wildlife SOS and BBRC decided it was worth trying for Vasi's happiness and well-being.

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The two parties collaborated with Bannerghatta Biological Park and the Karnataka Forest Department to initiate the process of creating a custom prosthetic for Vasi. The project began to take shape when it recruited Derrick Campana, a world-renowned animal orthotist better known as the "Wizard of Paws."

Over his long career, Campana has created prosthetics for a variety of animals, including dogs, horses, and even elephants, but Vasi was his first sloth bear. Campana didn't balk at the challenge; instead, he set to work, molding a custom prosthetic for Vasi over several days, ensuring that the bear's new leg could withstand digging and other natural bear behaviors.

Wildlife SOS Derek Campana working on Vasi's artificial limb Derek Campana working on Vasi's artificial limb

Recently, Vasi was introduced to the prosthetic for the first time. Dr. Arun A. Sha, director of research & veterinary operations with Wildlife SOS, fitted the bear with the artificial limb. Because Wildlife SOS and BBRC have spent years caring for Vasi and conditioning the animal to trust his caretakers, the bear accepted the prosthetic without fear and soon started testing out the first-of-its-kind device.

To everyone's relief, Vasi started walking with the prosthetic right away and appeared more comfortable moving around since he was finally able to put equal weight on all four limbs again.

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"This prosthetic is a medical milestone; it doesn't just restore his gait, it safeguards his future," Dr. Sha said in a statement to PEOPLE.

Today, Vasi is bolder and more confident than ever. He is climbing higher, acting more playful, and preparing to meet some of the rescue center's other bears. To prevent irritation, Vasi is given breaks from his prosthetic, so he doesn't wear the device 24/7.

Wildlife SOS A close up of Vasi's custom paw prosthetic A close up of Vasi's custom paw prosthetic

"Vasi has no negative reaction to the prosthetic. This is gonna extend his life, it's gonna make him a lot more comfortable. It's going to allow his body to stay healthy for a longer period of time, so sky's the limit for Vasi," Campana added in a statement.

As the first known sloth bear with a prosthetic, Vasi is a fantastic ambassador for giving rescue animals the chance to showcase their resilience and strength.

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.

"Vasi's story is both heartbreaking and inspiring. He survived human cruelty, adapted to loss, and is now thriving thanks to science and compassion. His prosthetic is a symbol of what's possible when innovation and empathy come together." Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder & CEO of Wildlife SOS, shared.

To learn more about Wildlife SOS, visit the nonprofit's website.



Read the original article on People




A late weekend nor'easter is set to lash Connecticut with wind and rain on Sunday, according to weather officials.

The National Weather Service warned winds could gust up to around 45 mph in Connecticut Sunday and into Sunday night. Eastern parts of New York City and Long island will bear the brunt of the winds, with gusts there getting up to around 60 mph.

Eversource, Connecticut's largest power company, told residents it was ready for a storm with "hazardous wind gusts" Sunday into Monday.

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Rainy weather from overnight Saturday should continue throughout the day, becoming moderate during Sunday afternoon and overnight. Some locally heavy rain is possible. Given the dry weather and the fact that the rain will be stretched out over several days, it's not expected to produce flooding.

Along the Connecticut shore, however, forecasters said coastal flooding is possible from Sunday morning through Monday afternoon.

The forecast otherwise calls for dreary gray skies throughout the day, with highs topping off in the high 50s to mid 60s.

Overnight, things will remain rainy with lows dropping down into the 50s and high 40s. Monday will remain windy and rainy, although the peak wind gusts should abate.

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Tuesday will bring a chance of some additional rain before clouds start to thin out in the afternoon.

Wednesday should finally see mostly sunny skies and dry weather fully return.

Sunday's forecast by region

Shoreline (including Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven, New London): Rain with gusty winds. High of 61 to 64 degrees.

Inland (including Danbury, Waterbury, Greater Hartford, Windham): Rain with gusty winds. High of 60 to 62 degrees.

Litchfield Hills (including Torrington, Litchfield, Winchester): Showers with gusty winds. High of 59 to 60 degrees.

This article originally published at Windy, rainy Sunday in store for CT as weekend nor'easter arrives. Here's what to expect..
He died serving his country 80 years ago, but his relatives never had the chance to provide a traditional burial for him until now.

Sgt. Harold M. Weaver, a World War II Marine Corps veteran, finally was laid to rest Oct. 11 with family in Cuyahoga Falls following a community ceremony that brought out roughly 200 people.

Weaver was born in Cuyahoga Falls in 1917. He died fighting in Okinawa, Japan, with the U.S. Marines in 1945.

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"He was on the last campaign before they decided to launch the Enola Gay," said his great niece, Holly Weaver-Hall, referencing the bomber plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

Weaver-Hall, who lives in Alaska and has recently spent winters in Missouri, drove from Alaska to Cuyahoga Falls for the Oct. 11 community ceremony. Weaver-Hall's grandfather Jesse Weaver, a Navy veteran who also served in the Pacific theater of World War II, was Harold Weaver's younger brother.

Weaver-Hall said her family is receiving long-needed closure from the 2023 identification of her great uncle and the Oct. 11 public ceremony and private burial honoring him in Oakwood Cemetery.

Platoon Sgt. Harold M. Weaver, a Cuyahoga Falls resident, was killed on May 4, 1945, during a Japanese counterattack in Okinawa. His remains were identified in 2023, and his family was able to bury him at Oakwood Cemetery on Oct. 11, 2025.

"We're going to be able to pay tribute and honor a fallen hero," Weaver-Hall said Oct. 8. "And this will provide great closure because I know my grandfather used to talk about this, and we've waited decades for this."

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Weaver-Hall's son, San Diego-based U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Aydan Berger, escorted Weaver back home from Hawaii.

U.S. Lance Cpl. Aydan Berger, Platoon Sgt. Harold M. Weavers great, great nephew, traveled with Weavers remains as he made his way home and his family was able to bury him at Oakwood Cemetery on Oct. 11, 2025.

"I'm just glad that I was able to lay him to his final resting spot," Berger said following the public ceremony. "It was a great honor. I'm very thankful that I was able to even do this."

U.S. Marines Lance Cpl. Aydan Berger, left, at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport as he escorts his great, great uncle Marines Sgt. Harold Weaver to Cuyahoga Falls. An Oct. 11 ceremony honored Weaver, who was killed in the Battle of Okinawa during World War II.

Public officials, minister, VFW honor Sgt. Weaver

The Battle of Okinawa lasted 82 days and resulted in more than 240,000 deaths, Cuyahoga Falls Mayor Don Walters said at the ceremony.

"Sgt. Weaver's bravery and his ultimate sacrifice at Okinawa was instrumental in determining the final attack on Japan, bringing about a surrender and leading to world peace," Walters said. "We are honored to have our hero back home."

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"The men and women of this country who have been forced by circumstances to become prisoners of war or missing in action truly know the meaning of freedom," Ralph Reynolds, chairman of the nonprofit Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Ohio POW/MIA, told the audience.

"After 80 years, Sgt. Weaver has finished his service and has made his final flight home," Reynolds said. "Today, we honor Sgt. Weaver for his service to our country and for making the ultimate sacrifice protecting our freedoms and liberties and to let the family of Sgt. Weaver know that we are forever grateful to their sacrifice, as well."

Sgt. Harold M. Weaver, a Cuyahoga Falls native, died in combat in 1945 on Okinawa in Japan.

The Rev. Kyle McQuinn, associate pastor of Broadman Baptist Church in Cuyahoga Falls, told the audience, "It is just an absolute honor and privilege to be amongst veterans and active servicemen and servicewoman. The amount of courage and the amount of bravery that you show is incredibly impactful."

U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Akron, also thanked the ceremony attendees for honoring Weaver.

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"You have proven that even across generations, this community keeps its promise," Sykes said. "We don't forget. Today is more than a memorial  it's a homecoming, a promise fulfilled, a moment when a son of this city returns to the soil that raised him."

Ralph Reynolds, veteran with VFW 5645, greets Carol Smith while holding a photo of Platoon Sgt. Harold M. Weaver, a Cuyahoga Falls resident who was killed on May 4, 1945, during a Japanese counterattack in Okinawa. His remains were identified in 2023, and his family was able to bury him at Oakwood Cemetery on Oct. 11, 2025.

Sgt. Weaver's second cousin on how he was identified

Karen McPherson of Reynoldsburg is Weaver's second cousin. Her grandmother, Esther Duffy, was his aunt.

McPherson said she studies genealogy and worked with family and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency to identify Sgt. Weaver.

Multiple family members submitted DNA in the attempt to identify Weaver, which proved successful when government officials identified Weaver in 2023, McPherson said.

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A construction crew on Okinawa discovered Weaver's remains, along with a necklace, part of a boot, a belt and coins, during a construction project, McPherson said.

"It's just a miracle. I just feel so emotional about it," McPherson said. "And I was born way after Harold died. ....Everybody's proud of their military people. But it's just been quite something for me to go through."

Sgt. Weaver's family on his service and sacrifice

Weaver-Hall said of her great uncle, "The core of who he was is truly American."

"I feel like if we didn't have war fighters like Harold, we would be speaking another language," she said.

McPherson said she and her late husband, former Reynoldsburg Mayor and Navy veteran Robert McPherson, had attended a POW/MIA Vigil in Reynoldsburg for decades. This year, McPherson said she spoke at the vigil about Harold Weaver.

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Before he shipped off to Okinawa for Operation Iceberg, Harold Weaver fought in the battles of Guadalcanal, where he contracted malaria, and Peleliu, where he was wounded in battle, McPherson said.

"Every battle was bad  anything that these poor people went through was bad  but he went through some of the worst ones because he loved his country," McPherson said.

Letter from Sgt. Weaver's aunt called for celebration upon his return

A letter written to Platoon Sgt. Harold M. Weaver from his aunt, Esther Duffy. A Cuyahoga Falls resident, Weaver was killed on May 4, 1945, during a Japanese counterattack in Okinawa. His remains were identified in 2023, and his family was able to bury him at Oakwood Cemetery on Oct. 11, 2025.

Esther Weaver, Sgt. Weaver's aunt, wrote Sgt. Weaver a letter in November 1942 that said he would be celebrated upon his return.

'We can't enjoy anything here and we never will until you are home again," Duffy's letter states. "The papers keep well posted on your activities. The radio is just telling us now what you are doing. Anyway, precious boy, it won't be too long until you are home with us again - & we will have a celebration like we've never had before."

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Patrick Williams covers growth and development for the Akron Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at pwilliams@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @pwilliamsOH. Sign up for the Beacon Journal's business and consumer newsletter, "What's The Deal?"

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Marine who died in WWII honored in Cuyahoga Falls before burial
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Sunday on the international community to act, following a week of more than 4,000 Russian air attacks.

"Moscow allows itself to escalate its strikes, openly exploiting the fact that the world is focused on ensuring peace in the Middle East," Zelensky wrote on the social media platform X.

"That is precisely why no weakening of pressure can be allowed. Sanctions, tariffs, and joint actions against the buyers of Russian oil  those who finance this war  must all remain on the table," he said.

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This approach could pave the way to lasting peace for Europe, he said. "The world can guarantee this in parallel with the peace process in the Middle East," the Ukrainian president added.

Ukraine has long been calling for sanctions, including against China and India, which are among Russia's most important oil customers.

Zelensky said Russia had intensified its "aerial terror against our cities and communities, intensifying strikes on our energy infrastructure." In the past week alone, he said Russia had used more than 3,100 drones, 92 missiles and about 1,360 glide bombs against Ukraine.

"Yesterday in Kostiantynivka, a child was killed in a church by an aerial bomb," Zelensky wrote.

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Authorities reported a total of four dead in Donetsk region, including two in Kostyantynivka, and two in Kherson region.

Throughout the week Russia had blanketed the regions of Sumy, Kharkiv and Donetsk with terror, according to a video likewise published online by Zelensky that depicted fires and destruction.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he spoke with his US counterpart Donald Trump for a second consecutive day on Sunday, calling the conversation "very productive".

The two leaders discussed a range of topics, which were agreed on a day prior, including defence, the use of long-range weapons such as the Tomahawk cruise missile, and Ukraine's energy sector.

Zelenskyy also urged Trump to broker peace in Ukraine, similarly to what he did in the Middle East, adding that Russia is currently taking advantage of the war in the region.

"Moscow allows itself to escalate its strikes, openly exploiting the fact that the world is focused on ensuring peace in the Middle East," Zelenskyy said.

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"That is precisely why no weakening of pressure can be allowed. Sanctions, tariffs, and joint actions against the buyers of Russian oil  those who finance this war  must all remain on the table," he added.

The phone calls come as Russia continues its campaign on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Overnight on Monday,Moscow targeted the Odesa region and its critical infrastructure, only a day after it struck energy facilities in the region, which resulted in blackouts in multiple towns.

Russia launched a total of 118 drones overnight, killing seven and injuring at least 23 others across Ukraine. The country's Energy Ministry said that energy infrastructure was also attacked in the regions of Donetsk and Chernihiv, leaving some areas without water and electricity.

And in Kyiv, two employees of Ukraines largest private energy company, DTEK, were wounded when Russia struck a substation in the region, the city's regional governor Mykola Kalashnyk said.

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Ukraine's energy sector has been a key battleground since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in early 2022, as Moscow tries to cripple the Ukrainian power grid before the harsh winter season.

Russia continues its aerial terror against our cities and communities, intensifying strikes on our energy infrastructure, Zelenskyy wrote on X, noting that Russia had launched more than 3,100 drones, 92 missiles, and around 1,360 glide bombs against Ukraine over the past week.
Scientists warn that Antarctic sea ice melt could release vast amounts of stored CO, accelerating global warming. The same process helped end the last Ice Age, and appears to be happening again today. Weakening Antarctic Bottom Water formation may mark a dangerous turning point in the planets climate stability.
Troops of the 32 Battalion of the South Bengal Frontier of the Border Security Force, deployed at the Horandipur Border Outpost on the India-Bangladesh international border in West Bengal, achieved a significant success by apprehending an Indian smuggler red-handed.
Heavy clashes erupted along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border after Taliban forces reportedly attacked Pakistani posts late Saturday night. Pakistan retaliated with heavy artillery fire at multiple locations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, following disputed airstrikes in Kabul earlier this week. Both sides claim significant damage, though casualties remain unverified.
Chief Minister Takes the Salute at Royal Gibraltar Regiment Parade

The Chief Minister, the Hon. Fabian Picardo KC MP, was invited by the CO of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment to take the salute at the exercise by the Regiment of the Freedom of the City of Gibraltar.

The event brought together serving soldiers, veterans, families and members of the public to celebrate the Regiments proud service to the Rock.

For the Chief Minister, the occasion is always personal. His late father was among the first one hundred men to join the Regiment in its early days, a connection that continues to inspire his pride in Gibraltars armed forces and in the community they represent.

The Chief Minister said:

It has been a privilege to be invited by our Regiment to take the salute today, but it is also deeply personal.

My father was one of the first one hundred to join when the Regiment was formed, so every time I stand before these ranks, I feel that family history and that deep bond.

The Regiment connects generations, brings our people together and reflects the pride, resilience, unity and loyalty that define Gibraltar itself.

The Royal Gibraltar Regiment traces its history to the Gibraltar Defence Force formed in 1939, and today combines operational readiness with ceremonial excellence. It regularly represents Gibraltar on the international stage and continues to play a central role in the Rocks civic and public life.
A group of Indian-American frontline healthcare workers languishing in the Green Card backlog held a demonstration in front of the US Capitol. A Green Card, known officially as a Permanent Resident Card, is a document issued to immigrants to the US as evidence that the bearer has been granted the privilege of residing permanently in the country.
The India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 concluded in New Delhi on October 11, after four days of discussions, exhibitions, and demonstrations. The event began on October 8 at the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre, the event is Asia's most influential technology and telecom forum and hosted its largest edition this year. The IMC aimed to bring together global stakeholders, innovators, and industry leaders to collaborate and shape India's digital and technological future. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the inaugural ceremony of India Mobile Congress on Wednesday and highlighted India's remarkable achievements in the technological sector. Addressing the gathering, PM Modi highlighted India's progress in developing indigenous technology and emphasized the role of initiatives like Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India. He noted that Indian industry, startups, and academia are collaborating across sectors to develop and scale indigenous technology and create intellectual properties through research and development. The Prime Minister said, "Today, with government support, Indian industry, startups, and academia are working together across many sectors. Bharat is moving forward in every dimension. India is emerging as an effective platform for innovation and progress." He added that this is the best time to invest, innovate, and make in India, citing opportunities in manufacturing, semiconductors, mobile technology, and startups. Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also addressed the event, stating that India has transformed from a "technology taker" to a "digital flag bearer of the world." He highlighted India's growth in mobile and broadband connectivity over the past 11 years, noting that mobile data costs have fallen by 98 per cent. India is now home to 20 per cent of the world's mobile population, with 1.2 billion subscribers, and broadband users have grown from 60 million in 2014 to 944 million today. Scindia also announced that India has built the world's largest Digital Highway, connecting millions of people and placing the country at the centre of the global digital map. The IMC 2025 featured India's first-ever Satcom Summit, themed "Space Networks for Universal Connectivity." The summit brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and global innovators to discuss how satellite technology can bridge India's digital divide and accelerate inclusive growth. Scindia said that satellite communication has become a national necessity and the backbone of resilient infrastructure, stating, "Satcom means doctor in every home and teacher in remotest classroom. With the first-of-its-kind NISAR mission, we showcased how we are not merely participating; we are innovating. India has become the world's pace setter." India is also moving closer to launching 6G trials, with experts noting the importance of 5G use case saturation before 6G rollout. Ashutosh Dutta, Chief 5G Strategist at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, said that ubiquitous connectivity would be a key pillar of 6G, highlighting the role of satellites in areas without cell towers or Wi-Fi. At the International Bharat6G Symposium 2025, held alongside IMC 2025, global research alliances including Bharat 6G, 6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association, ATIS' Next G Alliance, XGMF, 6G Forum, 6G Brazil, UKI-FNI, and others issued a joint statement endorsing principles for 6G design, ensuring next-generation connectivity is trusted, secure, resilient, open, interoperable, inclusive, sustainable, and globally connected. Experts noted that India already has a strong 5G user base, with more than 65 million users, and the focus now is on utilization of services and developing future 6G networks. Prof Mahesh Marina from the University of Edinburgh praised India's rapid 5G rollout and highlighted the country's potential to influence global 6G development. Several technology and telecom companies showcased their innovations during the event. MediaTek unveiled its Dimensity 9500 flagship chipset, designed for next-generation 5G smartphones with enhanced AI, gaming, and power efficiency. Tejas Networks showcased its Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) technology, an indigenously developed deep-tech stack ready for deployment after nearly eight years of development and trials. BSNL announced that its 5G pilot project is complete, and trials for 4G network upgrades have been conducted, with 5G services set to roll out soon. India is also moving swiftly to establish clear regulatory frameworks for its satellite communication (Satcom) sector. DoT Secretary Neeraj Mittal said the government is finalizing rules, pricing, and security compliance in consultation with key stakeholders. ISRO Chairman V Narayanan stated that India aims to achieve parity with developed spacefaring nations by 2040 in terms of launcher capability, satellite technology, scientific missions, and ground equipment, crediting PM Modi for providing vision and direction. The India Mobile Congress 2025 successfully showcased India's rapid technological growth, indigenous innovation, and emergence as a global leader in digital connectivity, satellite communication, and next-generation telecom technologies. (ANI)
India's merchandise trade deficit is expected to have widened to USD 28.0 billion in September 2025, up from USD 26.5 billion in August, according to a report by Union Bank of India. The increase in the trade gap is driven primarily by a sharp rise in gold imports, which nearly doubled month-on-month despite record-high prices. The report stated, "India's merchandise trade deficit likely widened to USD 28.0bln in Sep'25, compared to USD 26.5bln in Aug'25, driven primarily by a surge in gold imports." The report noted that the surge in gold demand was largely fueled by the onset of the festive and wedding season, which typically boosts bullion purchases. This increase occurred even as global commodity prices saw only a modest rise, with the CRY Index edging up to 301.78 in September from 296.64 the previous month. In addition to gold imports, overall trade dynamics were likely affected by a delay in the US-India trade deal. The United States accounts for roughly 20 per cent of India's goods exports, and a slowdown in bilateral trade momentum could weigh on outbound shipments. Looking ahead, the trade deficit is expected to remain elevated in the near term. Strong gold imports ahead of the festive season, firm energy demand, and continued reliance on electronics and capital goods imports are likely to keep the deficit high. While some relief may come from softening global commodity prices and ongoing import substitution initiatives, export growth remains muted amid weak global demand and tariff-related challenges. On the trade negotiations front, India and the US are making progress toward a potential first-phase trade agreement, with discussions expected to continue through November 2025. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar highlighted the importance of constructive engagement but emphasised the need to protect India's core interests. Once implemented, reduced tariff barriers under the agreement could support a recovery in exports to the US, India's key trading partner. So the report outlined that India's trade deficit is poised to remain under pressure in the near term due to strong import demand and limited export growth. In contrast, ongoing trade talks with the U.S. offer a potential pathway for future improvement. (ANI)
EY and Microsoft have launched the AI Skills Passport, a free online learning program designed to build essential artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities among students and early-career professionals. According to an EY release, the initiative aims to provide equal access to quality AI education for individuals aged 16 and above. The AI Skills Passport is part of a global effort that has already seen over 40,000 participants and 13,000 completions worldwide. In India, the program is expected to play a key role in bridging the country's AI skills gap. The EY-Microsoft partnership aims to address this gap by equipping young learners with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in the digital economy. Monesh Dange, Partner and Leader, Alliances and Ecosystems, EY India, said, "In an era where AI is revolutionising work and redefining career paths, the launch of the AI Skills Passport is a panacea for India's growing demand for skilled AI talent as many professionals remain unprepared to harness AI's full potential. Together with Microsoft, we're committed to ensuring this program is not only free but also impactful at scale by ensuring access for everyone to build AI skills." Bhaskar Basu, Enterprise Partnerships Leader, Microsoft India & South Asia, added, "AI is transforming India's digital economy, with youth at its core. The AI Skills Passport, launched in partnership with EY, reflects our vision of 'AI for all' and our commitment to fostering future-ready talent. It brings high-quality AI learning in English and Hindi to expand access and accelerate progress towards Microsoft's goal of equipping 10 million Indians with essential AI skills by 2030, which will bridge the skills gap and create job-linked opportunities for students and early-career professionals." The AI Skills Passport is a self-paced, online program that includes around 10 hours of learning content available in English and Hindi. It offers modular video lessons, exercises, and assessments covering topics such as AI fundamentals, responsible AI, and real-world industry applications in sectors like healthcare, finance, and technology, the release said. Learners can also develop job-readiness through resume tips, interview guidance, and networking insights. On completion, participants receive a verifiable digital badge to enhance their career profiles. "As part of EY Ripples, the firm's global corporate responsibility initiative, EY plans to collaborate with not-for-profit organisations to ensure the program reaches students from economically weaker backgrounds. The goal is to offer not only learning but also mentorship and career guidance, enabling young Indians to build sustainable, future-ready careers," the release said. The partnership has received several recognitions, including being named Microsoft Global Advisory Services Partner of the Year for five consecutive years. (ANI)
T-Chip launched the country's first-ever Semiconductor Innovation Museum, aimed at showcasing path-breaking technology and research in the chip-making sector. Speaking to ANI, T-Chip Chairman Sundeep Kumar Makthala said, "We are very happy to inaugurate the T-Chip Semiconductor Innovation Museum, T-Chip SIM. I can say it is the world's first innovation museum, especially for the semiconductor industry." He explained that while museums dedicated to technology exist in countries such as Taiwan and South Korea, none focus solely on semiconductor innovations. Makthala said the museum will function as a dynamic space where new ideas are showcased every month. "This museum is going to host the innovation for 30 days. After 30 days, a new innovation will come in and it will be residing here for 30 days," he said, adding that the aim is to make the museum open to the public, including media, researchers, innovators, and investors. He noted that investor participation is a key focus. "A lot of innovations need investors today. So investors also can visit this museum. Our ultimate target is to create such museums worldwide," he added. Plans are underway to set up similar museums in universities and institutions across Telangana and other states, as well as internationally. The museum will also have a Global Innovation Space, showcasing work from international partners. "We will be inviting international innovations here. For example, we have innovations from the United Kingdom, who have water treatment-based innovations using semiconductors," Makthala said. He called it a "knowledge exchange" initiative that will encourage collaboration between Indian and global innovators. According to Makthala, around 20 innovations have been shortlisted for display, chosen from thousands of applications. "Today we have shortlisted around 20 innovations, those are top notch. From thousands of applications we have received and we shortlisted from the shortlisted innovations we have chosen only 20," he said. The initiative also aligns with T-Chip's broader plan to boost semiconductor talent in India. "We have submitted a detailed project report to the Telangana government under a four-pillar concept. The first pillar is talent. Our target is to make 10,000 people industry-ready by 2030," he told ANI. As semiconductor manufacturing gains global importance, Makthala said Hyderabad and Telangana could serve as a "launch pad" for India's semiconductor ecosystem. "Worldwide, semiconductors are trending now. We are planning to create such setups in Telangana," he said. (ANI)
Hollywood legend Diane Keaton, best known for her iconic roles in Annie Hall and The Godfather films, has died at the age of 79, PEOPLE confirmed. "There are no further details available at this time, and her family has asked for privacy in this moment of great sadness," a spokesperson told PEOPLE. The Los Angeles Fire Department told PEOPLE that they responded to her home early that morning and took a 79-year-old woman to a local hospital. Born Diane Hall in Los Angeles in 1946, Keaton was the oldest of four children. Her father was a civil engineer, and her mother, who stayed at home, inspired Keaton's creative side. "She sang. She played the piano. She was beautiful. She was my advocate," Keaton once told PEOPLE. Keaton started acting in school plays and later studied drama in college before dropping out to move to New York. She adopted her mother's maiden name, Keaton, when she began her career in theater. Her first major break came with 'The Godfather' (1972), in which she played Kay Adams opposite Al Pacino. She went on to reprise the role in 'The Godfather Part II' and 'The Godfather Part III.' In 1977, Keaton won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Woody Allen's Annie Hall. Over the decades, she became one of Hollywood's most respected stars, appearing in beloved films like 'The First Wives Club,' 'Father of the Bride,' 'Baby Boom,' and 'Something's Gotta Give,' which earned her another Oscar nomination. She often worked with directors Woody Allen, Francis Ford Coppola, and Nancy Meyers. Keaton also directed several projects, including the 1987 documentary 'Heaven' and the feature film 'Hanging Up' in 2000. In recent years, she appeared in 'Book Club' and its sequel, as well as Justin Bieber's 2021 music video for 'Ghost.' Though she never married, Keaton was romantically linked to Warren Beatty, Al Pacino, and Woody Allen. She adopted two children, daughter Dexter in 1996 and son Duke in 2001, who survive her. (ANI)
Update on Immigration (EU Exit) Regulations 2025

HM Government of Gibraltar notes the immediate public response following yesterdays publication of the Legal Notice introducing a temporary administrative pause on new residence registrations.

The Department of Immigration and Home Affairs (DIHA) has experienced a sharp increase in attendance and enquiries from individuals without valid residence records or with expired documentation, many of whom have not been in contact with the Department for several years.

These measures are designed to strengthen the integrity of Gibraltars residence system and ensure that access to services prioritises people with a genuine link or contribution to Gibraltar. The pause only applies to new long-term residency applications with no clear economic or social purpose. They are not intended to affect those legitimately living and working in Gibraltar, contributing to the community and the economy.

HM Government of Gibraltar wishes to reassure long-term residents and workers that their status remains unaffected, provided that their documentation is accurate and current.

Part of the Immigration team are currently engaged in a targeted exercise checking the status of red ID card holders who may have changed address locally but not updated their records with the Department. To date, approximately 50 cards have been cancelled for this reason.

The public is therefore reminded to check that their registration and residence documentation is up to date, and to contact the Department of Immigration and Home Affairs if any updates or renewals are required.
Actor Abhishek Bachchan paid a touching tribute to his father, legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, at the 70th Hyundai Filmfare Awards 2025 with Gujarat Tourism on Saturday night. Taking the stage, Abhishek performed a lively medley of some of Big B's most popular songs from over the decades. The performance evoked nostalgia in the crowd for Big B's timeless contributions to Indian cinema. Abhishek also walked down the stage and shared a moment with his mother, veteran actress Jaya Bachchan, who was seen visibly emotional as she watched her son's performance from the audience. It was also a big night for Abhishek, as he won the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Male) award for his performance in I Want to Talk. Directed by Shoojit Sircar, I Want to Talk revolves around the story of Arjun Sen, a Bengali man chasing the American dream, who learns that he has just 100 days to live. The film follows his emotional attempt to reconnect with his estranged seven-year-old daughter. The awards night saw several other winners, including Kartik Aaryan, who shared the Best Actor award with Abhishek for Chandu Champion. Alia Bhatt won the Best Actress award for her role in Jigra, while Nitanshi Goel was named Best Debut Actor (Female) for her performance in Laapataa Ladies. Lakshya bagged the Best Debut Actor (Male) award for his role in 'Ba***Ds of Bollywood,' and Kunal Kemmu and Aditya Suhas Jambhale were honoured with the Best Debut Director award for their films Madgaon Express and Article 370, respectively. Meanwhile Big B also celebrated his 83rd birthday on Saturday, October 11. The megastar is known for his performances in films such as 'Deewaar', 'Sholay', 'Kabhi Kabhie', 'Amar Akbar Anthony', 'Don', 'Trishul', 'Muqaddar Ka Sikandar', 'Coolie', 'Silsila', 'Yaarana', 'Kaalia', 'Satte Pe Satta', 'Shakti', 'Aakhree Raasta', 'Shahenshah' and 'Agneepath'. The actor is a recipient of several accolades, including National Film Awards and sixteen Filmfare Awards. (ANI)
Could actors Ayush Mehra and Barkha Singh will be bringing back their fan-favourite series 'Please Find Attached' for another season? Well, it looks like the on-screen duo may soon return with a new season of their hit web series. The romantic workplace drama, which has won millions of hearts with its simple storytelling and relatable chemistry, could be making a comeback very soon, though the actor prefers to keep things under wraps for now. When asked if fans can expect a fourth season, Ayush stayed tight-lipped but shared that he is deeply moved by the love the show continues to receive. The actor went on to say that, although he couldn't reveal much, something special is in the works. "Right now, I cannot reveal much about Please Find Attached, but thank you so much for giving it all the love always. You know, wherever I go, not only in India but abroad as well, people come up to me and say, 'We love the second and third seasons of Please Find Attached.' That means a lot to me. So, I promise something will come, but I can't promise when. But it will happen, Inshallah," the actor told ANI at the ongoing Lakme Fashion Week. For those who may not know, 'Please Find Attached' follows the story of Shaurya and Sanya, two office colleagues who decide to live together as flatmates. What begins as a practical arrangement slowly turns into a beautiful journey of companionship and love. The series, available on Prime Video, has released three successful seasons and remains one of the most adored Indian web romances. Ayush turned heads at Lakme Fashion Week as he opened the show for Tasva x Tarun Tahiliani on the third day of the event. The actor looked regal in an elegant ivory sherwani paired with matching churidar pants and an embroidered dupatta draped gracefully over his shoulder. Lakme Fashion Week, which began on October 8, will conclude on October 12. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met actor Ram Charan, his wife Upasana Konidela, and his father-in-law, Archery Premier League (APL) co-founder Anil Kamineni, on the sidelines of the ongoing Archery Premier League tournament. Taking to his official X handle, PM Modi appreciated their combined efforts to promote archery through the world's first-ever Archery Premier League. "Glad to have met you, Upasana and Anil Kamineni Garu. Your collective efforts to popularise archery are commendable and will benefit countless youngsters," the Prime Minister wrote in the post. https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1977394372321661313 During the interaction, PM Modi noted that such initiatives will help to preserve the rich legacy of archery and further inspire more youngsters to take up the sport. Ram Charan, who was present in the national capital for the Archery Premier League's celebratory event, shared pictures from the meeting on X and expressed his honour at meeting the Prime Minister. He wrote, "Honoured to meet Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji the success of the world's first Archery Premier League, led by Anil Kamineni Garu. This is our small step to preserve the legacy of archery and promote it worldwide. Congratulations to all the athletes. We hope many more will join this incredible sport." https://x.com/AlwaysRamCharan/status/1977013120519549051 The 'RRR' actor was in the national capital for the celebratory event of the Archery Premier League (APL), along with his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Ram Charan, who has been appointed as the brand ambassador of the inaugural season of APL 2025, told ANI, "The league is very important for Indian archery to win at the Olympics. It will offer a valuable learning experience for our archers." He was accompanied by Anil Kamineni, Archery Association of India (AAI) General Secretary Virendra Sachdeva, and AAI President Arjun Munda, along with prominent archery athletes. India's ace archer and former world number one Deepika Kumari was also present at the event, lending further prestige to the occasion. (ANI)
On Sunday, Natalia graced the runway in a stylish look from the shelves of designer Rina Dhaka, who unveiled her Spring/Summer 2026 collection with a blend of rich colours, plisse textures, hand embroidery, and the transformation of waste materials.

Natalia was dressed in a sustainable ensemble that features an ivory mesh, a long threadwork skirt paired with a matching intricately crafted bralette.

The look was completed with a forearm cover, adding a trendy look to the outfit.

While speaking to the media, Natalia expressed her delight at walking the ramp for the first time in India, adding that she feels fortunate to be a part of the show.

Natalia Janoszek was recently seen in Salman Khan-hosted Bigg Boss Season 19. She was also a part of the recently released 'Housefull 5'. Natalia will be next seen in Riteish Deshmukh, Vivek Oberoi and Aftab Shivdasani starrer 'Mastiii 4'.

The fashion designer brought a distinct organic feel of the 90s spirit, evoking an "Out of Africa" nostalgia. With a focus on threadwork, the collection included wide-legged trousers, distorted trench coats, reimagined cargo looks and more.

The colour palette also comprised colours of wood and leaves, speaking a tale wrapped in nature. The collection strongly voiced the designer's sustainable fashion language, moving zero-carbon waste fabrics to fashion.

"Like leaves swaying in the wind, the collection flows with the rhythm of nature--organic, free, and timeless," Rina Dhaka said, as per the press release.

On the other hand, influencer Nitibha Kaul also walked the ramp for Rina, sporting a pair of ink-blue harem pants with a sleeveless peplum blouse.

The Lakme Fashion Week, which began on October 8, will conclude on October 12, featuring several designers and brands that focus on creativity, innovation, and sustainability in fashion. (ANI)
The Government of India has taken several initiatives to promote Ease of Living and Schooling through wide-ranging legislative, policy, and institutional reforms across sectors, a release said on Saturday. In a first, the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, in a letter to States/UTs and other stakeholders, has emphasized on encouraging the adoption of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) across States and Union Territories (UTs) in order to strengthen Ease of Schooling by modernizing administrative processes, especially those related to financial transactions in schools. Leveraging the significant and growing penetration of digital payment platforms such as Unified Payments Interface (UPI), mobile wallets, and net banking, the Department has encouraged all States and Union Territories (UTs) and Autonomous Bodies under the Ministry such as NCERT, CBSE, KVS, NVS to explore and implement mechanisms that enable schools to collect admission and examination fees through secure and transparent digital modes. The letter mentions that transitioning from cash-based to digital payments offers multiple advantages. For parents and students, it ensures convenience, transparency, and the ability to make payments from home without visiting schools. Encouraging States and UTs to take similar steps, the Department has stated that the move towards digital payments in schools will be an important stride in aligning educational administration with the Government's broader goal of Digital Transformation. This would also enable all stakeholders to become more financially literate, thereby opening up a larger world of digital transactions. This initiative will contribute significantly towards realising the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, a digitally empowered, inclusive, and citizen-centric education system. (ANI)
Mangat Singh, a resident of Rajasthan's Alwar, was sent on a three-day police remand on Saturday after being arrested on Friday for allegedly spying for Pakistan's ISI, officials said on Saturday. The Rajasthan Intelligence took Singh into custody under the Official Secrets Act, 1923. Special Public Prosecutor Sudesh Kumar said, "Mangat Singh was arrested yesterday under the Official Secrets Act. Today, he was sent for a three-day police remand..." Kumar added, "Mangat Singh, who claimed to be a 'siddh purush,' was very famous in Alwar. He used to forcibly take money from people under the pretext of conducting rituals... When we put him under surveillance, we found that he was connected to a Pakistan ISI agent whose number is saved in his phone with the names 'Isha Sharma' and 'Isha Boss'." He further said, "Investigations revealed that he had transferred sensitive strategic information to Pakistan. Investigations also revealed transactions amounting to Rs 8,000 and Rs 1,500. We are also looking into other transactions... After the Operation Sindoor, the Rajasthan CID and intelligence agencies are actively monitoring and taking action against spies..." Police officials said that during surveillance of the cantonment area in Alwar, the activities of Mangat Singh, a resident of Govindgarh, Alwar, were found suspicious. Mangat Singh was allegedly honey-trapped by a female Pakistani handler posing under the pseudonym Isha Sharma, who offered her money in exchange for cooperation. The CID Intelligence arrested him, and a case was registered at the Special Police Station, Jaipur, according to the Rajasthan Police. (ANI)
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has condemned the alleged attack on Vadakara MP Shafi Parambil during a protest march at Perambra in Kerala's Kozhikode, calling it "unacceptable." Tharoor emphasised that in a democracy, MPs, particularly those in the opposition, must be free to protest without fear, stating that such actions violate legal protections and democratic norms. In a post on X, Tharoor wrote, "The police attack on Shafi Parambil MP while he was leading a protest march is unacceptable. In a democracy, MPs, especially those in the opposition, must be free to dissent without fear or reprisal. Such actions violate legal protections and democratic norms. Strict action is imperative. When MPs are targeted for leading protests or voicing dissent, it weakens the very foundation of democratic accountability. Police brutality against a legislator is therefore not merely an individual wrong but a direct attack on parliamentary democracy itself." https://x.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1977065691468734815 Tharoor also stated that Congress would refer the incident to the parliamentary privilege panel. "In India's parliamentary democracy, MPs are not above the law, but they are protected by law to ensure they can discharge their constitutional duties without fear, coercion, or intimidation. Congress to move parliamentary privilege panel," he added. Following the violent clashes in Perambra, the police have registered a case against Vadakara MP and KPCC Working President Shafi Parambil and several others. The FIR names 692 individuals, including prominent Congress leaders such as Kozhikode DCC President Adv. K Praveen Kumar, alleging that they attacked the police during the incident. A separate case has also been registered against LDF workers, listing 492 identified individuals, for unlawful assembly, blocking roads, and obstructing vehicular movement. MP Shafi Parambil, who sustained a fractured nose during the police action, underwent emergency surgery at a private hospital in Kozhikode. Details of the FIR surfaced soon after his treatment. Meanwhile, the Congress has announced statewide protests on Saturday against what it calls "police brutality" against a sitting MP. Kozhikode DCC President Adv. Praveen Kumar told ANI that the UDF will hold a mass protest meeting at 3 PM in Perambra, which AICC General Secretary and MP KC Venugopal will inaugurate. Tension flared in front of the Kozhikode Police Commissioner's office as UDF workers staged a protest against the police and the Pinarayi Vijayan government, following violent clashes between UDF and CPM workers at Perambra. Protests continued late into the night in several parts of the state. Police faced resistance while removing demonstrators, and tension prevailed as Congress activists blocked roads at multiple locations before eventually dispersing. (ANI)
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Saturday condemned the "absence" of women journalists from a press conference held by Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Delhi, calling it "very unfortunate" and reflective of the Taliban's mindset. "It is very unfortunate. Everyone knows what kind of Taliban mindset it is. Atrocities are being committed against women in Afghanistan. I had said yesterday as well that whenever our Foreign Minister meets them, he should raise the issue of what is happening to the women there... What happened to the female journalists yesterday happened in the Afghan Embassy," she said. Chaturvedi urged the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to address the issue by raising concerns about women's treatment in Afghanistan and to communicate to the Taliban that such actions contradict India's constitutional values of press freedom and gender equality. "It may not be under MEA's control, but I hope that MEA takes cognisance of this and writes a letter to the Taliban to address it, stating that the practices and norms in our country are in accordance with our Constitution. We also have freedom of the press and equality. Women have been given equal status. Keeping them out in this manner is very shameful," she added. The controversy arose after a press conference by Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi at the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi on Friday, where Indian women journalists were allegedly not allowed to attend. Muttaqui is on a week-long visit to India, beginning from October 9 till October 16. This is the first high-level delegation from Kabul to India since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. Earlier, Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, also criticised the Modi government over the incident. In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said, "Mr. Modi, when you allow the exclusion of women journalists from a public forum, you are telling every woman in India that you are too weak to stand up for them." "In our country, women have the right to equal participation in every space. Your silence in the face of such discrimination exposes the emptiness of your slogans on Nari Shakti," the post further reads. (ANI)
General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), visited Rashtriya Military School, Chail, to commemorate its historic centenary celebrations. On the occasion, he inaugurated the majestic Centenary Gate, a symbol of the school's enduring legacy, planted a sapling and released the Commemorative Special Cover as well as the Centennial Chronicle to mark the momentous occasion. While addressing the faculty and cadets, he commended their discipline, academic excellence and commitment to nation building. COAS also interacted with the distinguished alumni and veterans, acknowledging their invaluable contributions to the Armed Forces and the school's proud heritage. His visit was a tribute to the timeless values of duty, honour and patriotism that RMS Chail has upheld for 100 glorious years, the Indian Army said. Earlier this week, the Chief of Army Staff felicitated the Malayalam superstar and 'Dadasaheb Phalke Awardee', Lieutenant Colonel (Honorary) Mohanlal, for his outstanding contribution to society and his continued association with the Armed Forces on Tuesday. General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), presented Lt Col (Hony) Mohanlal with the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card in recognition of his spirit of service, philanthropy and unwavering respect for the uniform, according to a press note. After meeting with Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi in the national capital, Mohanlal told reporters, "It is a great recognition and so much honour to receive commendation from the Army Chief. The Dadasaheb Phalke award is also one of the reasons. So, we had a good meeting, and we also had a small lunch. It's a great gesture from the fraternity."Noting that he has been a part of the forces for the last 16 years, Mohanlal added, "We had some conversation on how to bring out more efficiency in the TA battalion and what we can do for the country." Conferred with the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army in May 2009, Mohanlal has remained deeply connected with the Indian Army, embodying the values of service, discipline and national pride. (ANI)
Based on precise and reliable intelligence, the troops recovered 20 gold biscuits weighing a total of 2332.66 grams. The estimated value of the seized gold is approximately Rs 2.82 crore.

On the night of October 11, the troops of the 32 Battalion deployed at Horandipur BOP received credible intelligence from confidential sources that a person from Muslimpara village near the India-Bangladesh border was planning to smuggle illegal gold brought from Bangladesh through the Horandipur area.

Upon receiving the information, the jawans on duty were put on extra alert and a special ambush was laid at the suspected location to catch the smuggler red-handed. At around 6 a.m., the ambush party noticed a suspicious individual moving cautiously behind a dense bamboo grove.

The person was immediately surrounded and apprehended. Upon searching him, a plastic packet was recovered, which, when opened, was found to contain 20 gold biscuits. The smuggler was taken into custody on the spot and brought to the Horandipur BOP for further questioning.

The seized gold biscuits and the arrested smuggler have been handed over to the concerned authorities for further legal action. (ANI)
by Daniel Gauss

While teaching English at a Yeshiva in the Bronx, I was surprised one day to become part of a theological thought experiment so creative and meaningful that it has stayed with me ever since. After recently learning that the universe may die much sooner than previously thought, I recalled that moment as it offered metaphorical depth and poignancy to a scientific truth.

One day, a rabbi came to speak to our teaching staff. I was touched when he singled me out with a friendly gesture, a small, personal act of welcome from a community that had warmly embraced me, and I was happy to be a part of, even though I came from a different religious background.

He said, genuinely smiling widely, I heard this guy here is quite a mensch! Yes? No? To my relief my kind and supportive colleagues smiled at me and nodded their heads. So hes a good guy? I heard the kids like him. OK.

The rabbi continued, Now heres my question. If I were to put Dan, this good guy, in Antarctica, in a hut with food and water, but no life, no life at all, not even a cockroach, nothing alive for miles around, nothing living that Dan could see, so Dan would be completely isolated, would he still be good?

It was a clever setup. Most nodded. Some said, Yeah, of course he would. Hes good, period, wherever he is. But the rabbi, still smiling, said, Well, if you think about it, you cant be good, period. Goodness without someone to be good to isnt goodness.

Then he offered a startling analogy: this, he said, was Gods condition before creation. Only with others, with creation, with humanity, could God be good. Goodness needs relationship. Without humanity, God was not good, and God needed to be good. God had just been itching to be good.

I wish I could remember how he explained it exactly, but I recall him saying that God specifically created humanity so He (sorry, whats Gods pronoun?) could be good. The whole point of humanitys existence was for God to realize His goodness, to actualize this amazing and emergent quality in the universe, to become the first agent of goodness.

Now, Im not the most religious guy in the world. I sometimes call myself a Progressive Christian but thats because I lean toward tolerance, forgiveness and pacifism and I like religious symbolism and find great meaning in it. But as a metaphor, I thought this explanation for the creation of humanity was so beautiful, brilliant and creative.

Years later, as I read the latest data that the universe will die faster than we thought, the memory of that rabbi came back. And so I thought back to that rabbis God, the one who needed us to be good. If the universe ends, and no one remains, will goodness vanish too? God would now be sitting alone again, the way I would be in Antarctica, without even a cockroach for company.

But to me, the story becomes more compellingly tender and affecting now. Now the story presents a tragic God, one who is bound to love but also to loss. A God who created to love and to express goodness, even though He knew the story would end. We have an eternal God now with the memory of love and goodness but, for eternity, the inability to ever recapture real love and goodness.

In Jewish and Christian thought alike, God is often described as omnipotent, impassive, beyond suffering. But this version subverts the image. Here is a God who willingly binds Himself to grief. Here is a God who chose to suffer for all eternity so that we weak, fragile, ephemeral creatures would have a sense of justice and mercy and humane self-development in the world.

Maybe that makes the act of creation, and the good we do as mirror images of God, even more meaningful; not because it lasts forever, but because it doesnt. Maybe the highest form of goodness is not eternal, maybe its the kind you do anyway, even in a dying world.

Not to mix silliness with sublimity, but God becomes like Puff the Magic Dragon once Jackie Paper disappears. Remember how sad that made you feel when you were a kid hearing that song for the first time? Puff the Magic Dragon as the tragic God, forgotten, left alone in his cave, unable to be what he once was because the child (creation) has gone away.

I suppose in Norse mythology there is something similar: Ragnarok, where even the gods meet their end. Divinity is not immune from tragedy in that tradition. In the rabbis parable, God seems closer to Puff or Odin than to Aristotles unmoved mover. That image holds enormous emotional power, and it softens the second law of thermodynamics with the intimate.

It says: even if the universe ends, it mattered that we were here. It mattered that we worked, that we loved, that we tried to use our minds and hearts to rise in our humanity, to recognize and overcome what might be harmful in us so that we could be good too, for the same reason as God. There will be a God crying over our loss and this God may never stop crying. Thats how good this God would be.

I kind of wish one of my colleagues at the Yeshiva had said, But what if Dan remembers his little nephews and nieces? The children he taught? The volunteer work he does currently at a homeless shelter? Or he remembers those who were kind to him but didnt need to be? What if Dan starts to cry in Antarctica? I contend, dear respected rabbi, that Dan is still good, even without a cockroach in his hut!

What would the rabbi have said? Isnt mourning a sign of goodness too? Maybe mourning is the highest form of goodness. What if God created us so God could mourn?

In any case, even in a universe headed toward oblivion, the fact that we ask these questions, that we try to be good, that we recognize goodness in others, may be the most divine thing we can do.

So this may be the only kind of God who makes sense anymore, God as Puff, not eternal and untouched, but involved, wounded, nostalgic and mourning. This may be the only kind of goodness thats real, the kind we do even though we wont last and the kind that might cause us to mourn if we were suddenly isolated.

Maybe Puff will wait in that cave, not for Jackie Paper, but for the echo of every good thing Jackie dared to be. We wont last, but the memory of our sincere efforts will last with the eternally mourning God. Or perhaps, against all odds, God will be joyous, treasuring the fleeting gift of being good and having loved.

***

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Shovana Mohanty, Chairperson of the Odisha State Commission for Women, said that she, along with a team, will visit West Bengal to probe the alleged gangrape of a medical student hailing from Odisha in West Bengal's Durgapur. Mohanty told ANI that the team will conduct a counselling session with the medical student and check if she is receiving proper treatment in Durgapur. Condemning the incident, Shovana Mohanty said, "As the Chairperson of Odisha Women Commission, I wrote a letter to the DG and IG, addressing the crimes against women. My team and I will be going to West Bengal to look into the matter. I am from Balasore, and the gangrape incident that has happened with this MBBS student from Balasore is very unfortunate." "I have been in constant touch with her (the medical student) parents. We will conduct a counselling session and check if she is receiving proper treatment or not." As West Bengal Police arrested three accused in connection with the alleged gangrape, Mohanty demanded that the other accused be arrested and punished. "Three accused were arrested, others should also be arrested and punished," she told ANI. A second-year student of a private medical college was allegedly gangraped in Durgapur. The survivor is from Jaleswar, Odisha. According to the medical student's father, she stepped out with a classmate to get something to eat. However, two or three other men arrived and raped her. The classmate, he said, "abandoned her and fled." "At 10 PM, her friend called us and said that your daughter had been raped. We live in Jaleshwar. My daughter was studying here. Yesterday, one of her classmates took her out on the pretext of getting something to eat, but when two or three other men arrived, he abandoned her and fled. They raped her... This incident occurred between 8:00 and 9:00 PM. The hostel was far away, and she had come here to eat. The security arrangements are not sufficient... Such a serious incident occurred, but no action has been taken. There is no system here, no response..." the student's father told reporters. (ANI)
On the 20th anniversary of the Right to Information Act, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday described it as a "revolutionary" legislation passed under the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance regime. The Congress MP was addressing a press conference in the national capital, where he stated that the UPA government brought several other revolutionary legislations apart from the RTI bill during the 2004 and 2014 periods. "20 years ago from today, the historic and revolutionary Right to Information Act was passed in 2005; today, it's the 20th anniversary of the RTI bill. This, in my opinion, was a revolutionary legislation, and in the next decade, under the leadership of the Congress-led UPA government," he said. He stated that the Congress regime passed other laws, such as the Rural Employment Act, MGNREGA, Right to Education, Food Security Act, and the Land Acquisition Act, in 2013. Ramesh mentioned that the Right to Information Act ushered in a transformative decade. "Six more such transformative laws were implemented, not only this, but we also brought the Rural Employment Act, popularly known as MNREGA, and the Right to Education Act 2009. Thereafter, the Food Security Act of 2013 and, a few days later, the new Land Acquisition Act of 2013 were implemented. The Right to Information Act had ushered in a transformative decade," he said. The Congress leader also criticised the Personal Data Protection Act and mentioned that it will override the RTI Act, which empowers the common people. "Personal Data Protection Act 2023 will corner the RTI Act that empowers common people... RTI Act empowers common people to access all the information that an MP or an MLA has," he added. The Right to Information Act was passed on October 12, 2005, which grants the right to request information from public authorities to promote transparency and accountability. It mandates that government bodies respond within 30 days and requires them to publish certain information proactively. (ANI)
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday launched the Chief Minister's Foreign Language Initiative (CM-FLIGHT), a pioneering scheme aimed at equipping the state's youth with Japanese language proficiency to unlock overseas employment opportunities. Under the initiative, successful candidates will have the opportunity to obtain five-year work visas in Japan, earning salaries of up to Rs 2 lakh per month. The cost of training will be shared between the state and Japanese governments, significantly reducing the financial burden on students. Speaking to reporters, Chief Minister Sarma said, "During the Advantage Assam 2.0, we had signed three MoUs with Japan for language training and placement in Japan. ASEAN One and two other companies will teach the Japanese language in Assam. Those students who pass the Japanese language examination will have the Japanese authorities arrange jobs for them in Japan with a salary of upto Rs 2 lakh. The youths will get a visa for a period of 5 years for a job." He further explained that the total expenditure of the language training course is estimated at Rs 1.8 lakh, out of which the state government will contribute Rs 1 lakh and the Japanese government Rs 50,000. The remaining Rs 30,000 will be borne by the student. "The expenditure of this course is Rs 1.8 lakh; the state government will provide Rs 1 lakh, the Japanese government will give Rs 50,000, and the students will have to give only Rs 30,000. Simultaneously, we are talking with South Korea and Germany so that we can send our youth there," he added. Earlier, on July 23, the Chief Minister had announced that CM-FLIGHT would provide structured foreign language training, including preparation for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N2 level. The Chief Minister stated that as part of a pilot project to be implemented in the current financial year, agencies such as ASEAN ONE Co. Ltd., Jaceex Ventures LLP, and Meiko Career Partners Co. Ltd. will impart Japanese language training and facilitate overseas employment of Assamese youth under Japan's Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) visa programme. "It will create significant employment opportunities for the local population by facilitating overseas placements," Sarma said. "It will help in addressing the issue of unemployment and underemployment in Assam by providing access to the international job market. " CM Sarma further stated that under the scheme, the government will also offer a subsidy of Rs 1.5 lakh to successful applicants to undergo Japanese language training. Upon completion, candidates will be eligible for short-term paid work opportunities in Japan, enhancing their skills and global exposure. The Chief Minister reiterated that the initiative aligns with Assam's broader vision to empower youth with globally relevant skills and strengthen the state's position as a hub for international workforce development. (ANI)
Delegations from countries that contribute troops to UN peacekeeping missions across the globe are expected to arrive in New Delhi on 13 October 2025.

The UNTCC serves as a vital forum to address operational challenges, evolving threats, interoperability, inclusivity in decision-making and the role of technology and training in strengthening UN peacekeeping.

As one of the largest contributors to UN missions, India is convening this high-level forum to deliberate on operational challenges and evolving threats, share best practices and build shared understanding on future peacekeeping. The Conclave reflects the ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family).

The programme will feature an address by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and Jean Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations (USG, DPO). Plenary sessions will feature Chiefs and Heads of delegations putting forth their viewpoints. Defence exhibitions for shared capacity building, bilaterals and cultural exchanges will also feature during the conclave.

The conclave will witness participation from Algeria, Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Burundi, Cambodia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Ghana, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, Poland, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Senegal, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Uruguay and Vietnam.

The event will stand as a testament to India's unflinching commitment to global peace, stability and shared prosperity. (ANI)
Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) President Tariq Hameed Karra on Sunday said that the party will consult its core committee before deciding on the next steps regarding the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in the Union Territory. Speaking to reporters, Karra said, "We have placed the discussion that took place between the central leadership and the National Conference before our core committee, and we will seek their opinion on this. I will inform them about the discussion that took place and seek their opinion on the next course of action..." The announcement comes after the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) on Friday declared its candidates for three Rajya Sabha seats. The party named Chowdry Mohamad Ramzan, Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo, and Shammi Oberoi as its nominees, while the decision on the fourth seat is expected soon. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani said, "Candidates have been decided for three Rajya Sabha seats...Chowdry Mohamad Ramzan, Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo and Shammi Oberoi. These three will be our candidates for the Rajya Sabha. The candidate for the fourth seat will be announced tomorrow or the day after." He also clarified speculation about JKNC president Farooq Abdullah contesting the Rajya Sabha polls. According to Wani, Farooq Abdullah intends to remain in Jammu and Kashmir for the time being. "...Farooq sahab decided that he is needed more in J&K. We too feel that his suggestions, guidance and experience can be better utilised here. He, too, wants to stay in J&K now," he said. Meanwhile, earlier on Sunday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced three candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections in the Union Territory. The party named Gulam Mohammad Mir, Rakesh Mahajan, and Sat Paul Sharma as its nominees. Sat Paul Sharma is serving his second term as the BJP's Jammu and Kashmir state president. His first tenure was from 2015 to 2018. He was also part of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's cabinet in 2018. Rakesh Mahajan is Vice-President of the state's BJP unit. Gulam Mohammad Mir was the BJP candidate from the Handwara Assembly constituency in last year's Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. He suffered a loss against the National Conference's Sajjad Gani Lone. The elections for four Rajya Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir will be held on October 24. These seats have been vacant since February 2021, following the retirement of former members Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mir Mohammad Fayaz, Shamsher Singh, and Nazir Ahmed Laway. (ANI)
Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya on Sunday attended the Veterans' Swabhimaan Rally 2025 at the Narangi Military Station in Guwahati. Organised under the aegis of Headquarters 51 Sub Area, the rally was a tribute to the courage, sacrifice, and dedication of India's armed forces veterans, while also reaffirming the nation's solidarity with the families of fallen heroes, a press release stated. Speaking on the occasion, Governor Acharya described the event as a moment of pride and reflection. He praised the spirit of the soldiers who have served the nation selflessly across generations. The Governor observed that a soldier never truly retires but instead begins a new journey from defending the nation to contributing towards nation-building. He further emphasised that honouring those who defend the country is not merely a responsibility but a part of India's cultural ethos. During his address, the Governor outlined various landmark welfare initiatives undertaken by the government for veterans and their families. He cited schemes such as the One Rank One Pension (OROP), the Prime Minister's Scholarship Scheme, and a host of programmes aimed at promoting skill development and supporting self-employment among ex-servicemen. He also acknowledged Assam's leadership in ex-servicemen welfare, noting the state's provision of a two per cent job reservation for ex-servicemen in Grade I and II government posts, the increase in medical college seats for veterans' children from three to nine, and the effective implementation of welfare policies through the State Managing Committee of the Directorate of Sainik Welfare. Governor Acharya further highlighted Raj Bhavan Assam's own initiative, namely "Rajyapal Assam Rashtriya Kritagyata Aur Jagrookta Yojana", which seeks to bring the inspiring stories of veterans into schools and colleges across the state, instilling in the younger generation a sense of national pride and gratitude. The Governor, on the occasion, also congratulated the Rajyik Sainik Board, Assam, for receiving a national award from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in recognition of its outstanding contributions to veteran welfare. As part of the rally, special financial aid was extended to Veer Naris and needy veterans as a mark of respect and support. Welfare assistance, including motorised wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and mechanical medical beds, was handed over to physically challenged veterans. The venue also featured service stalls providing medical support, pension advisory, financial counselling, and opportunities for skill development to address the diverse needs of the veteran community. Describing the rally as a celebration of the sacred bond between soldiers and citizens, the Governor said, "This relationship is integral to the strength and soul of the nation." The event saw participation from a wide cross-section of the defence and civilian community, including veterans, serving personnel, and dignitaries such as Lt Gen Sanjay Malik of GOC 101 Area; Maj Gen A K Sharma, GOC 51 Sub Area; Lt Gen R P Kalita (Retd); and Air Marshal Anjan Kumar Gogoi (Retd), along with several other senior civil and military officials. (ANI)
RJD supremo and former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav, and others will appear in person in the Rouse Avenue Court here on Monday as the court will pronounce its order on the framing of charges against the accused in the IRCTC hotel corruption case. On September 24, the court had directed all 14 accused persons to appear in person. Special judge Vishal Gogne had said that the order on framing of charges is in completion and will pronounce the same on October 13. The case pertains to allegations of corruption in the allotment of maintenance work contracts for IRCTC hotels during Lalu Prasad Yadav's tenure as Railway Minister between 2004 and 2009. It is alleged that the maintenance contract of two IRCTC hotels, namely BNR Ranchi and BNR Puri, was awarded to Sujata Hotel, a private firm owned by Vijay and Vinay Kochar. The CBI has alleged that in return for this deal, Lalu Prasad Yadav got three acres of prime land through a benami company. On July 7, 2017, the CBI filed an FIR against Lalu. The agency also raided 12 locations linked to Lalu and his family members in Patna, New Delhi, Ranchi and Gurgaon. On March 1, 2025, the CBI concluded its arguments on charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejaswi Yadav, and former Union Minister Prem Chand Gupta and others. The court reserved its order on May 29 after hearing day-to-day arguments from both the prosecution and defence. The Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) D P Singh, along with advocate Manu Mishra, for CBI, had argued that there was corruption and conspiracy on the part of the accused persons in the allotment of two IRCTC hotel maintenance contracts to a private company. There is sufficient material to frame a charge against all accused persons, the CBI said. On the other hand, it was submitted on behalf of Prasad Yadav that there is no material to frame charges against him in IRCTC corruption case and he deserves discharge in this case. Senior advocate Maninder Singh, counsel for Lalu Prasad Yadav, argued that there are no irregularities on the part of Lalu Prasad Yadav. The tenders were awarded in a fair manner. There is insufficient material to frame charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav. He deserved to be discharged of the charges. (ANI)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday attended the Diwali Fair organised by the International Vaishya Mahasammelan at GMS Road, Dehradun, and extended his warm greetings to all present on the festival of lights, said the release. On this occasion, the Chief Minister paid homage to Maharaja Agrasen and extended his heartfelt advance greetings and best wishes for Diwali to everyone present. According to an official release, he said that the festival of Diwali is a unique medium to infuse positive energy into our lives, inspiring us to move from darkness to light and from evil to goodness. The Chief Minister said that the Vaishya community has, for centuries, served as a torchbearer of Sanatan culture, spreading the light of cooperation, harmony and development throughout society. 'The community stands as a symbol of our nation's economic, social and cultural strength and has always extended generous support for the protection of Sanatan Dharma and the promotion of social welfare," CM Dhami said. He further stated that through this fair, the International Vaishya Mahasammelan is not only promoting trade but also contributing to social unity, encouraging indigenous products, and preserving folk culture. The Chief Minister added that under the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, efforts are being made to preserve and promote our cultural traditions. At the same time, initiatives like 'Vocal for Local', 'Make in India', 'Made in India' and 'Startup India' are taking concrete steps towards realising the vision of an 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'. Under the Prime Minister's guidance, our government has successfully implemented several important schemes and policies in the state, ensuring comprehensive development today. We have also taken several historic decisions in the interest of the state, including becoming the first in the nation to implement the Uniform Civil Code. Our government is fully committed to preserving the cultural values and demography of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, according to a statement quoting CM Dhami. We have taken strong action against planned land encroachments, reclaiming over 9,000 acres of government land from land jihad elements. We have demolished around 550 illegal mazars and removed two illegal mosques built on forest land. In addition, through 'Operation Kalnemi', we are taking strict action against those who attempt to defame Sanatan culture through deceit, the statement added. The Chief Minister urged everyone to embrace the Prime Minister's mantra of "Adopt Swadeshi, Strengthen the Nation" and to use more indigenous products. By prioritizing swadeshi goods, we will not only empower our artisans, farmers and entrepreneurs but also strengthen the resolve of building an Atmanirbhar Bharat. As per the release, CM Dhami said that we are continuously working with our "unwavering resolve" to make Uttarakhand a leading state in the country. I am confident that the Vaishya community, as a close family, will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our government, and together we will surely succeed in fulfilling this resolve. (ANI)
The six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted by the Chandigarh Police to investigate the 'suicide' of senior Haryana police officer Y Puran Kumar, has written to the Haryana Government, seeking the documents required for the investigation. A letter was also sent to the deceased police officer's wife, an IAS officer currently serving in the Haryana government, who is the complainant in the case, requesting her to come forward for the identification of the body for the conduct of Post-Mortem Examination at the earliest, which is essential for a speedy investigation, said the Chandigarh Police. A team from the SIT has been in Rohtak since October 11 for further investigation of the case, the police added. Puran Kumar allegedly shot himself at his residence in Chandigarh on October 7, and in the 'final note' he left behind, he accused eight senior cops, including Haryana director general of police Shatrujeet Kapur, of "blatant caste-based discrimination, targeted mental harassment, public humiliation and atrocities." On Saturday, the Haryana Government transferred Rohtak Superintendent of Police Narendra Bijarniya, who is facing accusations along with seven other senior police officers of the Haryana police in the death of the IPS officer. Chandigarh Police has formed a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a comprehensive and impartial probe into the matter. 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. Chandigarh Director General of Police (DGP) Sagar Preet Hooda had told reporters the family has some grievances after speaking with them. "We spoke to the family members and requested them to get the post-mortem conducted as soon as possible. They have some grievances, and we are working on them. The investigation is underway. SIT has been formed, and the IG is heading it. The SIT is doing the investigation," Hooda told reporters on Saturday. On Saturday, a Congress delegation, including MP Deepender Singh Hooda and leader Randeep Singh Surjewala, visited the residence of deceased IPS officer Y Puran Kumar to express their solidarity with his family. Surjewala alleged that the late senior police official was a victim of caste-discrimination and his death mirrored the situation of an ordinary man in the country. Earlier, the Haryana IAS Officers' Association expressed deep sorrow over the sudden and tragic death of IPS Y Puran Kumar. The Association paid tribute to his integrity and dedication to public service, acknowledging his significant contributions to society. (ANI)
Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) President PS Prasanth has assured full cooperation in the alleged Sabarimala gold theft probe, asserting that the board has acted with "complete honesty" and "transparency." The Devaswom Board President emphasised that the Board takes "full responsibility for the gold plates taken for gilding", noting that all required procedures and standards were followed. "The Travancore Devaswom Board has carried out its responsibilities honestly and transparently. This time, the Board takes full responsibility for the gold plates taken for gilding. All required procedures and standards were followed before taking the gold plates this time," Prasanth said on Sunday. The TDB President called for a full investigation from 1998 onwards, and stated that action would be taken against "guilty officials", including pension freezes for retirees if necessary. "The probe should cover everything from 1998 onwards, which is why a new investigation team has been formed. The sponsor was changed based on certain information that came to light. There is no reason to doubt the current Devaswom Board. All the missing gold must be recovered; that is our demand," Prasanth said. "If I am the one who has done wrong, let me be punished. Neither the minister nor the Board has supported taking even a single grain of gold belonging to the Lord. We are confident in that," he further added. Clarifying his role in the transfer of the gold plates, Prasanth said, "It was my instruction not to hand over the gold plates to Unnikrishnan Potty. I had questioned how it could be handed over to him. He had said it was given to him last time as well, but I made it clear that I would not allow officers to be influenced." Prasanth assured that the special investigation team is "free to conduct the probe". "If they believe I am guilty, let them make me an accused. Action will be taken against any officials found guilty. As for those who have retired, action will be considered after examination, including freezing of pensions if found guilty. A decision on these matters will be taken in the Devaswom Board meeting on the 14th," he said. He also mentioned that Murari Babu is not the only accused, adding that two others currently in service are also on the list of accused in the case. Earlier, on October 7, the Travancore Devaswom Board suspended B Murari Babu, Deputy Devaswom Commissioner, Haripad, in connection with an alleged false report related to the Sabarimala gold plating project. On October 6, the Kerala High Court ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged theft of gold from Sabarimala temple, while also directing that the investigation be confidential and no information be leaked. The Dwarapalaka idols at the Sabarimala temple had gold-plated plates, originally installed in 1999, with the intention of keeping them there for the next 40 years. However, defects were seen in the plates after just a few years. In 2019, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) removed the plates for repairing. Historical records indicate that the 1998 gold cladding, completed in 1999, was undertaken under the leadership of Chennai-based jeweller Nagarajan of JNR Jewellery, with the expertise of 53 artisans from Tamil Nadu. The process involved layering gold beaten into thin foils and bonding them onto copper plates with mercury. In 2019, during repairs, Devaswom records listed the removed panels as copper sheets. When the replated panels were returned, records showed a reduction of 4.41 kg. Unnikrishnan Potty testified that the sheets given to him were copper-based with residual gold, which had been later replated at a Chennai firm. (ANI)
Madagascar's presidency said on Sunday that "an attempted illegal and forcible seizure of power" was underway in the African nation, without providing details, a day after some soldiers joined a protest movement that had begun last month.

Reuters reported that Troops from the elite CAPSAT unit that helped President Andry Rajoelina seize power in a 2009 coup urged fellow soldiers to disobey orders and back the youth-led protests, which began on September 25.

A Reuters witness saw three people injured after shots were fired along a road to the CAPSAT barracks on Sunday. Other witnesses said there was no sign of ongoing clashes.

ALSO READ: Madagascar: A sneak peek into the "eighth continent", home to rich cultural diversity

The protests began over water and electricity shortages but have since escalated, with demonstrators calling for Rajoelina to step down, apologise for violence against protesters, and dissolve the Senate and electoral commission.

At least 22 people have been killed and 100 injured in the unrest since September, according to the United Nations. The Malagasy government has disputed the figures, with Rajoelina saying this month that 12 people were killed in the protests.

In a statement on the presidency's official social media account, Rajoelina's office said he firmly condemned attempts to destabilise the country and urged all forces "to stand together in defense of constitutional order and national sovereignty." It encouraged dialogue to resolve the crisis.

Read the full story here.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held a Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting in Delhi on Sunday, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP National President JP Nadda. After a long brainstorming session on seat distribution and candidate selection, the BJP is likely to announce its first list of candidates on Monday in Patna, Bihar, according to sources. A top BJP source said, "The party is likely to announce its first list of candidates tomorrow (Monday) in Patna. Today (Sunday), we discussed almost all seats, and names have been finalised for most of them." Ahead of the meeting, senior BJP leaders, including Vinod Tawde and Dharmendra Pradhan, along with NDA allies Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi, Upendra Kushwaha, and Sanjay Jha, announced their seat-sharing arrangements on the social media platform X. The NDA on Sunday officially announced its seat-sharing formula for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Under the arrangement, the BJP and JD(U) will contest 101 seats each, while the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest 29 seats. The Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) will contest six seats each. The 243 Assembly seats will go to the polls in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with counting of votes to be held 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)
An international peace summit will be held in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday to finalise an agreement aimed at ending the war in Gaza. US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will chair the meeting titled "Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit," according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency. The meeting will see the participation of leaders from more than 20 countries. "The summit aims to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to bring peace and stability to the Middle East, and usher in a new phase of regional security and stability. This summit comes in light of US President Trump's vision for achieving peace in the region and his relentless efforts to end conflicts around the world," the Egyptian presidency said in a statement. According to Xinhua, the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas entered into effect on Friday, following three days of intensive negotiations in Sharm El Sheikh between the two sides mediated by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey 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. Earlier, a Hamas source on Friday stated the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is expected to reopen in the middle of next week, allowing for limited movement of people, Xinhua reported. However, 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's health authorities, Xinhua reported. Meanwhile, a Huge crowd gathered at Tel Aviv's Hostage Square on Saturday as families of captives awaited their return, marking an emotional evening of gratitude and solidarity, CNN reported. Expressing gratitude towards US President Donald Trump, his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, described it as a "powerful night," thanking Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for their efforts in achieving the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, as reported by The Times of Israel. "I dreamed of this night for a long time. This is the most powerful sight," Witkoff said, estimating that more than 100,000 people had gathered. "Hearts beating as one, gathered here in Tel Aviv for peace, for unity and for hope in this sacred place we call Hostages Square. I only wish the President was here," he added, as reported by The Times of Israel. Witkoff praised Kushner, who was also present, saying, "This moment was made possible through the tireless dedication of leaders who would not rest until the world saw what could be achieved. One of them is standing right here with me, Jared Kushner." He also expressed "a debt of deep gratitude" to Trump, calling him "a man who is a humanitarian through and through, with an indomitable spirit, who once again proved that bold leadership and moral clarity can reshape history and change the world." The crowd chanted "Thank you, Trump" while booing when Witkoff promoted Netanyahu's name, The Times of Israel reported. Moreover, French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Egypt on Monday to express his support for the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, CNN reported, citing the French Presidency announcement. Macron's visit comes at a critical moment, as global leaders rally around efforts to end the conflict and lay the groundwork for long-term peace in the region. Macron will show his "full support" for the ceasefire deal and "also consult with his partners on the next steps in implementing the peace plan," the presidency said. He is among several world leaders expected in Egypt early next week. US President Donald Trump is also set to host a summit in the country on Monday, as per CNN. (ANI)
The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has issued a statement in the backdrop of violent clashes along the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan, calling for "self-restraint" to avoid further escalation. "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is following with concern the tensions and clashes taking place in the border areas between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the State of Afghanistan. The Kingdom calls for self-restraint, avoiding escalation, and embracing dialogue and wisdom, which will contribute to reducing tension and maintaining the security and stability of the region," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said in a statement. "The Kingdom affirms its support for all regional and international efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability, and its constant keenness to ensure the establishment of security in a way that achieves stability and prosperity for the brotherly Pakistani and Afghan peoples," it added. Clashes broke out between the Pakistan Army and Afghan forces following firing at multiple locations along the Pak-Afghan border in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, Dawn reported on Saturday. The violent exchange began after Taliban forces allegedly opened fire at several Pakistani border posts late Saturday night. "In a prompt and intense response, Pakistani forces effectively targeted several Afghan border posts," security officials were quoted as saying by Dawn. They added that there were reports of notable damage inflicted on multiple Afghan posts and militant formations. The firing took place at several key posts, including Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, Chitral in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Baramcha in Balochistan, The Express Tribune reported. Security sources said that the firing was aimed at facilitating the illegal entry of Khwarij -- the state-designated term for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) -- into Pakistani territory, as reported by The Express Tribune. "The counteroffensive effectively targeted and destroyed multiple Afghan posts at border. Dozens of Afghan soldiers and Khwarij were killed in retaliatory fire," The Express Tribune reported, citing security sources. Taliban border forces said that the clashes broke out after Kabul accused Islamabad of carrying out air strikes on the Afghan capital earlier this week. "In retaliation for the air strikes by Pakistani forces", Taliban border forces in the east are "engaged in heavy clashes against Pakistani forces' posts in various border areas", the Afghan military said in a statement, as reported by Dawn. Taliban officials from the provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar, Paktika, Khost, and Helmand -- all located on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan -- confirmed the clashes. Islamabad did not confirm that it was behind the attacks, but called on Kabul "to stop harbouring the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on its soil," Dawn reported. Earlier on Friday, Former US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad expressed concern over Pakistan's reported strikes in Kabul, calling them a "huge escalation" which poses dangerous risks. In a post on X, Khalilzad called for dialogue between Islamabad and Kabul, stating that military escalation is not the answer. He said negotiations should take place between Kabul and Islamabad to deal with the terrorist sanctuaries on both sides of the Durand Line. Late on Thursday evening, a spokesperson of Afghanistan, Zabihullah, said that an explosion was heard in Kabul; however, no reports of damage have emerged so far, and investigations are underway. "The sound of an explosion was heard in the city of Kabul. 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 sound of an explosion was heard in Kabul. The investigation is underway, no report of any damage has been given so far, it is all well and good." On October 10, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told the National Assembly that "collateral damage" cannot be ruled out in response if Pak security forces come under attack and added that "enough is enough," as reported by Dawn. The escalation by Pakistan comes even as Afghanistan's Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, is on a week-long visit to India, the first high-level visit from Kabul since the Taliban seized power in August 2021. (ANI)
The supporters of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) have set up camps for the night at Muridke in the Sheikhupura district of Punjab, Dawn reported. They attempt to reach Islamabad to protest in solidarity with Palestinians, even as Israel approved the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal on Friday. Large-scale protests erupted in Pakistan earlier in the day after members of the TLP began marching towards Islamabad, leading to violent clashes with police in Lahore and prompting authorities to block roads and suspend internet services in the capital, Dawn reported. The march dubbed the "Gaza March" by the group was launched after Friday prayers from the party's headquarters on Multan Road in Lahore. The procession, led by TLP chief Saad Rizvi, drew thousands of supporters, many of whom chanted religious slogans and carried sticks, rods, and bricks, Dawn reported. Police tried to block the rally by setting up barricades and using tear gas near key intersections, including Yateem Khana Chowk, Chauburji, Azadi Chowk, and Shahdara. However, the protesters broke through the barriers and continued advancing towards Islamabad. Eyewitnesses said some TLP supporters occupied parts of the Orange Line Metro track and threw stones at security forces, injuring several police officers. According to Dawn, footage circulating on social media appeared to show protesters commandeering government vehicles, including cranes belonging to the Lahore Waste Management Company and the Punjab Police, to use in the procession. Clashes turned intense near Lahore's Azadi Chowk, where several police vehicles were damaged and multiple officers were injured. Videos on social media showed law enforcement personnel firing tear gas and warning shots to disperse the crowds, while some officers were seen retreating to safety. Further, Lahore police reported that dozens of officers sustained injuries, while the TLP claimed that many of its workers were also hurt and alleged that some had been killed in police firing, claims that could not be independently verified. Amid the unrest, an anti-terrorism court in Lahore remanded 110 TLP activists to police custody for 12 days for allegedly attacking officers and damaging public property during the protest. The FIR filed by Nawankot Police accuses the group of opening fire and resorting to violence against law enforcement personnel. Pakistan's Minister of State for Interior, Talal Chaudhry, accused the TLP of exploiting the issue of corruption for political purposes, warning that the government would not tolerate violence or blackmail by any group. Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Chaudhry said, "Peaceful protest within the democratic and constitutional framework is a constitutional right. But there is no space for groups to blackmail others, use mobs, or resort to violence to achieve their demands." The TLP, a hardline Islamist party, has frequently clashed with authorities in recent years over religious and political issues. Founded in 2015, it is known for mobilising large-scale street protests that often paralyse major Pakistani cities, as per Dawn. By late Friday night, tensions remained high across Punjab province, with authorities maintaining heavy security along the main routes to Islamabad to prevent further escalation. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed the expansion of Anthropic, a US-based artificial intelligence company, in India, looking forward to working together to harness Artificial Intelligence (AI) for growth across important sectors. "India's vibrant tech ecosystem and talented youth are driving AI innovation that is human-centric and responsible. We welcome Anthropic's expansion and look forward to working together to harness AI for growth across key sectors," PM Modi posted on X. Anthropic is setting up its first office in India, Bengaluru, as part of its growing presence in the Indo-Pacific region. Earlier, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei met Prime Minister Modi and discussed the company's plans for expansion and India's role in the future of AI. Sharing the update on X on Saturday, Amodei said, "Today I met with PM @narendramodi to discuss Anthropic's expansion to India--where Claude Code use is up 5x since June. How India deploys AI across critical sectors like education, healthcare, and agriculture for over a billion people will be essential in shaping the future of AI." The meeting highlights India's growing importance as a hub for artificial intelligence development and innovation. The company's new Bengaluru office will be its second in the Indo-Pacific region after Tokyo. Confirming the development on Wednesday, Karnataka's Minister for Electronics, IT/BT, Priyank Kharge, posted on X, "Anthropic, the US-based AI research company, has chosen Bengaluru for its first India office, its second in the Indo-Pacific region after Tokyo." He said that the decision reflects Bengaluru's position as one of the world's most dynamic technology centers. "Global technology leaders continue to choose this city for its unmatched innovation environment and deep talent base," Kharge stated. Highlighting the city's global standing, Kharge added, "Bengaluru is now a booming AI developer community, ranked #5 globally in AI and DeepTech ecosystems. With over 1 lakh AI professionals, Bengaluru boasts 50% of India's AI talent. Anthropic's arrival will further expand opportunities for local talent, R&D, and AI product development." Anthropic is an AI safety and research company. According to company information, it builds reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems. One of its products is Claude, a next-generation AI assistant. The opening of Anthropic's Bengaluru office aligns with the government's focus on promoting artificial intelligence as a key enabler for growth across industries. (ANI)
US President Donald Trump is set to embark on a whirlwind diplomatic visit to Israel and Egypt on Sunday, where he will address the Israeli parliament and participate in a signing ceremony of the Gaza peace deal. The President will depart the White House on Sunday afternoon, arriving in Tel Aviv early Monday morning local time. The tightly scheduled visit includes a private meeting with families of hostages at the Knesset, followed by a public address to Israeli lawmakers. This is Trump's first visit to Israel after he announced the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. This visit also coincides with the implementation of the first phase of the Gaza Peace Plan. After Israel, Trump will head to Egypt, which held negotiations between Israel and Hamas after Trump unveiled the 21-point Gaza Peace Plan, which also included the disarmament of the Hamas group. The centrepiece of the visit will be a peace ceremony in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday afternoon. Trump had previously announced plans to travel to Egypt for an official signing of a ceasefire deal, though specific details about the agreement have not been disclosed in the official schedule. The President's itinerary shows him spending less than seven hours on the ground in Israel before departing for Egypt, where he will remain for approximately three hours before beginning the journey back to Washington. The visit follows what has been described as phase one of an Israel-Gaza deal, with 200 US troops reportedly arriving to establish a coordination centre. The President's decision to address the Knesset underscores the significance Washington places on its relationship with Jerusalem. The meeting with hostage families, scheduled as a closed-press event, is likely to be among the most sensitive portions of the visit. The President is expected to return to the White House shortly after midnight on Tuesday. The trip marks Trump's latest engagement in Middle East diplomacy, coming months after a visit to Gulf states earlier this year. The compressed timeline of the visit reflects the urgency both Washington and regional capitals are placing on reaching a comprehensive agreement. Officials have not provided additional details about who will attend the Sharm El Sheikh ceremony or what specific agreements may be formalised during the event. (ANI)
In yet another chilling reminder of Pakistan's continued repression in Balochistan, a young man named Ashfaq Mushtaq has reportedly been abducted by Pakistani forces, the latest victim in a long series of enforced disappearances haunting the region. https://x.com/DrNaseemBaluch/status/1977033285910798474 In a post on X, Naseem Baloch stated that security personnel and their local collaborators raided Mushtaq's residence earlier this month, taking him away without explanation or legal procedure. His family has not been informed of his whereabouts, heightening fears that he may meet the same fate as other Baloch men who vanished under similar circumstances. The tragedy adds to the suffering of the Mushtaq family, already devastated by previous losses. In May 2025, Pakistani forces allegedly stormed the home of Lala Lateef, Ashfaq's uncle, and shot him dead in cold blood. Merely two months before that, in March 2025, Ashfaq's cousin Saif Lateef was abducted along with eight other relatives in Mashkai, Balochistan. Their bodies were later found dumped in desolate terrain, evidence, rights groups say, of Pakistan's ongoing campaign of brutality in the region. In a systematic pattern of violence where being Baloch itself is treated as a punishable identity. Thousands have disappeared over the years, with their families left in anguish and uncertainty. Pakistan's military establishment has turned Balochistan into a zone of fear, where dissent, activism, or even cultural pride can lead to death or disappearance. As global attention remains limited, families like that of Ashfaq Mushtaq continue to pay a devastating price. His disappearance stands as yet another painful reminder of the unending cycle of oppression that defines life for the Baloch people, a reality that the world can no longer afford to ignore. (ANI)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday condemned China's detention of several leaders of Zion Church in China. The US called for their immediate release. In a post on X, Rubio said, "The United States condemns the Chinese Communist Party's recent detention of dozens of leaders of the unregistered Zion Church in China, including prominent pastor Mingri "Ezra" Jin. We call for their immediate release." https://x.com/SecRubio/status/1977361424167920000 The authorities in China have detained the pastor of one of the country's most prominent underground churches, along with dozens of other people affiliated with his church, according to the pastor's family and members of the church, prompting worries about a renewed crackdown on religion, The New York Times reported. The pastor, Jin Mingri, who also goes by the name Ezra, founded Beijing Zion Church in 2007. It grew into one of the country's largest unofficial congregations, with several satellite campuses and over 1,000 people attending its weekend services. Jin, 56, was detained on Friday at his home in the city of Beihai in Guangxi Province, according to his daughter, Grace Jin, who lives in the United States. Around the same time, nearly 30 other Zion Church pastors or workers were taken into custody or went missing around the country, including in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and other cities, she said, as per New York Times. Calls to the Beihai police rang unanswered on Sunday. Jin said her family had not been able to reach her father, but that they had heard from other church members, some of whom were released after their initial detentions, that he was being accused of illegal dissemination of religious information, as per the New York Times. The Chinese Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but in practice, the Chinese Communist Party permits only tightly controlled, state-approved congregations to operate openly. Still, it is estimated that tens of millions of Chinese Christians worship in underground churches, also called house churches. Under China's President Xi Jinping, persecution of those unofficial congregations has increased, alongside a more general crackdown on religion in general, especially Islam. In 2018, a nationwide crackdown led to the closure of several prominent house churches, including Beijing Zion. The government regularly encourages ordinary Chinese to report unsanctioned religious gatherings, which it sometimes calls cults, to the police. After 2018, Jin was subjected to frequent surveillance and harassment, his daughter said, and forced to leave Beijing. He was also barred from leaving China to visit his family members, who left the country in 2018. Jin, her mother and her two younger brothers now live in the United States. But Jin continued to lead Zion by convening smaller, more scattered gatherings, as well as sharing videos of sermons online, Jin said. During the coronavirus pandemic, when many other churches stopped operating, Zion grew rapidly, drawing audiences of sometimes 10,000 people across the country on platforms including Zoom, YouTube and WeChat, Jin said. In recent months, though, many at Zion began to worry that another crackdown was imminent. Surveillance on Jin seemed to have ramped up, Jin said. In September, the government issued new regulations limiting religious activity online to officially registered channels. Jin had also suggested to the state security officers monitoring him that he might retire from Zion so that he could join his family, Jin said. But she said the officers refused to let him leave, as per New York Times. "After this kind of posturing, it seemed like something big was going to happen again," Jin said. "We just didn't know when or to what extent. But I also feel like my dad is always the optimist." She added, "He is sort of like, 'Well, I can't live in fear every day, so I'm just going to continue on with what I need to do.'" After news of Jin's arrest emerged, Mike Pence, the former vice president, called on the Chinese government to release him, in a post on X. Corey Jackson, the founder of Luke Alliance, a US-based group that advocates for persecuted Christians in China, said that the detentions were "without a doubt" the biggest crackdown on Christianity in China since 2018. "If this is the first move, then it could be far worse down the line," he said. But he also said he expected Chinese Christians to keep trying to gather, The New York Times reported. "The Chinese church is probably stronger than the world realises, maybe stronger than the Communist Party realises," he said. "And I think that's part of the problem the Communist Party is facing." (ANI)
France's newly reappointed Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu called for a government free from party jockeying on Saturday as he visited a police station south of Paris, in his first outing since his controversial return to the job, France 24 reported. In a move that drew sharp criticism, President Emmanuel Macron reinstated Lecornu late Friday evening, just four days after his resignation and the collapse of a government that had survived only 14 hours. Lecornu, 39, now faces the task of forming a cabinet to present a 2026 draft budget on Monday, in a bid to end months of political paralysis and rein in France's sprawling debt, as per France 24. "I will do my duty and I will not be a problem," he said, warning that his cabinet "must not be hostage to partisan interests". However, it is unclear how long his government could last after his reinstatement provoked outrage across the political spectrum and pledges to vote it down at the first chance. Far-right National Rally leader Jordan Bardella slammed the reappointment, calling it a "bad joke," and vowed to initiate a motion to oust the government at the earliest opportunity, France 24 reported. The right-wing Les Republicains (LR) party, led by outgoing interior minister Bruno Retailleau, said it would not participate in Lecornu's cabinet. However, senior party members indicated that they might lend support to government measures in parliament without participating in them. The Socialists, meanwhile, also distanced itself, asserting that it had "no deal" with Lecornu. Party leaders warned they would move to bring down his government unless he agreed to suspend the controversial 2023 pension reform that raised the retirement age from 62 to 64. France has been mired in political deadlock ever since Macron gambled last year on snap polls that he hoped would consolidate power - but ended instead in a hung parliament and more seats for the far right, as per France 24. The country faces EU pressure to curb its deficit and debt, and it was the fight over cost-cutting measures that led to the downfall of Lecornu's two predecessors. For his part, Lecornu has pledged to do "everything possible" to present France with a budget by the end of the year, stating that restoring the public finances was "a priority" for the future. Time is running out, however, to give Parliament the constitutionally required 70 days to examine the budget before the end of the year. Macron, facing the worst domestic crisis since the 2017 start of his presidency, has yet to address the public since Lecornu's first government fell, France 24 reported. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday extended greetings to Equatorial Guinea on the 57th anniversary of their independence. Jaishankar said India was committed to strengthening their development partnership. In a post on X, he said, "Warm greetings to FM Simeon Oyono Esono Angue, the Government and the people of Equatorial Guinea on the 57th anniversary of their Independence. Committed to strengthening our development partnership." https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1977267065229918449 Earlier, the first round of India-Equatorial Guinea Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) was held on February 10 in Malabo, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, co-chaired by Sevala Naik Mude, Additional Secretary (Central and West Africa), Ministry of External Affairs, and Matias Nguema Mba Medja, Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Diaspora, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said. During the FOC, both sides undertook a comprehensive review of the entire gamut of India-Equatorial Guinea relations, encompassing key areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade, investment, mining, agriculture, health and pharmaceuticals, education, capacity building, defence and maritime security, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), people-to-people and cultural exchanges. Both sides agreed to further deepen bilateral ties in key areas of relevance and to enhance cooperation in the multilateral fora. The Co-Chairs also held in-depth discussions and exchanged perspectives on key issues of regional and global importance. Secretary General Matias Nguema Mba Medja expressed deep appreciation for India's efforts in making the African Union a permanent member of the G20 and recognised that membership of the G20 for the African Union will reinforce the Global South's standing at the forum, as per the statement. During the visit, Mude also called on Mitoha Ondo'o Ayekaba, Minister of Health, Social Welfare and Health Infrastructures; Marcos Mba Ondo, Minister Delegate of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Diaspora; Pedro Abeso Obiang Eyang, Vice Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development; and Jose Eko Owono Esono, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Transport, Telecommunications and Artificial Intelligence Systems of Equatorial Guinea, the statement said. (ANI)
Polls opened in Cameroon on Sunday in a presidential election that sees incumbent Paul Biya, 92, seek an eighth consecutive term after 43 years in power. There are 11 other candidates on the ballot, but some analysts say divisions among the opposition are clearing the path for Biya's reelection.

The candidates were in full campaigning mode until Friday, having had just two weeks to set out their stalls before the 12 October presidential election.

The presidential party, the RDPC, campaigned for Biya without his physical presence until Tuesday, when he attended a meeting in Maroua, the capital of the Far North Region of Cameroon. Biya had not made a public appearance at a party event until then, and hadn't addressed Cameroonians since a 10 February Youth Day speech.

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"I have an opportunity to tell you that my determination to serve you remains intact. I would like to reaffirm this today," he told the crowd of supporters.

Fears over divided opposition and instability, as Cameroon heads to the polls

Enrica Picco, Central Africa director for the International Crisis Group (ICG), told RFI: "Many Cameroonians, inside and outside the country, hoped that President Biya would have listened to the many calls, from opposition parties, civil society and from his own party and allies, to step down after 42 years in power."

However, the opposition did not seize the opportunity to unite behind a strong alternative candidate.

"Though this is not the first time they were told to identify a single candidate to challenge Biya, they didn't manage to do so," said Picco.

She added that this could discourage many people from voting - especially those in the far north of Cameroon, where security is a huge issue, making going out to vote potentially dangerous.

Anglophone regions

The election campaign has been severely disrupted in the country's two predominantly English-speaking regions, the Northwest and the Southwest.

Since September, armed separatist groups have been calling for "ghost town" action, with varying degrees of impact.

Civil society groups called on the belligerents, both armed groups and the state, to do everything possible to allow English-speaking citizens to vote this Sunday, so that these two regions would not be excluded from the electoral process.

Spotlight on Africa: Cameroon votes, Niger Delta oil pollution, South Africa - US ties

Ayah Abine, a leading figure in English-speaking Cameroon and president of the Ayah Foundation based in Buea, the capital of the Southwest Region, told one of RFI's reporters in Cameroon: "The economy is on the floor, schools aren't working, not much is really happening, that's deplorable... but the brave will come out [to vote]."

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"I, for example, will go to vote, really hoping that everything will go well," he added. "But many won't have the courage to face armed men."

Electoral logistics

There are around 7.845 million registered Cameroonians voters, including 26,800 in the country's diaspora.

For the previous presidential election on 7 October 2018, there were 6,687,000 registered voters, and participation was 53.85 percent across the national territory and 48.1 percent within the diaspora.

Outcry in Cameroon as opposition leader Kamto barred from presidential race

The presidential election in Cameroon is a single-round, majority vote. The candidate with the most votes wins the election, for a seven-year mandate, renewable without limit since the reform of the constitution in 2008.

There will be 30,357 polling stations open across the country on Sunday, and in 44 diplomatic missions and consular posts.

The authorities deployed the equipment and personnel of Elecam (Elections Cameroon), the body in charge of the election, the week before the polls opened.
Tel Aviv [Israel], October 12 (ANI/TPS): Israeli security forces arrested 15 Palestinian suspects in Judea and Samaria over the weekend for involvement in activities promoting terrorism, authorities said on Sunday. The arrests come ahead of the planned release of 250 Palestinian security prisoners as part of a deal with Hamas. Security forces acted to prevent "joyous processions and incitement to terrorism" in several villages on Saturday. Troops were dispatched to areas in the Ramallah district where gatherings in support of Hamas were held, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), and Border Police said. "In Silwad and Na'alin, our forces seized vehicles displaying flags inciting terrorism and detained eight individuals who took part in the marches," the statement said. Seven additional suspects were arrested in connection with other activities, including Abd al-Aziz Khamayseh, who manages a social media page with tens of thousands of followers. Israeli authorities said he distributed content "inciting terrorism." Khamayseh is the brother of Islam Khamayseh, a Palestinian terrorist killed in an airstrike in May 2024. "The arrests reflect our ongoing commitment to preventing incitement and events supporting terrorism, especially in the context of the upcoming release of these prisoners," an IDF spokesperson said. Authorities also reported that, beginning Monday, warning calls were being made to the families of the prisoners slated for release, advising against celebrations. "We are working to ensure public safety and prevent any activity that could support or glorify terrorism," a Border Police official added. The release of hostages from Gaza is expected to begin Monday morning, followed by the release of around 250 Palestinian security prisoners. The exchange is complicated by Hamas's claim that it cannot locate some of the bodies. Approximately 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas' attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 48 remaining hostages, about 20 are believed to be alive. (ANI/TPS)
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand arrived in Delhi on Sunday on an official visit. During her visit, she will meet with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Union Minister Piyush Goyal. Anand is set to embark on a diplomatic visit to India, Singapore, and China from October 12 to October 17 to advance bilateral relations and cooperation with these countries as part of Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy, the Canadian government said in a release. During her visit to India, Anand will hold meetings with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi. The discussions will focus on advancing a framework for strategic cooperation encompassing trade diversification, energy transformation, and security issues. In addition to Delhi, Anand will travel to Mumbai to engage with Canadian and Indian businesses fostering investment, job creation, and economic opportunities in both Canada and India, the release added. In Singapore, Anand will meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan to further strengthen Canada's cooperation with one of its most important partners in Southeast Asia. This meeting comes as Canada and Singapore mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Anand will highlight the progress Canada and ASEAN member states have made toward a free trade agreement and underscore the importance of efforts to conclude negotiations as soon as possible in 2026, according to the Canadian government. In China, Anand will meet with China's Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi, to continue engagement on the bilateral relationship as Canada and China mark 55 years since establishing diplomatic ties. Anand highlighted the significance of the trip in a statement: "For Canada to be strong at home, we need strong, stable partnerships abroad. I am building bridges and increasing cooperation with India, Singapore, and China. In line with Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy, I will be working to advance efforts to position Canada as a trusted, reliable partner of choice for Indo-Pacific countries and their economies." (ANI)
Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, stated that the visit aims to deepen partnerships across multiple domains, including economic cooperation, strategic dialogue, and people-to-people ties.

In a post on social media platform X, the MEA said, "A warm welcome to FM Anita Anand of Canada on her first official visit to New Delhi. This visit will help build on the positive momentum in India-Canada relations by revitalising our bilateral mechanisms, deepening economic cooperation, and further strengthening the enduring people-to-people ties that anchor our partnership."

https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1977400381840793700

Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand arrived in Delhi on Sunday on an official visit. During her visit, she will meet with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Union Minister Piyush Goyal.

Anand is set to embark on a diplomatic visit to India, Singapore, and China from October 12 to October 17 to advance bilateral relations and cooperation with these countries as part of Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy, the Canadian government said in a release.

The discussions with various leaders will focus on advancing a framework for strategic cooperation encompassing trade diversification, energy transformation, and security issues.

In addition to Delhi, Anand will travel to Mumbai to engage with Canadian and Indian businesses fostering investment, job creation, and economic opportunities in both Canada and India, the release added.

In Singapore, Anand will meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan to further strengthen Canada's cooperation with one of its most important partners in Southeast Asia.

This meeting comes as Canada and Singapore mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Anand will highlight the progress Canada and ASEAN member states have made toward a free trade agreement and underscore the importance of efforts to conclude negotiations as soon as possible in 2026, according to the Canadian government. (ANI)
US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor met with Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal on Sunday and discussed the economic ties between the two countries, including increased investment in the United States. https://x.com/USAmbIndia/status/1977373241577550149 "During my visit to India, I met with Commerce Secretary Agrawal and discussed US-India economic ties, including increased investment in the United States," the US Ambassador's office said in a post on X. On Saturday, Gor met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and affirmed that the relations between the two nations will continue to strengthen. In a post on X, Gor said, "An honour to be with PM Narendra Modi this evening. Our relationship with India will only strengthen over the months ahead!" The US Embassy in India also posted on X about the warm reception Gor received from the Prime Minister. "An incredibly warm welcome today from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on my first day in India. I look forward to strengthening the strategic partnership between our two nations!" Prime Minister Modi expressed confidence that his tenure would further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. "Glad to receive Sergio Gor, Ambassador-designate of the US to India. I'm confident that his tenure will further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership," PM Modi posted on X. "Glad to receive Sergio Gor, Ambassador-designate of the US to India. I'm confident that his tenure will further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership," PM Modi posted on X. In a post on X, the US Embassy in India said, "Met with EAM S Jaishankar today in New Delhi. We had a positive conversation on a range of issues. I look forward to working closely with Jaishankar to deepen our strategic partnership and make our countries more secure and prosperous." Gor also held talks with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, highlighting the shared commitment of the US and India to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific. In a post on X, the US Embassy in India said, "A pleasure to spend time with National Security Advisor Doval today. The US and India remain committed to working together to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific." (ANI)
Union Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh on Sunday announced his arrival in the historic city of Cairo as the special representative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the Gaza Peace Summit at Sharm el-Sheikh. In a post on X, Singh wrote, "Arrived in the historic city of Cairo as special representative of Prime Minister @narendramodi to attend the Gaza Peace Summit at Sharm el-Sheikh." https://x.com/KVSinghMPGonda/status/1977425049671065731 The summit that Singh referred to is a major international gathering aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in Gaza. An international peace summit will be held in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday to finalise an agreement aimed at bringing an end to the war. US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will chair the meeting titled "Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit," according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency. The meeting will see the participation of leaders from more than 20 countries, reflecting the global scale of the effort to restore peace and stability in the region. "The summit aims to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to bring peace and stability to the Middle East, and usher in a new phase of regional security and stability. This summit comes in light of US President Trump's vision for achieving peace in the region and his relentless efforts to end conflicts around the world," the Egyptian presidency said in a statement. According to Xinhua, the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas entered into effect on Friday, following three days of intensive negotiations in Sharm El Sheikh between the two sides mediated by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, 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. Earlier, a Hamas source on Friday stated that the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is expected to reopen in the middle of next week, allowing for limited movement of people, Xinhua reported. However, 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's health authorities, Xinhua reported. Meanwhile, as diplomatic efforts intensified, a huge crowd gathered at Tel Aviv's Hostage Square on Saturday as families of captives awaited their return, marking an emotional evening of gratitude and solidarity, CNN reported. Expressing gratitude towards US President Donald Trump, his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, described it as a "powerful night," thanking Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for their efforts in achieving the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, as reported by The Times of Israel. "I dreamed of this night for a long time. This is the most powerful sight," Witkoff said, estimating that more than 100,000 people had gathered. "Hearts beating as one, gathered here in Tel Aviv for peace, for unity and for hope in this sacred place we call Hostages Square. I only wish the President was here," he added, as reported by The Times of Israel. Witkoff praised Kushner, who was also present, saying, "This moment was made possible through the tireless dedication of leaders who would not rest until the world saw what could be achieved. One of them is standing right here with me, Jared Kushner." He also expressed "a debt of deep gratitude" to Trump, calling him "a man who is a humanitarian through and through, with an indomitable spirit, who once again proved that bold leadership and moral clarity can reshape history and change the world." The crowd chanted "Thank you, Trump" while booing when Witkoff promoted Netanyahu's name, The Times of Israel reported. Moreover, French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Egypt on Monday to express his support for the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, CNN reported, citing the French Presidency announcement. Macron's visit comes at a critical moment, as global leaders rally around efforts to end the conflict and lay the groundwork for long-term peace in the region. Macron will show his "full support" for the ceasefire deal and "also consult with his partners on the next steps in implementing the peace plan," the presidency said. He is among several world leaders expected in Egypt early next week. US President Donald Trump is also set to host a summit in the country on Monday, as per CNN. (ANI)
US President Donald Trump on Sunday sought to ease tensions with China, saying Chinese President Xi Jinping is respected. Trump said in a post on Truth Social that the US wants to help China. "Don't worry about China, it will all be fine! Highly respected President Xi just had a bad moment. He doesn't want Depression for his country, and neither do I. The U.S.A. wants to help China, not hurt it!!! President DJT." The White House said in a post on X, "It is impossible to believe that China would have taken such an action, but they have, and the rest is History. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/1976752806389596388 Earlier on Saturday, China vowed countermeasures against Washington if US President Donald Trump makes good on his threat to impose new 100% tariffs on Chinese imports, CNN reported. Trump's latest threat came after China unleashed a raft of export restrictions on rare earth minerals last week. The escalating tensions threaten to derail months of progress in trade talks. "Resorting to threats of high tariffs is not the right way to engage with China," a Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said Sunday, in Beijing's first comments on the threat. "If the US persists in acting unilaterally, China will resolutely take corresponding measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests," the spokesperson added. "Our position on a tariff war remains consistent - we do not want one, but we are not afraid of one," as per CNN. The rapid escalation of trade tensions between the world's two largest economies has sunk stocks, rattling investors and industries by igniting fears of a repeat of the tit-for-tat tariff battle in spring, when levies on Chinese and American imports soared to around 145% and 120% respectively. It also adds fresh uncertainty into the ongoing trade talks between the two nations. Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping were expected to hold a highly anticipated meeting in South Korea in two weeks' time but Trump, citing the rare earths issue, has cast doubt on that meeting happening, CNN reported. (ANI)
US President Donald Trump on Sunday departed for Israel, calling the trip "a very special time" and describing the moment as one filled with excitement and unity. "This is going to be a very special time... Everybody's very excited about this moment in time," Trump said before boarding his flight. He described the visit as a remarkable occasion, stating, "This is a very special event... Everybody's cheering at one time. That's never happened before. Usually, if you have one cheering, the other isn't. The other is the opposite." Reflecting on the rare sense of collective enthusiasm, Trump added, "This is the first time everybody is amazed and they're thrilled, and it's an honour to be involved." "We're going to have an amazing time, and it's going to be something that's never happened before," he said. The President will arrive in Tel Aviv early Monday morning local time. His tightly scheduled visit, which he described as "a very special time," includes a private meeting with families of hostages at the Knesset, followed by a public address to Israeli lawmakers. This marks Trump's first visit to Israel since he announced the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. The trip coincides with the implementation of the first phase of the Gaza Peace Plan, underlining its significance in the ongoing peace efforts. Following his engagements in Israel, Trump will travel to Egypt, which hosted negotiations between Israel and Hamas after he unveiled the 21-point Gaza Peace Plan that includes the disarmament of the Hamas group. The centrepiece of his visit will be a peace ceremony in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday afternoon. Trump had earlier announced plans to travel to Egypt for the official signing of the ceasefire deal, although specific details about the agreement have not yet been disclosed in the official schedule. According to the itinerary, the President will spend less than seven hours on the ground in Israel before departing for Egypt, where he is expected to remain for approximately three hours before beginning his return journey to Washington. The visit comes after the initiation of phase one of the Israel-Gaza deal, which reportedly saw the arrival of 200 US troops to establish a coordination centre. Trump's decision to address the Knesset highlights the importance Washington places on its partnership with Jerusalem during this critical stage of the peace process. The meeting with hostage families, scheduled as a closed-press event, is expected to be among the most sensitive moments of the visit. The President is set to return to the White House shortly after midnight on Tuesday. This trip marks Trump's latest engagement in Middle East diplomacy, following his visit to Gulf states earlier this year. The compressed timeline reflects the urgency shared by Washington and regional capitals to reach a comprehensive peace agreement. Officials have not provided additional details regarding attendance at the Sharm el-Sheikh ceremony or the specific agreements that may be formalised during the event. (ANI)
TOKYO, Oct 12 (News On Japan) - The abrupt collapse of the long-standing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)Komeito coalition ahead of the upcoming prime ministerial vote has thrown Japanese politics into flux, complicating the path for Takaichi to take office and intensifying behind-the-scenes maneuvering among all major parties. Takaichi, who visited the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) headquarters earlier this week, was met with criticism over remarks describing an opposition figure as damaged goods, a sign of heightened tensions just two days before Komeitos dramatic departure from the coalition.

Hopes within the LDP of bringing the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) into a new alliance to secure a lower house majority have been dashed, as the DPP signaled skepticism over joining a coalition that would not function meaningfully. With the LDP holding 196 seats on its own and the CDP controlling 148, opposition parties argue that a united front among the top three opposition groups could surpass the ruling partys numbers. The CDP has even suggested backing DPP leader Tamaki as prime minister in a joint opposition strategy. Tamaki, in turn, has expressed readiness to serve if chosen, though he stressed the need for policy alignment before any partnership could form.

Japan Innovation Party leaders echoed the call for deeper consensus on policy priorities, warning that cooperation without shared principles would be difficult. Even Komeito  now in opposition  has not ruled out cooperating with opposition forces on specific policies, though it remains unlikely to support a non-LDP prime ministerial candidate outright given its history of joint policymaking with the LDP. The party also emphasized that resolving the politics and money scandals that contributed to the coalitions collapse is essential for regaining public trust.

Political analysts say three main scenarios now loom: the LDP could delay the prime ministerial vote while seeking a new coalition partner; opposition parties could unite to seize power, potentially elevating Tamaki to the premiership; or Takaichi could form a minority government, possibly calling a snap election after passing a supplementary budget. Any of these outcomes would leave Japan facing a period of political instability and legislative gridlock.

Commentators warn that the upheaval has exposed deeper issues in Japans democracy. Only 0.7% of the electorate participated in the LDP leadership vote that elevated Takaichi  despite her finishing third in the initial parliamentary ballot  highlighting the outsized influence of party factions. Critics suggest that her Japan is back slogan signals a return to the Abe-era policies of aggressive monetary easing and corporate stimulus, raising questions about whether such an agenda serves the public interest amid stagnant wages, demographic decline, and fiscal strain.

The scandals surrounding the Unification Church, the Moritomo Gakuen document falsification case, and the return of controversial figures linked to past political wrongdoing have further eroded trust, fueling Komeitos frustration. With pressing challenges such as social security reform, foreign policy strategy, and support for a struggling middle class still unresolved, commentators argue that Japan is at a turning point. The question now is whether a new era of cooperative, citizen-driven democracy can emerge from the current turmoil  or whether entrenched political dynamics will once again prevail.

Source: TBS
There have been discussions around fracking in the U.K. for years, with the government going back and forth on whether to support new operations. Politicians have explored the potential for fracking, which has been successful for fossil fuel recovery in the United States, while environmentalists have fought against it. While many may have thought that fracking had been banned long ago in the U.K., a decisive ban on the practice had not actually taken place until now.

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a technique for recovering gas and oil from shale rock. It requires drilling into the earth to direct a high-pressure mixture of water, sand, and chemicals at a rock layer, to release the gas inside. Wells can be drilled both vertically and horizontally to release the gas. The practice is controversial as the injection of fluid at high pressure into the rock can cause earth tremors  small movements in the earths surface. In addition, fracking requires huge quantities of water.

In recent years, in the U.K., the government has been back and forth on its fracking policy. Former Prime Minister Liz Truss put it back on the table, in the hope of attracting greater funding for fossil fuel production. However, just a month later, her successor Rishi Sunak reinstated the previous moratorium on the practice. Ahead of the 2024 general election, in the Labour Party manifesto, the political party stated plans to ban fracking for good if it came into power.

In addition to environmental concerns, experts suggest that the U.K. terrain is simply not suitable for fracking. Chris Cornelius, the geologist who founded the U.K.s first fracking company, Cuadrilla Resources, told media sources that the governments support for the practice was merely a political gesture and that I dont think there is any chance of fracking in the U.K. in the near term."

From 2004 to 2010, there was an early exploration of fracking in England. Cornelius said that while undertaking exploratory drilling, Cuadrilla discovered that the geology of the U.K. was unsuited to widespread fracking operations. He suggested that no sensible investors would fund operations, as Its very challenging geology, compared with North America, which is more well-suited to fracking operations.

While the U.S. has large, flat, thick shale formations, which are relatively simple to drill into and extract gas from, the U.K. has thinner, more geologically complex and heavily faulted and folded shale formations. The U.K. geology makes it more difficult to drill, exacerbating the threat of earthquakes, as well as making for lower yields.

Related: Oil Prices Drop Dramatically on Oversupply Fears and U.S. Demand Risks

Now, the U.K. Labour government plans to ban fracking once and for all. In October, Energy Minister Ed Miliband announced that Labour was accelerating plans to introduce a total ban on fracking. The Party aims to introduce the ban this autumn. While the current government never planned to permit new fracking projects, the move is mainly directed at preventing the right-wing, populist Reform Party from making such a move if it should come into power.

At present, the U.K. energy minister is permitted to lift the fracking moratorium without a vote in parliament. However, a change in the law would mean that the government would need to put it to a vote and convince the majority of MPs to support fracking, which would be more difficult.

Several communities across the U.K. have spoken out against fracking proposals due to fears of the earthquakes, disruption, and blight to the countryside it causes. Around 187 constituencies across the U.K. that sit above shale gas could be affected by fracking if it were permitted. Miliband now aims to raise awareness about the potential threat of fracking through his countrywide send the frackers packing campaign.

The Reform Party, which has grown in popularity over the last year, largely due to its strong stance on immigration and bold promises for the U.K. economy, has pledged to end the moratorium on fracking if it comes into power in 2029. In a recent party conference, the Lincolnshire mayor, Andrea Jenkyns, walked onto stage reiterating President Donald Trumps words: drill baby, drill. Unlike Labour, Reform plans to return to a reliance on traditional energy sources, such as oil and gas, much in the same way as we are seeing in the United States right now, as Trump undoes much of the previous administrations progress towards a green transition.

After decades of back and forth, the introduction of a ban on fracking would mean that introducing fracking practices for fossil fuel recovery in the future would be far less likely, as achieving this would require a majority political support for the move. Having seen the lifting and reintroduction of the moratorium on fracking several times in recent years, a ban would ensure that no single politician can make this decision alone in the future.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

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One of the few renewable energy sources that the Trump administration has not yet criticised is geothermal power, as companies across the United States continue to develop innovative geothermal projects with financial support from Biden-era policies. The sweeping budget legislation that President Trump signed in July preserved most key tax credits for geothermal power. Bipartisan support has encouraged several energy companies and startups to invest heavily in research and development into advanced geothermal operations in recent years, with promising results, giving hope for future clean energy production.

People have been tapping into geothermal energy from natural heat sources worldwide for centuries. Over the last fifty years, energy companies have tapped into geothermal sources using machinery to access harder-to-reach reserves. To achieve this, companies drill a borehole up to several kilometres deep, where the rocks are around 200C, and inject water and sand at high pressure. This creates fractures in the rocks, which increases their permeability and produces a reservoir of hot water that can be extracted via a second borehole for the water to be used to generate electricity.

Geothermal energy contributes just 0.4 percent of the U.S. energy mix, largely due to technological and geographical constraints to accessing geothermal reservoirs. Existing plants depend on naturally occurring reservoirs of hot water and steam, in regions such as Northern California and Nevada, to power turbines and generate power. However, companies are now exploring new ways to access geothermal resources using techniques developed for oil fracking and innovative new methods to reach harder-to-access reservoirs in unconventional regions.

Sage Geothermal is now using heat and pressure to generate more power than conventional extraction methods through its cycle-based heat recovery approach. The companys CEO, Cindy Taff, told Forbes, By using the natural elasticity of the rock, we can bring hot water to the surface without pumps. Unlike traditional approaches, we maintain pressure in the system rather than venting it at the surface, and we hold open fractures with pressure instead of adding bridging materials like sand or proppant. These innovations reduce friction and energy losses, boosting net power output by 25 to 50 percent compared to other next-generation geothermal technologies.

In August, Sage announced it was partnering with the international geothermal energy developer Ormat Technologies to roll out its next-generation technology at an Ormat facility in either Nevada or Utah. This is expected to help Sage speed up the development of its first commercial power-generation facility by around two years. Taff said, For us, the ability to scale faster with Ormat is huge But its also a great opportunity for Ormat to reach a deeper [geothermal] resource than what theyre targeting now.

Related: Dont Mess with Texas: Organized Oilfield Theft Triggers Statewide Response

In September, Sage signed an agreement with the geothermal startup Fervo Energy to advance their geothermal activities. The two companies have both invested heavily in research and development into alternative geothermal extraction methods and could work together to advance this work. Fervo recently signed a deal with tech giant Google to provide it with clean power, while Sage has completed an agreement with Meta.

Houston-headquartered Fervo Energy was approved to deploy 2 GW of geothermal power in Beaver County, Utah, by the Department of the Interior last year, with its facility set to begin generating power in 2026. The company uses an Enhanced Geothermal Systems (ESG) proprietary technology to drill horizontally into geothermal reservoirs, allowing it to access multiple wells from a single location and showing promise for greater unconventional geothermal energy generation.

In September, the energy technology company Baker Hughes was contracted by Fervo Energy to supply equipment for five of its power plants in the Cape Station project in Utah. The plants are expected to produce 300 MW of electricity once fully operational, enough to power about 180,000 homes. Baker Hughes will supply engineering and manufacturing equipment as well as turboexpanders and the BRUSH Power Generation generator.

The firms CEO, Lorenzo Simonelli, said, Geothermal power is one of several renewable energy sources expanding globally and proving to be a vital contributor to advancing sustainable energy development. By working with a leader like Fervo Energy and leveraging our comprehensive portfolio of technology solutions, we are supporting the scaling of lower-carbon power solutions that are integral to meet growing global energy demand.

In September, Bill Gates visited Fervo Energys Cape Station project alongside Senator John Curtis. He described the companys horizontal drilling method as a truly innovative approach and discussed the role companies like Fervo will play in maintaining Americas energy independence. The founder of tech giant Microsoft said, Geothermal is one of the most promising ways to deliver clean energy thats reliable and affordable.

As the outlook for renewable energy in the United States becomes more uncertain, following the Trump administration's attacks on solar and wind power, the geothermal energy sector appears to have maintained the backing of the government as several companies continue to expand operations. Investments in innovative geothermal extraction technologies show great promise for the commercial rollout of new operations across the country.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

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One of the worlds top copper producers, Peru, looks to turn around its energy and critical minerals mining industry with deals with foreign firms to boost oil production and supply and launch lithium mining projects.

Peru, the South American oil producer and major copper miner, has struggled to revive its energy and mining sectors in recent years amid prolonged political instability and a security and crime crisis, which could soon bring about the end of President Dina Boluartes term in office.

After years of missing out on the opportunities offered by the global drive for energy transition minerals, Peru expects to sign in November an agreement with Saudi Arabia to develop lithium projects and other strategic minerals, Peruvian Energy and Mines Minister Jorge Luis Montero told Reuters in an interview this week.

Saudi Arabia is seeking a reliable strategic partner in Peru and its interest extends to investing in mining and energy activities even in seawater desalination plants for the mining sector in the future, Montero said.

Peru is not a lithium producer yet, but its lithium reserves are estimated to be significant. EY Peru reckons that the so-called lithium triangle formed by Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia, which accounts for more than half of the worlds lithium reserves, could soon become the lithium square with the inclusion of Peru.

Related: Oil Drops Below $60 on Gaza Ceasefire

Lithium miners have moved to tap Perus resources.

American Lithium is developing the Falchani project, which the Canada-based firm says is the 6th largest hard-rock lithium deposit in the world.

Following a favorable court ruling in a dispute over concession rights and payments, American Lithium will raise its investment in the Falchani project by 22% to $847 million, Ulises Solis, general manager of the companys local unit, Macusani Yellowcake, told Reuters at the end of September.

While looking to mine the metals of the future, Peru isnt ditching oil. It wants to revitalize crude production and stop the decline in its output, which is currently below 50,000 barrels per day (bpd), nearly three times lower compared to a peak of almost 140,000 bpd in 1995.

Last month, Chevron bought a 35% working interest in three offshore blocks operated by Occidental in a deal that also saw private investment firm Westlawn acquire 30% in the blocks. Occidental remains the operator with 35%.

The frontier exploration blocks are believed to have multiple potentially high-impact exploration prospects.

Exploration drilling is expected to begin in early 2026, and assuming the reserves are confirmed with the exploration campaign, production could reach 250,000-300,000 barrels per day or more, Perus energy minister Montero told Reuters.

Domestic production volumes of this kind could allow Peru to stop crude oil imports within three years of a potential start of production, the minister added.

Meanwhile, Peru seeks to boost energy security with crude imports from Ecuador, its neighbor to the northwest. State oil firm Petroperu and Ecuadors national oil company Petroecuador are expected to sign later this month an agreement to connect oil fields in southern Ecuador with Perus underutilized Norperuano pipeline. The crude will be transported to and processed at Petroperus Talara refinery, which was recently modernized.

The deal is seen as a win-win for both countries and state oil firms. Petroperu is expected to stabilize cash flow with the refinery output, while Ecuador and its national firm, Petroecuador, would see constant income from crude oil from abroad amid a major crisis domestically with pipeline shutdowns and refinery issues. Decades of corruption, falling private investment, corroded infrastructure, and environmental disasters have all weighed on Ecuadors production and reserves growth.

Peru has the reserves to boost its oil production and become a key lithium producer. It now needs political stability to be an attractive investment destination.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

David Newton, ESPNs Carolina Panthers beat reporter, has offered an apology to wide receiver Xavier Legette over an insensitive question about his father.

As the Panthers prepare to take on the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Newton was among a group of reporters speaking with Legette in the locker room on Thursday. The receiver, who is in his second season with the Panthers, fielded a question from Newton about his upcoming opponent, which was followed up with a comment about his father.

The Cowboys are always Americas Team. Did you grow up following them? Newton asked.

Yeah, when I was little, my daddy was a Cowboy fan, said Legette.

Im thinkin he wont be this week, added Newton.

For sure, for sure, aint a Cowboy fan no more, responded Legette, while looking away and deeply sighing before he was asked another question.

Legettes father died of a heart attack in 2019, while his mother passed after a battle with cancer four years prior. Newton actually wrote about this in an ESPN profile on the wide receiver last year.

There was a groundswell of Panthers fans, many of whom already disliked Newton due to his coverage over the years, for him to acknowledge and apologize for his remarks. The ESPN reporter did just that on Saturday.

I have been in touch with the Panthers and have also reached out to Xavier Legette to apologize for my question Thursday regarding his late fathers Cowboys fandom. There is no excuse for my forgetting a hard moment in Xs life. I have nothing but respect for Xavier. It was an  David Newton (@DNewtonespn) October 11, 2025

I have been in touch with the Panthers and have also reached out to Xavier Legette to apologize for my question Thursday regarding his late fathers Cowboys fandom, Newton wrote on X. There is no excuse for my forgetting a hard moment in Xs life. I have nothing but respect for Xavier. It was an innocent mistake on my part, but a hurtful one, and I hope he will accept my apology.

We surmised in our initial post that this was most likely an unfortunate oversight on Newtons part, and we should take his word on the matter. Regardless, the incident appears to have strengthened the resolve of some Carolina fans who dislike the longtime ESPN reporters coverage of their team.
By Taxpayers Association of Oregon

OregonWatchdog.com

The Taxpayers Association of Oregon was at the Saturday night riot outside the Portland, ICE facility.

Portland made national news and response for the Homeland Security Department for Antifas call for crowds to use laser pointers at helicopters at 9pm. There was no helicopters present, which may mean that it too dangerous for them to be airborne given this threat. The NY Post reports that emergency flights were diverted due to the threat.

Yes, there was lots of costumer characters.

But there was mayhem and rioting.

 People trespassed on ICE property

 Gas pepper-bombs were used 3x in one hour

 Gas bombs were kicked back into the line of ICE agents

 Flash bangs were used.

 There was a fight within one hour of our visit, followed later by an arrest.

 Several people needed medical attention

 There were Kill cops and Kill ICE T-shirts/messages

 The street was constantly blocked, several cars were caught in between

 People throwing things at their counter-protestors

This man reported an assault:

ICE supporters rallied again, this time with three signs and more people.

There were times when Right-leaning protesters argued with Leftist rioters. The bullhorn man chanted Love, not hate. Dont take the MAGA bait as a way of trying to stop rioters from talking to their counter-protestors. Several fights have occurred between the sides.

Another bullhorn protestor make jokes about the murder of Charlie Kirk. He said he was going to dress as Charlie Kirk for Halloween as a ghost with a hole in its neck. He said Charlie Kirk deserved his death because he was KKK and less than a human being.

 Was this helpful? If so, contribute online at OregonWatchdog.com (learn about a Charitable Tax Deduction or Political Tax Credit options to promote liberty).
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Grey shrew, not a Christmas Island shrew, for which very few photos exist. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

It's official: the only Australian shrew is no more.

The latest edition of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List, the world's 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 shrew's 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 Australia's land mammal species before colonization. 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.

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 Australia's 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 kilometers west of the mainland. These lucky or reckless pioneers gave rise to Australia's 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 island's 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 world's islands. Introductions of plants and animals have subverted island ecosystems and, as a consequence, endemic island species represent a disproportionately high number of the world's extinctions.

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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 1218 months, industriously catching grasshoppers to feed it.

At the time, they didn't 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.

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 island's endemic microbat, the Christmas Island pipistrelle, in 2009 and most of the endemic lizards. The snake's 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 categorizing 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 likelihood of actual extinction.

In 2022, the Australian government through then-Minister for the Environment Tanya Plibersek pledged, admirably, to prevent any more extinctions. Although today's formal recognition of the shrew's extinction comes after that pledge, the last shrew probably died one to two decades beforehand.

The shrew's 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.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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The newly identified reptile is about the size of a dolphin.

A skeleton found on Britain's Jurassic Coast has been identified as a new species of ichthyosaur, a type of prehistoric marine reptile that once ruled the seas, scientists said Friday.

Comparable in size to a dolphin, the ichthyosaur has been named Xiphodracon goldencapensis, or the "Sword Dragon of Dorset," after the English county where the near-complete skeleton was discovered.

It is "the only known example of its kind in existence and helps to fill an important gap in the evolutionary fossil record of ichthyosaurs," the University of Manchester said.

Ichthyosaur expert Dean Lomax, an honorary research fellow at the university, led the three-strong team of paleontologists who carried out the analysis.

Ichthyosaurs were reptiles who spent their lives under water. They are not considered to have been dinosaurs.

The sword dragon dates back to the Pliensbachian period, which occurred around 190 million years ago.

The skeleton was discovered near Golden Cap, in Dorset, in 2001, but has only recently been analyzed by paleontologists.

It includes a skull with a huge eye socket and a long sword-like snout.

Scientists said the animal would have been about three meters long and would have eaten fish and squid.

The research was published on Friday in the Papers in Palaeontology journal.

The skeleton is due to go on display at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Canada.

More information: A new long and narrow-snouted ichthyosaur illuminates a complex faunal turnover during an undersampled Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian) interval. Papers in Palaeontology. DOI: 10.1002/spp2.70038 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/spp2.70038 Journal information: Papers in Palaeontology

 2025 AFP
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

The RRS Sir David Attenborough is set to depart to undertake research in the Antarctic as part of the British Antarctic Survey.

Britain's flagship polar research vessel heads to Antarctica next week to help advance dozens of climate change-linked science projects, as Western nations spearhead studies there while the United States withdraws.

The RRS Sir David Attenborough, a state-of-the-art ship named after the renowned UK naturalist, will aid research on everything from "hunting underwater tsunamis" to tracking glacier melt and whale populations.

Operated by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), the country's polar research institute, the 15,000-ton icebreaker, boasting a helipad and various laboratories and gadgetry, is pivotal to UK efforts to assess climate change's impact there.

"The saying goes 'what happens in Antarctica doesn't stay in Antarctica'," BAS oceanographer Peter Davis told AFP during a tour of the vessel as it prepared to depart Harwich, eastern England, on Monday.

He called it "a shame" that the United States was "drawing back" from scientific exploration in the region.

But Davis noted that "lots of countries are stepping up to the plate and saying 'we understand the importance of Antarctica and we're going to drive our scientific research there'".

He is partnering with the Korean Polar Research Institute to maintain analysis of the crucial Thwaites Glacier and how melt from it is contributing to global sea level rise.

Scientists on board are helping in research including glacier melt and whale populations.

'Opportunities'

In a UN speech last month, US President Donald Trump branded climate change a "con job"his latest salvo in what critics call his wide-ranging war on science.

In his second term, Trump has pulled the United States out of the Paris climate accord, gutted science agencies and fired researchers and forecasters.

Earlier this year, his administration said it plans to stop leasing the only American icebreaker dedicated to Antarctic research and reportedly paused developing a new vessel to succeed it.

Trump instead appears focused on growing the US security presence in the Arctic, where rapid ice melt has the world's big powers eyeing newly viable oil, gas deposits, mineral deposits and shipping routes.

On Thursday, he announced a deal with Finland to build 11 icebreakers for the US Coast Guard.

Back in Britain, Stephanie Martin, who coordinates a BAS-linked project assessing whale numbers, said the diminished US polar science presence meant "opportunities" for the UK and others.

But she cautioned that "there's also the potential for nations like China and Russia to fill that gap" and that "they may manage things differently than what's been done in the past".

The vessel is due to reach Antarctica by late November.

Britain, a key US ally, has not publicly chided Trump for his anti-science rhetoric.

"The United States is responsible for their own approach," Stephen Doughty, a junior foreign minister responsible for polar regions, told AFP.

"But we work closely with a range of international partners, and we're very, very clear about the threat that climate change poses."

The Attenborough vesselwhich cost 200 million ($268 million) to build and was launched in 2020will arrive at Rothera Research Station, to the west of the Antarctic Peninsula, by late November.

BAS's largest regional hub, it has been expanded with a new cutting-edge facility, the Discovery Building.

Weather permitting, the ship will also crisscross Antarctic waters, visiting four other BAS research stations and even more remote field stations.

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'Recovery'

Martin's Wild Water Whales initiative uses various tech including drones to study key species such as blue and humpback whales.

One study is looking at extracted ice cores to understand past climates.

"We're a good news story, because we are focused on the recovery of these populations," she said.

After being relentlessly hunted in the 20th century, recent decades have seen humpback numbers recover to nearly 60% of their former population, Martin said.

However, their main food source, krill, is threatened by climate change.

"We take photos of individuals to tell them apart, so we can get population ideas. We take skin and blubber samples to find out their sex, because we don't know that without the DNA," she explained.

Vessel captain Will Whatley said during the tour that it was "designed for icebreaking and is very capable", noting the crew can keep working even in "really stormy" Southern Ocean seas.

A crane able to lift 50 tons loads various things, from submersible robots to so-called CTD instruments measuring electrical conductivity, temperature and seawater pressure.

Other planned research includes studying extracted ice coressome hundreds of thousands of years oldto understand past climates.

 2025 AFP
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller speaks during the signing of Executive Orders in the Oval Office at the White House on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. U.S. President Donald Trump signed several executive orders including the approval of a partial sale of TikTok's U.S. operations. FBI Director Kash Patel, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Vice President JD Vance were in attendance of the signing. The Washington Post via Getty Images

WASHINGTON  As Donald Trump pushes to expand his presidential powers to autocrat-like levels, he has at his side a top aide who makes his own over-the-top pronouncements sound downright tame.

Stephen Miller has accused federal judges, including those appointed by Republican presidents, of taking part in a judicial coup. He calls the opposition Democratic Party a domestic extremist organization. He labels protesters in U.S. cities terrorists  the same designation he and Trump have applied to the 21 people and counting whom Trump has summarily killed on boats in the Caribbean.

Politics: Donald Trump Makes Admission About His Chances Of Heaven

In speeches that often devolve into comical bravado, he repeatedly invokes the powers of Trump and his executive branch, even in areas that have historically been the responsibility of local and state government.

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You know the gang bangers that you deal with, they think that theyre ruthless, he told law enforcement officials in Memphis earlier this month. They have no idea how ruthless we are. They think theyre tough. They have no idea how tough we are. They think that theyre hardcore. We are so much more hardcore than they are, and we have the entire weight of the United States government behind us. What do they have? They have nothing behind them.

Just this past week, Miller told CNN that Trump had plenary authority  absolute power  even though the U.S. Constitution makes clear that he does not.

Amanda Carpenter, once a top aide to Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and now a researcher with the nonprofit Protect Democracy, said Miller is doing exactly what proponents of the Heritage Foundations Project 2025 planned over the past several years as Trump ran to retake his office after having attempted a coup in 2021.

Politics: Stephen Miller Snags Big Trump White House Job

Project 2025 was, at its core, an aspiration to provide Trump plenary power to gut checks and balances, consolidate control over all aspects of the federal government and entrench power for the long term, she said. It was written on paper and Stephen Miller is saying it out loud.

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Miller did not respond to a list of questions from HuffPost about his various actions and statements, including his reported role in the extrajudicial killings on Trumps orders by the U.S. military of 21 alleged smugglers in the Caribbean, and the White House scolded HuffPost for asking him directly. Later, a White House official speaking on condition of anonymity disparaged HuffPost and defended Miller.

Stephen is rightfully calling out radical left-wing violence and those who support it, the official said.

The White Houses praise notwithstanding, Miller has made himself a lightning rod for criticism of both his and the broader Trump administrations penchant for authoritarian action  most famously by aides to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who have made a point of mimicking Trumps style to mock him.

Politics: Critics Rip Trump Crony Stephen Miller Over Incredibly Hypocritical Claim About 'The Law'

STEPHEN MILLER IS A FASCIST! they wrote in a social media post last month.

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Miller, who has repeatedly in recent years called others fascists, responded the next day in an apparent attempt to accuse Newsom of encouraging violence against him: Why do you think they posted this?

Barely 10 minutes later, Newsoms staff gave their answer: Because youre a fascist.

Because youre a fascist

Even as a child of upper-middle-class comfort in Santa Monica, California, Miller, who just recently turned 40, was already exhibiting the attitudes that have been on display to the nation over the past decade.

Politics: Donald Trump Is Reshaping The Presidency In His Own Image

Running for student government, he declared he was sick of being told to pick up litter when the school had janitors paid to do that. He extolled the virtues of torture when dealing with accused Muslim militants and complained about too much Spanish being spoken on campus. One classmate said that Miller told him that he could no longer be his friend because of his Latino heritage.

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Miller, not many years later, was able to turn his anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim views into policy. As a top aide to then-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, Miller, known for his belittling, all-capital emails to his colleagues and journalists, was able to stop a comprehensive immigration reform package.

Within two years of that, he was Trumps speechwriter as the reality game show host began his presidential campaign, thanks to Millers close ties to Steve Bannon, then publisher of Breitbart, who used that platform to boost Trump and denigrate the other Republicans running.

Miller was soon appearing onstage at Trumps massive rallies himself as a warm-up speaker, often providing even more amped-up, angrier remarks than Trump would deliver later on.

Politics: Trump Blames Jan. 6 On The Biden FBI In Unhinged Late Night Post

After Trumps unexpected victory, Miller found himself trying to enact his and Trumps policies with limited success, as many in upper-level positions within the executive branch agencies were unwilling to draft executive orders they believed to be illegal.

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Trumps Muslim ban, for example, which he had infamously promised a year earlier, was largely written by non-lawyer Miller himself after legal staff with expertise in the field within the administration declined to help. The ban was quickly thrown out of court, but not before it caused mayhem at airports across the country. (A later iteration survived after non-majority Muslim countries were included.)

Mixed in with his dim view of immigrants, even in his first term, was a strong portion of authoritarianism. In February 2017, Miller intoned in a television interview from the White House, The powers of the president to protect our country are very substantial and will not be questioned.

In those years, though, while Miller egged on Trumps autocratic instincts, there existed traditional Republicans in that administration to temper them, such as John Kelly at the Department of Homeland Security and, later, at the White House, Defense Secretary James Mattis and national security adviser H.R. McMaster.

Eight years later, those institutionalist guardrails are completely gone, replaced with Trump-first loyalists like Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, chief of staff Susie Wiles, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth  leaving Miller with more unchallenged power than ever.

Big Lies, And Plenty Of Them

In Trumps first term, Millers interactions with the public and press were limited, often off-the-record or on background sessions with reporters. Eight years later, he is frequently the face of the Trump administration, now even more aggressive with his claims of near-absolute authority and perhaps with even less interest in the truth.

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Through the years, Miller has been willing to make assertions to back up his anti-immigration views unsupported by evidence, such as claims that those who come to this country from abroad are more likely to commit crimes than native-born Americans. In this second term, Miller has been willing to put out far more outrageous, readily disproven lies in the service of his agenda.

In April, after the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled against Trumps unlawful deportation of a migrant to a prison in El Salvador where torture is common, Miller claimed that the decision was actually in Trumps favor. Thats what the Supreme Court held, by the way, he lied. We won a case 9-0.

Miller routinely misstates federal asylum law by claiming that those fearing violence or persecution in their home countries must seek safety in the first country they visit after leaving. That is not true. U.S. law permits asylum seekers to seek sanctuary upon arrival, regardless of how they arrived or the countries they passed through.

In trying to claim a popular mandate for his aggressive anti-immigrant policies, Miller falsely states that Trump won last November in a colossal landslide over Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. In fact, Trump failed to win a majority of the votes cast and defeated Harris by just 1.5%, one of the smallest popular vote margins in modern times. (Trump received 3 million fewer total votes than Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016, even though he won the Electoral College.)

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And in his attacks against Democrats and judges, Miller uses the same words  coup, insurrection  that accurately describe Trumps attempt to effectively end American democracy on Jan. 6, 2021, by hanging on to power despite having lost the 2020 election.

In the first term  there were echoes. But now its a full-throated shout of autocracy. And its not just talk, said Norm Eisen, a top White House lawyer in the Barack Obama administration who worked on Trumps first impeachment over his attempted extortion of Ukraine. Anyone watching the footage of people being brutally assaulted simply for performing peaceful protest or the disproportionate violence, not to mention Millers rhetoric, cant help but think of the most ominous chapters of the 20th century.

Stuart Stevens, a longtime Republican consultant who worked on both successful presidential campaigns of George W. Bush, said he predicts that Miller someday will be an object of scholarly study, rather than a threat to the republic.

Hes one of the most hated individuals in America. He realizes that when Trump leaves office, he will have a long life surrounded by those who hate him, Stevens said. Miller fits the profile of the angry, hate-obsessed losers who autocrats lean on to fuel their worst instincts.

Political Updates

Read the original on HuffPost
This post couldve been titled Nostr vs ATProto, but that really isnt what I wanted to do here. While I will be comparing and contrasting them a lot, and thats kind of even the point of writing this, I didnt want to really pit the two against each other at all, and especially not with the title. I also want to try avoiding commenting on the differences between the communities that have formed on the protocols and their apps, although I definitely will be looking at the philosophical differences between the two a lot - also kind of the point of writing this. This also isnt a super deep technical post, though it assumes familiarity with technical concepts. I also might come back to edit parts of it and add more later.

You can read and leave comments on this post here on Bluesky, or here on Nostr, or even here on Mastodon.

So I wrote a paragraph mostly about what this post isnt about, with a little bit about what I will talk about in it, but I havent really explained what this post is, or why Im writing it. Honestly, Im not completely sure of the first one yet either; Im figuring that out as I write it. The paragraph at the top are really serving as guidelines for myself as I write this.

However, I can explain how this post came to be. It started with a showerthought (I was literally in the shower) about how similar ATProto and Nostr really are. This thought came to me after ruminating on ATProto Relays and Nostr Relays, and thinking about how my favorite feature of Nostr Relays (spoiler: its filtering) could be added to ATProto Relays, and why you would want to do that. More broadly, this made me think that the two protocols are similar enough that they are likely to slowly converge over time as they learn from each other.

A direct result of those thoughts (after getting out of the shower, of course) was to search the internet for a good comparison of Nostr and ATProto. A direct result of my failure to find any was this Bluesky skoot (Theres a lot of good replies and thoughts in that thread as wellyou probably want to read it before continuing with this post). A direct result of my skooting that was this reply. Before, Id been tentatively considering writing a purely technical comparison after not finding any, but that reply really set the stage for deciding what I wanted to do in this post.

So, to start, lets look at

How we got here

A Caged Bird

or, Twitter

Twitter here could, in theory, be replaced here by just Centralized Social Media, but really it was Twitter that got us here. Both ATProto and Nostr exist because of Twitter - the AT Protocol very directly so, Nostr as a response to censorship (real or perceived) on Twitter. ATProto is the result of Blueskys original mission - to build a decentralized protocol Twitter could adopt. Post-Elon, who knows if that will ever happen, but, well, that is how it started.

Twitter sprang into existence in 2007, as a small, SMS-based service that allowed people to post short status updates - tweets, as they became known. Who knows if it was the first of its kind? Well, it certainly became the most popular. It really was the service that was able to popularize the concept of microblogging. It developed a multitude of subcultures, each with their own unique characteristics, often intersecting with each other in fascinating, unpredictable places and ways. And while Twitter certainly never became as popular as some of its big tech companions, it may have had the greatest cultural impact - it was one of the only places in existence where an average person (you!!) could, say, ratio a presidential candidate or give interesting new details on a story to some famous journalist (I dont know, I just made those up). Some have said it was the first global town square.

Over the years of Twitters existence, lots of things happened to Twitter. Moderation issues including Donald Trump, authoritarian governments around the world, all sorts of mini community wars and harassment, etc. Twitter, as beautiful as it was, well kind of sucked, and people drew many different (not mutually exclusive and often overlapping!!) conclusions about why. Some, like Christopher Bouzy of Spoutible, concluded that the platforms moderation simply wasnt enough for what the platform had become, and people needed a smaller, more closed space with stricter moderation policies. Others concluded that a global-scale social network is simply an inherently bad idea and people should stick to smaller, more tight-knit communities. But one of the most popular conclusions was that something as important as Twitter - whether you considered it a global town square or a place to make connections with your community or Whatever Else - simply could not and should not be controlled by a single corporation. Indeed, this was the conclusion that Twitter themselves came to! This is the conclusion that both ATProto and Nostr are founded upon - the idea of a move from closed, centralized, corporate-owned social platforms to a world of open, decentralized social protocols.

But ATProto and Nostr dont exist in a vacuum. They werent the only ones to come to this conclusion. They werent even the first. And that brings us to

The Mastodon in the Room

or, ActivityPub and the Fediverse

 I am not an expert on ActivityPub. Take everything in this section with a grain of salt. If I get something wrong, please correct me. 

ActivityPub is kind of a big deal in the decentralized social protocols world. Its not the first, either - it would be extremely hard to really find a first. But it is, at least for now, the largest, and realistically is about to become a lot larger, at least if Meta Threads federates with it.

Its also got an entirely different philosophy to either Nostr or ATProto - while both of the latter are based on a more individualistic approach to decentralization, ActivityPub opted for a more collectivist approach, one that favors tight-knit communities over a global network (that hasnt stopped people from trying to build global networks with it, though.)

(Side-note: I should also mention that whether the Fediverse should focus on smaller communities or mass-interconnection has been a debate even within the Fediverse since right about the beginning, which a lot of the differing viewpoints around this topic explained brilliantly by Evan Podromou. Since Small Fedi seems to be the dominant philosophy shaping the current Fediverse, Ive mostly focused on Small Fedi when talking about ActivityPub here.)

There are many different server implementations of the ActivityPub Spec, each adding their own unique flair to the ecosystem. The most popular of these implementations is Mastodon. ActivityPub is also, like I said above, kind of a big deal in the decentralized social protocols world. Almost everyone working on decentralized protocols after ActivityPub has been forced to acknowledge its existence, draw comparisons to it, and often been bridged to it. In fact, when Jack Dorsey fired off his famous tweet thread announcing Bluesky, he was definitely aware of ActivityPub, given that in a reply to a reply to that thread, he stated ActivityPub is great.

Because ActivityPub uses a federation model centered around small community servers, it has a lot of the benefits of centralized social media. For example, it makes it relatively easy to support private content, since its a push-based protocol - only those whose inboxes you push content to can view it (theres also an Everyone option that makes your content fetchable, I think). This is also why the Fediverse has things like Follow Requests, server-to-server DMs (though your instance admin can view them - ActivityPub kind of assumes you trust them), and real blocks that mostly work.

However, many of the more collectivist choices made in ActivityPub were concluded to not be conductive to a decentralized Twitter, and both ATProto and Nostr exist in large part because of this. In fact, both ATProto and Nostr strayed from ActivityPub for the same reasons - identity is extremely tied to your initial server. There are good reasons for this, given that ActivityPub is largely used by smaller communities who federate with each other, but it does have an important consequence:

Your data is not really portable. You can move accounts to another server, and if your old server is well-behaved it can add a redirect to your new account, which will help automatically transfer your old social connections over to your new account, but this doesnt include any of your data except your follows and followers, and falls apart if your old server goes offline, is adversarial to you or your current server, or in basically any situation where you cant get that redirect.

There are many other philosophical differences between the ActivityPub camp and the Nostr and ATProto camp, but this one is the most important one, at least in my opinion - both ATProto and Nostr have sections explaining Why not just go with ActivityPub? that state this as their primary reason. Both ATProto and Nostr have real account portability by design.

Both of these protocols dont have much in common with ActivityPub, so I wont talk about ActivityPub too much here. But there is one older protocol that both of them extensively draw inspiration from

Secure Scuttlebutt

This is where things start to get pretty interesting. In 2014, a New Zealand programmer named Dominic Tarr was living on a sailboat. As you might assume, such a life includes little internet, and when it comes, in sporadic bursts. Centralized social media, like Twitter, wants you to be connected at all times, scrolling your feed and looking at ads. Tarr didnt want that. The result? He designed a protocol designed for offline-first, intentional, slow communication, free from Big Tech. Its name? Secure Scuttlebutt.

Scuttlebutt uses an append-only log of cryptographically signed messages. Your identity is an Ed25519 keypair and is pretty much tied to a single device. One consequence of this is that, as the Scuttlebutt developer docs themselves acknowledge, If a user loses their secret key or has it stolen, they will need to generate a new identity, and tell people to use their new one instead.

Because its an append-only log, every message must contain a reference to the previous message - a bit like a blockchain. That also means that deletes are straight-up impossible. This is also not necessarily a bad thing, just a trade-off.

Scuttlebutt started as a purely peer-to-peer protocol, using a gossip model - in fact, thats where its name comes from; in sailor-slang, scuttlebutt means water-cooler gossip. The first popular Scuttlebutt client was an app called Patchwork, authored by Paul Frazee (keep this guy in mind, hes gonna be important later), and initially the protocol and client often evolved together, adapting to each others needs.

By default, when you add to your append-only log, that addition only exists on your device; but the next time you connect to a peer running a Scuttlebutt client, your two clients will sync with each others logs, and then verify them against each others public keys. And to verify the newest part of a Scuttlebutt log, you need the whole log - this ensures that if someone gets part of your content, they get all of it.

But you dont just sync each others content - your clients sync all the logs they have locally. Thats why its called the gossip model - once you put out a post, as long as youre connected to a few peers every once in a while, your post will spread as fast as gossip to the friends of your friends. It usually takes time for that information to spread to everywhere, which keeps the pace of Scuttlebutt life somewhat slow and relaxed, with the most active communities being, again, small and tight-knit. Scuttlebutt is definitely not a global social network. The gossip model was driven by the social graph, allowing users to sync with others based on who they follow and who their connections follow. This mechanism relied on cloud bot users, known as pubs, acting as connectors and community hubs.

Scuttlebutt syncing took time due to the necessity of syncing all activity. Pubs played a crucial role in facilitating connectivity within the network, ensuring that users could discover others either by sharing a pub or by following users who were connected to them.

Scuttlebutts evolution was influenced by the desire for decentralized communication, distinct from the centralized nature of platforms like Twitter. It offered an alternative for those seeking intentional, offline-first communication free from the constraints of Big Tech. While initially designed for smaller, tight-knit communities, the ideas and learnings from Scuttlebutt inspired later attempts to build decentralized networks suitable for global networking.

So, now the stage is mostly set. Twitter was the first global town square, a social network connecting people and ideas worldwide - but not without a myriad of problems, which many concluded were due to its centralized nature. ActivityPub and Scuttlebutt (and others) experimented with decentralizing the social world, mostly with a focus on smaller communities, though as they evolved people tried to make them more suitable for global networking. Neither of them would prove viable for global social networks, but the learnings from them would help develop the next generation of social protocols.

Freeing the Bird

or, where ATProto and Nostr came from

All of this is important background for understanding the motivation behind these two protocols. Twitter started it all by showing us what microblogging at scale - a global town square - looks like. It showed us how many problems there are with it, and to some, that the only way to fix them is to remove corporate control. ActivityPub and Scuttlebutt showed us two very different ways of doing so, each with their own major benefits and major drawbacks. But theres still a long way to go from these experiments, which were largely paving the way in the late 2010s, to where we are now, almost halfway into the third decade of the 21st century. To fill in these gaps, we can start towards the end of the second decade of the 21st century.

It wasnt just people outside Twitter who were aware of the multitude of issues with Twitter - of course Twitter noticed them too. Twitter had started as a much more open company than it was at this point in December of 2019 - over the years, theyd taken, for a variety of reasons, a more centralized path, facing investor pressure for returns, and other such things. Twitter knew that, in the words of founder then-CEO Jack Dorsey, centralized enforcement of global policy to address abuse and misleading information is unlikely to scale over the long-term without placing far too much burden on people. Jack and the rest of Twitter drew the same conclusion as ActivityPub and Scuttlebutt had before - corporate control of social media was simply bad for everyone. Twitter was a company full of people who realized the service was just in a shitty position no matter how you looked at it, and who were doing everything in their power to keep things healthy despite it all - and they saw a way out: to build on, or build, an open protocol for a global social network. And for all the reasons we talked about before, about ActivityPub and Scuttlebutt, neither of those protocols were up to the task.

So the Bluesky initiative began. The early history of the project is much better documented elsewhere, but one of the most interesting things to come out of it at this early stage was an ecosystem review of existing decentralized protocols. It was authored by a Zcash developer named Jay Graber, who would go on to become CEO of Bluesky. It included contributions from several notable people in the decentralization space, including Christine Lemmer-Webber, co-author of the ActivityPub spec, Paul Frazee of Patchwork (and at the time now working on Beaker Browser and Dat), Whyrusleeping from IPFS, and Rabble of early Twitter (at the time working on planetary.social, a Scuttlebutt client). It lays out the state of numerous decentralized protocols, including ActivityPub and Scuttlebutt, and explains how user discovery, moderation, etc works in each of them.

At the end of all this ecosystem review, Bluesky concluded that none of these existing protocols was really suitable for their goal - a decentralized protocol Twitter, a global social network, could run on. So they decided to create their own - ATProto - and incorporated into a Public Benefit LLC to help achieve this goal. And when their initial team was hired, it included none other than Paul Frazee of Patchwork, in addition to Aaron Goldman, a former security engineer at Twitter, and Daniel Holmgren, an engineer with experience building on IPFS.

Now, while all of this was happening, a Bitcoin enthusiast under the pseudonym Fiatjaf was working on his own little thing. His idea was a non-peer-to-peer reimagining of Scuttlebutt and what it would take to make a similar protocol usable on a global scale. And on November 7th, 2020, the first basic working code for his idea of Relays quietly slipped onto the scene. Nostrs initial description even cites Scuttlebutt as an inspiration - the main design differences between the two (at a high level) are that Nostr moves from a p2p network, with pubs as an afterthought, to a purely client-relay model, and that Nostr events are all separate units that do not form a chain.

His motivation for creating this protocol was, somewhat similarly to Bluesky, problems with Twitter. Bluesky was motivated by the idea that content moderation at scale is impossible to do well, and centralizing it in the hands of a single company was a bad idea. Nostr, meanwhile, views moderation itself as an enemy - as censorship that the protocol should be resistant to. While in reality, even Nostr has ultimately ended up exploring different forms of communal moderation, the primary motivation behind Nostrs design choices is an idea of extremely high censorship resistance. This implies that the design, rather than optimizing for consistency, should optimize for availability - if someone wants to see your content, they should be guaranteed to be able to get it from somewhere. The protocol design is pretty conducive to this.

Both of these efforts were toiling away in the darkness, waiting for their moment in order to replace centralized social media with a decentralized future. Then in late 2022, something remarkable happened. Centralized social media fell prey to one of its prime weaknesses, right where everyone could see, thanks to one very famous billionaire. Elon Musk payed 44 billion dollars for Twitter, released the so-called Twitter Files, and Jack Dorsey, who had earlier kicked off the Bluesky initiative with 13 million dollars, put out a little manifesto in response, titled a native internet protocol for social media. Within a few hours, someone responded pointing him to the Nostr protocol, and he grew very interested, soon giving fiatjaf 14 Bitcoin to help fund Nostr development. A few months later, Bluesky launched their reference app for the AT Protocol. About a year later, Jack Dorsey left the Bluesky board, having chosen to focus on Nostr instead, as it aligned with his free-speech-Bitcoin-vibes ethos better. This was despite the fact that ATProto basically does everything he wants in a decentralized social protocol, but he prefers the more Bitcoin-y community of Nostr.

Okay, so thats how we got here. Now weve arrived, back in the present. Lets look at

Where we are

Both Nostr and ATProto follow a similar pattern: adapting peer-to-peer data models to work in a client-server model (that isnt quite federation). The peer-to-peer world had to deal with a unique problem: because there were no servers, there was no canonical source for data where you could go to verify its integrity. Thanks to the wonders of modern cryptography, efforts like Scuttlebutt, IPFS, and Dat all were able to use self-certifying data structures that could be verified independently of any third-party authority. A good example of this is a Merkle Tree, which is a data structure that ATProto also uses (be sure to watch that video, its very good and explains well why peer-to-peer networks need this).

As it turned out, these data structures and their benefits would help solve many of the problems the federated world faces. Specifically, the federated world, while no longer reliant on a single central server, often ends up simply shifting this reliance to smaller centralized servers that are the only canonical source for user data. When done correctly, applying peer-to-peer data models to the server would reduce this reliance and make data more independent of servers, while also allowing the big-world networking that only servers can achieve.

This sounds like a perfect solution, but its worth mentioning that it does have some important tradeoffs compared to a pure federation approach like ActivityPubs. For example, while deletes are still possible on both protocols (though rather difficult on Nostr, which you might be able to piece together why), if someone has your data saved from before your deletion, it is much easier to prove that you said it and hold it up as yours than it is on a protocol that doesnt have you cryptographically sign everything. And since both protocols heavily optimize for public content, things like Direct Messaging become much more difficult - in fact, on Nostr, DMs are public like everything else (their content is encrypted so no one else can read them). In general, trying to keep data private becomes extremely difficult; these protocols have delivery models which both center around the same self-certifying data being replicated in many places so anyone who wants it can get at it. With this, things like blocking other users become basically impossible, since theres no canonical source to restrict content from.

Now lets look at a few different protocol building blocks and how each protocol handles them.

Identity

Identity in networks is a difficult problem. Ideally, you want identifiers to be human-meaningful - for example, a Twitter handle. If I see the Twitter handle @jack, I can be fairly sure that thats Jack Dorsey. You also want them to be secure - only @jack should be able to create a post that says its from @jack, and I shouldnt easily be able to take over the account @jack without gaining access to some kind of key. And you probably also want them to be decentralized, so that @jack isnt beholden to anyone else to hold his identity, and can move around.

Unfortunately, its not easy to have all three of these nice properties - Secure, Human-Meaningful, and Decentralized - at once. Almost every system which tries to have all three has to end up compromising on one of them. This trilemna is known as Zookos Triangle. As examples:

Twitter usernames are secure - I cant just put out a tweet that looks like its from @jack - and human-meaningful - a guy with the handle @jack is probably named Jack. But theyre obviously not decentralized - they are all reliant on Twitters servers, and its Twitter who decides that @jack points to Jack Dorseys account. If they, say, wanted to rebrand to X, and someone was using the @x handle, Twitter could easily take it from them and make their own handle @X.

Scuttlebutt, meanwhile, has identity thats decentralized - its just your private key, essentially a random number - and your public key, the part other people can see. Its also secure - I need to actually have your private key to pretend to be you. But a public key, which is also just a number (derived from your private key), is not very human meaningful.

If youre familiar with ActivityPub, you might argue that ActivityPub usernames are all three. This isnt really true - ActivityPub usernames behave like Twitter usernames, except instead of just one big central Twitter server deciding what username points to what, this is handled in smaller centralized servers which federate with each other.

Nostr and ATProto also experience this problem, and they both share a few views around identity, listed out here so each one corresponds to a side of Zookos Triangle:

Your identity should not be permanently tied to a single server - Decentralization Your data should be cryptographically verifiable as coming from your identity - Security There are two layers of identity - a permanent computer-oriented one and a changeable human-friendly one - Human-Meaningful.

Even with these similarities, how that really plays out in both protocols looks extremely different. The idea that your data is cryptographically verifiable as yours implies a keypair somewhere. In Nostr, thats exactly it - your identity is just a secp256k1 keypair. Nothing more, nothing less.

That sounds very much like the permanent computer-oriented layer of identity. So the human-friendly identity is handled by a Nostr event of the profile type - this contains stuff like your bio, display name, and avatar. Theres also NIP-05, which allows using the .well-known/nostr.json path on a domain to get email-style usernames, like jack@cash.app - and this includes a special case, _@domain , that gets treated by clients as just @domain . When you @mention someone in a Nostr note, its just @<their public key> , which clients then simply display as their display names. Notably, having either a display name or even a real NIP-05 username is completely optional under Nostr, and your public key really is your identity.

This looks like mostly a success, at least in terms of taking those views and treating them as criteria. Nostr actually takes the first point - identity should not be permanently tied to a single server - and goes slightly further: in Nostrs model, where your identity really is just your keypair, no servers are involved in identity at all. Why would you want that? A major benefit of this approach is that if any of the servers involved in the system goes down or is no longer friendly with you, your identity doesnt even need to be recovered - its just there, the same as before. This works well with the Nostr Relay model, which well discuss in the next section.

The drawbacks of this approach are the same as Scuttlebutt. Thanks to the relay model, your identity is no longer tied to a single client on a single device - you can easily move around, between relays, between clients, between devices. This, by itself, for most people, is a good thing, but it comes with an entirely different kind of problem:

Managing a cryptographic keypair is simply not very user-friendly. You simply cant expect most people to write it down and keep it in a safe place or even take the time to understand what it means. People expect username-password systems, and sure, newer technology like passkeys is actually more secure and potentially easier - but that comes with actual benefits over username-password for most people! Managing a keypair is not only unfriendly, its incredibly risky. Since the entirety of your identity is your keypair, and to sign in to Nostr clients is to give them your private key - well, you can probably see where this is going. And again, since your identity is just your keypair, just like with Scuttlebutt, if an attacker gets a hold of your private key, that identity is gone. No longer yours. Theres no-one you can go to for help, no-one who can recover that account, no password reset link.

That sounds very negative, but it is worth noting that at least for web Nostr clients, there is a (relatively) good solution to the sign-in problem - NIP-07. In the NIP-07 world, you dont give every client your private key - you give it once to a browser extension, and then every time a web client wants to do something on your behalf, instead of directly using your private key to sign messages etc, it delegates that to your trusted extension. This is a lot better than giving your private key out to every client that has some cool new feature you want to try. Of course, this doesnt help with recoverability - if you lose your private key, whether to your memory or to an attacker, its still gone. There are attempts to solve this, too, which Ill talk about in Where were going because it has interesting future implications.

ATProto looks at things a little differently. Because of the aforementioned difficulties involved with users managing their own private keys, Bluesky chose to have your signing keypair live on a server - your Personal Data Server, or PDS. Your PDS is responsible for serving your Data Repository to other services on the network, and serves as more-or-less the canonical source for your content. However, your Repository is fully self-certifiable (that means someone can check whether or not you created the content in a copy of your Repo without needing a third party to verify), and so is not permanently tied to your PDS. This is because your PDS is not the canonical source for your identity - but your identity is also not something as small as a keypair here, and does not live entirely client side.

Instead, ATProto uses their own homegrown DID (Decentralized IDentifiers, W3C spec with the aim of helping, well, decentralize identity) method called did:plc, for PLaCeholder. Why is it named placeholder? Well, because as of now, its centralized. Thats right, the supposedly Decentralized Identifier is centralized - and Bluesky actively doesnt want it to be that way. did:plc was initially intended to be a placeholder until a decentralized method was able to meet their requirements - a strongly consistent, highly available, recoverable, and cryptographically secure method with fast and cheap propagation of updates. did:plc has all of these at one major cost - its centralized. However, the data in a did:plc is self-certifying (you dont need to trust/rely on plc.directory to verify the information), so its conceivable for it to become more decentralized in the future. (You can also use a did:web, which removes this centralization but forces you to manage everything yourself and relies permanently on your control of a web host on a domain, thus removing most of PLCs benefits. This is pretty niche, so I wont talk about it in detail here.)

A did:plc: contains two public keys - your rotation key and your signing key. This signing key is the aforementioned key that the PDS uses to sign your data. The rotation key is important because it manages your did:plc: and thus is needed to sign updates to your DID document, such as when migrating PDSes. The canonical source for your current PDS, valid signing key, handle, and rotation keys (which can also be rotated) are all your DID document. In this way, a DID serves as a Theseus Identity, an idea Aaron Goldman laid out well in this YouTube video.

The canonical source of your identity is your DID doc, and all the information in it, i.e. your handle and current PDS must be a two-way connection - your handle is a domain with a dns txt record or ./well-known/atproto-did that must point to your DID, providing two way verification, and whatever PDS your DID document points to must actually have your account on it. Meanwhile, the PDS handles data, and implements a standard, user-friendly login system, and signs your updates with your key on the server side.

Here, there was a trade-off between principles of security, recoverability, and user-friendliness, and a principle of max-decentralization - low-friction identity, with no centralizing points of control at all, extreme takeover resistance. Notice that

Where ATProto chooses user-friendliness, Nostr chooses max-decentralization. This is a trend that repeats in many other parts of each protocols design, as well see.

Data

In the traditional federated world of protocols like ActivityPub, there had never been much of an emphasis on data, and the formats and structures its stored in. The federated world thought much more about how servers should communicate messages rather than how they should store data - this difference is laid out well by Bryan Newbold, who incidentally now works on protocol design at Bluesky. This emphasis on communication standards rather than data standards is a big part of why theres no standard fediverse repo that you can transfer between servers, and other such problems in the federated world.

The peer-to-peer world, as we looked at earlier, couldnt afford to define pure transport protocols - they had to design standardized data structures that were self-certifying and self-contained. An example of such a data structure is a blockchain, and indeed, the peer-to-peer community and the blockchain community learned much more from each other than either of them and federation did from each other.

This was the status quo until ATProto and Nostr came along and broke the mold by bringing these self-certifying data structures into the client-server world. They both use asymmetric cryptography to make this data self-certifying, but the similarities basically end there.

In the Nostr model, servers are dumb. They have basically one job - transmit data. Theres only one kind of server in Nostr - a Relay, and a Relay does only three things:

Receive data to store Return that data when asked for it Provide a continuous stream of the data being placed on that Relay

Notably, Relays store data. Data is placed on Relays. All this data is created on the client-side. Relays dont manage identity or any of that. Your keys live with your client, and its your client who signs your events (a piece of data in Nostr terminology.) When you fetch data from a Relay, it comes back with signatures and all - which, guess what, your client verifies. Your client almost operates under the assumption that Relays will try to do weird stuff, people will submit fake events, etc - and so Nostr removed the requirement of trust, by making clients verify everything themselves. A trade-off!

Nostr, by optimizing for censorship resistance, needs to remove as much rigidity from its design as possible. Data needs to be cheap to create and transmit and store. So Nostr events all exist as individual units following a fixed JSON format with a strict signing convention. Unlike Scuttlebutt, these events dont need to form a chain - they are purely self-contained. Like your identity, theres no canonical source for them either - by design, youre supposed to be able to get them from pretty much any relay that has them. When you create the event, your client signs it and then just publishes it to as many relays as possible, from where it will circulate into other Relays, consuming clients will republish them, etc. Because they are signed against your public and are fully self-contained, its trivial to verify them too, removing the necessity of trust in the Relay you get the event from.

ATProto data is also very portable, but it is slightly more rigid than Nostr data is. Instead of using these one-off events which are fully self-certifying, ATProto stores your data as records in what it calls a repo. These records live under a collection like app.bsky.feed.post and are given an rkey (record key). Together, this forms a URI for any given record that looks like at://did/collection/rkey . Importantly, records are mutable, unlike nostr events, and the contents an at:// uri points to may change. However, all the commits to your repo, which contain changes like record creation, editing, and deletion, are content-addressed using a CID, and these are immutable, and are all signed using your repos signing key (the one from your DID doc, remember?) Your commits can also optionally form a chain if you want, but when they dont, deletes are easier. (If all of that flew over your head, dont worry. All you need to know is that ATProto allows deletes and edits, while Nostr cant.) Because your data all lives in this repo, unlike Nostr, ATProto actually has a canonical source for your data.

Theres also a single place where your repo lives, instead of being scattered as a bunch of events across Relays like in Nostr. Your repo lives in your Personal Data Server - as the name implies, a PDS is designed to store your personal data. While Nostr Relays are dumb pipes, PDSes are more like a user agent, which really performs almost all actions on the users behalf. Its responsible for signing and storing commits to your repo and wrapping them in a nice API thats easy for clients to use.

Actually, we should probably take a minute just to talk about deletes and edits. When I said Nostr cant allow deletes and edits, that wasnt completely true: Nostr does have a way to request deletes from Relays, which most but not all Relays support, but the real trouble is figuring out what a delete even means (and edits are straight-up impossible since Nostr event IDs are fully content-addressed). Nostrs model is fundamentally based on an idea of events flowing from the creator into Relays, which then flow into other peoples clients, which cache them and republish them to other Relays, and so on. An event doesnt have a location to be deleted from - it could be (and in Nostrs model, should be!) anywhere and everywhere.

In ATProto, your repo actually has a place where it lived - your PDS, as specified in your DID doc. And at:// uris are mutable, so a commit can actually change the content it points to. Deletes remove content from your repo - although anybody who has a copy of your content pre-delete will still have it and can very easily cryptographically prove that its your content.

Trust

Nostr and ATProto have relatively similar approaches to trust, though with some important differences. Nostr trusts nobody, and is built accordingly, with clients verifying everything themselves. ATProto assumes you trust somebody, but lets you choose whom you trust, and provides the mechanisms needed to verify that trust is placed correctly (although this could be improved).

Nostr, as mentioned earlier, was designed to basically eliminate the necessity of trust in the first place. Because everything is verified client-side, and essentially functions as a bunch of self-authenticated units of data traveling between relays and clients, there really is no one to trust. Relays can choose not to carry content, but other relays might have them instead. However, the fact that all data moves as individual units means that it would be harder to spot if only certain events are available.

Since every user is assumed to be pointing their client at more than one relay, it doesnt really matter if one relay chooses not to carry someones content; theres a high likelihood another one is. If many relays agree to hide something from the network, then it wont show up, but thats pretty unlikely to happen. As for trusting the authenticity of the content delivered by the relay, because its cryptographically verifiable as coming from the attached pubkey, any shenanigans will be spotted quickly. And verifying a pubkeys identity is done by attaching it to a trusted NIP-05, i.e. @jack@cash.app or @jb55.com.

ATProto isnt that different, all things considered, but theres multiple other hops between the source of data and the client you view it in. Each ATProto PDS puts out a cryptographically verifiable stream of commits being pushed to repos on the PDS, carrying every bit of data to the subscribers, called the firehose. Because there are a lot of PDSes, an optimization also called a Relay was introduced, which basically aggregates PDS firehoses into its own giant firehose. In a way, this Relay could be considered its own centralization point where bad untrustworthy things could happen, but once more than one Relay exists this should be less of a problem. At the Relay and PDS, everything is cryptographically verifiable, and as a bonus because of ATProtos repo structure, you can tell if youre not getting the whole picture.

After the Relay, things get a bit murkier, because as an optimization ATProto applications use something called the AppView. The AppView reads in the firehose from the Relay constantly and pieces it together into fully hydrated and speedy APIs which make clients lives much easier. The thing about the AppView is that its basically centralized, and though its not super difficult to spot inconsistencies between what the AppView gives you and the true state of the network, the AppView doesnt even provide the cryptographic signatures that were passed into it, making its trustworthiness a bit murky at some unknown time in the future, at which point other contenders will hopefully exist to replace it, based on analysis of which one is more trustworthy by comparing the data each AppView gives you with what actually exists on the Relay and PDSes.

Privacy

Everything is completely public on both protocols and in fact being actively broadcasted to loads of consumers, not just sitting around waiting to be stepped on and found. Nothing you do is really hideable from anyone.

However, at least on ATProto, there have been attempts to add some semblance of privacy to the network. For example, there are AppView-enforced blocks, but they can be bypassed very easily. There is also a setting which asks the client to not show your posts to logged-out users, but this is superficial at best, since only some clients really follow it anyways, and the official popular client does so it does kind of work. But overall these measures both run a risk of making people feel like their posts and other activity are hidden and safe, lulling them into acting with less precaution than they should, especially since there is a lack of user awareness around the all-public nature of data on the network.

No such attempts have been made on Nostr. This is on the one hand unfortunate, but on the other hand possibly better since it is more honest about the true nature of how public everything is on the network.

Development

Due to the Bluesky devs past experiences with developing on peer-to-peer and federated protocols, many of them felt burnt by a Scuttlebutt-and-Nostr-style approach to development, where specifications were loose and implementations varied wildly. Because of these past experiences, Bluesky chose to go with a slightly more slow, intentional, and centralized development model. The protocol is mostly developed within Bluesky the company, though often adapts to the needs and feedback from the wider ATProto developer community, and community members often contribute to both the protocol and the clients. The rollout of core features like federation and stackable moderation has also been much more slow on ATProto than similar features in Nostr implementations, because in general Bluesky prefers to take their time and get it right and standardized before letting things out into the wild. Also, despite the existence of third-party clients, the official Bluesky app and service is still the most popular one by a huge margin, due to its being the default (and basically only) inroad into the protocol and ecosystem. There are other up-and-coming AT Protocol projects that arent just Twitter clones, like WhiteWind for blogging, but overall the ecosystem remains sparse compared to Nostr.

Nostr, meanwhile, takes the same approach as these previous projects - the protocol itself just exists, very small, letting anyone expand on it. When an extension wants to become standardized, its reviewed by a small team including fiatjaf and a few others, and becomes part of the NIPs repository (Nostr Implementation Possibilities). This is basically classic BDFL open-source. However, clients and relays are free to try their own wild things without being official NIPs, and any NIP proposal must be adopted by a few clients and relays before it can be considered for official status. So its a much wilder, freer ecosystem so far.

Applications

One of the places where ATProto and Nostr differ greatly is their model for building applications.

ATProto takes the AppView approach. An AppView is basically a service that reads in the firehose of all the public data on the network, and indexes it into hydrated views as an API which clients then use. AppViews are pretty resource-intensive to run and functionally centralized in nature. If you want to make a new ATProto app, you first design your schemas for content in a DSL called Lexicon. Then you make a client that can start publishing your record type, and retrieving and displaying it. For the retrieval and displaying, you create an AppView which monitors the firehose for your record types and indexes them into hydrated views, which your client can then fetch from and display nicely and neatly. This is, for example, how the Bluesky app can show a list of users who liked a post; because instead of the client having to crawl the entire network itself and figure out which likes are for the post you just viewed and then get the DID and fetch each of that users profiles and whether or not youre following them by checking your own repo, and whether or not theyre following you by looking all over their follow lists, the client just makes one HTTP request and makes the result human-readable. Nice and fast. Of course, the relief that comes to the client means a lot of responsibility is thrusted onto the AppView, which becomes very resource-intensive to run.

The first steps to the Nostr model look similar at first, but rapidly diverge. With Nostr, you also start with defining event kinds, and then creating a client which can publish them, and then adding fetching and displaying. The key difference is in how events are fetched. With ATProto, you write an AppView to do the heavy lifting; with Nostr, the heavy lifting is shared between the Relay and the Client. When defining your event kinds, you make sure to also define how to use the tags field for that event kind, which is an array of key-value pairs with single letter keys which are indexed by the relays the events are sent to. Basically, if you want to do any kind of linking between events, or inserting any kind of indexable data, thats where you want to do it.

Then for the fetching of the data, we use Nostrs filtering system. With Nostr, there are two kinds of communication between the client and the relays; publishing events, which pushes the signed client-created event into the relays data store, and subscription. Subscription is the interesting part were looking at here.

Nostr clients can request a subscription to a stream of events from the relays theyre connected to, and this stream subscription can have filters attached. A filter is fully specified using the following attributes, all optional:

{ "ids": <a list of event ids>, "authors": <a list of lowercase pubkeys, the pubkey of an event must be one of these>, "kinds": <a list of a kind numbers>, "#<single-letter (a-zA-Z)>": <a list of tag values, for #e  a list of event ids, for #p  a list of pubkeys, etc.>, "since": <an integer unix timestamp in seconds, events must be newer than this to pass>, "until": <an integer unix timestamp in seconds, events must be older than this to pass>, "limit": <maximum number of events relays SHOULD return in the initial query> }

By adding multiple filters, you can get all the events matching any of the filters. By adding multiple attributes to a single filter, you add multiple conditions that all have to be fulfilled for events to make it through that filter. Filters are expressly the mechanism for fetching content, since subscriptions are supposed to start by backfilling everything that meets the criteria, and then pushing any new events that meet the filters requirements to the client.

By studying the filter specification, its clear that basically every behavior of ATProto AppViews can be recreated through filters on the client-side, knowing how tags allow extensibility as well. Theres an obvious cost though: clients must be very complex and do a lot of work themselves, and for big events duplicating a lot of effort that could be handled by something akin to an AppView. The benefit of this is that it is very generic and means that any relay can generally be used for any functionality since everything you need is baked into the core protocol, and the speed of development is basically only constrained by the client, and not an AppView. And by not spending any resources on building a giant indexer yourself, you basically shift the cost onto the Relays instead. Its another example of the more bazaar philosophy of Nostr compared to a more cathedral approach from ATProto.

So, all in all, this gives a pretty good picture of where the two protocols are now. But exciting things are on the horizon for both. Were heading into uncharted territory

Where were going

When Jack Dorsey wrote a native internet protocol for social media, he wrote that As far as the free and open social media protocol goes, there are many competing projects: @bluesky is one with the AT Protocol, nostr another, Mastodon yet another, Matrix yet anotherand there will be many more. One will have a chance at becoming a standard like HTTP or SMTP.

Thats one way of thinking about it, as a competition for the final spot of the standard for social. But as youve probably noticed from reading this post up to here, I dont really agree with this viewpoint. ATProto, Nostr, ActivityPub, Scuttlebutt, Matrix, IPFS, Dat, Holepunch, and others all share similar goals, yet have vastly different perspectives about how to accomplish them. Maybe these different perspectives will all lose! Maybe, as Jack says, one of them will win, becoming a standard that everyone adopts. Or maybe they will all learn from each other and slowly begin to converge. And its not hard to make the case that that last possibility will happen for at least two of these protocols - of course, Nostr and ATProto. In fact, thats already happening.

Convergence

Because a lot of core ideas in the protocols were already very similar, they can quite easily borrow ideas from each other in order to improve themselves. By making nearly opposite compromises, they now face roughly opposite problems as well - but often, the other protocol already has a solution waiting for them. So first lets look at some of the ways Nostr is becoming more like ATProto.

First, the idea of keys in a server, instead of purely client-side. As mentioned earlier, one of the dangers of Nostr keys is that by giving them to lots of random clients you try, they might accidentally end up in the hands of bad actors. One of the solutions to this was NIP-07 browser extensions; another one is the idea of an NSecBunker, for Nostr Secret Key Bunker. The idea is that this is a server, similar to a PDS, which holds your Nostr private key, and when your client wants to sign an event, it makes a request to your NSecBunker to sign that event using your private key, which stays safe in your Bunker. These requests usually are authenticated using measures like OAuth. It allows Nostr to bring back at least one part of the user experience people are familiar with.

Another idea that Nostr is ending up trying is something similar to AppViews. This is particularly divisive within the community, with many feeling that only the relay-based filtering mechanisms should be used to build clients. But because this is often inefficient, clients like Primal have begun doing their own pre-indexing of many users and posts in order to improve their UX. Unfortunately, Primals is proprietary, and only Primal can interact with it, due to the lack of any built-in support for AppView-style services in the Nostr protocol, vs. ATProtos numerous mechanisms to provide explicit support for this use case.

Meanwhile, some Nostr ideas are naturally going to the ATProto world as well. The idea of keys directly owned by the users has long been floated, and at this point developers can get control of their did:plc and its rotationKeys (fun fact: I set one of my plc rotationKeys to my Nostr pubkey). Unfortunately no nice UI exists for this yet. And as for signing keys, with commits that could be pushed to a PDS instead of made there, that would rely on a PDS supporting this use case. No PDS implementation currently supports this, but there is one in development which hopes to at some point ;)

Another idea which I hope to see adopted in the ATProto world is something similar to Nostrs filters model. While the AppView model is nice for production apps, something like Nostr filters could help a lot early in development to just play with an idea and try it out. And it could help those with concerns about the trustworthiness of AppViews quickly verify it against certain queries. You can do a shocking amount with backlinks alone.

Of course, the slow convergence of both protocols isnt the only way the divide between them is being bridged

Bridging

Recently, Bridgy Fed started bridging the Fediverse and the ATmospherewith each other. For a while, services like Mostrhave been bridging the Fediverse and Nostr with each other. Now, if you visit the Mostr homepage and scroll down, you can probably see where this is going

Soon after Bridgy Fed started bridging the Fediverse and the ATmosphere, Nostr users experimented with this to bridge between Nostr and Bluesky. Very much an indirect hack, but also a glimpse at the future.

One of the most important promises of decentralized social media was that no matter what service you signed up on and post on, you would be able to see content from and interact with anyone, no matter which service they used either. Now, all this would work, if every service signed on to the same decentralized social protocol. However, instead, we have many, and none of them show much of a sign of becoming the singular standard for social media. Instead of Jacks vision of one winner, bridges offer a vision of a world where every protocol can win, and it truly wont matter which protocol your service uses, either.

While the bridging I talked about above was very indirect, Bridgy Fed itself may soon have native Nostr support. Soon all three major decentralized protocols may be able to talk to each other, and easily too.

So. Lets recap what weve been through in this post so far. In the beginning, there was Twitter. Twitters problems caused them to look to decentralization as a way to make social media more fair. This caused many new decentralized protocols to emerge, taking inspiration from older ones. Of these new protocols, two of them, Nostr and ATProto, evolved in similar directions, yet unaware of each other made many opposite compromises. And now they are evolving back towards each other, converging in potentially very interesting ways, with bridging offering to make social media not just platform- but protocol-agnostic.

The future is looking good for decentralized social media.

You can join the conversation on Bluesky here.

Comments from Bluesky:

Or on Nostr:

Comments from Nostr:
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Care and Feeding is Slates parenting advice column. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here.

Dear Care and Feeding,

My boyfriend from high school and I never had closure after we broke up. We broke up right after his brother molested me and he caught us. Afterwards I froze. My then-boyfriend wouldnt talk to me for four years, until out of the blue he messaged me on Facebook and told me he forgave my cheating. I told him the truth, and he regretted not hearing me out and I regretted not speaking up.

Now 20 years have passed since we dated, and Ive seen him in person for the first time. We hit it off like no time had gone by. The problem is that now I have three kids and am married (not happily). We both want closure. What do we do and how do we go about it? I have no desire to cheat, but I do want closure as I have been carrying this baggage for so long.

Seeking Closure in Canada

Dear Seeking,

Lets start here: Closure is not what is achieved by sleeping with your high school boyfriend (or making out with him, for that matter). Closureif such a thing exists (I have my doubts, but thats another subject)is what happens after you both talk frankly and openly about what happened and how you felt, and you both come to accept that what happened, happened and is over and done with.

But youve been doing that forif my math is rightthe last 16 years. Or you did that, 16 years ago, when he first reached out via Facebook, and since then youve been talking/messaging/whatever else youve done that didnt include meeting in person, moving on from that first conversation in which you straightened things out. Or (I cant tell from your letter) you had that clarifying exchange 16 years ago, you both expressed regrets, and then you didnt communicate again until recently, when you saw each other IRL and that old attraction rebloomed. That happens when unhappily married people (at least one of you fits that bill) meet up with their high school sweethearts. What youre hankering forand what he is apparently hankering for toois not closure.

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If you want to blow up your marriage, Im not here to stop you. If you want to finish what you started as a teenager (perhaps that is what you mean when you invoke the word closurebut what youre talking about is opening something up, not closing it), Im not here to tell you not to. But call a spade a spade. Its cheating if you dont tell your husband. And whether you tell him or not, youre playing with fire. Is that what you want to do? Again: Im not here to keep you away from fire. Id just advise you to walk into it, if you do, knowing that burns will ensue.

Get parenting and family advicesubmit a question! Please keep questions short (<150 words), and dont submit the same question to multiple columns. We are unable to edit or remove questions after publication. Use pseudonyms to maintain anonymity. Your submission may be used in other Slate advice columns and may be edited for publication. Thanks! Your question has been submitted. Dear Care and Feeding, * Your letter signoff Your pronouns Your email (optional and confidentialplease include if you're open to Care and Feeding following up) Submit

Dear Care and Feeding,

My wife Desirees brother, Todd, has celiac disease. Whenever its our year to host Thanksgiving or Christmas (like it will be this year), she has to bust her ass making special gluten-free food for him in addition to making the regular stuff for the rest of the family. I dont think its fair that Desiree should be made to put in the extra work, and Ive told her that. She insists that she doesnt mind doing it, that she doesnt want Todd to have to worry about being careful of what he eats while hes at our place. Personally, I think Todd should bring his own food rather than expecting the world to work around his problem. Its not unreasonable to ask for a little personal responsibility so that we as hosts arent inconvenienced, is it?

Tiptoeing Around the Bubble Boy

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Dear Tiptoe,

In what way are you, as host, being inconvenienced? Your wife is behaving in a loving and generous way toward her bother. Does that inconvenience (or irk) you? Desiree doesnt mind doing this; only you mind that she is. Or what you mind is that her brother is getting special treatment from her, which makes you jealous. Or what you mind isin generalanyone who has a problem (an illness, a disability , or anything else that makes them vulnerable) being treated kindly by others. Todd has to worry about his safety around food pretty much anywhere he goesceliac is not just a preference. Thank goodness he doesnt have to when hes visiting his sister.

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If I were you, Id watch it. Your attitude toward Todd (your attitude, period) may eventually lead to your wifes getting fed up with you. Pull yourself together, dude. Your wife is great. Instead of giving her a hard time about it, try being grateful that youre married to someone who cares so much about the people she loves. Youre probably a beneficiary of that. But why should you be the only beneficiary?

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Catch Up on Care and Feeding

 Missed earlier columns this week? Read them here.

 Discuss this column in the Slate Parenting Facebook group!

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Dear Care and Feeding,

I was adopted at birth. My parents never hid this from me. I cant even remember specifically being told, or when I found outits just always been a fact of my life. Sometimes, when people find out Im adopted (it comes up more than one would think), they ask if Ive ever considered trying to find my biological parents. Then, when I say no, theyre flabbergasted. But I just dont feel the need to. My parents are the two people who have raised me from birth; my family is everyone I grew up with. None of them have ever treated me differently than they treat one another because I dont share a genetic connection with them.

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I have no ill will towards my bio parentsI have no idea what their circumstances werebut I just dont feel some great pull to know them. People seem to expect me to, just because theyre the ones who are responsible for my existence. One person even tried to push me to admit that I must be harboring a subconscious sense of abandonment that Im too afraid to confront! While Im certainly not going to pretend I couldnt use therapy (who couldnt?), I can say with 100 percent confidence that any problems I have are not related to that. (Of course, my mental health issues could be in part due to genes, but the circumstances of my upbringing have nothing to do with these issues.) She kept making sarcastic comments like, Oh, sure, your parents/childhood were perfect, how nice! Um, no, my parents arent perfect, and while I had a good childhood, it wasnt some idyllic fantasy. There are, in fact, several things I wish had been different.

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However, not once have I ever wondered if life would have been better with my bio parents. I have no problem talking about the fact that Im adopted, but I get very annoyed when people get so hung up on my lack of interest in the people who brought me into the world. How do I get them to understand?

I Make No Apologies

Dear No Apologies,

Why is it necessary for them to understand? I get that its annoying to have people questioning something you feel solid about, but unless the people giving you a hard time about the way you feel about your first set of parents are people youre close to (and why would you be close to anyone who treated you this way?), the thing to do is close the subject. You can do this in any number of ways: changing the subject, forcefully; saying, in a neutral tone, You know, this isnt something I enjoy talking about, and then changing the subject; or ending the conversation altogether. If you know in advance someone is going to challenge you on this (if, for example, youre spending time again with that sarcastic person), dont bring it up at alland shut them down if they do (So, to get back to the matter of your biological parents). If youve had this experience so often, you now figure that virtually everyone will want to go down this path, then just dont talk about adoptionyours or anyone elsesat all. Just because it comes up doesnt mean you have to engage with it.

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Besides, the more energetically you argue with people about this, the weirder it will be for you if, somewhere down the line, you change your mind. None of thisyour current stance, any future curiosity or desire you may feel, any negotiation you may have to make between the two ways of feeling and thinking about thisis anybodys business but your own. If you are undisturbed by questions about the folks to whom youre genetically connected, thats all that matters. Dont take others ideas about the right way to be an adoptee to heart.

Michelle

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My sister and her fiance have been together for more than six years and everyone in my family adores him. I, on the other hand, am not so fond of him. Hes a mooch at best. Should I speak up?
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You might think I would get my fill of the emotional, dramatic, sometimes troubling details of other peoples lives from the 17 or so Dear Prudence letters I answer each week. Youd be wrong. My appetite for this kind of content means Im obsessed with memoirs, particularly those by women who have lived through or done bad things. So when this excerpt of Elizabeth Gilberts new book, All the Way to the River, was published, I couldnt turn away, even though it felt like the consensus reaction was Oh, no.

Dont get me wrong. I immediately understood where the concerned and critical responses to this book came from. Gilbert tells the story of the choices she and her late partner, Rayya Elias, made after Rayya was diagnosed with cancer, and they are absolutely shocking. (In short: Gilbert left her husband and proclaimed her love for Rayya, who was her friend and hairdresser, and the two of them spent a bunch of Gilberts money trying to make the most of the limited time they had left together, which involved lots of drugs and alcohol, and unsurprisingly didnt turn out that well, leading Gilbert to at one point consider murdering Rayya. Literally. Eventually, Rayya passed away and Gilbert went into recovery for her sex and love addiction which, in hindsight, she believes shaped much of the relationship. Phew!) Because part of the joy of consuming any piece of media is chatting about it, I needed someone to talk to.

I wondered, Who else would be into this? and knew immediately: Emily McCombs. Previously a Care and Feeding columnist for Slate, Emily has been editing womens personal essays and confessional writing about all kinds of messy and ridiculous and vulnerable and painful stuff for 15-plus years. Shes now the deputy editor of HuffPost Personal; before that, she was the executive editor of xoJane (where I also wrote possibly too-personal essays back in the day, and she edited me). Below is a transcript of our chat about Gilberts new book (and lots of other stuff), edited and condensed for clarity. Jenee Desmond-Harris

Jenee Desmond-Harris: Emily, youve helped bring us pieces like I Spent Two Weeks in a Mental Institution, But Left With Better Hair, I Have Been Sitting on Manspreaders for the Last Month and I Have Never Felt More Free, and My Rapist Friended Me on Facebook (And All I Got Was This Lousy Article). And lo and behold when I reached out to you, you said All the Way to the River was on its way to you as your Book of the Month Club selection. I was happy and not at all surprised.

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Emily McCombs: First of all, I loved how we sort of spontaneously formed this two-person book club of just messaging back and forth as we read the book, because were both editors and writers who are also very drawn to memoir and personal narratives by women. And I loved getting to know you better in the little dispatches and text screenshots and a few audio messages sent (over Instagram DM!) at random times after our kids were in bed or we had a stolen moment to read. A pretty apropos way to consume and critique womens personal narrative.

JDH: Its not lost on me, given both of our backgrounds, that we decided this exchange should be published content.

Anyway, the reaction to the book from so many people was, Ugh Id never read that. And while I respected that, it felt to me like when I try to share gossip and a friend (who is probably a better person than I am) is uninterested or not comfortable discussing it. What a letdown. So I was grateful to have someone to chat with about the book. Because I liked it. Im not saying I liked the choices that were made or that I always found Gilbert likeable. Just that I had the experience I most treasure about reading: Id be going through my day and suddenly get a little surge of excitement about the fact that I was going to be able to read it when I got in bed later. I also wanted to talk about the parts that made us roll our eyes, the writing (which I did not think was bad at all! Maybe more on that later.), and the tweaks we would have made if someone would hire us as post-publication sensitivity readers (but for stuff that gives you secondhand embarrassment).

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EM: Sensitivity readers for cringe is our next career, I swear on it! Well call our agency Duck Fluff. (Thats an inside joke for those who have read this book already.)

JDH: Wait, no, I have to share the joke! We were obsessing over how Gilbert repeatedly describes her hair as duck fluff. And then I woke up to a message from you with a duckling picture, saying: This is Elizabeth Gilbert if you even care. I couldnt stop laughing!

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But back to what I wanted to ask you. You obviously were drawn to the book for the same reasons youre drawn to the kind of work you do. Youre never going to turn away from a woman writing about a wild thing she went throughgood, bad, or ugly. But that work also involves telling writers when they need to change or rethink something. Whats one aspect of the story that you took issue with, or thought Gilbert might have handled differently?

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EM: I am someone who has both lived a very messy life and has very publicly overshared, in my writing, about messy topics. I am also in recovery from substance use disorder and have had issues with sexual compulsivity, so Im way closer to Gilbert on the delulu scale than the average American. But even I could tell she was reaching to overuniversalize a pretty wild story. We addicts get ourselves into some really over-the-top and unmanageable situations. And we relate to each other! But not everyone can relate, and I love that for them. There are always things to relate to in an authentic story, but I dont think everyone can identify with painting themselves into irrational, self-sabotaging corners in the pursuit of life-wrecking misery, often over and over again. At least I hope most non-addicts dont have to experience that particular hell.

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JDH: Yes, one big thing that made me think Please stop! was how shed describe really heavy or dark stuff and then go, But surely everyone can relate to that on some level. I mean, OK, I get itweve all been clueless and dumb before because thats part of being in relationships, and because the need to be loved can do that to humans. But not my partner who was in recovery was drinking bitters every day and it didnt occur to me that that was alcohol clueless. And of course, no, most of us havent plotted to murder anyone.

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EM: It reminds me: I dont think Jane [Editors note: Jane Pratt, founder of xoJane] will mind if I tell you that we regularly did this thing at xoJane where we would think some story we were publishing was super mainstream and relatablelike we were balancing out the crazy and tossing the normies a boneand then the response to it would be: This is the most unhinged essay I have ever read in my life wtf!!! Like neither of us had any concept of what an average person might relate to.

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JDH: Lets talk about oversharing. I think I did some of that in the era when it seemed like the only way to make money, but Ive since pulled back. You once told me that youre so practiced at spinning your experiences into pieces that you can write a personal essay while running an edit meeting. Not attending it, but running it!

EM: HA! At that point, I was mining my experience for content so thoroughly that sometimes I would think something was an idea for a personal essay, but then Id realize it was literally just, like, a tweet.

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JDH: There was definitely a time when I remember feeling like I couldnt tweet anything without someone forcing me to make it into an 800-word piece, so you werent necessarily wrong.

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But thinking again about the reaction to this book, Im wondering if you believe theres ever a point when sharing becomes unhelpful/toxic/bad for the world. Are there any limits to what youd share, or have you ever told a writer, No, were not doing this? Should the content of some confessional writing stay inside the writers head?

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EM: My thoughts on this have evolved a lot. I definitely dont share as much as I used to and wouldnt share today some things I did a decade ago. (And there are some things I never shared even thenI did have a small dollop of boundaries.) Im much more considerate about what I am willing to write about other people without their consent. Some things I am waiting to write about until someone wants to pay me a lot more than the going rate for an internet essay.

XoJane was a pretty high-pressure environment for telling it all and most of us were pretty young and driven to make our names and careers as writers. And as editors, we didnt have any time or resources to really spend time thinking through the nuances of what should be shared and what shouldnt. I sometimes edited 12 pieces a day and several of those would be extremely intimate essays on controversial topics that didnt get the attention and care they required.

JDH: Twelve pieces a day! My God!

EM: At HuffPost Personal, thinking about those nuances is an essential part of my role as editor. I have told many writers no, and many more not right now. Sometimes theyre too close to or still actively involved in the experience to let them work through it publicly and weather the response. I sometimes ask people to process and sit with the idea for six months and pitch me again if they still want to write about it. There is something to the xoJane method of letting women write about their lives in the moment, instead of forcing them to reflect in a redemptive way on the past once everything is tied up in a neat bow. But you have to be a very talented writer to have the required perspective and insight to write about your experiences while theyre happening.

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JDH: Thats so interesting. I hadnt made the distinction between writing about a situation as its happening and writing about it after reflection. I do remember when I was editing full time, there was a lot of talk about when to save a writer from themselves and the onslaught of judgment theyd receive if they wrote what they wanted to write.

EM: I absolutely consider it part of a personal essay editors role to shield the writer from the internet outrage machine as much as possible, by helping them patch any holes in their argument or depiction of their story against the shit you know the haters gonna hate. Some haters are always gonna hate, but I never want to throw a writer to the wolves. And I try to make sure theyre aware of the potential scale of the negative response when writing about those lightning-rod topics and are sure theyre in a good place mentally and emotionally to handle that. (Or ignore it! Ideally, none of my writers would ever read the comments because it is almost never helpful or reflective of the actual message or quality of the piece.)

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JDH: Ive also thought about the idea that theres an important difference between having an idea or opinion or experience and using your large platform to share that idea or opinion or experience. I think that by presenting something to a large following, whether its in a book or an interview or a public social media post, youre kind of implicitly saying, This is meaningful and its important for people to hear about it. Thats a much higher standard than you would apply if you were talking to a friend.

And I think this might be what was behind some of the criticism of Gilbert, like on Goodreads, where one reviewer wrote, I cannot abide this woman.  She is a menace to society. People werent just saying I didnt like it. They were also saying I wish she wouldnt have written it.

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EM: I think thats related more to the fact that women are criticized so harshly for every choice we makeand usually the women who didnt make that choice are also being harshly criticized, so theres no actual way to win.

JDH: I got the feeling that Theres no actual way to win was part of what informed Gilberts decision at the end of the book to cut all her hair (duck fluff!) off and give up on chasing conventional beauty. And that, of course, was tied to her experience in a 12-step recovery program for sex and love addiction, which makes up a significant part of the book. (As she described it in an interview with the LA Times: Historically, I have always needed to be with somebody whom I believed I could not live without, or somebody whom I believed could not live without me. Id throw away any sense of balance, reason and integrity, all so I could give my all to somebody. As with all types of addictions, I was trying to escape the pain of my reality. The high always works till it doesntthen comes the suffering. This kind of mad attraction, attention and abandon comes to a screeching halt when one of the parties changes their mind and starts to pull away. Then comes the withdrawal process, which feels like death.) That part of the story has received much less attention than the (honestly, more interesting) roller-coaster relationship with Rayya, but it felt like it was something she really wanted people to understand.

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In your experience, what are some of the challenges that come with writing about addiction?

EM: I do sometimes worry that some addiction writing will be harmful when it leads a person who needs help to justify not getting it because of the authors opinions about specific resources, or when that persons feelings about the writer may cause them to have a negative opinion of a potentially life-saving resource. This is partly why some 12-step groups have conditions of anonymity at the public levelif you write glowingly about a group that got you sober, and then publicly relapse, someone may use that fact to convince themselves that group wont work for them. But I have no objectivity here! Its such a life-or-death thing, and Ive known so many who died resisting resources that might have helped them, including my brother, who also died of the disease of addiction a few years back.

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I also try to be cautious about essays that veer into what I call trauma porna shockingly detailed and upsetting recitation of the details of a harrowing or traumatic experience without any perspective, point of view, or relevant takeaway that justifies including them. Its like that famous self-help quote about the three things to ask yourself before you say (or in this case write) anything: 1) Does this need to be said? 2) Does this need to be said by me? 3) Does this need to be said by me now?

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JDH: Oh, I never knew the reasoning for not writing about 12-step groups but that makes a lot of sense. Ive read a lot of addiction memoirs and a lot of people break that rule. Does that piss off the group? (Also does Gilbert think she was getting around this by just calling the meetings the rooms?)

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EM: Yes, that is how we get around itby being vague. It is actually acceptable to say youre in recoveryI checked a pamphlet about this for youas long as you dont specifically name the group. Again this is at the public levelpersonal anonymity is different. But its a constantly evolving topic in the age of social media and electronic communication and online meetings; individuals in recovery groups have a wide range of opinions about how it should operate. Some people probably dont care about or even think about public anonymity in recovery. Some other people are pretty hard-line about it.

I try to respect the letter of the tradition when writing or editing stories about recovery. It definitely gets broken a ton. It is legitimately hard for writers to resist spilling our own tea! There are a lot of other reasons why the traditions exist, but I will say the overall purpose is to keep the groups safe, thriving, 100 percent free, and also as protected as possible from the corruptions of fame and profit so they can continue to help those who are helped by them.

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JDH: Turning for a minute from what happened in the story to the way it was written: My colleague Scaachi acted like she wanted to send me to urgent care to see if I was having a stroke when I said I thought the writing was good. But I didmeaning, the words sounded good in my head and the sentences and paragraphs and chapters were strung together in a way that I thought worked just fine. Of course I had some notes. I dont think God should have spoken to Gilbert in her exact writing voice or called her babe. I agree with Jessica Groses critique that she was too often telling the reader how to think about the story. And the wildest part to me was the conversation with Rayyas ghost in the beginning, in which shethe ghostwholeheartedly endorsed the project. It was such a clumsy way of hitting us over the head with the argument that Gilberts choice to expose all of her late partners most vulnerable and private moments was finenecessary, evenand there were no ethical concerns.

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EM: Which is also interesting because shes extremely close-lipped about some living people in the book, like her ex-husband and her parents. So I really believe she feels she has full permission from Rayya to write this story. For me, theres a lot of missing context as a result of some of the omissions. I believe in the genetic aspect of what causes addiction, but theres usually also some nurturewhat were the factors that led Gilbert to develop some of these pretty maladaptive coping mechanisms and what were they initially doing for her?

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Our addictions are usually survival tools, and at some point they work for us. The hellish part is when they stop working and we find were still unable to stop doing them over and over again as consequences pile up around us. When Gilbert writes about walking down Main Street trying to find a business to take a generous loan from her, it sounds nuts, but somewhere in her life experiences or emotional makeup, there is some universal human compulsion that got a little warped and then escalated over many, many years into behavior that can look pretty insane from the outside. Its what they call a progressive disease.

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For example: If you know someonemaybe me, maybe not mewho first started acting out sexually because their parents were emotionally absent and they were harshly bullied in school, and then they discovered that older men sexualizing them online would freely give them positive attention when no one else was, thats a more nuanced and relatable story than if they just write, I Had Sex in a Bush at Central Park and Id Do It Again. (No one had sex in a bush, thats just an examplethat I probably would have published at xoJane.)

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And how did Gilbert authentically shift her perspective and change her coping strategies after hitting bottom with Rayya? Beyond just God talked to me or Ghosts came to my bedroom. My favorite parts of the writing were when she spoke very plainly on the feelings about learning new behavior in recovery. I think I sent you This fool must be smoking roofing tar if she thinks I will never not want the things I crave with all of my heart, a line she writes as a mental response to advice from a fellow in recovery. And her response to a flirtation from an attractive stranger after she enters recovery for love and sex addiction: Instantly, upon reading those words, a bitch forgot she doesnt drink. I wanted more of that uncensored Elizabeth Gilbert throughout the process, rather than feeling like shes reflecting from a perch of her now advanced spirituality.

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JDH: I saw one commenter say this book was like the ultimate xoJane piece. Do you agree? What do you think about the negative reactions that womens confessional writing often elicitsand do you think the not-so-great reception this book has received fits into that pattern? Or was it something else?

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EM: Let me also go on the record as being fully aware that xoJane had a lot of flaws and we made a lot of mistakes, partly driven by some of the factors I mentioned earlier.

But whats most comparable to my xoJane experience is how much people love to pile on women for telling our stories in the raw and without apology. Im not talking about critique of when we fucked up on something important and got rightfully called, like for the I Saw a Black Woman at Yoga story. (IYKYK.) Im talking about the gleeful vitriol of the hate-read, the vicious and self-esteem-shattering comments saying things we wouldnt say to our worst enemy in real life, the snarky forums absolutely dissecting every last shred of a womans life and flaws and physical appearance and perceived mistakes.

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We love to abuse women for telling the truth about their own lives. And I think its partly because telling the truth about womens lives in public reduces shame, and shame is what gets us to oppress ourselves and each other.

So while I loved critiquing this book with you as we read, I also dont really wanna dunk on Elizabeth Gilbert. For one thing, shes a massively successful bestselling memoirist and Im not. A huge number of people have obviously related to and been helped by her work, as people undoubtedly will be by this book. But mostly because we dont dunk on men in the same way. Bourdain (who I love and miss deeply, RIP) writing about struggling with a cocaine and heroin habit while working at Les Halles in Kitchen Confidential was extremely messy, and it got him minted as a bone fide cultural icon every woman I know was desperate to have sex with.

Messy behavior in men is seen as punk rock, but messy behavior in women is like, Wow, she should really be embarrassed for sharing that.

JDH: And then there are people like us who get the slightest hint that a writer might be sharing something thats grounds for embarrassment and immediately make plans to stay up all night reading it.
Sneaking Out and Im A Diva captured the $8,500 divisions of the Autumn Series first leg for two- and three-year-old trotting fillies on Saturday, Oct. 11 at Flamboro Downs.

Sneaking Out thrust forward through the first turn from post five for Dave Boughton, making the lead in the first division before the quarter in :30.3. With pocket-sitting Abbys Medal (Samuel Fillion) breaking stride as they turned towards the stands, Sneaking Out enjoyed a loose lead through 1:02.1 and 1:32 middle splits. She had no trouble sealing the deal off those fractions, coming home in :30 to win by 4-1/2 lengths over Kinnder Trixie (Bert Renaud). Sos Unstoppable (Sylvain Grenier) completed the ticket.

Don Lindsey trains Sneaking Out, who took her second win in five attempts. The rookie daughter of Muscle Mass-Gliding Phoebe is owned by Paul Lindsey of Fergus, Ont. She returned $3.30.

Im A Diva inherited the lead early, built a large advantage through the middle half, and went on to take the second split in 2:04.1. She left third-fastest off the wings from post two but was suddenly in front as the two rivals in front of her both jumped it off, and Im A Diva led to the quarter in :31. She rebuffed a tentative challenge from pocket-sitter Profound Peace (Renaud) approaching the first station and was unopposed from there, putting up a 1:01.1 half and 1:32 three-quarters. Diamond Bank (Scott Coulter) ate into the leaders sizable cushion down the lane, but Im A Diva crossed the line with a half-length to spare under measured handling from Mike Horner. Profound Peace was third.

Im A Diva scored her third consecutive victory for trainer Paul Megens and owner-breeder Saltwater Stable of Moffat, Ont. The sophomore Muscle Mass-Snegem Bianca filly is now three-for-11. The win payoff was $7.10.

The Autumn Series is for Ontario-sired horses that have not earned $10,000 as of Sept. 30. The series for trotting fillies  labelled as Event A  will continue on Oct. 18.

To view Saturdays harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Flamboro Downs.

(Standardbred Canada)
Jason Barlett starred in stakes action at Vernon Downs on Saturday, Oct. 11 as he drove the winners of three of four $352,113 Big Apple Finals for all classes of two-year-olds.

Spencer Hanover highlighted the stakes triple for Bartlett, smashing a track record in the Big Apple Final for trotting colts and geldings. Favourite AI (Yannick Gingras) went on a break before the start, and Twin B Seven Sins (Tyler Buter) led to the quarter in :26.2 before himself breaking stride coming off the first turn. Read The Room (Dylan Huckabone-Miller) then took over the lead and was first to the midway point in :54.2 before taking on Titans Mischief (Matt Kakaley) through three-quarters in 1:23.4. Spencer Hanover made his move three-wide at the bottom of the final turn and blew by the leaders, storming clear by 8-3/4 lengths to take his first career win and set the track record for two-year-old trotters in 1:52.3. Whos Eyes Blues (Brett Beckwith) finished second over Titans Mischief.

Spencer Hanover ($6.92), a son of Chapter Seven-Secret Passion, has now earned $262,118 in 10 outings. He is owned by Jeff Snyder and Arthur Pronti and trained by Marcus Melander.

Nezuko Kamado S, the third of Bartlett's stakes winners, tied a divisional record in the trotting filly contest and completed a sweep of the trot finals for Melander. Storybook Love (Todd Ratchford) was first to the front and put up a :27 quarter before Nezuko Kamado S grabbed control. She led to the half in :56.2 and three-quarters in 1:26.1 and was resolute down the lane, holding the chasing Storybook Love a length behind for the victory. Sharp Seven (Jeff Gregory) was third. The 1:54 mile equalled the track record for two-year-old trotting fillies.

Nezuko Kamado S ($5.06) took her fifth win in eight starts and raised her earnings to $491,083. The Chapter Seven-Zefira Kronos It filly is a homebred for Courant Inc.

Bartlett guided a dominant Fragment to victory in the Big Apple Final for pacing colts and geldings. Fragment tore through the quarter in :25.4 but was faced with the first-up Lakewood Nick (Yannick Gingras) to the half in :55.2. He put that rival away before three-quarters 1:24, then rocketed away from the rest with a :26 final quarter to win by 11-3/4 lengths in 1:50. Hunting Glory (Jordan Stratton) finished second over Ghost Hunt (Ray Schnttker).

Fragment ($2.30), who won his New York Sire Stakes Final earlier this year, is now eight-for-12 with $704,254 in earnings. Per Engblom trains the son of Huntsville-The Show Returns for Engblom Stable LLC, Douglas Sipple, and Peaceful Acre Farm.

Long Shore held on after a taxing trip to capture the pacing filly event. She got away fifth for Yannick Gingras but was out and moving past the quarter in :26.2, brushing past early leader Liberty Style (Bartlett) to take over at the half in :55.4. Odds On Monetary (Ridge Warren) assailed the leader through three-quarters in 1:23.3, but Long Shore repelled her at the top of the lane and staved off the late rally of Existential (Matt Kakaley) by a half-length to prevail in 1:51.4. Odds On Monetary was third.

Long Shore ($5.44), trained by Joe Pavia Jr., has won seven times in nine tries for earnings of $258,445. Her only two defeats came as a result of breaks in her previous two biggest purse tries  a New York Sire Stakes leg and her Excelsior Series Final. The American Ideal-Butchie Beach filly races for owners Vince Ferriero Jr., Dominic Pavia, Eric Prevost, and Lon Frocione.

While Bartlett grabbed the stakes glory, Leon Bailey dominated the undercard with five wins. He oversaw Pembroke Ali's ($3.28) fifth straight victory, with the seven-year-old gelding demolishing his foes by 5-1/2 lengths in 1:52.2 for trainer Joe Skowyra and owners J.R. Ryan and Collin Ryan. Bailey also scored with Monetary Justice ($4.66), Keg Party ($35.98), American Sunshine ($3.82), and Logo ($5.08). Bailey, coming off a career-best year of 214 wins, has racked up 169 victories to date in 2025 and has already set a new seasonal record for earnings. Bailey, a three-time driving titlist at Vernon, now sits 12 wins behind leader Chris Long in the standings this year.

Bailey was in the bike for two-thirds of a training triple for Jessica Okusko. Prior to wins with American Sunshine and Logo, Gregory got Okusko's Idealchrissy ($54.78) home in the third race. The Okusko barn is clicking at a 23.3 per cent rate this year with 48 victories from 206 starts.

Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Friday, Oct. 17 with a post time of 5:05 p.m.

(With files from Vernon Downs; photo of Spencer Hanover winning on Oct. 11)
Multiple graded stakes-winning pacer Sabonis has been retired from racing and will stand stud in 2026.

Diamond Creek announced on Sunday, Oct. 12 that Sabonis will stand stud in Indiana in partnership with Cornerstone Stock Farm and Premier Acres for a stud fee of $3,500 USD.

A four-year-old son of Tellitlikeitis out of the Roll With Joe mare Gypsy Bellevue, Sabonis earned 19 career wins with seven other top three finishes from 30 starts while earning $1,110,667.

Sabonis was declared Hoosiers Winningest Horse of 2024 with an impressive 15 wins from 17 starts at the Anderson, Indiana oval, including seven Indiana Sires Stakes, the Hoosier Cup and Grade 3 Jennas Beach Boy. His three-year-old season also included a victory in the Grade 2 Carl Milstein Memorial at Northfield Park for trainer Aaron Stutzman.

Purchased as a four-year-old by Diamond Creek Racing and Pelling Racing, Sabonis scored a career-best 1:47.3 victory in the Grade 2 Graduate Series final at The Meadowlands and returned to Indiana to capture the Grade 2 Dan Patch Stakes while trained by Brett Pelling.

Anyone that follows the Indiana program knows just how dominant Sabonis was, said Jeff Fought of Cornerstone Stock Farm. It was no surprise to see what he went on to do nationally as a four-year-old. Well be heavily supporting him as he comes back home to begin his stallion career.

Trainer Brett Pelling added, Having been around successful stallions, I see similar traits in Sabonis in regards to his strength and intelligence.

Sabonis is now being syndicated and will be available for inspection at the upcoming Midwest Standardbred Horse Sale at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on Wednesday, Oct. 15. Breeders are welcome to visit Sabonis and discuss syndication details. A special offer will be available to breeders who reserve their shares at the sale. A limited number of shares are available.

For syndication details, contact Diamond Creek Farm by email at [email protected] or phone 717-638-7100, or contact Cornerstone Stock Farm by email at [email protected] or phone 260-463-1649.

(With files from Diamond Creek Farm)
Trotting stallion Fiftydallarbill, who won a Breeders Crown in 2017 and finished his career with more than $1 million in earnings, was humanely euthanized due to complications from Colitis-X on Sept. 10 at the age of 10.

A son of Swan For All out of the mare CR Dixie Chick, Fiftydallarbill won his Breeders Crown trophy as a two-year-old at his home track of Harrahs Hoosier Park, defeating Mets Hall by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:55. The following year, he was an Indiana Sire Stakes champion and finished third in the Canadian Trotting Classic.

As a four-year-old, Fiftydallarbills wins included a victory in a career-best 1:50.2 over Six Pack in a leg of the Graduate Series. He also finished second twice in the Graduate prelims, as well as in the Dayton Trotting Derby, and was third in the Maxie Lee Memorial Invitational.

Fiftydallarbill was retired to stud duty following his five-year-old campaign. He concluded his racing career with 20 wins and a total of 37 top-three finishes in 66 starts, banking $1.05 million in the process.

Standing as a stallion in Indiana, Fiftydallarbills first crop reached the racetrack in 2024. So far, he has produced the earners of nearly $1 million, including multiple stakes-winning three-year-old filly Fifty To Win and freshman Madison County winner Bravo Alpha.

Fiftydallarbills connections would like to offer thanks to all the vets, caregivers, trainers, and drivers who went above and beyond to support his career and well-being.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Fiftydallarbill.

(USTA)
Former president of the Fyzabad Chamber of Commerce, Angie Jairam, has been appointed as the
We are hearing a lot about the 10% to be paid to public servants, but nothing is said about 
Adnan Ali, TwoCircles.net

Indore: Madhya Pradeshs Indore, which is often celebrated as the cleanest in India, is facing a growing unease that has nothing to do with sanitation. The city is witnessing rising social tension as reports of alleged discrimination and boycott calls against the Muslim community often come to light.

After targeting comedian Munawar Faruqui in the past, Eklavya Singh Gaur, son of BJP MLA Malini Laxman Singh Gaur, has made a new appeal. He has urged traders in Sitalamata Bazaar to remove all Muslim salesmen and asked Muslim tenants to vacate their shops within two months.

He claims that the market encourages what he calls love jihad, alleging that Muslim salesmen misuse their work to obtain womens phone numbers.

However, many traders have rejected the allegation. Balwant Singh Rathore, a shopkeeper in the market, said, I believe that no ones livelihood should be snatched away. My partner is a Muslim, and together we run a shop.

On September 27, 2025, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Congress Rajya Sabha MP Digvijay Singh tried to visit Sitalamata Bazaar but was stopped, citing security reasons. He later met Additional DCP (Zone-4 Indore) Dishesh Agrawal at Sarafa Police Station regarding a memorandum submitted by Congress.

Outside the police station, Hindutva activists displayed bangles to Singh and accused him of supporting jihadis. Across the market, saffron flags were raised and posters declared it a jihad-free market.

The Congress had earlier (on September 15) submitted a memorandum against Gaur, demanding strict action and registration of an FIR. The party said the appeal was an attempt to destroy Indores long-standing culture of harmony. The police are accused of not actingnon that complaint so far.

Tensions have also spread to the Kankeshwari Mela ground over a fair contract. BJP MLA Ramesh Mendola had awarded the contract for the fair to one Mahesh Paliwal, who later handed it to a Muslim youth named Firoz. The Hindu Jagran Manch objected to this, saying it hurt religious sentiments and demanded immediate action.

On September 24, Mendolas supporter and expelled BJP councillor Jitu Yadav (Jatav) said, When contracts related to fairs and such religious and cultural events are given to non-Hindus, it creates resentment in the society, which can never be accepted. Firoz took the contract in the name of Mahesh Paliwal and then gave permission to people belonging to the Muslim community to set up shops and rides in the fair.

Yadav said he checked all IDs at the fair and removed shopkeepers belonging to non-Hindu communities, allowing only a few Hindu women to keep their stalls. He added that the contract was taken back from Mahesh alias Guddu.

Both episodes have stirred concern in Indore, a city once known for its openness and shared traditions. The growing exclusion of Muslim traders and workers is being seen as a sign of deepening divisions in the citys social life.
By Saeed Shah

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -Dozens of fighters were killed in overnight border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, both sides said on Sunday, in the most serious fighting between the neighbours since the Taliban came to power in Kabul.

The Pakistan military said that 23 of its soldiers were killed in the clashes. The Taliban said nine on its side were killed.

Tensions have risen after Islamabad demanded the Taliban take action against militants who have stepped up attacks in Pakistan, saying they operate from havens in Afghanistan. The Taliban, which came to power in 2021, denies that Pakistani militants are present on its soil.

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Each side said it inflicted far higher casualties on the other side, without providing evidence. Pakistan said it had killed more than 200 Afghan Taliban and allied fighters, while Afghanistan said that it had killed 58 Pakistani soldiers.

Reuters was not able to independently verify the figures.

PAKISTANI AIRSTRIKES TRIGGER RETALIATORY ATTACKS

On Thursday, Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Kabul and on a marketplace in eastern Afghanistan, according to Pakistani security officials and the Taliban, setting off retaliatory attacks by the Taliban. Pakistan has not officially acknowledged the airstrikes.

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Afghan troops opened fire on Pakistani border posts late on Saturday. Pakistan said that it had responded with gun and artillery fire.

Both nations claimed to have destroyed border posts of the other side. Pakistani security officials shared video footage, which they said showed Afghan posts being hit.

The exchanges were mostly over on Sunday morning, Pakistani security officials said. But in Pakistan's Kurram area, intermittent gunfire continued, according to local officials and residents.

Afghanistan's ministry of defence had previously said that their operation had finished at midnight local time.

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Kabul said on Sunday that it had halted attacks at the request of Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The two Arab Gulf nations had released statements of concern about the clashes.

"There is no kind of threat in any part of Afghanistan's territory," the Taliban administration's spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said Sunday. "The Islamic Emirate and the people of Afghanistan will defend their land and remain resolute and committed in this defence."

Mujahid said that fighting was ongoing in some areas.

BORDER CROSSINGS CLOSED

Pakistani officials said on Sunday Pakistan had closed crossings along the 2,600-km (1,600-mile) border with Afghanistan, a disputed colonial-era frontier known as the Durand line drawn up by the British in 1893.

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The two main border crossings with Afghanistan, at Torkham and Chaman, and at least three minor crossings, at Kharlachi, Angoor Adda and Ghulam Khan, were closed on Sunday, local officials said.

The Pakistani airstrikes coincided with a rare visit to India by a Taliban leader, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, which resulted in an announcement by India on Friday to upgrade relations. India is Pakistan's longstanding adversary, with the trip causing concern in Islamabad.

(Reporting by Saeed Shah, Mohammad Yunus Yawar and Mushtaq Ali; additional reporting by Saud Mehsud and Saleem Ahmed; writing by Saeed Shah; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Ros Russell)
Phan Duc Trung, chair of the Vietnam Blockchain and Digital Asset Association

More than 90 percent of tokens created in the 2020-2022 period have lost value or ceased operation.

Resolution No05 on piloting a tokenized asset market in Vietnam, issued by the government and effective from September 9, still leaves many points unclear to the community. VietNamNet spoke with Phan Duc Trung, chair of the Vietnam Blockchain and Digital Asset Association (VBA), to clarify these issues.

How do you evaluate the introduction of Resolution 05/2025/NQ-CP, particularly the licensing of domestic businesses to provide trading market services and offer or issue tokenized assets?

Resolution 05/2025/NQ-CP on piloting a tokenized asset market in Vietnam is a swift and timely move. The state has identified RWA, or tokenized real assets, as the key focus to promote. This is not only a trend in Vietnam but a global movement.

According to a 2023 report by Boston Consulting Group and Ripple, the RWA market could reach nearly $19 trillion, equivalent to 10 percent of global GDP by 2033. So it can be said that Vietnam has chosen the right path by introducing RWA in the pilot phase.

The key point is that this mechanism will enhance liquidity for existing assets in Vietnam, from real estate and infrastructure to commodities, while opening opportunities to directly access international investors instead of relying solely on traditional stock markets. In other words, Vietnam has seized a major trend projected to grow explosively in the coming years.

However, for this market to develop sustainably, two prerequisites are needed, including liquidity and transparency. Blockchain enables transparency and rapid traceability of each transaction. The 24/7 trading feature is only truly attractive when there is connectivity and a secondary market is formed, something that many investors in Vietnam are waiting for, but which I haven't seen clearly in this resolution.

The resolution stipulates that only Vietnamese enterprises with minimum charter capital of VND10,000 billion can be licensed. Some argue this could hand the market over to large corporations, shutting out smaller businesses. What is your view?

I dont think the opportunity is closed to smaller businesses.

First, startups and small andmedium enterprises (SMEs) can still participate in the digital asset market, especially in innovation hubs or financial centers that the government is planning, such as the international financial center in Da Nang or HCMC.

This is a reasonable step, as Vietnam is internationally recognized as a country actively promoting innovation and has already established legal frameworks to support it. Startups and businesses should proactively approach these zones to get policy support.

Second, for large enterprises, setting a minimum charter capital of VND10,000 billion reflects a cautious approach by the government. Looking back to 1996, the average charter capital of a Vietnamese bank was only about VND100 billion, but today many banks have surpassed tens of thousands of billions. This shows the scale of the economy has grown significantly, and the governments strategy to initially attract large corporations is appropriate.

Large enterprises not only ensure operational capacity but can also cooperate and pave the way for smaller businesses to participate in the secondary market.

The digital asset market is different from the stock market. While the stock market in Vietnam only has three official exchanges (including Upcom), the digital asset market can be driven by a few major players on the primary market, who can then collaborate with smaller businesses in either the secondary market or through joint ventures, offering specific products and services.

The resolution also requires domestic issuance and offering of digital assets to be based solely on real-world assets, and transactions must be settled in Vietnamese dong. Will this limit the development of the digital asset market in Vietnam?

For businesses, there are currently three main capital mobilization channels: the stock market, bond issuance, and bank credit. Adding tokenized RWA as a new funding channel will open up new opportunities, even for smaller businesses that are not yet eligible to list.

Regarding transactions in Vietnamese dong, this may be a temporary but necessary restriction to maintain monetary policy stability and control the balance of payments. Many countries have adopted similar approaches in early stages, later expanding to foreign currencies or other assets. Singapore and Japan are two notable examples, both had strict controls initially and only loosened them once the market matured and investors were better trained.

Thai Khang
HA NOI  The state visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and attendance at the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) from October 9-11 by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation was a success, producing numerous notable outcomes, according to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu.

Vu stressed that the visit was an important foreign political event for both Parties and countries, especially as the two sides actively implement their respective Party Congress resolutions in preparation for the 14th National Congress of the CPV and the 9th Congress of the WPK.

The visit helped generate new momentum and strengthen the traditional friendship between Vietnam and the DPRK, Vu said, noting that the two leaders spent considerable time reviewing the long-standing relationship, established by President Ho Chi Minh and President Kim Il Sung, and expressed mutual appreciation for the support provided to each other in the past.

Through frank, sincere, and substantive exchanges between the two leaders, along with the signing of several cooperation agreements, the visit helped elevate the traditional friendship between Viet Nam and the DPRK to a new stage, he noted.

The two leaders agreed on key cooperation directions to strengthen the bilateral ties sustainably, focusing on sectors such as economy, tourism, culture, education, information and communication, and healthcare, in line with each countrys strengths, demand, and relevant international regulations, Vu said.

They shared their views and positions on regional and international issues of mutual concern. The Vietnamese Party chief reiterated Viet Nam's consistent stance on contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world, including matters concerning the Korean Peninsula and the East Sea, he noted.

The Deputy FM stated that with these outcomes, the visit represents a concrete advancement of the Party and States consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation, and development; treasuring relations with traditional friends; and demonstrating Viet Nam's role as a responsible member of the international community, and a country undergoing renewal and successfully advancing reform in the international community.

It can be said that the outcomes of the visit have opened a new chapter in the long-standing friendship between Viet Nam and the DPRK, marking an important milestone in the two nations cooperation and development in the new era, the deputy minister stated.

On the basis of the perceptions and commitments reached by the top leaders of the two countries, as well as the agreements signed during the visit, Viet Nam and the DPRK will work closely in the time ahead to implement and materialise the achieved results in the following key areas:

First, both sides will continue to strengthen political trust through enhanced exchanges and contacts between senior leaders, while maintaining delegation exchanges via Party, State, Government, parliamentary, local, and people-to-people channels, along with sustaining and effectively implementing existing cooperation mechanisms.

Second, the two countries will work closely to concretise the shared perceptions and the signed agreements, and to foster cooperation in areas suited to both sides strengths, including culture, tourism, sports, education, health, agriculture, and information and communications. Immediately after their talks, the two leaders instructed relevant ministries, sectors, and agencies to promptly carry out the agreed cooperation activities.

Third, the two sides will maintain coordination at regional and international mechanisms and forums of shared interest particularly within the frameworks of the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), thereby contributing to promoting the trend of peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

With the positive outcomes achieved during the visit, Vu expressed his confidence that the foundation of friendship between the two countries will be further strengthened, the will and desire for cooperation will be sustained, and Viet NamDPRK relations will continue to grow in a stable and solid manner in the future, for the benefit of both nations' people and for peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.  VNA/VNS
NGHE AN  Proud of their past and confident in the future, the army and people of Military Region 4 are preserving deep loyalty, promoting the identity of this heroic land and uniting in efforts to build a prosperous, strong, democratic, just and civilised nation, worthy of the trust of the Party, the State and the people.

Party General Secretary To Lam made the remarks while attending the 80th Anniversary Celebration of the Military Region 4 Armed Forces Traditional Day (October 15, 1945 - October 15, 2025), held on Sunday morning in the central province of Nghe An.

In his speech, Party leader Lam, Secretary of the Central Military Commission, affirmed that across Military Region 4  the land of fire and the heroic frontline  every inch of soil, every stretch of sky, every metre of sea was soaked with sweat, blood, sacrifice and steadfast will.

This is a strong rampart of the Fatherland, an iron belt securing the borders amid countless storms of war, while also serving as a great rear base for major frontlines, persistently supplying human resources and material strength to bring about the nations great victory, he said.

It is also a land of spiritual and talented people, the birthplace and nurturing ground of numerous heroes, celebrities, revolutionaries and cultural figures who contributed wisdom, courage and dedication to the country.

The people of Military Region 4 embody bravery, resilience, loyalty and fidelity. When the country is in danger, they are ready to sacrifice everything for the nation. In times of peace and reconstruction, they are diligent, creative and strive to advance.

Lam emphasised that after enduring bombs and gunfire from Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh to Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Hue, Military Region 4 still stood firm, resilient, fought and triumphed. This tradition has been continually forged so that today it shines in the mission of building and defending the Fatherland.

Over the past 80 years of building, fighting, winning and growing, generations of leaders, commanders, officers, soldiers and workers of the Military Region 4 Armed Forces have demonstrated bravery, intelligence and the art of Vietnamese military strategy.

They have achieved numerous heroic feats and outstanding accomplishments in the wars of national liberation as well as in the cause of nation-building and defence.

Reliable political force

To successfully fulfil its functions and missions, General Secretary Lam requested the thorough implementation of Ho Chi Minhs military thought, the Partys military and defence policies and the breakthroughs approved by the Military Region 4 Party Committee and the 12th Military Party Congress.

The forces must proactively prepare plans, improve combat readiness, unite and cooperate closely with local Party committees, authorities and people, promote comprehensive strength, and build and consolidate all-people national defence.

He requested a focus on building the Military Region 4 Armed Forces to be revolutionary, regular, elite and modern.

Personnel must be trained in courage, techniques, tactics and mastery of all types of weapons and equipment, especially new and modern systems.

Party chief Lam pointed out that no matter how modern the weapons and equipment, the human factor remains decisive. Modernisation must therefore primarily focus on officers and soldiers in terms of mindset, expertise and the ability to apply science to master and maximise the use of equipment.

They must be ready to fight and win in all situations and respond promptly and effectively to non-traditional security challenges, particularly in Military Region 4, which annually faces natural disasters and floods.

In any circumstance, the Military Region 4 Armed Forces will always be the reliable political force, the loyal fighting force of the Party, the State and the people, ready to undertake and excellently complete all assigned tasks, Party General Secretary Lam emphasised.

He instructed a focus on strengthening military and civilian solidarity, building strong political foundations locally, establishing a firm peoples defence posture and the great national unity bloc, and performing effectively in defence diplomacy.

There should be a close link between consolidating national defence and security and socio-economic development, improving soldiers lives, and helping people in remote, mountainous and border areas stabilise their lives.

At the same time, the Military Region 4 Armed Forces must carry out defence diplomacy with Laos, contributing to nurturing great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and armies.

With the accomplishments, feats and glorious traditions over the past 80 years, Party General Secretary Lam trusts that all officers, commanders, soldiers and workers of the Military Region 4 Armed Forces will continue to excellently complete all assigned tasks.

At the celebration, on behalf of the Party and State leadership, Lam awarded the Ho Chi Minh Order to the Military Region 4 Armed Forces, recognising their long-standing tradition and particularly outstanding contributions to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation.  VNS
HA NOI  The first Congress of the Governments Party Organisation, the 202530 tenure, had its preparatory meeting held under the chair of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, who is also Politburo member and Secretary of the Governments Party Committee, on Sunday.

The meeting, taking place at the National Convention Centre in Ha Noi, saw the presence of Politburo members, Secretaries of the Party Central Committee, members of the Party Central Committee; Deputy PMs, Deputy Secretaries of the Governments Party Committee; members of the Standing Board of the Governments Party Committee; and leaders of ministries, sectors, agencies, and enterprises who are members of the Governments Party Committee.

The congress is attended by 453 delegates representing more than 209,000 members of the 2,211 Party units across the Governments Party Organisation.

Prior to the event, participants paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum, along with heroes and martyrs at the monument on Bac Son Street.

The preparatory meeting elected the Presidium and Secretariat of the congress, and the board for verifying delegates eligibility. Participants adopted the agenda and working regulations for the congress. Later, group and plenary discussions were convened.

Concluding the preparatory meeting, PM Chinh spoke highly of the sub-committees thorough preparations in terms of the political reports, content, and organisation, noting that the draft documents submitted to the congress had been created in a serious, methodical, scientific, and democratic manner in line with regulations.

In addition, he applauded the exhibitions on the achievements of the subordinate Party committees over the last five years; attainments in science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation; as well as successes in economic, cultural, and social development, which make the congress not only a particularly important political event but also a festival of the entire Party Organisation.

Highlighting focal issues for discussion on October 12 afternoon and at the official session on October 13, he asked delegates to show a high sense of responsibility, discipline, solidarity, wisdom, reform, and efficiency to give opinions on the documents of the congress and the drafts to be submitted to the 14th National Party Congress.

The PM requested that aside from reviewing the outstanding results of the 20202025 tenure amid numerous difficulties and challenges, they should point out lessons and shortcomings needing to be addressed. Notably, they should propose breakthrough tasks and measures for successfully implementing the resolution of the coming national congress, thereby ushering in an era of prosperity, civilisation, and happiness for the nation.

The congress for 20252030 is the first of the Governments Party Organisation since the new organisational model was applied.

It is aimed at assessing the results gained during 20202025; reviewing the performance of the Governments Party Committee during the previous tenure; identifying orientations, targets, tasks, and measures for 20252030; and looking into the draft documents to be submitted to the 14th National Party Congress.  VNA/VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam has achieved remarkable socio-economic progress over the past tenure, driven by the concerted efforts of ministries and localities to seize opportunities and overcome challenges under the Party and Governments leadership, Politburo member and Standing Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh said.

Addressing a group discussion within the preparatory session of the first Congress of the Governments Party Organisation on Sunday, Binh, who is also Standing Deputy Secretary of the Government Party Committee, said these achievements came despite unprecedented pandemic, extreme natural disasters, and a volatile global and regional landscape.

He mentioned the streamlining of political system and reorganisation of administrative units as a highlight in the tenure, noting that this has earned high praise from the international community.

The official called the reorganisation of administrative units a preparation for a new era  the era of acceleration and breakthroughs, creating more space for growth, streamlining bureaucracy, improving the quality of officials, and implementing stronger decentralisation to better serve the people.

He lauded delegates opinions, particularly on issues still under debate, with all participants seeking solutions for breakthrough development in the new era and aiming to achieve double-digit growth within the set timeframe.

Showing strong agreement with the draft Political Report submitted to the congress, delegates noted that it was carefully and scientifically prepared, comprehensively covering all content, objectively reflecting the outcomes of the 20202025 term, and sketching out clear and feasible directions, goals, and solutions for the next term, including six key tasks and three strategic breakthroughs.

They also reviewed the draft documents to be submitted to the 14th National Party Congress, strongly endorsing the assessment of the implementation of the 13th National Party Congress's resolution, which highlighted significant, comprehensive achievements.

However, they also pointed out shortcomings and weaknesses that require the entire Party to earnestly address and strive to overcome in order to usher the country into a new era of rapid and sustainable development and national advancement.  VNA/VNS
THANH HOA  Experts are warning that anorectal diseases such as haemorrhoids and constipation are increasingly affecting younger people in Viet Nam.

At the 13th National Anorectal Scientific Conference on October 11, President of the Viet Nam, Association for Proctology and Director of Tue Tinh Hospital, Le Manh Cuong, said anorectal diseases are common in Viet Nam, affecting about 20-30 per cent of the population. Notably, the disease pattern is shifting, with patients getting younger.

In the past, haemorrhoids were common in people over 40 years old, but now there are many cases of people aged 15-20, even children under 10 years old have the disease, said Cuong.

Experts noted that anal and rectal diseases occur in both men and women, with pregnancy being a leading factor for women.

They added that anorectal diseases are on the rise, while specialised human resources remain limited and uneven across healthcare levels, and some local medical facilities are also inadequate.

The main causes are lifestyle habits such as sitting too long in the toilet to read, play video games, and eat spicy food. These seemingly harmless behaviours are triggering what is considered a 'sensitive' disease even in young children.

Haemorrhoids are not too complicated, but if treated incorrectly, they can have serious consequences. To date, medicine has not yet determined the exact cause of the disease, but has pointed out many risk factors, of which stress is considered the leading factor leading to anorectal diseases, especially haemorrhoids and anal fissures, said Dr Cuong.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Director in charge of the Department of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy Management (under the Ministry of Health) Trinh Thi Dieu Thuong said that in recent years, Vietnamese traditional medicine has been strongly promoted thanks to the harmonious combination of traditional medicine and modern medicine.

This connection not only improves the quality of medical examination and treatment but also creates conditions for expanding training, research and clinical application, said Thuong.

Many hospitals currently combine modern medicine and traditional medicine to treat haemorrhoids and anorectal diseases, helping to reduce pain and limit recurrence with quite good results. After surgery, patients can use oriental medicine to support recovery and avoid complications.

Therefore, this combination helps people have more choices of treatment methods, increasing the effectiveness of treatment. In addition, doctors and medical staff have more opportunities for knowledge exchange and can enhance professional capacity through scientific research activities, while promoting international cooperation and technology transfer.

The conference is a prestigious forum for local and international experts to update knowledge, share clinical experiences and introduce the latest advances in the diagnosis and treatment of anorectal diseases.

Currently, many hospitals and medical facilities nationwide have successfully combined Western and traditional medicine in the treatment of anorectal diseases. Through this conference, experts also hope to build a new protocol in the diagnosis and treatment of anorectal diseases to meet the increasing needs of patients.  VNS
Hai Anh & Thu Van

HA NOI  As torrential rain lashed the northern province of Thai Nguyen late on October 7, Nguyen Thi Mai Anh, an AI specialist based in Ho Chi Minh City, noticed Facebook overflowing with urgent pleas for help  families trapped on rooftops, homes swallowed by floodwater, power lines down.

She messaged her friend Tu Tat Huan in Ha Noi, urging that they take action together.

When people are terrified, they turn to every communication channel they can find - Facebook, comment sections, even groups unrelated to the floods - simply because theyre panicking, Huan said.

The two friends, hundreds of kilometres apart, decided to act. Soon after, ang Long, another technology engineer, joined their effort.

Working through the night, they spent five hours developing an online rescue map to locate and visualise calls for help from flood-hit areas in real time. By 4 am, the first version of the map was ready to use.

"The key was to make it easy for everyone to see which areas urgently required help or supplies, Huan explained.

Building through the night

Mai Anh described how it all began in a rush that night, when the online community was overwhelmed by cries for help.

At first, we searched manually. There were so many posts on big pages and community groups where people were updating the situation in their areas," she said.

"We then built a data pipeline that collects posts every ten minutes, processes them through AI to verify if they relate to rescue requests or floods, extracts the addresses, and plots them on the map.

Instead of creating a mobile app, which many people, especially the elderly, would find difficult to install, they decided to collect information directly from social media.

Most people posting on social networks are middle-aged or older. Theyre not used to downloading new software or sharing their location through apps, but everyone knows how to post or comment on Facebook. Thats why we chose to gather data from Facebook rather than build a separate app, Huan said.

They also discovered that internet connections in flooded areas were extremely weak.

It often took several attempts just to upload one post, so downloading even a small app would have been nearly impossible. Thats why we built a website instead, accessible to anyone without installation, he said.

By dawn, their first version was running. By 8 am, it already had 3,000 users. By the end of 9 October, that number had reached 27,000.

Mapping hope

The platform analyses public posts and comments, displaying them on a heatmap that shows where flood victims most urgently need help.

Red zones indicate heavily affected areas, while isolated 'cold' zones mark where only a few people are stranded and might otherwise be overlooked.

I saw rescue teams commenting that they were using the map to plan routes. It became a helpful support channel, offering extra data when official information couldnt keep up. In Viet Nam, social media often spreads faster than news outlets, so these posts are invaluable during disasters, said Mai Anh.

For her, the experience reaffirmed the power of collaboration between technology and human compassion.

If government or authorised agencies could release similar tools, it would make it much easier for citizens to connect with the right rescue teams and share reliable information, she said.

Huan emphasised that the goal wasnt to produce a public list of addresses for anyone to rush to. Sometimes, people could no longer be reached, or they had already been evacuated.

The map simply visualises which areas have been most affected in the past 24 hours. From there, professionals can make their own judgments. Our next step is to expand support to all provinces hit by floods. Weve optimised it so that adding a new province takes just five minutes.

An idea born in gridlock

Long before the floods, the idea for mapping crises began in a traffic jam.

Severe flooding had once paralysed major roads in Ha Noi for hours. Sitting helplessly in his car, Huan, a software engineer with nearly a decade of experience, began thinking about how technology could ease such moments of paralysis.

When I was stuck in traffic for five hours on Tran Duy Hung Street in Ha Noi, I thought: why not create a tool to visualise traffic in real time, so people know where to go and what to avoid? he said.

That night, he opened his laptop in the car and began coding the first version of vntraffic.app, an interactive map showing real-time road conditions.

His frustration with delayed radio updates from his wife, never quite matching his location, inspired the need for instant, crowd-sourced data.

What began as a traffic map would later become a lifesaving flood rescue tool.

But running the website came with challenges.

Using map data on a private website isnt free. It costs about three to seven dollars per 1,000 users. On the first day, my bill hit 70 dollars, which shocked me, Huan said.

Support soon arrived.

Generous sponsors like Vietmap contacted us and offered free map services to support the project. It was a relief.

But the emotional strain remains the hardest part.

The more users there are, the more you realise they represent real people in danger. Sometimes I cant bring myself to look at the numbers or read the comments, because there are so many heartbreaking cases we cant reach, Huan admitted.

From a night of chaos and despair emerged a symbol of unity between code and compassion. What began as a spontaneous idea between two friends became a lifeline for thousands of flood victims, proving that in moments of crisis, technology can carry both data and hope. Beyond the immediate impact, their story highlights the growing power of Viet Nams young tech community to mobilise quickly, bridge information gaps, and create solutions. In the face of climate change and increasingly unpredictable disasters, this kind of citizen-driven innovation could become an essential part of the countrys resilience.  VNS
o Quang Tuan Hoang

What began as a routine getaway soon turned into an unexpected journey of discovery for inh Lan Anh, a tourist from Ha Noi, when she witnessed the intricate art of pearl harvesting and refinement on Phu Quoc, Viet Nams famed Pearl Island in An Giang Province.

Following instructions, Anh boarded a boat at 7am from Rach Vem pier, 25km north of the Duong ong, now part of the Phu Quoc Special Administrative Zone. After a 15-minute ride across the sea, she arrived at an oyster farm.

Guided along rows of floating buoys, the boat stopped at points where crew members and visitors leaned over the deck to pull up ropes bearing cages of Pinctada maxima oysters, cultivated for five years. One by one, the cages were stacked on the deck.

By 8am, the boat returned to the processing area, where dozens of workers were already in motion  some swiftly opening oysters, others feeding trays of oyster flesh into machines with limewater to extract pearls, while colleagues inspected, measured and sorted the glistening gems.

At 4.30pm, after a bustling day filled with gasps and excitement, Anh sat back to enjoy the view of the turquoise sea and white sand, savouring dishes made from oyster meat and fresh Phu Quoc seafood.

The next morning, she proudly wore a necklace, a pair of earrings and a ring crafted from pearls she had personally harvested and selected.

This is the first time Ive ever experienced pearl harvesting firsthand. I always thought pearls were collected one by one. Who would have imagined witnessing hundreds of kilograms harvested in a single day? This jewellery set is truly special and the memory is unforgettable, Anh said.

She is one of many domestic and international visitors eager to join the pearl harvesting experience tour offered by Ngoc Hien Pearl Co. Ltd.

Founded in 1994, the company currently operates a 1,000-hectare pearl farming estate in Rach Vem, located in the Phu Quoc Special Administrative Zone, An Giang Province.

Pearl cultivation

Farm manager Hoang Van Thanh has been involved in every stage of pearl cultivation since 1997, making him both passionate and highly experienced.

The waters of Rach Vem are salty, clean, warm, calm and rich in nutrients, providing ideal conditions for pearl oyster farming. Oysters dont need to be fed; they naturally consume algae, which also helps purify the seawater. However, they are very delicate, so the cages must be cleaned weekly to keep them healthy, disease-free and growing well, said Thanh.

When the oysters are young, workers use brushes to scrub mud from the cages and remove organisms such as barnacles (Balanus) and oysters (Ostrea) from the shells. Once the oysters reach five centimetres or more, high-pressure water jets are used to clean the cages. Dead oysters and harmful predators are also removed, with some of the most dangerous being crabs and thorny snails (L. caudata), which feed on juvenile oysters and drastically reduce survival rates.

Regular monitoring of oyster growth is essential to adjust cage density and spacing, ensuring optimal conditions for healthy development, Thanh said.

Pinctada maxima oysters are a rare and precious species, the largest in the marine oyster family Pteriidae. Their shells can reach up to 30cm in length, are nearly round and flattened on both sides. When cultured, they produce large, round pearls over 10mm in diameter, and can grow up to 20mm if cultivated for six to seven years.

These pearls are golden or silvery in colour and hold exceptionally high economic value. However, the survival rate of the oysters is only around 60 to 70 per cent.

The Ngoc Hien Pearl Company spent 10 years successfully researching the technique of implanting nuclei into the oysters internal organs. In addition to the rare Pinctada maxima species, the company also cultivates other pearl oyster varieties such as Akoya, Tahiti, and Mabe. All pearl farming and harvesting processes are strictly inspected by Vinacontrol Group.

The entire life cycle of the oysters  whether three or five years  is closely monitored. Each pearl has a traceability tag and a clear origin profile stating Cultured pearl from Phu Quoc, Vietnam', said Bui Duy Chinh, chairman of the Board of Directors of Vinacontrol Group.

Thanks to ideal natural conditions and advanced human techniques, the company harvests two pearl crops annually, each yielding around 300,000 to 320,000 pearls, totalling 600,000 to 700,000 pearls per year.

In exceptional years, the harvest reaches 700 to 800 kilograms. On average, the company collects 100kg of Pinctada maxima pearls (cultured over five years) and 200 to 300kg of Akoya, Tahiti, and Mabe pearls (cultured over three years). About 70 per cent of the pearls are exported to Japan.

The value of a pearl is determined by its shape, colour and thickness. The rounder the pearl, the more valuable it is, the thicker it is, the more lustrous it becomes, said Ho Phi Thuy, director of Ngoc Hien Pearl Co. Ltd.

The largest pearl we ever harvested was over 10 years ago, with a diameter of 21mm, sold to Japan for VN1.2 billion (nearly US$45,500). Such exceptional pearls are rare  sometimes we raise a million oysters and get none, but other times, just 100 oysters yield several pearls.

Known as the 'Pearl King of Viet Nam', with an annual revenue of nearly VN100 billion (nearly $3.8 million), Thuy has been recognised as one of the 63 outstanding farmers in Viet Nam in 2025 by the Viet Nam Farmers Union.

Pearl value

According to experts, the jewellery value of a pearl is defined by a combination of lustre, colour, size, surface blemishes, and symmetry. Among these, lustre is the most important factor in assessing quality. If all other factors are equal, the larger the pearl, the more valuable it is. Large, round pearls are rare and highly prized.

Viet Nams Nguyen Dynasty once possessed a legendary strand of 23 melo pearls in vivid orange. This treasure eventually ended up in the hands of a Swiss merchant in 1993, four years before the last Emperor Bao ai passed away in Paris, France.

The largest pearl in the strand weighed 397.52 carats, measuring 37.97mm x 37.58mm, and was purchased by an anonymous buyer for $7 million.

In 2011, a rare, deep orange 10mm melo pearl from the waters off Phan Thiet was sold to a Japanese buyer for $65,000.

Since 2007, Viet Nam has produced pearls that rival or even surpass those from Japan and China in beauty, thanks to its warmer and less polluted seawater.

Viet Nams "Strategy for Marine Aquaculture Development to 2030, with a Vision to 2045", clearly states the goal of developing industrial-scale farming of four economically valuable pearl oyster species -- Pinctada martensii, Pinctada margaritifera, Pinctada maxima and Pteria penguin -- in calm coastal areas.

The strategy also emphasises the development of pearl processing and commercialisation industries. By 2030, the target is to harvest 200 tonnes of pearls (sized 7.010mm), generating gross revenue of $35 billion, with processed pearl products potentially reaching $8 billion in value. VNS
A theatrical production highlighting the cultural identity and spiritual values of the Dao ethnic community in northern Viet Nam will be staged in Sa Pa this December. Titled Thieng (Sacred), the show features a cast of 60 local Dao residents and aims to preserve and promote Dao heritage. The script was penned by Ha Van Thang, former director of the Department of Tourism of Lao Cai Province, who has spent decades researching and working closely with the Dao community. He shares his journey with Viet Nam News reporter Thuy Hang.

Inner Sanctum: What inspired you to write the script for 'Thieng'? How long did it take to complete?

I grew up in Lao Cai, surrounded by the rhythms of ethnic minority life, especially among the Dao. Their warmth, simplicity and rich traditions  rituals, music, dance, and painting  left a deep impression on me. That connection led me to pursue culture and tourism.

Over the years, Ive engaged with Dao culture through photography, poetry, heritage documentation and nominating artisans for recognition. The more I learned, the more I felt compelled to do something meaningful to honour their cultural soul. Thieng grew from that reflection and took over two years of writing and revision to complete.

Inner Sanctum: Sa Pa is home to several ethnic groups. Why did you choose to focus on the Dao for this performance?

Sa Pa hosts five ethnic minorities  Mong, Dao, Tay, Giay and Xa Pho. In 2023, Vu ieu Duoi Trang (Dance Under the Moonlight) celebrated all five. But with Thieng, I wanted to offer a deeper, more focused experience of Dao culture.

The Dao are the second-largest ethnic group in Sa Pa. By November, theyve finished the harvest and are available to participate. The dry, misty weather also aligns with their belief that ancestral worship was born from auspicious clouds, making it an ideal time to stage the performance.

Inner Sanctum: The 'le cap sac' ritual plays a central role in 'Thieng'. Why is it significant?

The le cap sac is the Daos most important rite of passage, marking a mans transition into adulthood and spiritual responsibility. Traditionally held between November and January, its a deeply symbolic ceremony.

In Thieng, we reimagine this ritual on stage for the first time. Though its an artistic interpretation, weve carefully chosen the timing and setting to reflect the Dao worldview and ensure cultural authenticity.

Inner Sanctum: How did you and director ang Xuan Truong collaborate to bring the script to life? Are you satisfied with the result?

From the beginning, we shared a vision: to preserve the authenticity and depth of Dao culture. We held discussions, visited villages, met with master artisans and ritual practitioners, and agreed on key themes  Earth, Water, Fire, Love, and Faith  that reflect Dao philosophy.

The performance had to be "sacralised" by those who truly embody Dao culture  shamans, the brides, and through costumes, props, narration, songs, altar paintings and masks. Stage design, lighting, and music were used subtly, enhancing traditional values without overshadowing them. We wanted the story of light to honour the story of life and divinity, mirroring the harmony between nature and the Dao people.

Im pleased with how the production is shaping up. The local Dao communitys involvement has been enthusiastic, and many props and costumes have been beautifully crafted by Dao artisans. Despite challenges and the lack of government funding, the love and dedication behind Thieng make it a truly meaningful project.

Inner Sanctum: You once led the provincial Department of Culture. Now retired, how do you continue contributing to Sa Pa and Lao Cais cultural and tourism development?

Working closely with ethnic communities has enriched me deeply. I feel a responsibility to give back and honour their trust. I continue visiting villages to learn from cultural masters, guided by a Dao story: An old woman with silver hair and wrinkled skin sits by Mount Bach Van, tirelessly grinding 99 plow blades into sewing needles. Its a metaphor for perseverance that inspires me.

I remain active in sharing and collaborating with local authorities, businesses, and residents to develop cultural and tourism products. These include Sa Pa Lang Le Yeu (Sa Pas Quiet Love), Sa Pa  Thi Tham Suong May (Whispering Mist), Bat Xat  Huyen Thoai Nhung Vi Than (Legends of the Gods) and Bac Ha  Bon Mua Nghieng Say (Four Seasons of Enchantment).

These programmes reflect the vibrant colours, sounds, and rhythms of Viet Nams ethnic communities.

Inner Sanctum: After 'Thieng', are you working on any new projects?

Yes, Ive completed several scripts exploring the cultural identities of the Mong, Dao, Tay, Giay, and Xa Pho peoples. I plan to continue developing works that delve into each groups unique traditions.

One project Im passionate about is Thi Tham Suong May (Whispering Mist). It envisions a green, quiet Sa Pa free from harsh lights and noise, and - filled with flowers, handloom fabrics and the gentle rhythm of the Saturday night love market. It imagines a Sa Pa that hums with leaf horns, jaw harps, drums, bells, and traditional songs.

Realising this vision also means creating sustainable jobs for ethnic residents, allowing them to perform in ways that feel natural and authentic. Its about shaping a Sa Pa that truly touches the soul. VNS
Thuy Hang

Although the West Lake area is known for its endless array of great restaurants, I tend to stick to my usual spots. Most evenings out, I find myself choosing places either downtown or closer to home in Trung Hoa  a neighbourhood that earned the nickname "Korea Town" about a decade ago, thanks to its vibrant South Korean community and the wave of Korean eateries that followed.

Interestingly, the last two times I ventured out to Tay Ho for dinner were both prompted by friends visiting from Ho Chi Minh City. Coincidentally, both restaurants they picked were Vietnamese. For now, Ill focus on the most recent outing.

My friend chose a place called "Chao Ban", literally Hello, Friend. It proved a fitting name for a reunion of old friends who hadnt seen each other in months.

The restaurant is tucked away in a charming colonial-style villa, with tall windows and a staircase leading to a spacious dining room upstairs. It was one of those early autumn evenings  breezy and calm  so we opted for a table outdoors, right beside a small swimming pool and beneath the leafy shade of a towering sapodilla tree.

Our lively conversation never quite paused long enough for us to look at the menu, so we left the decision in the hands of the restaurants owner and head chef, Vincent Cao Minh Page  a man of both French and Vietnamese descent. Laughing, we joked that we were having an "omakase" dinner, Vietnamese style.

After a brief chat, Vincent disappeared into the kitchen and returned with two plates: fried spring rolls and pomelo salad.

The spring rolls were unexpectedly exceptional  golden and crisp on the outside, with a hot filling that burst with the aroma of pepper and other fragrant ingredients. I felt a touch embarrassed to admit that Vincents version might actually surpass mine  and Im a Vietnamese woman whos made spring rolls more times than I can count.

The pomelo salad, however, didnt leave quite the same impression. For this dish to truly shine, two elements are key: a perfectly ripe pomelo  lightly tart, subtly sweet, with firm, juicy segments  and a well-balanced dressing. Vincents salad had promise, but it wouldve been more complete with a richer, more flavourful sauce.

He has every reason to be confident. Born in Paris, Vincent grew up surrounded by the familiar flavours of Vietnamese dishes lovingly prepared by his mother. At just 16, he began apprenticing at a Vietnamese restaurant in Montmartre, where the owner  Bui uc Binh, originally from Hai Phong  inspired him and taught him the fundamentals of hospitality.

His next mentor, Philippe Ricard, was a seasoned entrepreneur with a network of restaurants spanning Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, and Ho Chi Minh City.

In 2011, Vincent partnered with Ricard to open a French restaurant in HCM City, an experience that became a masterclass in building and sustaining a brand.

Later, he trained under the acclaimed chef Didier Corlou, who ignited Vincents deep passion for Vietnamese cuisine. From Corlou, he learned how to infuse every dish with heart, and how to make that emotion resonate with each guest at the table.

After the appetisers, Vincent decided to up the protein game with two grilled specialties: black pork seasoned with wild mac khen pepper, and pork infused with the fragrance of mac mat leaves. Both dishes were irresistibly flavourful, each bite layered with the bold, earthy aroma of natural spices. Paired with a glass of red wine, they reached a level of perfection hard to rival.

The protein parade continued with a stir-fried duck dish  one Id never tried before. Like many beloved Vietnamese stir-fries, it featured minced garlic, but what truly elevated it was the pairing with Vietnamese basil. Vincents choice wasnt just delicious; it was culturally spot-on. In Vietnamese cuisine, duck and basil are a classic duo, and his execution proved that his understanding of traditional flavours could rival that of any native chef.

Our "omakase" journey carried on with a humble yet deeply satisfying dish: braised aubergine with tofu and green banana, served in a clay pot. A staple of Northern Vietnamese home cooking, its a dish that relies on the harmony of simple ingredients. That harmony, however, is deceptively difficult to achieve.

Vincent nailed it. Each component  soft aubergine, creamy tofu and slightly tangy banana  melded into a comforting, flavourful whole. Once again, I had to admit: he made it better than I ever could.

We were fully immersed in the flow of Vietnamese flavours when Vincent introduced one final dish: prawns in coconut cream. Served in a fresh coconut, it featured tiger prawns and a medley of vegetables  mushrooms, carrots and broccoli  all gently simmered in naturally sweet coconut juice and enriched with a touch of coconut cream.

It was a lovely dish  delicate and fragrant  though its flavour profile leaned slightly toward that of neighbouring Thai cuisine. While delicious, it felt like a brief detour from the distinctly Vietnamese journey wed been savouring all evening.

Then came the grand finale "Banana Cake by Madame Gigi", a dessert originally made by Vincents mother back home. Warm and tender, the cake carried the gentle fragrance of ripe bananas and was beautifully paired with a scoop of coconut ice cream.

Vincent shared that the banana cake was made using a cherished recipe passed down from his mother  a way for him to bring a slice of childhood memory into the Chao Bans menu. Though Western in style, the dessert offered a refreshing departure that still felt in tune with the evenings Vietnamese journey.

In addition to a menu featuring over 40 signature dishes from Viet Nams Northern, Central, and Southern regions, Chao Ban also boasts an impressive wine list with more than 40 selections from renowned wine regions across France and Europe. According to Vincent, pairing French wine with Vietnamese cuisine is his way of showing that Vietnamese food can engage in a refined and captivating dialogue with any culinary tradition. VNS

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Chao Ban

Address: Villa 28, Alley 11, To Ngoc Van Street, Tay Ho, Ha Noi

Tel: +84 (024) 35528028

Comment: A truly charming venue  peaceful and shady outdoors, with a cosy yet elegant interior. The deep-fried spring rolls and "Banana Cake by Madame Gigi" are absolute must-tries.
BANGKOK  Bangkok has been ranked as the best city to visit in Asia for 2025 by Smart Travel Asia, a leading digital travel magazine, based on the opinions of hundreds of thousands of travellers and readers worldwide.

The city received the highest votes in the Best Holiday Destination in Asia category, retaining its top position for the second consecutive year.

Smart Travel Asia highlighted Bangkoks strengths as its 24-hour vibrancy and diverse experiences, including food, culture, shopping, and the friendliness of its people, describing it as a city full of energy and colour, day and night.

The city's dominance stems from several compelling factors. Bangkok has emerged as a paradise for food enthusiasts, offering everything from legendary street food stalls to Michelin-starred restaurants and panoramic 360-degree rooftop bars. Its cultural and heritage sites, including the iconic Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Arun, and Wat Pho temples, remain major attractions to international tourists

Additionally, from luxury malls in the city centre to the Chatuchak weekend market, Bangkok caters to every type of shopper. Affordability and friendliness also play a key role, as Bangkok remains an accessible living cost destination where welcoming smiles continue to charm travellers.

In the Smart Travel Asia 2025 rankings, Bali (Indonesia) and Tokyo (Japan) shared second place behind Bangkok, while Seoul (the Republic of Korea) and Luang Prabang (Laos) tied for fourth. Thailand further strengthened its tourism appeal with Chiang Mai placing third and Phuket sharing fifth place with Hong Kong (China).

Having the three cities, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket, in the top 10 highlights the diversity and appeal of Thailands tourism offerings for travellers worldwide.  VNA/VNS
Landlords warn building safety reforms costs underestimated

Landlords have warned the cost of building safety reforms could be far higher than the estimated 132m, with tenants likely to foot much of the bill through higher rents.

The Welsh Governments estimate of 62 for each house in multiple occupation (HMO) for total yearly costs of the building safety bill is a severe underestimate, according to landlords.

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) said a full fire risk assessment alone typically costs 394.50, plus a 100-a-year review, and required upgrades can cost up to 15,000 for a single property.

Writing to the Senedds housing committee, the NRLA said: These costs will generally be passed on to tenants through rent  although significant costs can lead to unprofitability causing sell-offs and reducing the total stock available.

Landlords also warned: The proposals outlined in the building safety bill provide a weak method of enforcement against tenants who regularly fail to comply with their duties.

As a result, it is likely to be slow, cumbersome and provide no meaningful way for landlords to compel a tenant to stop breaching their own fire safety duties.

Massively underestimated

During a housing committee meeting on Thursday (October 9), the private and social housing sectors broadly backed the principles of the bill which was brought forward to ensure the 2017 Grenfell tragedy  in which 72 people died  can never happen again.

But witnesses warned of practical implementation problems and unintended consequences.

Calling the 62-a-year cost estimate far, far away, Steven Bletsoe  the NRLAs deputy director  told Senedd members: We cannot understand where that figure has come from.

Timothy Douglas, from Propertymark, a professional body for sales and letting agents, agreed: Unfortunately, the government assessment is an underestimation.

Jaclyn Mangaroo, from the Property Institute, which represents residential property managers, pointed to high costs for wider compliance even before remediation.

Ms Mangaroo said the largely England-only Building Safety Act similarly massively underestimated upfront costs as she suggested service charges for leaseholders will rise. She described claims insurance premiums could fall under the new system as a myth.

Poorly drafted

Concerns about costs were echoed by social housing landlords.

Community Housing Cymru (CHC), a membership body for housing associations, warned: Without targeted funding support, there is a risk that landlords may be forced to pass costs on to tenants and leaseholders, which we believe would be unacceptable.

CHC said it sought legal advice which showed parts of the bill were poorly drafted, relying heavily on secondary legislation and guidance to follow which creates a guessing game.

Calling for proportionality, CHC head of policy Bethan Proctor said one housing association warned it would cost 100,000 a year to do fire assessments for lower-risk buildings.

Duncan Forbes, chief executive of Trivallis housing association, told the committee: I definitely think a bill is necessary, whether this bill is the right one is another question.

He said: Theres nothing in here about personal emergency evacuation plans, whereas England has got those being introduced. Theres nothing about sprinklers those are the things that would actually be of more value than some of the things that are in here.

ClwydAlyn housing association in north Wales told the committee: Its success will ultimately depend on adequate funding for regulators, effective industry support, and careful monitoring to ensure costs do not unfairly fall on residents.

By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter
New Mexico Gas Co.s headquarters in the Northeast Heights in Albuquerque. The company is launching a new heroes fund to help first responders with financial assistance.

Ernie Cdebaca

As the leader of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce representing hundreds of Hispanic-owned and small businesses across New Mexico, I care deeply about the stability, affordability and reliability of the utilities that serve our communities. As a former public utility executive, I understand the need to have a solid balance sheet and income statement to provide the infrastructure for the current and future energy demands and how that impacts economic development in this state.

Energy costs and access to dependable infrastructure are not just technical issues  they directly affect small-business growth, job creation and economic opportunity. New Mexicos small and Hispanic-owned businesses are key players in building the future of New Mexicos economy. Affordable and dependable energy helps keep that momentum strong.

Recently, theres been growing interest in investing in the utilities that serve our communities and businesses  a trend we should all be paying close attention to. Specifically, Bernhard Capital Partners (BCP) proposal to acquire New Mexico Gas Company represents a $1.2 billion investment in the utility and in our entire state. NMGC serves approximately 90% of residential and commercial natural gas customers in New Mexico. As such, the owners of one of our states largest and most critical assets should be aligned with our vision for economic growth, committed to our communities culture and success, and willing to invest in initiatives that further our states potential. In getting to know the team over the last several months, the Hispano Chamber believes BCP is the partner well-positioned to do just that.

While approval of the transaction remains under review by the Public Regulation Commission, there are some key commitments BCP has made in its application that we as a state should take full advantage of. Their plans keep NMGCs operations, employees and headquarters here in New Mexico and even transition some services currently provided elsewhere back into the state. That means more local jobs and decisions made here, by those who know customers needs best. BCP has also indicated that customer rates will remain stable for an extended period of time, and they have committed to investing millions into economic development initiatives, local nonprofits and relief funding for low-income households, among other priorities.

Our members know firsthand that growth follows reliability. When businesses can count on affordable energy and responsive service, they can grow and hire with confidence. NMGC has been a great partner to the Hispano Chamber and our business community for decades and, by keeping the local leadership team in place, BCP is enhancing the utilitys ability to do even more for its customers.

We encourage continued transparency throughout the regulatory process and thoughtful evaluation of just how this transaction could affect New Mexicos people and businesses. A strong and locally rooted natural gas utility remains vital to our states economic future.

Ernie Cdebaca is the president and CEO of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce.
Harriet Pearl Holmquist Neal Harriet Pearl Holmquist Neal, 88, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, teacher, and photographer passed away on September 25th, 2025 surrounded by her family. Born in Rawlins, Wyoming, on March 18, 1937, Harriet moved to Santa Barbara, California, as a young girl after World War II, but spent most of her adult life in New Mexico and Arizona. Following her formative years in Wyoming and Santa Barbara, Harriet attended college in Colorado and New Mexico, earning degrees in mathematics and philosophy. During and after her education, she raised five children and taught middle and high school mathematics in Albuquerque Public Schools. Later, she pursued advanced degrees and went on to teach philosophy at the University of New Mexico, bringing the same clarity, compassion, and curiosity to higher education that she brought to every classroom. Beyond her professional life, Harriet gave freely of her time and spirit, volunteering for several decades as an art docent at museums in New Mexico and Arizona; serving as President of the National Docent Symposium; serving on the Placitas Library Board in New Mexico; and supported others as a facilitator with Living Through Cancer, drawing from her own strength and courage in facing cancer multiple times during her life. Harriet was an avid outdoor enthusiast and an accomplished photographer who found beauty in the natural world and shared it through her lens. Her love of horses shaped much of her life and family; she passed down that passion by raising and riding horses with her children and mentoring young riders with the U. S. Pony Club. She also brought healing and empathy into the lives of struggling youth through art therapy, offering light and creativity where it was most needed. Harriet cherished art, music, books, and nature, but most of all, people. She believed deeply in giving back to her community through service and the generosity of her spirit that she modeled every day. She strived to live up to these ideals and inspired others to do the same. Harriet is survived by her husband of 40 years, James Neal; her children, Robert Barner, Karl Barner, Erica Seidl, and John Barner; her stepchildren, Rebecca Neal, Ruth Neal, and Matthew Neal; 11 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her stepdaughter, Martha Neal; her daughter, Kathy Diehl; and her granddaughter, Samantha Seidl. Harriet leaves a legacy of strength, kindness, and service. Her middle name, Pearl, perfectly reflects her character: something rare, radiant, and treasured. Just as pearls are formed through resilience, Harriet's life shined with insight, sensitivity, and care. She will be profoundly missed. In honor of Harriet's generous spirit, the family invites donations be made to the Placitas Community Library or the Placitas Artists Series. A memorial sponsored by the Placitas Artists Series with music and featuring photographic art by Harriet will be held at her home on November 30th, 2025 from 1-4 p.m.
The Taliban Didnt Insult India  Our Hypocrisy Did 2

The recent episode where Afghanistans Taliban government held a press conference in its embassy and excluded Indian women journalists is not just another diplomatic blunder; it is a mirror reflecting the moral confusion of our times. A regime that treats women as invisible beings, unworthy of education or participation, was allowed to stage its worldview right here on Indian soil  and our political class responded not with firm clarity, but with noise, blame, and selective outrage. The Taliban, whose governance is a monument to medieval misogyny, barred women from a public event, and instead of addressing the insult as a national affront to every Indian woman, we watched politicians bark at each other  some accusing the government of surrendering to terrorists, others busy explaining protocol loopholes, as if dignity were a clerical error.

The irony is that the same Taliban minister who oversaw the exclusion of women journalists was recently welcomed with garlands in Deoband, Uttar Pradesh  the very place he described as the root of our education. Flowers rained on him, and his words of gratitude echoed across a land where women still fight for the basic right to sit, speak, and pray alongside men. If the Taliban is what they are today  rigid, regressive, anti-women, and violent  then one must at least have the honesty to examine the ideological nursery they revere. But that, of course, is where all our roaring leaders fall silent. None of the loudmouths who spend hours on television debating the Talibans insult to India dared to utter a word about Deoband. Because calling out foreign terrorists is easy; confronting domestic dogmas is political suicide.

Lets speak plainly. If the Taliban are terrorists, and their interpretation of religion fuels brutality and gender apartheid, then what do we call the soil that nurtured their ideas? If those teachings still thrive, celebrated under the name of faith, then outrage against the Taliban alone is an empty gesture. How can we demand that Afghanistan treat women with respect when our own political and religious establishments cannot ensure equality inside our mosques, temples, or streets? The same mindset that keeps women out of the Talibans press room is what keeps them behind curtains, behind walls, and behind silence here. The difference is only in degrees  not in kind.

What makes this entire drama even more grotesque is the hypocrisy of our public reaction. The opposition screams that India has bowed before terrorists, as though diplomacy were a prizefight. The government insists that it was not our event, as though moral responsibility can be outsourced. Everyone is busy scoring points; no one is taking a stand. The women journalists, who were simply doing their jobs, were reduced to collateral in a contest of egos. And the rest of us  citizens, thinkers, media  watched it unfold with the same weary mix of outrage and resignation that accompanies every moral failure dressed as a news cycle.Lets not fool ourselves. The Taliban didnt humiliate India; we humiliated ourselves. Because when misogyny walks into your house and you offer it tea in the name of diplomacy, you are not being hospitable  you are being complicit. And when you allow a man who bans women from schools to be welcomed with garlands in a place that claims to be the seat of enlightenment, you are not practicing tolerance  you are nurturing hypocrisy. Every society has its monsters, but only a decaying one gives them flowers.

Theres a dark comedy in watching politicians, who never utter a word against their domestic vote banks, suddenly become defenders of womens rights when a foreign name is attached. Where is their thunder when young girls in this country are denied education because of social taboos? Where is their courage when clerics preach that women must not share the same prayer space as men? The same leaders who condemn the Taliban for excluding women from a press conference never question the Indian institutions that do the same thing every Friday, every week, every generation. Perhaps the Taliban doesnt have to cross borders  their ideas already live comfortably among us.

Its time we stopped pretending. You cannot stand against terror abroad while tolerating its ideological cousins at home. You cannot condemn the Taliban for suppressing women while justifying gender discrimination in the name of faith within your own borders. And you cannot talk of national pride when your outrage is selective, your morality is borrowed, and your silence is for sale. True strength is not in the thunder of condemnation; it is in the courage to clean your own house.India prides itself on being the land of Durga, Saraswati, and Lakshmi  the goddesses who symbolize strength, wisdom, and prosperity. Yet here we are, defending the right of a foreign regime to disrespect our women on our soil, while worshiping idols of the same virtues in our homes. This is not spirituality; it is schizophrenia. Our politics has turned morality into a costume  worn when convenient, discarded when costly.

This incident should have sparked a national reckoning. It should have forced our leaders to declare that gender equality is non-negotiable, whether in Kabul or Kanpur. It should have made religious institutions introspect whether their teachings empower or imprison. But instead, it became another evening of prime-time theatre. The government offered clarifications, the opposition offered condemnations, and the truth  that deep, uncomfortable truth about our own complicity in preserving medieval mindsets  was buried under noise.

The most dangerous thing about hypocrisy is that it doesnt just hide the truth; it breeds apathy. When people see their leaders shout about morality one day and compromise it the next, they stop believing in the very idea of principles. That is how societies decay  not through invasion or war, but through moral corrosion disguised as diplomacy, tolerance, or culture.If we are truly to call ourselves a modern, sovereign nation, then we must have the courage to look within. Deoband may be a religious institution, but no institution  however sacred  should be immune to scrutiny when it becomes a breeding ground for ideas that justify oppression. The same applies to every other religious or political body that preaches inequality and calls it tradition. The fight against the Taliban is not about borders or diplomacy; it is about the ideas that make the Taliban possible. And some of those ideas, unfortunately, live closer to us than we dare admit.

So yes, let the politicians shout, let the embassies issue denials, let the TV debates run their course. But when the noise dies down, the question that will remain is simple: how long will India continue to preach equality abroad while practising submission at home? The Talibans insult will fade from the headlines, but the deeper insult  the one we inflict upon ourselves by accepting double standards  will remain etched in silence.

This is not just about a press conference. It is about a national conscience that confuses convenience for wisdom, and diplomacy for dignity. A society that tolerates hypocrisy in the name of peace will one day lose both. The day we stop calling out the poison within, we surrender the right to complain about the poison without. And that day, we wont need the Taliban to remind us how far weve fallen  our own silence will do the job perfectly.
Mary Davis Rutledge in late 2025 is thriving, in kindergarten at St. Mary's Catholic School in Mobile and enjoying being a cheerleader. Courtesy of Morgan Rutledge

Could a 5-year-old girl be teaching the world how its done?

Could the kindergartener from Mobile, Alabama, be reminding us that positivity and resilience and a fighting spirit are what we all need to get through tough times?

Could Mary Davis Rutledge be showing us how to overcome the odds and live each day with a smile?

They call her, The Sunshine Girl.

Despite aggressive chemotherapy and proton therapy, this photo from 2023 shows an upbeat and smiling Mary Davis Rutledge. Courtesy of Morgan Rutledge

There are no words to describe her, Mary Davis mother, Morgan, told me. Each and every day she reminds us to find joy in our lives. Said Mary Davis father, Colin, You could write a book about what our daughter has been through and how shes inspired us along the way.

Mary Davis Rutledge loves butter.

She started eating butter a while ago, said Morgan. Mary Davis was having issues swallowing what with the tumor in her throat. The butter was sweet and soft and went down smoothly.

It was yellow and comforting, just like the sun. Butter helped The Sunshine Girl feel better. It helped her smile.

Mary Davis Rutledge learned to love butter because it's creamy texture made it very easy for her to eat. Rutledge, aka The Sunshine Girl," of Mobile, is battling a rare form of pediatric cancer but in the fall of 2025 is also smiling all the way. Courtesy of Morgan Rutledge

How often can a child get knocked down and get back up?

Mary Davis was 2 years old when she was diagnosed in August of 2022. Little did she know she was about to embark on a three-year journey that no child should have to travel. Yet over the last three years, Mary Davis has stood back up, beating the odds again and again.

Mary Davis was snoring, so I took her to an ENT, Morgan told me. Test after test, and then the bad news: stage 4 extrarenal malignant rhabdoid tumor.

eMRT is an extremely aggressive and high-mortality pediatric tumor that usually occurs in the brain or the kidneys. The odds of a child contracting eMRT? Literally one in a million.

It has a 3-year-survival rate of 9%. And what doctors saw when they examined Mary Davis resulted in extreme concern.

Mary Davis tumor was found in the back of her throat," said Morgan. The Rutledges had Mary Davis examined at USA Health Childrens & Womens Hospital in Mobile and later headed north to Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center, which is known worldwide for expertise in Mary Davis type of cancer.

Doctors told us they had never seen eMRT in a childs throat before, Morgan told me.

It was downright frightening.

The tumor was large and had tentacles that embedded it into Mary Davis throat.

Doctors in Cincinnati didnt think they could get all of the tumor because it innervated so many critical features located in that area, said Colin.

It was like an octopus, said Morgan.

Surgery was ruled out, radiation ruled in. Mary Davis and her mom moved to the Ronald McDonald House in Cincinnati in November of 2022.

Nerves and worry every day. The Rutledges believed in faith not fear, but the odds were stacked against their daughter.

Colin and Morgan Rutledge with Mary Davis during her treatment at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in 2023. Courtesy of Morgan Rutledge

How did doctors attack inoperable, aggressive cancer? With aggressive chemotherapy and proton therapy. The year 2023 was a blur, as doctors added proton radiation to Mary Davis treatment.

That radiation was more focused on the tumor, said Morgan.

Thirty doses while her head was strapped down, yet only positivity from Mary Davis.

It was early 2023 when Mary Davis had severe airway swelling from the intense radiation. She needed a tracheotomy and a feeding tube.

She was able to return home to Mobile where she continued her chemo treatments. As the spring of 2023 arrived, finally, she completed chemotherapy and rang the bell.

Surrounded by supporters, Mary Davis Rutledge, held by her mom, celebrates ringing the bell for the end of her chemotherapy treatments in 2023. Courtesy of Morgan Rutledge

In May of 2023, the tumor had shrunk and scans revealed the area was no longer metabolically active. Finally, some good news, as she was officially in remission.

There was hope, and in 2024, out came the tracheotomy and the feeding tube.

The Sunshine Girl kept smiling. It was the spring of 2024, and Mary Davis was about to turn four. She surrounded herself with Taylor Swift songs, Minnie Mouse and the movie, Frozen.

She found foods she could swallow like chips and queso, Veggie Straws and butter. Lots of butter.

And just as Mary Davis was starting to get back up, she was knocked down again.

Mothers Day weekend, 2024. It was the Saturday before the big day. Morgan was pregnant with her familys third child. Mary Davis still had some breathing issues. And in a flash, Mary Davis was nearly lost.

Mary Davis became angry over her breathing issues, dad Colin told me. She stopped breathing and went into respiratory arrest.

Mary Davis was as blue as a Smurf, said Morgan. Paramedics brought Mary Davis back and got her stabilized in the ambulance in Mobile, added Morgan. Then Mary Davis was med-flighted back to Cincinnati.

Mary Davis Rutledge en route back to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center via medical flight after suffering respiratory arrest in 2024. Courtesy of Morgan Rutledge

Cincinnati Ronald McDonald House became home once again for Mary Davis and her parents. Trachea issues were addressed, and in July of 2024, a new laser procedure was used.

It worked! said Colin. The trachea opened up.

It was about a year ago when Mary Davis received a clean bill of health. Late last year, Mary Davis Make-A-Wish trip was granted as the family enjoyed Disneyworld.

Then just as the familys skies had cleared, the The Sunshine Girl saw clouds roll in quickly: Doctors found a spot on a lung. Mary Davis had relapsed.

The year 2024 turned to 2025. Mary Davis, her parents and her baby sister were back in Cincinnati for a trial treatment. The family discussed the treatment and decided to march forward, until three weeks after the treatment started when Mary Davis developed a rash and had a severe reaction to medication. Off that treatment they went.

She was a month from her birthday just last May. While we are so grateful to the doctors and nurses, so many times it was Mary Davis, Colin told me, pausing to collect himself. Mary Davis was put under more than 100 times, added Colin, still finding it hard to fathom how many times his daughter has been anesthetized.

It was (a new) immunotherapy drug, said Morgan, as her voice rose with excitement. It was a drug that could work wonders. A drug that could be given every three weeks via outpatient therapy.

A kindergarten student in fall 2025, Mary Davis Rutledge works through an assignment at St. Mary's Catholic School in Mobile. Courtesy of Morgan Rutledge

It was this past summer when Mary Davis bounced back. Just in time for kindergarten at St. Marys Catholic School in Mobile.

Mary Davis Rutledge is beating the odds, and her parents believe a village of doctors and nurses and family and friends have helped save their daughters life.

The Rutledge sisters, from left, Mary Davis, Elowyn, and Amelia. Courtesy of Morgan Rutledge

This has been so much bigger than us, said Morgan. We have prayed so many times to God to lay our path to get her into remission, prayers for our medical team, prayers for assurance in our choices and prayers of comfort for our oldest daughter.

Mary Davis older sister, Amelia, is 7 years old.

Beads and butter: These are a few of Mary Davis Rutledge's favorite things. The butter is easy to eat, and she earns courage beads for every accomplishment during her hard-fought battle with an aggressive form of pediatric cancer. The bead are beginning to stretch through separate rooms in the house, her parents said. Courtesy of Morgan Rutledge

Colin and Morgan are grateful for every day seeing Mary Davis thrive. Three years after they wondered if their daughter could beat one of the deadliest childhood cancers in the world, Mary Davis is delivering joy to the family and to her friends.

Her beads of courage, beads that Mary Davis received over the years for reaching achievements during her journey, stretch throughout the house, said Morgan.

Mary Davis Rutledge earns courage beads for every accomplishment during her hard-fought battle with an aggressive form of pediatric cancer. The bead are beginning to stretch through separate rooms in the house, her parents said. Courtesy of Morgan Rutledge

And now you know the story of an amazing 5-year-old who has shown us how its done.

The Sunshine Girl motors on while her amazing story inspires millions.

And the butter tastes better than ever.
Hollywood is reacting Saturday to the death of Diane Keaton, who died at the age of 79.

The Oscar-award winner, known for roles in the The Godfather, First Wives Club and more, died in California. A family spokesperson asked for privacy.

Celebrities and stars reacted on social media.

The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died, Bette Midler, who co-stared in First Wives Club with Keaton, posted on Instagram. I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me. She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star. What you saw was who she was  oh, la, lala!

Ben Stiller posted on X.

Diane Keaton. One of the greatest film actors ever. An icon of style, humor and comedy. Brilliant. What a person.  Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) October 11, 2025

Diane Keaton, he posted. One of the greatest film actors ever. An icon of style, humor and comedy. Brilliant. What a person.

Kimberly Williams Paisley, who starred with Keaton in Father of the Bride, posted on Instagram.

This breaks my heart, she posted. Getting to work with Diane Keaton will always be one of the highlights of my life.

Other celebrities:

Diane was a really good friend of ours. We laughed a lot. What an extraordinarily talented woman. Diane, you will be so missed on the Earth. Rest sweetly as sweet as you have been to everyone you have met. Love, Henry and Stacey. https://t.co/qj7qXiWt3x  Henry Winkler (@hwinkler4real) October 11, 2025

Henry Winkler:

Diane was a really good friend of ours. We laughed a lot. What an extraordinarily talented woman. Diane, you will be so missed on the Earth. Rest sweetly as sweet as you have been to everyone you have met. Love, Henry and Stacey.

Every so often a person comes along that defies all definition. Theyre a wonderful mystery. Sometimes they go digging within themselves attempting to discover something hidden inside  and then discover something magical  which they keep private. Diane was like that. All that pic.twitter.com/8s82E5p4Hw  Matthew Modine (@MatthewModine) October 11, 2025

Matthew Modine:

Every so often a person comes along that defies all definition. Theyre a wonderful mystery. Sometimes they go digging within themselves attempting to discover something hidden inside  and then discover something magical  which they keep private. Diane was like that. All that and more  all packaged behind her gorgeous smile, razor sharp wit, and deliciously infectious laugh. God speed, sister."

Josh Gad:

What a monumental loss. Diane Keaton in many ways defined my love of movies. From Annie Hall to the Godfather films, from First Wives Club to Baby Boom, from Father of the Bride to Somethings Gotta Give, here resume was nothing short of iconic and hall of fame worthy. I was very fortunate to work with her many years ago on an unproduced HBO pilot and what I found was one of the most humble, ruthlessly funny, and unbelievably talented human beings Ive ever come across. In many ways, this year will be defined by the loss of a Hollywood we will never again see. There simply are no replacements for a Gene Hackman or a Robert Redford or a Diane Keaton. They were the mavericks who helped redefine movies for a generation and losing them feels like also losing a chance inactive tissue to that golden age just out of reach. My heart goes out to Dianes entire family during this impossible moment.

Kate Hudson:

We love you so much, Diane.

RIP Diane Keaton, 79.

Oscar-winning star of Annie Hall, brilliant in the Godfather and Father of the Bride movies. One of Hollywoods greatest actresses, and a delightful lady. Sad news. pic.twitter.com/rwxUWCaLHp  Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 11, 2025

Piers Morgan:

RIP Diane Keaton, 79. Oscar-winning star of Annie Hall, brilliant in the Godfather and Father of the Bride movies. One of Hollywoods greatest actresses, and a delightful lady. Sad news.

Mandy Moore"

They say dont meet your heroes, but I got to work with one of mine and even call her mom for a few months. An honor of a lifetime. What an incandescent human Di is and was. I am so sad shes gone for all the reasons but also because it felt like shed be here forever, dazzling us with her talent and charm (and her style, cmon)!!! One of the very best to ever do it. All my love to her children and loved ones."

I cant!  Diane Keaton was such a talent and a BIG part of my career. She directed two videos of mine - "Heaven Is A Place on Earth" and the video for "I Get Weak."

She was kind and eccentric and I was blessed to know her. RIP Diane, you will be missed.  pic.twitter.com/PbDVNQsJh8  Belinda Carlisle  (@belindacarlisle) October 11, 2025

Belinda Carlisle:

Diane Keaton was such a talent and a BIG part of my career. She directed two videos of mine - Heaven Is A Place on Earth and the video for I Get Weak. She was kind and eccentric, and I was blessed to know her. RIP, Diane, you will be missed."
(Left) Cinderella's Castle in Magic Kingdom at Disney World; (Right) Sleeping Beauty's Castle in Disneyland. Ana Suarez for NJAM

Disney is raising prices for some passes to Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California.

Disney Parks offer a full day of experiences each day, with ticket, hotel and dining options designed to suit a wide range of needs and budgets for all who visit, Disney officials told CBS News in a statement. Our commitment to creating magical experiences for everyone remains at the heart of what we do  and that will never change.

Disney told CBS News Wednesday that it was raising prices for several admissions packages to its landmark theme parks, effective immediately.

The Inspire and Believe Magic Key passes, two annual passes to Disneyland with added perks for dining, parking, merchandise and more, will go up in price, according to CBS. The Inspire Key will now cost $1,899, and the Believe Key will cost $1,474.

The Enchant and Imagine Magic Key passes are not changing in price. Those annual passes are currently on sale on Disneys website.

The lowest priced ticket to Disneyland will remain unchanged at $104 for a day. Of the seven tiers of park tickets, five of the seven are increasing by at most 3%, according to CBS.

At Disney World, the lowest and highest priced tickets will remain the same through October 2026. A standard ticket to the theme parks at Disney World costs $119 for one day.

The price hikes come as demand to visit the parks on certain days, including holidays, according to CBS.

For the week of Thanksgiving (Nov. 24 to Nov. 29), tickets to Disneyland will increase from $199 to $224. Between Dec. 20 and Jan. 3, prices will rise by the same amount.
A memorial tribute to Tony Mitchell, who died in the Walker County Jail, stands on a billboard near courthouse square in Jasper. (Photo by Greg Garrison/AL.com) ggarrison@al.com

The cell where Tony Mitchell died of hypothermia and sepsis in 2023 sits empty now, but for a few spare mattresses strewn on the floor inside the Walker County Jail.

That cell, as long as Im sheriff, its never going to be used again, said Nick Smith, the top law enforcement officer in Walker County.

The cells surrounding the one where Mitchell died now have sensors that can detect an inmates breathing and heartbeat. At a nearby wall of video boards with constant camera feeds, a jail employee can see the respiratory rate and heartbeat of every inmate on the floor.

If an inmate stops breathing, or if his heart stops beating, an alarm goes off. Corrections officers are expected to respond and make instant life-and-death decisions. A nurse from the nearby infirmary is expected to respond. A commanding officer with Narcan on his belt can give an emergency injection if someone is overdosing. Paramedics are called to the jail.

That happens more frequently than you might expect. Up in the mining hills northwest of Birmingham, in the aging downtown of Jasper, many of the inmates booked at the Walker County Jail come in with health problems that may relate to drug addiction and withdrawal.

In May, an inmate stopped breathing. An officer wearing a body camera went to the cell. He sent out a Code Blue emergency call on his radio when he got no verbal response, touched the mans arm and the body was limp. A nurse quickly responded and helped revive him. It was a near-death in the jail, caught on video footage.

Everything happened as it was supposed to. The mans life was saved.

Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith, standing at BK5, the cell whose last inmate was Tony Mitchell. Smith says the cell will never be used again. (Photo by Greg Garrison/AL.com) ggarrison@al.com

It doesnt always work that way at the Walker County Jail, or at many of the 67 county jails across the state where a wide array of inmates  from those accused of the most violent crimes to those who may have been unlucky or had a bad day  go after they are arrested.

In fact, the Walker County Jail has a notable history of troubles keeping its inmates both safe and alive. Theres been a long run of cases and lawsuits that culminated in the bizarre and brutal death of Tony Mitchell. And that legal reckoning has so far snared two dozen jail and medical employees.

25 indictments

A few blocks from the Walker County Courthouse, a large billboard has a picture of Mitchell.

In loving memory of Anthony Tony Mitchell, 1989-2023, it says. Justice for Tony.

Mitchell was at the Walker County Jail for two weeks before he died on Jan. 26, 2023.

The feds came to town to investigate and indicted 25 people, including a jail captain, over a dozen corrections officers, a couple of deputies and a handful of jail nurses.

One jailer wasnt charged in Mitchells death, but ended up pleading guilty to falsifying records in an unrelated case of an inmate being assaulted in 2022.

Police arrested Mitchell on Jan. 12, 2023 during a mental health welfare check. Family members feared he could harm himself or someone else. Mitchell had sprayed his face and body with black spray paint and claimed to have a portal to hell. After deputies arrived at a home in Carbon Hill, Mitchell fired a gun, authorities said.

They placed him in Cell BK5, a booking cell that was designated as suicide watch and nicknamed the Freezer, according to a lawsuit filed by Mitchells family.

Anthony "Tony" Mitchell (Facebook-Justice for Tony Mitchell)

For more than a week, Mitchell was naked, wet and covered in feces on the concrete floor, the lawsuit alleged.

His cause of death was listed as hypothermia with underlying cause of sepsis resulting from infected injuries obtained during incarceration and medical neglect. His core body temp was listed as 72 degrees at the time of death.

Rumors spread that Mitchell had been placed in an actual freezer. That turned out to be wrong, based on a review of jail video footage.

BK5 was unusual. It was basically a concrete box with a drainage hole in the floor so it could be hosed down. It was usually used for detainees for hours at a time. It did not have a sink or toilet, nor access to any running water nor a raised bed.

BK5 was notoriously cold during winter months and the temperature on the bare cement floor was even colder, a plea agreement for one jailer states.

That jailer admitted he and others actively chose not to provide care to Mitchell, who was talking incoherently about demons and portals, because he gets what he gets since he shot at cops.

The feds charged a jail captain, another supervisor and 15 jailers with a variety of crimes, from deprivation of Mitchells rights to conspiracy to obstruction of justice, plus unrelated assaults on five other inmates over a five-month period.

Six medical workers, including four of the jails nurses, were charged with failing to provide Mitchell with adequate food, water, clothing, shelter, sanitation and medical and mental health care.

On the morning of Jan. 26, 2023, a nurse repeatedly told jail supervisors that Mitchell urgently needed to be hospitalized, or he could die. They waited more than three hours, then took him to the hospital in the back of a patrol car. When he arrived at the hospital, Mitchells internal body temperature was said to be 72 degrees. Efforts to resuscitate him failed.

While Tony languished naked and dying of hypothermia, says a lawsuit filed by Mitchells family, numerous corrections officers and medical staff wandered over to his open cell door to spectate and be entertained by his condition.

When filing the lawsuit two years ago, Jon Goldfarb, an attorney for Mitchells estate called his death the worst case of inmate abuse I have ever seen.

People who have seen these videos think they are watching something in Russia or Abu Ghraib, he said at the time, but this happened in our own backyard in Walker County, Alabama.

They reached a confidential settlement in the lawsuit, one that stipulates they cant speak publicly about the case anymore.

In another of the federal indictments, prosecutors said Mitchell was lying handcuffed on the ground when a Walker County deputy stomped on (the inmates) genitals with a shod foot.

The deputy pleaded guilty but is out of jail on bond while he awaits sentencing.

The plea agreement states he stomped on Mitchells genitals out of anger because he had become accustomed to harming arrestees unnecessarily consistent with the culture of the Walker County Sheriffs Office.

Tony Mitchell being placed in a Walker County Sheriff's Office vehicle. (Court filing)

Of the 25 people indicted, five have already pleaded guilty but have not yet been sentenced. Eight more have agreed to plead guilty but have not yet officially done so. Twelve have pleaded not guilty.

Smith, who has been the sheriff of Walker County since 2019, has not been charged in Mitchells death. Hes running for a third term.

Well find out whenever they go to court whether, you know, they did what they are accused of, Smith told AL.com. Thats what courts for.

Tik Tok critics

In the aftermath of Mitchells death, the sheriff has gained new social media critics, including a self-appointed TikTok news correspondent following his every move.

I think he wants to completely gloss over the fact that Tony Mitchell happened, said Kim Sherrell, who has 16,658 followers on TikTok, where she posts videos using nicknames for Smith including Slick Nick and Baby Gap  a reference to him wearing tight shirts.

Its small beans compared to what else everybody has called him to his face and online, Sherrell told AL.com.

Smith, a 2002 graduate of Curry High School in Jasper, turns 42 this month. When he was elected in 2018, Smith became the youngest sheriff in the state at age 35. He arrived to inspect the jail and could hardly believe his eyes.

Ive never been into a jail that looked like a Third World Country jail, he said. But I had to picture one in my mind.

He flips through pictures taken inside the jail back then.

When I walked in, there were five working cameras, Smith said. I would say one toilet in every dorm was workable. The majority of the lights inside the jail in the facility didnt work. People inside their actual cells, they had no capability to turn a light on, turn the light off.

One of the cells in the Walker County Jail in Jasper in early 2019. (Joe Songer for AL.com). Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

The locks inside the jail facility did not work, he added. You couldnt lock people down. You really had no order or stability in the jail. Whenever you went to lock people down at nighttime, you couldnt do that. So in 2019, we put in new locks. We put almost 100 cameras in the facility at that time, in that first year. Today we have 145 cameras.

The jail was also severely overcrowded.

When I came into office, we had 410 people in jail, Smith said. Our bed capacity is 280. So you can do the math and add the jail conditions at the time to that.

Many of the inmates had been waiting years for a trial.

There were individuals that had been in jail for six, seven and eight years, Smith said.

Theres one inmate who remains in the Walker County Jail despite being ruled criminally insane three years ago. The Taylor-Hardin Secure Mental Health Facility in Tuscaloosa, where criminals with mental problems are sent, has a waiting list.

From 2012 to 2016, Alabama closed three psychiatric hospitals for financial reasons, and because of changing views on the hospitalization of the mentally ill. That shrank the number of beds for mental patients from 740 to 268.

Smith lobbied for faster trials for inmates and succeeded in shrinking the jail population below capacity.

Smith had to do a lot of complaining, to everybody thats operated this county for the last 30 years, he said. Bringing this to light has caused me a lot of the problems that I deal with today. I could have said that Im just gonna be the status quo, keep an overcrowded jail, just keep it going like it was. And I didnt feel like thats what people elected me to do.

One issue Smith said hes remedied is that inmates have repeatedly jumped off a second-level balcony onto tables and concrete below to injure themselves and get out of jail at least temporarily with a hospital visit.

Every time somebody did that, its a fall greater than 10 feet, so no matter what the injury is, there is a required helicopter ride to the hospital, Smith said. The countys paying for the helicopter ride; theyre paying for the medical expenses of whatever injury was incurred. You spend half a million dollars on medical bills for something that was prevented for $70,000.

That had happened six times since 2019, before the commission approved $70,000 to put up metal grating to block jumpers. The new grating was installed recently.

Talk of rotten apples

At a candidate forum a week before municipal elections in August, Smith and the other three candidates for sheriff all spoke.

The election for sheriff is not until next year, in May. More than 200 people crowded into a small cafeteria at Bevill State Community College. Nobody left before the end. There was a lot of focus on the sheriffs race, even nine months ahead of time.

People paid $20 a head for a meal that included hamburger steak slathered in onions and brown gravy, with a Styrofoam bowl of banana pudding for dessert. The money raised went to a local high school wrestling team.

The sheriff may have compared the county jail to a Third World country when he took over, but Walker County is no Banana Republic. Its more of a Banana Pudding Republic.

Its got Smith Lake, a weekend getaway for residents of suburban Birmingham, and the Frosty Mug, a legendary soft-serve ice cream stand that also serves steak sandwiches on the edge of Jasper.

At the Bevill Cafe, waiting in line for hamburger steak and banana pudding, the county constable, Allen Estell, touts himself as the only sheriff candidate who has never worked in the Walker County Sheriffs Office.

Im the only one who hasnt been in the sheriffs department, Estell said. (Jasper Police Chief) J.C. Poe was chief deputy. Jason Akins was a jail supervisor.

Up in the mining hills northwest of Birmingham, in the aging downtown of Jasper, stands the Walker County Jail. (Joe Songer |AL.com) Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

Estell said it would take an outsider to change the jail, which has tarnished the reputation of Walker County with the highly publicized death of Mitchell and the ensuing indictments. Its totally embarrassing, he said.

Poe retired from the sheriffs office after 18 years, and Akins worked under Sheriff John Mark Tirey, who served from 1995-2014.

Smith says that in the past 15 years, there have been 19 documented deaths in the Walker County Jail. Only four have happened during his eight years in office, he said. The other jail deaths just never got the attention that Mitchells has, he said, partly because of the rise of social media, the installation of 145 cameras in the jail and his referring allegations of wrongdoing to the state police.

Back before that, if something happened, it was whoevers word against whatever somebody was accused of, Smith said. It went nowhere, everybody kept it quiet and you didnt hear nothing about it.

Sherrell, the TikTok correspondent, helped spread the word about the candidate forum. She was there at the fundraiser, a dinner rolls throw away from all four sheriff candidates. But they had to wait to speak until after Walker Countys first woman judge, Joeletta Berrentine, auctioned off what seemed like thirty home-baked cakes, including a German chocolate for $60, a Texas pound cake for $130 and a four-layer peanut butter cake for $140.

The cakes alone raised more than $1,000 for the Dora wrestling team.

Berrentine is the circuit judge who helped clear out the jail, speeding up cases to get it down from 410 inmates in a 280-bed jail to about 120 now.

She is a judge that has held trials, said Smith. She helped me move the process with cases.

Berrentine also signed the order for a criminally insane inmate in the county jail for murder to go to Taylor-Hardin, which doesnt have room for him. Thats all she can do, Smith said. She had no control over the waiting list.

Poe, the Jasper police chief and former chief deputy now in his seventies with 35 years of law enforcement experience, is the only candidate besides Smith to have raised a significant amount of campaign funds. He passed out brochures at the forum with End Corruption in large, bold print.

Poe, Akins and Estell all acknowledge that problems existed before Smith took over as sheriff.

Its been going on for years, Estell said. It just blew up under him.

The jail deaths and indictments following Mitchells death have been a blow to the countys reputation, Poe said.

It doesnt mean everybody there is a rotten apple, Poe said. I want to go in there and fix the problem.

Akins said hes running because change is needed. We need to heal, he said. We have a history in this county of issues that are unresolved, still going on to this day.

Poe said he wasnt afraid to look people in the eye and say, Youre fired.

The next day at the jail, Smith reflected on that comment, telling AL.com hes fired people and had the decision overturned by the civil service board.

We average about 12 people patrolling 814 square miles a day, Smith told AL.com. So, hes got maybe two or three people he can tell that to, and then, he aint got nobody.

$16.34 an hour

All hiring for the sheriffs office must be done through the civil service board, which provides the sheriff three names at a time of people who have passed a test. To get a new name, he has to hire one of those three names. If he doesnt want any of the three names on the list, he cant hire anyone.

Smith said hes asked for a list of 10 candidates at a time but was denied. I was told then Id be picking and choosing who Im hiring, Smith said. Arent we supposed to pick the best candidates? Other counties dont have this system.

That makes it hard to hire qualified staff, he said, and the pay is an even bigger obstacle.

We are the lowest paid agency in our own county, probably in the top two or three lowest paid sheriffs departments in the state, Smith said.

Until October 2024, jailers were paid $12.50 an hour. My son worked at Zaxbys as a cashier making more than a jailer and hes 17 years old, Smith said.

Working at Zaxbys is safer, too. Smith said someone may complain you got their order wrong, but youre not likely to get indicted for criminal neglect.

Think about the job that law enforcement does, Smith said. Were expected to make split-second decisions that are going to be scrutinized.

When Smith took office in 2019, deputies did not have body cameras. The county commission would not spend the money, he said. He went out and raised money from business donations to buy their first body cameras, the cheapest available with short-life batteries. Today those deputies make $16.34 an hour.

The county has since purchased new, more up-to-date body cameras.

I love this county, but the bad thing about it is a lot of times they dont want to spend money until something bad happens, Smith said.

Highly unusual situation

Smith isnt one of the two dozen people indicted by the feds in Mitchells death. But, in June, he found himself facing charges in state court.

The district attorney in Walker County indicted him on multiple misdemeanor charges for employing individuals without proper certification to work as school resource officers and deputies.

As sheriff, Smith said he has constitutional powers to deputize people without state certification, as long as they are not arresting people. Hes done that to provide fill-ins for school resource officers.

When you have to have APOST-certified people, it makes it very difficult to find people, Smith said.

Walker County District Attorney Bill Adair held a press conference on June 10 with Chief Alan Benefield, the executive Secretary of the Alabama Peace Officers Standard and Training Commission, to discuss the misdemeanor charges against Smith.

Its highly unusual when we run into a situation like this where an agencys head just absolutely refuses to follow the law, Benefield said.

According to the indictment against Smith, the sheriff hired four deputies as school resources officers, allowed them to wear law enforcement uniforms, drive patrol vehicles and carry badges and guns even though they werent state certified.

The indictment also accuses the sheriff of hiring a jailer to dress in uniform and carry a gun and badge without being certified to do so.

Smith said he believes the misdemeanor charges against him, which carry possible fines but no jail time, were made by the district attorney because Adair is a longtime friend of Poe, the Jasper police chief running against him.

Smith said he pointed out that Jasper had non-certified employees driving marked city police patrol cars, and they were given a chance to change the markings on those cars to non-police markings without charges being filed.

Adair responded to Smiths allegations at the press conference. I think it shows the alternate reality that the sheriff is in, Adair told reporters in June.

Smith said he believes hell prevail in court, based on his constitutional powers as sheriff to appoint people as long as they dont have arrest powers, and he hopes to get a chance to make his case before the election.

A history of jail problems

In 2018, before Smiths time as sheriff, Autumn Nichole Harris, a 34-year-old inmate, died of pneumonia , in circumstances that foreshadowed those of Mitchells death.

Harris was accused of stealing $40. She was sent to jail after failing to appear at a hearing.

After three weeks in the jail, Harris became too weak to walk or stand, lost control of her bodily functions, and reported trouble breathing, according to a lawsuit filed by her family.

In 2023, the company that provided medical services for the jail back then settled the lawsuit.

Had there been cameras, and had there been a proper investigation, thered have been people go to jail for deliberate indifference, just like they are right now, Smith said. But there were no cameras. At least when something happens now, we can pull the video.

Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith stops at the monitoring station to explain how sensors in booking cells can detect heartrate and breathing. If an inmate stops breathing or a heartbeat stops, an alarm goes off. The system was installed after the death of inmate Tony Mitchell. (Photo by Greg Garrison/AL.com) ggarrison@al.com

A litany of other lawsuits against the jail over the years allege injury and medical neglect, and include tales of inmates left to die from blood poisoning, pneumonia or for want of basic medical care.

Walker County voters will have to decide in May how much blame Smith bears for Mitchells death and the indictments that followed.

Nobody that holds the position of sheriff anywhere wants any death to occur on their watch, Smith said. If were basing it off of that standard, then Ive done a better job than any sheriff weve had of minimizing how many weve actually had.

His critics say the buck stops with the sheriff.

You can say, why didnt you prevent this from happening? Smith said. I cant make decisions for people every second. I can tell them what I expect, my expectations, what we want to see done. But I cant make them care about their job.

It takes professional workers to run a professional jail, he said, and Walker County is not paying its jail workers enough.

The biggest hurdle is being able to get people who want to work for the low wages that we pay, Smith said. And theres no sheriff gonna be able to fix that problem.
This is an opinion column

Click here to sign up for the Comeback Town newsletter.

Todays guest columnist is Dr. Del Smith.

Most entrepreneurs dream of joining the S&P 500.

Few are bold enough to announce it as their destination.

Fewer still would choose Birmingham, Alabama as their launchpad.

But thats exactly what were doing at Acclinate.

When I tell potential investors, partners, or recruits that our digital health company is headquartered in Birmingham, the reaction is predictably consistent: raised eyebrows, followed by the inevitable question, Why Birmingham?

Its a fair question. In the biotech world, Birmingham doesnt register. Boston, San Francisco, and the Research Triangle dominate the conversation. These are the places where billion-dollar companies are supposedly born, where venture capital flows like water, where the smart money congregates.

Heres what the smart money is missing: Birmingham represents the most compelling opportunity in American business today, a city intentionally building an innovation ecosystem from the ground up, where ambitious companies can help shape the future.

The moment everything changed

In 2020, my co-founder and I were comfortable at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Huntsville. We had launched Acclinate as I finished my tenure as dean at Alabama A&Ms business school. Huntsville provided a solid foundation, but our vision demanded more. We werent building just another biotech startup, we were building what we believed could become a Fortune 500 company.

So I did what any rational entrepreneur would do: I explored the established hubs. San Francisco, Boston, Atlanta, all the usual suspects where serious companies plant their flags.

Then Victor Brown from the Birmingham Business Alliance asked me a question that reframed everything: Do you want to be a small fish in a big pond when you move to one of those other cities?

That question cut straight to the heart of our strategic choice. In Boston or San Francisco, wed be one of thousands fighting for attention, capital, and talent. In Birmingham, we had the opportunity to help build something unprecedented, a biotech ecosystem with our fingerprints on it.

The decision crystallized when I realized this was my full-circle moment. Twenty-five years earlier, I had founded my first company right here in Birmingham before selling it to pursue my PhD. Birmingham wasnt just offering us business opportunities; it was offering us the chance to come home and build something transformational.

Why Birmingham makes business sense

The data supports what my instincts told me. Birmingham delivers everything a scaling company needs, without the friction that slows growth in overcrowded markets.

Capital access

Angel and institutional investors stepped up with critical early-stage funding. The local investment community may be smaller than Silicon Valleys, but theyre more accessible and genuinely invested in company success.

Market validation

Key anchor institutions and local companies didnt just offer encouragement, they provided real contracts and pilot opportunities. When youre proving product-market fit, nothing beats customers who are genuinely invested in your success.

Infrastructure advantage

Birmingham has world-class medical institutions, a growing tech talent pipeline, and Fortune 500 companies like Regions Financial and Vulcan Materials providing the business ecosystem infrastructure that matters.

Competitive positioning

In Birmingham, we stand out. Our story gets told. Partners return our calls. Media covers our milestones. Try achieving that level of visibility in oversaturated markets.

The lifestyle multiplier effect

But heres what the business case misses: Birmingham offers something that directly impacts our bottom line, quality of life that translates into competitive advantage.

The food scene rivals any city in America. The cost of living means our employees salaries go further, reducing compensation pressure and increasing loyalty. I can get from my house to a flight in 25 minutes, which means more time focused on building the company and less time trapped in traffic.

Most importantly, Birmingham is where I met the love of my life.

These arent soft benefits, theyre strategic advantages. High quality of life drives productivity, retention, and company culture. When your team isnt stressed about commutes, housing costs, or work-life balance, they focus on what matters: building something extraordinary.

Building the future, together

Great companies dont just succeed in their cities, they help define them. Walmart shaped Bentonville. Lowes built Mooresville. Birmingham already has Fortune 500 anchors, and were determined to join that list as a company that helped shape the citys next chapter.

Since relocating our headquarters here, Ive turned down opportunities to move elsewhere, including Atlanta, where I was born and have family. But between the traffic and the costs, theres simply no compelling reason to leave a city that offers this unique combination of opportunity and quality of life.

The next time someone asks me, Why Birmingham? Ill tell them the truth: I came for the business opportunity, but I stayed because Birmingham became home. And thats a competitive advantage you cant manufacture in Silicon Valley

Dr. Del Smith is CEO and co-founder of Acclinate, a digital health company combining culture and technology to promote more inclusive clinical research. Hes a serial entrepreneur dedicated to using business to create positive societal impact.

David Sher is the founder and publisher of ComebackTown. Hes past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP).

Invite David to speak for free to your group about how we can have a more prosperous metro Birmingham. dsher@comebacktown.com
One person was injured in a shooting on Sunday afternoon at Wiregrass Commons Mall in Dothan.

Lt. Scott Owens confirmed one person was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Police received reports of gunfire around 4 p.m. near Spirit Halloween.

According to Dothan police, the shooting stemmed from an altercation in a barbershop.

Multiple people allegedly came into the barbershop and began threatening an individual who was getting a haircut.

The person being threatened was armed, as were those making the threats, police said. Gunfire was exchanged on both sides, police added.

Police say the person injured was one of the people alleged to be making threats.

News reports say that the shooting was related to the death of 23-year-old Bobby Lee David Miracle Lucas, who was killed Oct. 5 at a 300-person gathering outside of Troy.

Dothan police did not explicitly reference Lucas killing, but said in a statement they believed the shooting stemmed from past incidents.

It was confirmed quickly this was an altercation between individuals stemming from past incidents who began shooting, Owens said in a statement.

No bystanders or others allegedly involved in the shooting were injured, police say.

Owens said the police do not believe there is an active threat at this time, but police are asking everyone to avoid the area.

Dothan police officers conducted three separate searches of the mall to safely evacuate employees and visitors, according a news release.

Kelsey Trim, 21, said she and her boyfriend, Justin Wilbanks, 23, were checking out at Spirit Halloween when they heard something that sounded like a hammer, or maybe a lot of things being dropped.

They realized that they were hearing gunshots and took off running. She said they heard maybe 50 gunshots.

While Trim said they were not able to see the shooting take place, they believe one of the shooters ran out of the mall behind them, holding a gun. The alleged shooter fell down, they said.

We were just running, we ran all the way to Chuck E. Cheese, Trim said. She and her boyfriend were able to get a ride back to their car and make it out of the mall safely.

The mall is closed for the time being as police investigate.

Houston County sheriffs deputies were also on scene to assist Dothan police, said Major Bill Rafferty of the sheriffs office.

The place where this shooting took place was especially concerning, the news release from Dothan police stated.

Citizens expect to be safe at places in and around the city of Dothan while shopping with their families.
Former FBI Director James Comey smiles during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Thursday, June 8, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) AP

This is an opinion column

If you enjoy political pugilism, President Donald Trump versus former FBI Director James Comey is akin to a must-watch bout for the heavyweight title of the world.

Trump forced Comeys indictment to get vengeance for perceived past wrongs inflicted by Comey.

What will a jury do? No one knows.

In the meantime, both sides fire heavy artillery, pounding each other in hopes of influencing the 2026 mid-term elections, Comeys jury pool, and trial verdict.

President Trump hammers Comey, declaring, One of the worst human beings this Country has ever been exposed to is James Comey, the former Corrupt Head of the FBI. Today he was indicted by a Grand Jury on two felony counts for various illegal and unlawful acts.

Attorney General Pam Bondi adds, No one is above the law. Todays indictment reflects this Department of Justices commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people.

FBI Director Kash Patel piles on, For far too long, previous corrupt leadership and their enablers weaponized federal law enforcement, damaging once proud institutions and severely eroding public trust. Everyone, especially those in positions of power, will be held to account  no matter their perch.

These highly publicized, prejudicial attacks jeopardize Comeys right to a fair trial and presumption of innocence, both bedrocks of American jurisprudence.

Such is the venom of politics in America.

Comey, in turn, asserts he and his family have known for years that there are costs to standing up to President Donald Trump. We couldnt imagine ourselves living any other way. We will not live on our knees and you shouldnt. ... I have great confidence in the federal judicial system and Im innocent. So lets have a trial.

Ive prosecuted and defended criminal jury trials for 30+ years. If forced to bet on who wins, Id bet on Comey. There are a lot of potential defenses. Comey must win just one for acquittal. Trump must win all for a conviction.

Prosecutors always have a tough row to hoe. And thats how it should be to protect the innocent.

But no one outside a jury room really knows what a jurys verdict will be.

Notwithstanding, perhaps the best indicator of ultimate outcome is whether Comey demands a speedy trial. If Comey does, that is a clarion call that Comey and his defense team are highly confident of an acquittal and want the trial as quickly as possible ... to damage Trumps presidency and affect the 2026 mid-term elections.

Trump v Comey: A High Stakes Battle

A Comey conviction means up to 5 years incarceration. Lying to and obstructing Congressional proceedings are serious offenses.

On the other hand, if Comey is acquitted, Trump risks yet another impeachment with one very big difference: this time the Senate might convict and remove him from office.

On what grounds?

Obstruction of justice stands out. 18 U.S.C. 1503 states, in part: Whoever corruptly, or by threats . . . or by any threatening . . . communication, endeavors to influence, intimidate, or impede any grand or petit juror, or officer in or of any court of the United States . . . in the discharge of his duty . . . or corruptly or by threats . . . or . . . any threatening . . . communication, influences, obstructs, or impedes, or endeavors to influence, obstruct, or impede, the due administration of justice  is guilty of a felony.

Trumps numerous, public accusations against Comey coupled with an actual jury acquittal could be compelling evidence that Trump coerced government officials to get an improper indictment to persecute an innocent political foe. All of which, if that is the way events unfold, would constitute impeachment grounds.

While a lot of lawyers can argue 18 U.S.C. 1503 does not apply to Trumps conduct, and while in a court of law that argument might prevail, thats immaterial because Trumps impeachment risks are not in a court of law.

Trumps risks are in the court of public opinion (that also affects 2026 mid-term election outcomes) and in Congress. For impeachment, Congress is both judge and jury.

If Comey is acquitted, and if Democrats win the Congressional mid-term elections, bet the house that Trump will be impeached for a third time but with one big, possible difference: this time Trump might also be convicted in the Senate and removed from office.

If Comey is acquitted (still a big if), history is not on Trumps side.

In 1974, the House impeached President Richard Nixon for obstructing the Watergate burglary investigation and abusing presidential power via conduct violating the constitutional rights of citizens, (and) impairing the due and proper administration of justice and the conduct of lawful inquiries. Nixon resigned.

Two decades later, the House impeached President Bill Clinton for obstructing justice and lying to a grand jury about his sexual relationship with Monica Lewenski.

Trump has already been impeached twice on lesser accusations.

In sum, the stakes in Trump versus Comey cannot be higher for Comey, for Trump ... or for America.

Mo Brooks served on the House Armed Services Committee for 12 years and the Foreign Affairs Committee for 6 years. Brooks graduated from Duke University in 3 years with a double major in political science and economics (highest honors in economics).
Alakazi looks set to take his chance in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot if the weather proves favourable.

The Johnny Murtagh-trained three-year-old was last seen winning the Group Two Solonaway Stakes at Leopardstown in September and as the ground at Ascot is set to be unusually quick for this time of year, he has his sights set now on a step up in grade.

We thought the ground may be gone in Ascot but weve had 10 days of dry weather and if the ground is good, hell definitely go there, the trainer said.

He worked well on Friday morning and Ben (Coen, jockey) is very happy with him.

Hes won a Group Two and its another step up to Group One but hes going well, and I think he deserves his chance.

King Edward VII Stakes runner up and stablemate Zahrann, also owned and bred by the Aga Khan Studs, has now changed hands and set sail for Australia to continue his career there.

Hes been sold to Australia and just left last night, Murtagh said.

A horse like him could win back his price tag back over there in prize money.

I would see him as a Caulfield Cup, Melbourne Cup horse. A mile and a half there would suit him really well.

Hes a mile-and-a-quarter, mile-and-a-half horse over here and should have no problem staying the Melbourne Cup trip.

Another year under his belt, anything is possible with him. Hes a good horse.
A Belfast magician has travelled from the Shankill Road to South Korea as part of her journey towards creating a global stage show.

Nicola McBride, who performs as Nikola Arkane and who originally taught herself magic to perform at childrens birthday parties, is now being mentored by two-time world champion Hyunjoon Kim.

From first becoming interested in conjuring when watching Sooty on TV as a child, Ms Arkane has since performed for duo Penn and Teller in Las Vegas and been a contestant on Swedens Got Talent.

Ms Arkane became involved in magic while doing work experience with theatre company Cahoots NI when studying for her drama degree and began to teach herself tricks from reading a book.

She said: I didnt want a normal job so I decided to invent a magic show to perform at childrens birthday parties.

I went to my first birthday party and it was awful, so difficult.

Never underestimate working with children, they are your hardest audience, but they are also the best audience because it has made me a better magician.

I created a character called FizzWizzPop who has become beloved by kids here.

While Ms Arkane continues to perform for children, she wanted to expand her skills into close-up and stage magic and began performing shows beyond Northern Ireland, including appearing on the Penn And Teller: Fool Us programme in Las Vegas.

She created a show for the FISM (Federation International des Societes Magiques) European Championship of Magic in an attempt to qualify for the world championships.

She said: I went there two years ago and it was like going from non-league to Fifa, it was too big a leap.

I was performing for 5,000 people. One of the acts had a full-size tree on stage which was hit by lightning and it burnt and then a dove was produced; I was doing my self-taught tricks.

I cried a lot after that, it was gut-wrenching. I knew that I needed help.

Ms Arkane has been training in the art of card manipulation (Liam McBurney/PA)

Ms Arkane reached out to two-time world champion Mr Kim, who invited her to South Korea as his student.

She said: This was my goal but I knew it was a project I would never be able to afford.

Ms Arkane received funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland for her first month-long trip to Korea in January.

She then raised 9,000 through donations and doing 75 FizzWizzPop shows for children in four months, which enabled her to return to Korea in September.

She has since received Major Individual Awards funding from the Arts Council which will enable her to make two further trips in 2026 to finish her training.

Ms Arkane said: On the very first day, my mentor watched some of my acts, then he stopped the video and said we are going to start from scratch.

We started with a candle, waxing the back and front of cards for hours. That taught me it is not just the skills, it is about the preparation.

The lessons have focused on manipulation, the art of making objects appear and disappear and included skills such as card-fanning, back-palming and ball manipulation.

Ms Arkane said: It is ridiculously difficult. It is just hours and hours of practice, you are trying to get this stuff to go into your body memory.

I got calluses on my fingers, my hands hurt, that is part of the process.

I am now doing things I never thought I would be able to do.

Ms Arkane wants to use her training to create a show which would be able to tour internationally.

She said: What I want to do first is bring something back to Northern Ireland. I would like to put on a show showcasing what I have learnt and to bring my mentor over to Belfast.

My ultimate dream is to be world champion and to tour the world with magic. Perhaps that might be performing with Cirque du Soleil.

Language can be a barrier to performance. If I create a silent magic manipulation act, I can perform it around the world.
Suzanne Plunkett/REUTERS

Overseas investment in the British economy would normally be considered welcome. The idea that global UK is open for business has been pushed by successive governments, especially since Brexit and the departure from the EU.

Inward investment in British infrastructure and buying UK bonds should be a sign of confidence in the future. It is also the case that many foreign owned enterprises perform better than in the hands of British managers, creating more jobs, exports and wealth.

But it can also be a sign of weakness and potential vassalage, especially when the British state is running up huge debts to pay for welfare and an unproductive public sector. Inward investment then becomes less a collaboration and more a lifeline for a fragile economy.

As we report today, Chinas substantial stake in Britain is being expanded by the purchase of UK gilts by Beijing. Expert Sinologists fear this has left the UK vulnerable to pressure from the Chinese communist government.

The Chinese have a record of using debt as leverage on the debtor country. Moreover, there is no transparency around who owns what and ministers will not vouchsafe the information.

This is being seen by some as an explanation for the failure of the Government to provide evidence for the collapsed China spy trial, and the Treasurys role in the scandal. The country is so much in hock to Beijing that its masters cannot be antagonised without damaging the national interest.

This is an ironic reversal of the previous semi-colonial relationship between the two countries but one that reflects the growing trade imbalance between the West and China. The more the Government spends on social entitlements that produce no additional wealth, the greater this dependence becomes.

Arguably, we are now so exposed to China that there is little prospect of escaping its magnetic pull without monumental changes to the way government works. Cutting public spending and the need for fiscal conservatism are no longer just slogans that can be ignored but the essence of national security. Yet no political party is prepared even to begin the process leading to the retrenchment of the state.

The more the welfare state remains unreformed, the greater our indebtedness as a nation and the closer we come to bankruptcy. It then becomes easier for the country to be picked off by powerful players who do not have our interests at heart.
Tributes have been paid to the brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary actress Diane Keaton, best known for roles in Annie Hall and The Godfather, who has reportedly died at the age of 79.

Keatons loved ones have asked for privacy after she died in California, a family spokesperson told US magazine People.

The actress shot to fame in the 1970s with her role as Kay Adams in The Godfather, as well as her collaborations with Woody Allen.

She won an Oscar for Allens influential film Annie Hall and became associated with the title characters menswear-centric wardrobe.

Her many beloved films included The First Wives Club, Father Of The Bride, The Family Stone, Somethings Gotta Give and The Book Club movies.

Diane Keaton at the 2004 Oscars (Ian West/PA)

Her First Wives Club co-star Bette Midler wrote on Instagram: The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died. I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me.

She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star. What you saw was who she was  oh, la, lala!

Actor Ben Stiller paid tribute on X, writing: Diane Keaton. One of the greatest film actors ever. An icon of style, humor and comedy. Brilliant. What a person.

On Instagram, actor Steve Martin posted a screenshot from an Interview magazine article where Martin Short asks: Whos sexier, me or Steve Martin? to which Keaton replies: I mean, youre both idiots.

Captioning the post, Keatons Father Of The Bride co-star wrote: Dont know who first posted this, but it sums up our delightful relationship with Diane.

In a tribute on Instagram, actress Viola Davis wrote: Man  you defined womanhood.

The pathos, humor, levity, your ever-present youthfulness and vulnerability  you tattooed your SOUL into every role, making it impossible to imagine anyone else inhabiting them.

You were undeniably, unapologetically YOU!!! Loved you.

Writing on Instagram, broadcaster Rosie ODonnell said Keatons death breaks my heart, adding what style what grace  she will be missed.

Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who starred alongside Keaton in Father Of The Bride, said in a tribute on Instagram that working with her will always be one of the highlights of my life.

She added: Thank you for your kindness, your generosity, your talent, and above all, your laughter.

Diane Keaton. One of the greatest film actors ever. An icon of style, humor and comedy. Brilliant. What a person.  Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) October 11, 2025

Director Paul Feig said on X he had been honoured to call Keaton a friend, adding: She was an amazingly kind and creative person who also just happened to be a Hollywood legend.

She has been taken from us far too soon. We will miss you, Diane.

Keaton was nominated for Oscars for her roles in Somethings Gotta Give, Marvins Room and Reds, in which she starred opposite Warren Beatty.

Her film debut was in 1970s Lovers and Other Strangers but her big break came in Francis Ford Coppolas The Godfather, as Kay, the girlfriend and then wife of Al Pacinos Michael Corleone, in 1972.

She reprised her role in 1974s The Godfather Part II and once more in 1990s The Godfather Part III.

Diane Keaton starred in Reds with Warren Beatty (PA)

Much of her career was defined by her many collaborations with Allen, her one-time boyfriend, and Annie Hall was the signature character of her career to many of her fans.

People speculated that the movie was based on Keaton and Allens relationship and Keaton told told The New York Times in 1977: Its not true, but there are elements of truth in it.

Keaton won the best actress Oscar for her role in the film.

Other collaborations with Allen included Manhattan, Sleeper, Manhattan Murder Mystery, and Play It Again, Sam.

She remained a supporter of Allen after the accusation by Mia Farrow that he had abused their adopted daughter, Dylan.

Keaton also frequently worked with Nancy Meyers, starting with 1987s Baby Boom.

Their other films together included 1991s Father Of The Bride and its 1995 sequel, as well as 2003s Somethings Gotta Give.

Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton in The First Wives Club (PA)

In 1996 she starred opposite Goldie Hawn and Midler in The First Wives Club, about three women whose husbands had left them for younger women.

More recently she collaborated with Jane Fonda, Mary Steenburgen and Candice Bergen on The Book Club films.

Bergen said Keatons death was a huge loss both personally and for all of us.

Diane was a true artist  tremendously gifted and uniquely talented in so many disciplines yet also modest and wonderfully eccentric.

I will miss her terribly.

Keaton never married. She adopted a daughter, Dexter, in 1996 and a son, Duke, four years later.

I was so honored to call Diane Keaton a friend. She was an amazingly kind and creative person who also just happened to be a Hollywood legend. She has been taken from us far too soon. We will miss you, Diane.   Paul Feig (@paulfeig) October 11, 2025

Her final films were Summer Camp and Arthurs Whisky in 2024, and it appears she had not started filming anything else.

In December 2024 she released her first ever solo single, a holiday song called First Christmas.

At the time she wrote on Instagram: The heart of Christmas  to love and to be loved. Thats the message of First Christmas.

Im deeply touched by your comments and stories from around the world about First Christmas. Thank you for sharing what this song means to you.

Her last Instagram post was for National Pet Day in April and featured her dog Reggie.
A group of neighbours from Moseley in Birmingham are taking a stand. From left: Katherine, Mus, Seb, Shirley, Anthony and Faisel. Photograph: Andrew Fox

When Mus unfurled the leaflet lying on her driveway, she was left shocked, angry and upset. White Britons are already a minority in London  it is clear that if these trends continue white people will become a minority in Britain, it read.

The leaflet, written by a far-right group, was distributed along her street three years ago in Moseley, a leafy suburb of Birmingham. It went on to blame NHS waiting lists, a shortage of social housing and even traffic on the rising population.

There we go again, blaming us for everything and causing division, she thought at the time. But instead of ignoring it, her neighbours came together to figure out a response. Thats what gave me hope, that people stood together and said not in our names.

They decided to fight back with their own words by creating a poster with the message: Brummies united against racism and hate crime. They were placed in the windows of homes all along the street. Not long after, a neighbouring street said: Oh, we had those leaflets. Can we have your posters? Mus said.

The campaign continued to grow and last year was endorsed by Birmingham city council. Now it has found renewed salience after a number of alleged hate crimes carried out in the city. Last month a Sikh woman was allegedly raped in a park in Oldbury, in what police are treating as a hate crime. A few weeks later in another park, a 12-year-old boy was allegedly beaten up in what his father described as a racist attack. A man in his 40s was arrested on suspicion of assault.

Operation raise the colours in which St Georges and union jack flags have been erected across the UK has also caused fear and anxiety. Hope Not Hate and Stand Up to Racism said it had been organised by well-known far-right figures.

The Birmingham campaign has been inundated with people who want to show solidarity with people of colour and religious minorities under increasing threat. People are literally begging us on WhatsApp, can we have a poster? said Anthony, who lives on the same street as Mus. To meet the demand, a fundraiser has been launched to print out 10,000 posters and distribute them across the city.

Birmingham is a multicultural city and I think its important to stand in solidarity with our neighbours, regardless of race, culture or religion, he said. Recent events such as flagging and rise of Reform UK are not things I feel comfortable with.

The campaign also hopes to spread beyond the city. According to Mus, activists in Worcester want to mobilise a similar, poster-led initiative. Like Birmingham, the city has recently had a number of racist incidents. Last month, swastikas and the words no Jew were painted on garages and on Friday a man and child were sprayed with an unknown substance in an attack described by police as racially aggravated.

Mus said since the attacks she had avoided visiting parks for fear of being attacked. She is not alone. As a Muslim woman, Raiza* said she felt like a walking target in the city. She said her area was full of lamp-posts adorned with the St Georges flag. I felt quite intimidated by it. I thought, how am I going explain this to my young kids?

She has also stopped taking her children to the park after the alleged assault on the 12-year-old boy. You dont know whos hostile towards you or whos completely fine. My kids are fourth-generation British, so were pretty established here, but I havent felt like this in the past.

She feels that politicians have done nothing to stop this, adding if anything, its been encouraged. Earlier this week, comments by the shadow justice secretary, Robert Jenrick, complaining about visiting an area of Birmingham where he didnt see another white face were revealed by the Guardian.

Related: I know the real Handsworth  its a far better place than Robert Jenricks toxic vision of Britain | Nazia Parveen

Razia called the comments by Jenrick, who is seen as still harbouring ambitions to become the next leader of the Conservative party, unhelpful, irresponsible and indicative of someone who doesnt take part in the day-to-day life of the community that he is commenting on.

She has a poster, but she is hesitant to display it in her window for fear of being marked as a target. We dont know if we have any allies where we are living, she said.

I think its important for white people to actually stand up and say, no, Im not having it, now more than ever, said Anthony. If people want to wave flags and be patriotic, I have no problem with that, but the way that its being used now is to stir up resentment. It intimidates people, which I dont think some seem to understand.

It is hoped that the posters will draw lines in the sand to fend off the far right and show solidarity to those feeling under threat. People are really behind the idea. It doesnt take a lot of effort to put up a poster in your window, he said.
Canterbury Cathedrals new graffiti art installation has divided visitors - Triangle News

A central challenge of Christianity is being able to adjust to societys dominant mindset without a fatal compromise of integrity.

It is with this in mind that we must examine the decision of the Canterbury Cathedral leadership to allow an exhibition of graffiti to adorn the interior of the seat of the Anglican Communion.

The exhibitions official blurb attempts to invoke the language of Christian radicalism, as in giving voice to the unheard and marginalised. These are listed as including Punjabi, black and brown diaspora, neurodivergent, and LGBTQIA+ groups. Thus the installation is said to be challenging the dominant status quo, casting the mighty from their thrones and raising the lowly and so on.

The problem is that concern for marginalised voices is about as controversial today as Mary Whitehouse was in the 1970s. The real controversy is defining who is genuinely unheard and marginalised, and why. Gender critical feminists or LQBTQIA+ activists? Protesters outside migrant hotels, or the inmates themselves? It is a point of fact that a much more genuine controversy would follow if a Dean of Canterbury Cathedral hosted an installation exploring the concerns of either of those former groups rather than the latter.

The same goes for graffiti being the voice of the unheard. If this is true, then the unheard certainly seem to be speaking very audibly in the numerous official graffiti zones around London districts, like Shoreditch and Waterloo, where todays guidebooks direct millennial tourists. The street artist/vandal Banksy is a Guardianista national treasure. In a country where house burglaries are rarely prosecuted, and shoplifting effectively decriminalised, I doubt many of those doing genuinely illegal graffiti are living in fear of being hauled before the courts anytime soon.

Then theres the actual aesthetic of the graffiti itself. Its been condemned as sacrilegious by many, and rebuked for ugliness by JD Vance, with another claiming it makes the Cathedral feel like an underground car park in Peckham.

I suggest that last detractor studies the territorial scrawls of Peckham a little more closely. They dont look much like the polite technicolour bubble-writing exhibited on the ancient stones of Canterbury this weekend. That bubble-writing looks more like the writing youd see on a flyer for a youth club in Walton-on-Thames in the 90s. Any of those thinking its radical and groundbreaking should watch the title sequence of the early 90s social messaging sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. This variant of the graffiti aesthetic wasnt radical or groundbreaking over thirty years ago.

Perhaps most damningly, theres the content of the writing on the walls. Oh, the daring and fearless outcries to God such that could make even Friedrich Nietzsche wince. Why is there so much pain and destruction? asks one  as if the problem of evil isnt one of the most hackneyed theological debates, one that long since stopped gripping the public imagination, even before the New Atheism of the noughties. Why did you create hate when love is by far more powerful? asks another, as if John Lennons Imagine were starting up in the background.

Many have noted the startling resurgence of interest in Christianity among the young this year. They are being attracted by the more strident and robust variants of the faith, those that challenge the status quo in ways much more convincing than this installation. Having taught theology for some years, Ive seen this development happening gradually over time; Gen Z is fed-up with a culture fearful of expressing its own history in favour of banal signalling about compassion.

Not once has a young student come to my office to ask me about the origin of evil or hate. Theyre far more likely to ask the sort of online niche question that was once satirised in a tweet mocking those asking if the Archon of Constantinoples epistle on the Pentacostine rites of the Eucharist clearly states that women shouldnt have driving licences.

A great temptation of Christianitys anti-establishment tendencies is for churches to masquerade as radical when theyre quietly perpetuating the same presuppositions that dominate the culture at large.

The young see through vicars in trainers embarking on self-inflicted martyrdom. They see they are doing it for all the wrong reasons; that the Church is desecrating itself not out of concern for the marginalised, but out of cowardice.

It is not hard for the young to pick up on the fact the Church feels itself threatened in an age of widespread unbelief, and that these submissive gestures towards the dominant power structure are done in the hope that it will somehow help its survival.

A warning against this kind of thing can, somewhat ironically, be found in TS Eliots Murder in the Cathedral when a knight tries to dissuade Thomas Becket from taking his stand against Henry II.

Becket can do a lot more good if peaceful relations with the king are restored, says the knight.

But the then Archbishop of Canterbury knows that if he were to do so out of cowardice, this is how he would be judged, regardless of any good coming from it. The last temptation is the greatest treason, to do the right thing for the wrong reason, he says in one of the most memorable lines of the play.

Unlike Becket, the current leadership of Canterbury Cathedral is choosing cowardice, and this is how it is being judged.

Jacob Phillips is professor of systematic theology at St Marys University, Twickenham
Police push back protesters at a rally in the Broadview suburb of Chicago on Friday. Photograph: Scott Olson/Getty Images

A video editor and producer for Chicagos WGN television station was arrested by masked federal agents on Friday morning, and later released, during an Ice raid on the citys North Side, as shown in videos shared widely on social media.

Videos show Debbie Brockman being violently forced to the ground by two agents before she is handcuffed and put in a van. A local resident filming the incident asks her name while she is face down on the street being handcuffed.

Debbie Brockman, she replies. I work for WGN. Please let them know.

In another video, onlookers shout at the agents and call them fascists, telling them to get out of our neighborhood, get out of our city. The agents get in the van and scrape the side of another car, whose driver is still inside, as they speed off, tearing off part of its bumper.

A homeland security official said Brockman stood accused of assaulting a federal law enforcement officer by throwing objects at a vehicle.

The incident took place in Chicagos Lincoln Square neighborhood, as immigration agents  at the behest of Trump officials  have been scouring the city for people to deport.

The ramped-up immigration enforcement in Chicago has been met with protests.

Local resident Nancy Molden told the Chicago Sun-Times that it was absolutely horrifying to see Brockmans arrest in person.

That was the most frightening thing I have seen in Chicago, living here 20-odd years, Molden said.

Witnesses told local media the agents were targeting a small group of landscapers, though that was not immediately confirmed. A second person, a man, also appeared to have been detained.

In one video, the man can be seen handcuffed in the back of the vehicle while Brockman is being arrested. The person filming asks him in Spanish for his name.

Tricia McLaughlin of the homeland security department said: US border patrol was conducting immigration enforcement operations and when several violent agitators used their vehicles to block in agents in an effort to impede and assault federal officers.

In fear of public safety and of law enforcement, officers used their service vehicle to strike a suspects vehicle and create an opening. As agents were driving, Deborah Brockman, a US citizen, threw objects at border patrols car, and she was placed under arrest for assault on a federal law enforcement officer.

WGN said that border patrol had released the employee from federal custody as of 3pm on Friday, and no charges have been filed in her case. The network is still in the process of searching for and obtaining video showing the moment leading up to the employees detainment.

Brockmans arrest came days after prosecutors were forced to drop charges against anti-Ice protesters accused of assaulting federal agents while carrying weapons outside a Chicago immigration detention facility  with the move coming after grand jurors refused to hand down an indictment in the case.

On Thursday, a federal judge in Chicago issued a temporary restraining order blocking federal agents from using certain forceful tactics to suppress protests or to impede journalists from covering those protests.

The order restricts federal officials from arresting, threatening to arrest or deploying physical force against journalists unless authorities have established probable cause to believe the journalists have committed a crime.
A Chinese coast guard vessel reportedly deployed a powerful water cannon and subsequently rammed a Philippine government ship on Sunday, causing minor damage to the anchored vessel near a Filipino-inhabited island in the disputed South China Sea.

The BRP Datu Pagbuaya, a vessel from the Philippines' fisheries fleet, sustained slight damage, though no injuries were reported among its Filipino crew members.

This incident, occurring off Thitu island  known as Pag-asa by the Philippines  represents the latest escalation in the protracted territorial disputes involving Manila, Beijing, and four other governments in the region.

While China has not yet issued a direct response to the incident, it consistently reiterates its claim of sovereignty and control over virtually the entire South China Sea, a crucial global trade route.

This stance is maintained despite a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated its historic claims, a decision China rejects but which is supported by the United States and its Western and Asian allies.

According to Philippine coast guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela, the Pagbuaya and two other Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessels were anchored in Thitu's territorial waters when Chinese coast guard and suspected militia ships initiated "dangerous and provocative maneuvers."

China Coast Guard ship (R) deploying water cannon as seen from a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries vessel during an incident near Thitu island (Philippine Coast Guard)

Commodore Tarriela firmly stated that such aggression would not prompt Manila to "surrender a square inch of our territory to any foreign power."

A Chinese coast guard ship with bow number 21559 fired its water cannon directly at the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, hitting the vessel, then rammed the stern of the Philippine fisheries vessel three minutes later, causing minor structural damage but no injuries to the crew.

Video issued by the Philippine coast guard shows a Chinese coast guard ship firing a water cannon, hitting the vessel and its two Philippine flags. The Filipino-manned ship is seen moving away from the Chinese coast guard ship.

Despite these bullying tactics and aggressive actions, the Philippine coast guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources remain resolute, Tarriela said. We will not be intimidated or driven away.

The harassment we faced today only strengthens our resolve, Philippine coast guard commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said.

The Chinese coast guard targeted Pagbuaya off the Philippines-occupied Thitu island in the latest flare-up of the long-simmering territorial disputes involving Manila, Beijing and four other governments (Philippine Coast Guard)

Filipino fisherfolk depend on these waters and neither water cannons nor ramming will deter us from fulfilling our commitment to Pres. Ferdinand Marcos to not surrender a square inch of our territory to any foreign power.

Thitu is the largest of nine islands, islets and reefs inhabited by Philippine forces and also has a fishing community in the Spratlys archipelago, the most fiercely disputed region of the South China Sea, where China turned seven barren reefs into island bases protected by a missile system.

Three of the artificial islands have runways, including Subi, which lies just more than 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Thitu, which China also claims.

The latest territorial faceoff in the South China Sea adds to domestic emergencies being dealt with by the Marcos administration, including recent earthquakes, which left more than 80 people dead in the central and southern Philippines and back-to-back typhoons that devastated the same regions.
Charley Marlowes star is on the rise after getting her big break online (Getty)

Charley Marlowe is poised to become one of Britains next big broadcasting stars.

In just two years, the Liverpool-born presenter and content creator has gone from making digital sketches to interviewing Idris Elba, Lindsay Lohan and Orlando Bloom, becoming the voice of BBC Threes I Kissed a Girl, appearing on both the BAFTA red carpet and at Wimbledon for BBC Sport, and now stepping into one of BBC Radio 1s most exciting new roles as co-host of Life Hacks.

Its been a crazy couple of years, she grins. Loads of junkets, red carpets, Radio 1  and I Kissed a Girl, of course. Its all gone by in a blur.

Broadcasting, she says, was always the dream. When I was at uni I couldnt wait to start the presenting modules  I just knew thats what I wanted to do. Even though back then it was very shopping channel or the news, she laughs. I wanted to find a way to make it my own.

After graduating, she began working behind the camera in production. Its such a hard industry to get into, she explains. Budgets are tight, theres not the time or staff to train people up, so you really have to fight for your place.

Charlie Marlowes break came when she began creating her own online content (PA)

Her break came when she began creating her own online content, showing off the warmth, humour and quick wit that have since become her trademarks. That self-starter attitude led to opportunities on screen, on the red carpet and, eventually, on air. I never take it for granted, she says. Sometimes Im on air and forget for a second that its Radio 1  then it hits me, like, wow, Im broadcasting to the nation. Its surreal.

Charleys mix of genuine curiosity and cheeky humour makes her interviews stand out  and the A-listers clearly agree. Ive been so lucky with the people Ive met, she says. You can always tell why some people are so successful  people like Davina McCall, Emma Willis, Alison Hammond. Theyre so warm and welcoming. Davina gives you a hug and looks straight into your soul. She makes you feel like youre the only person in the world. I remember thinking, thats exactly how I want to make people feel.

Her red-carpet style  part playful fan, part professional interviewer  has made her a social-media favourite. I think being a fan helps, she adds. I dont care about trying to get the scoop of the day. I just want to give them five minutes of fun. If youve been sat doing interviews for eight hours straight, you deserve that.

Marlowe is passionate about using her platform to open doors for others. Id love to do a Friday-night or late-night show, ideally back in Liverpool on the docks where they used to film This Morning, she says. Something regional, something me  with a scheme to recruit local people trying to get into telly. Because behind the camera, theres still hardly any diversity. Its mostly white, non-disabled teams. We need wider representation at every level, not just in front of the lens. It makes the work better, the stories better. And TV could do with more of that energy again  that sense of fun, of chaos.

She still has a few dream gigs in mind. Oh, Id bloody love to do Strictly, she says, beaming. As a Scouse girl, that glam  its just everything. Its such a British institution.

Her ambitions dont stop there. Oh, Id love a cameo in Corrie, she grins. Just a little one  maybe pulling a pint behind the bar or walking through the Rovers Return. Thatd be iconic.

And when it comes to television, shed love to revive the kind of unapologetically fun, queer-friendly late-night shows that used to dominate Friday nights. Alan Carrs Chatty Man was iconic. He was just himself  funny, chaotic, authentic. Davina once told me TV isnt as anarchic as it used to be, and shes right. Id love to bring some of that energy back. It doesnt even need A-listers  just people up for a laugh.

First though, her attention is firmly on Children in Need, where shell be presenting backstage this November. Its amazing, she says. I was lucky enough to do it last year too. Everyone involved is just so lovely.

At the end of the year, shes looking forward to a well-deserved break as she jets off to Africa on holiday. After that, she says her goal is to just keep going  to keep learning and keep doing what I love.
Dame Joanna Lumley has called for a change in the debate on immigration and said the focus should be on tackling the reasons why people migrate.

The veteran actor and campaigner said a lack of food, infrastructure and warfare is the driver for a lot of world migration.

She said a country like the UK cannot support unlimited migration and more needs to be done to improve stability and opportunities in developing countries.

I think we have stopped looking at what the problems are when there are these great shifts of people, Dame Joanna said.

Most people would much rather remain in their own homeland. We all have a great protection feeling to our own homeland.

Dame Joanna campaigned for the rights of Nepalese soldiers to get full UK residency rights (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

The reason they move is that either it cannot yield enough food for them to live on, or the warfare is such that theyre in danger of their lives, or they want a better life.

Rather than everybody coming to where those things do exist, which is largely kind of Europe and places like this.

How are we in the world going to spread this back again so you can stay in your fabulous country.

You can grow crops, you can have factories and things like this, you can have schools and hospitals, everything can work here, but it must have been made safe and stable and functioning.

You dont get to that stage by putting up fences. You do something else.

Im not sure how it is because the world is not thinking, always thinking keep them out, stop that, stop that, stop that.

Theres a lovely sentence which I read over in a bookshop in Paris, it comes from the Bible, And the Lord said be not inhospitable to strangers, lest they be angels in disguise.

Weve just got to be so careful about this because everybodys frantic about numbers.

Of course, a tiny country cant support millions and millions of people, but weve got to start thinking outwards a bit more.

Weve got to start thinking, how can we go to that country and get fresh water to irrigate their land?

Weve got to grow the desert, to green the desert, to plant the trees to stabilise the land.

Dame Joanna, 79, has been involved in many campaigns over the years, such as the Gurkhas, animal welfare and supporting asylum seekers.

She was born in India while her father was serving with the Gurkhas and spent much of her childhood overseas with her family.

Ive still got my British nationality papers because my father had been born in Lahore, and so two of us born abroad. Ive got them just in case they tried to throw me out, she joked.

Dame Joanna was speaking in conversation with broadcaster Emma Freud at the Cheltenham Literature Festival to promote her new book, My Book Of Treasures: A Collection Of Favourite Writings, which is comprised of her favourite writings, thoughts and quotes, as written in her private notebooks.

Dame Joanna Lumley got her big acting break playing Purdey in The New Avengers alongside Gareth Hunt, centre, and Patrick MacNee (PA)

She said she had wanted to be an actor since she first performed on stage at school aged six.

I was an Army brat, as they called them, she said. I was born in India, and then went out to Hong Kong, then went to what is now Malaysia with my fathers regiment the Gurkhas.

I was six. Do you remember that poem of AA Milne The Kings Breakfast?

I was the Queen, and mummy made me a lovely blue dress, a little gold crown made of cardboard.

I was to just walk on and say things like, Could we have some butter for the royal slice of bread?

It all seemed completely normal and fine, until I got to the wings, just got to the side of the stage.

I thought my heart was going to explode with terror. I thought I would go deaf and blind, so I walked out of the stage, and I had to say the lines.

But you know, something happened. I knew then, for sure, that that was what I was going to be doing for the rest of my life.

After leaving school Dame Joanna was turned down by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art but got her big break as Purdey in The New Avengers.

It sounds extraordinary to say now but the hunt for The New Avenger woman was almost as keen as the thought of a new James Bond, she said.

Nobody knew who it would be. It was 10 years since the last Avengers.

Anyway, it was me in the end, so that was my lucky break.

But I was desperate. Nobody ever thinks that you had sour milk because you couldnt afford to get new stuff.

That you had to stamp on sheets in the bath because you couldnt even afford the launderette. Nobody sees that thing. Its not sad, it wasnt boo-hoo sad, it was just poor.
Estonia has taken the unusual step of temporarily closing a road vital for its citizens, which ordinarily passes through a segment of Russian territory.

The decision came after the interior minister reported the presence of Russian soldiers on the route, according to Estonia's public broadcaster.

The closure, implemented on Friday, was confirmed by Estonias Police and Border Guard Board.

In a statement, the board explained that the action was taken "after border guards observed a larger-than-usual unit moving on the territory of the Russian Federation."

This measure affects the Saatse Boot, a distinctive boot-shaped area of Russian land that extends into southeastern Estonia.

Typically, Estonian citizens and others are permitted to drive through this area without a permit, though stopping is strictly prohibited.

The Estonian border agency stated that the closure of the Saatse Boot was "necessary to ensure the safety of people in Estonia and to prevent possible incidents."

This measure affects the Saatse Boot, a distinctive boot-shaped area of Russian land that extends into southeastern Estonia (Associated Press)

Estonian media reports indicated the Russian unit comprised approximately 10 men.

While Russian border patrols are a regular sight in the vicinity, their reported presence standing directly in the middle of the road used by Estonians is considered highly out of the ordinary.

Interior Minister Igor Taro was quoted as saying Saturday that the Russian soldiers had left the area again. He added that the situation was calm but that the road would remain closed at least until Tuesday.

There is no direct threat of war. This has been constantly confirmed by the Estonian Defense Forces.

The Saatse Boot incident has not changed the situation," he was quoted as saying by the daily newspaper Postimees, according to the public broadcaster EER.

While Russian border patrols are a regular sight in the vicinity, their reported presence standing directly in the middle of the road used by Estonians is considered highly out of the ordinary (Associated Press)

Estonia has been on alert for Russian border incursions after three Russian fighter aircraft entered its airspace without permission last month and stayed there for 12 minutes.

A week earlier, Russian drones violated Polands airspace in the most serious cross-border incident involving a NATO member since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Other NATO countries on the bloc's eastern flank have reported similar incursions and drone crashes on their territory.
UK travellers visiting countries such as Spain, Portugal and Italy are being urged to prepare for four-hour queues when a new EU border system comes into force on Sunday, while industry bodies have warned that delays could cost the economy 400m.

The Entry Exit System (EES) means UK travellers will need to have their fingerprints registered and photograph taken to enter the Schengen area, which consists of 29 European countries, mainly in the EU.

While the Home Office said the extra checks should only take one to two minutes for travellers to complete, they admitted they may lead to longer waits at busy times, with travel firms warning passengers to allow four hours for the checks to take place.

Meanwhile, there are fears longer delays for hauliers could cost the UK economy millions.

Ready and waiting: Entry-exit system kiosks at Palma airport (Charlotte Hindle)

Analysis conducted by Logistics UK with independent modelling experts MDS Transmodal estimated that delays of around 90 minutes for the 3.35 million HGVs that passed through the Short Straits in 2023 would cost the economy 400m per year.

Logistics UK's Policy Manager Josh Fenton warned: This is a cost that the logistics industry cannot just absorb, not least because our members already operate on incredibly narrow margins and are facing rising operating costs that are putting pressure on their ability to keep trading.

It is vital for our sector that the UK government maintains close conversation with its European counterparts to ensure that the test of Member State readiness has, at its core, the smooth flow of freight and trade across the Channel; a critical GB EU supply chain route, he added.

Pointing to the Logistics UK figure, the Liberal Democrats urged the government to negotiate with the EU to enable pre-checks for HGVs away from the UK/EU border.

They calculated that the 400m that may be lost as a result of delays could fund more than 16,000 new nurses for the NHS.

The new entry and exit system for coach travellers, during a preview of the newly developed Entry Exit System (EES) zone at the Western Docks in the Port of Dover, Kent (PA Wire)

The partys Europe spokesperson Al Pinkerton told The Independent: It's utterly unacceptable that the UK could lose nearly half a billion pounds thanks to the government failing to negotiate properly with the EU over the new entry programme. This is yet another barrier to growth.

"That money could have gone back into our economy to boost struggling companies and public services here at home. Instead, it now risks being lost in long queues as the flow of trade is gummed up at the border.

He urged ministers to secure immediate agreements to help fast track exporters through the border, as well as urging them to get the EU signed up to a professional drivers exemption for British hauliers - ensuring our businesses don't get hammered by new restrictive rules on working in the EU.

It came after Tom Jenkins, chief executive of European travel association Etoa, said the phased rollout of the EES is a complete muddle.

The EU is rolling out the system in a phased manner, with participating states initially only required to use the system for a proportion of their arrivals. The deadline for full implementation is 10 April next year.

But Mr Jenkins said: Were not getting any information at all. All they [the EC and EU member states] are saying is it will be rolled out from October 12  its not remotely clear who will be doing it.

Its a complete muddle. They cant have a partial system, which is what theyre trying to do  to start enrolment, to get the electronic record up even if its not a proper record. So, theyre going to register people as well as stamping their passport, he added.

For most UK travellers the EES process will be done at foreign airports. UK travellers boarding international services from Londons St Pancras railway station, the Port of Dover and Eurotunnels Folkestone terminal will complete EES checks in the UK.

New kiosks have been installed at those locations but only some passengers will be required to use them from Sunday.

Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, a network of independent travel agents, said: For major airports in southern Europe, we recommend that travellers now allocate four hours for navigating the new system in these initial stages.

She warned that delays should be anticipated at border controls when multiple flights arrive at similar times, and we foresee potentially overwhelming volumes of travellers during the initial roll-out.

Ms Lo Bue-Said added: This should settle over the next few weeks as staff and travellers familiarise themselves with the new procedures.

An individuals EES registration will be valid for three years although their details will still be verified on each trip in that period.

The system will eventually replace the need for border officers to stamp passports.

Mark Tanzer, chief executive of travel trade organisation Abta, said: In the longer term, EES should make processes quicker and simpler for travel to Europe.

Looking at the short term, given the scale of the operation, there may be some delays, particularly at peak travel times.

But countries will be stepping up their processes gradually and have the option to stand down the system to avoid significant and lengthy waiting times.

We ask that countries remain vigilant and use this contingency measure where needed.

The Department for Transport has been contacted for comment.
Sir Keir Starmer will join world leaders at a historic summit in Egypt today - to witness the signing of the Gaza peace plan to end two years of conflict, bloodshed and suffering that has cost tens of thousands of lives and turned Gaza into a wasteland.

Travelling over to Egypt, flanked by his national security adviser Jonathan Powell, the prime minister told me it was a "massive moment" and one that is genuinely historic.

US President Donald Trump moved decisively last week to end this bloody war, pushing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas into a ceasefire as part of his 20-point peace plan.

In the flurry of the following 48 hours, Sir Keir and another 20 or so leaders were invited to Egypt to bear witness to the signing of this deal, with many of them deserving some credit for the effort they made to bring this deal around - not least the leaders of Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, who pressed Hamas to sign up to this deal.

Today, the remaining 20 living hostages are finally set to be released, along with the bodies of another 28 who were either killed or died in captivity, and aid is due to flow back into a starving Gaza.

Some 1,200 Israelis were killed on 7 October 2023, with another 250 taken hostage. In the subsequent war, most of Gaza's two million population has been displaced. More than 67,000 Gazans have been killed, according to Palestinian health officials.

Then, the signing ceremony is due to take place this afternoon in Sharm el Sheikh. It will be a momentous moment after a long and bloody war.

But it is only just the beginning of a long process to rebuild Gaza and try to secure a lasting peace in the region.

The immediate focus for the UK and other nations will be to get aid into Gaza, with the UK committing 20m for water, sanitation and hygiene services for Gazans.

But the focus for the UK and other European allies is what happens after the hostages are released and Israel withdraws its troops.

What happens next is a much bigger and more complicated task: rebuilding Gaza; turning it into a terrorist-free zone; governing Gaza - the current plan is for a temporary apolitical committee; creating an international stabilisation force and all the tensions that could bring about - which troops each side would allow in; a commitment for Israel not to occupy or annex Gaza, even as Netanyahu makes plain his opposition to that plan.

The scale of the challenge is matched by the scale of devastation caused by this brutal war.

The prime minister will set out his ambition for the UK to play a leading role in the next phase of the peace plan.

Back home, the UK is hosting a three-day conference on Gaza's recovery and reconstruction.

Last week, France hosted European diplomats and key figures from Middle Eastern countries, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar - and later this week, the German chancellor is hoping to organise a conference on the reconstruction of Gaza with the Egyptians.

But in reality, European leaders know the key to phase two remains the key to phase one, and that's Donald Trump.

As one UK figure put it to me over the weekend: "There is lots of praise, rightly, for the US president, who got this over the line, but the big challenge for us post-war is implementing the plan. Clearly, Arab partners are concerned the US will lose focus."

The prime minister knows this and has made a point, at every point, to praise Mr Trump.

His cabinet minister Bridget Phillipson learned that diplomatic lesson the hard way yesterday when she was publicly lambasted by the US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee for suggesting to my colleague Trevor Phillips that the UK "had played a key role behind the scenes" and failed to mention Mr Trump by name.

"I assure you she is delusional," tweeted Governor Huckabee. "She can thank @realDonaldTrump anytime just to set the record straight".

Today, leaders will rightly be praising Mr Trump for securing the breakthrough to stop the fighting and get the remaining hostages home.

But this is only the beginning of a very long journey ahead to push through the rest of the 19-point plan and stop the region from falling back into conflict.

Britain has, I am told, been playing a role behind the scenes. The PM's national security adviser Mr Powell was in Egypt last week and has been in daily touch with his US counterpart Steve Witkoff, according to government sources. Next week the King of Jordan will come to the UK.

Part of the UK's task will be to get more involved, with the government and European partners keen to get further European representation on Trump's temporary governance committee for Gaza, which Tony Blair (who was not recommended or endorsed by the UK) is on and Mr Trump will chair.

The committee will include other heads of states and members, including qualified Palestinians and international experts.

As for the former prime minister's involvement, there hasn't been an overt ringing endorsement from the UK government.

It's helpful to have Mr Blair at the table because he can communicate back to the current government, but equally, as one diplomatic source put it to me: "While a lot of people in the Middle East acknowledge his experience, expertise and contact book, they don't like him and we need - sooner rather than later - other names included that Gulf partners can get behind."

Today it will be the US, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey that sign off on the peace plan they directly negotiated, as other Middle Eastern and European leaders, who have flown into Sharm el Sheikh to bear witness, look on.

But in the coming days and weeks, there will need to be a big international effort, led by Mr Trump, not just to secure the peace, but to keep it.
A Helicopter crashed in Huntington Beach on Saturday afternoon (Getty Images)

Five people have been hospitalized after a helicopter crashed in the Southern California city of Huntington Beach, officials said.

Shocking footage shows the moment the aircraft suddenly loses control midair and begins spiraling, eventually losing altitude and slamming into a row of palms as stunned sunbathers and beachgoers look on.

Several videos circulating online show the helicopter plunging towards the edge of the beach, before becoming wedged between palm trees and the staircase of a pedestrian bridge that runs over the Pacific Coast Highway to a nearby beach resort, CBS reports.

The Huntington Beach Fire Department told The Associated Press those hospitalized include two people on board the helicopter, who were safely pulled from the wreckage, as well as three others on the street.

Emergency services attend to a helicopter crash in Huntington Beach (Getty Images)

The aircraft was still nestled among the palm trees hours after the crash, according to reports (Getty Images)

CBS reports that a child is among the injured. The nature of the injuries is still unknown.

The incident took place around 2 p.m. PT Saturday, and the helicopter was still wedged between the staircase and palm trees over two hours later, despite a heavy police presence and road closures.

Huntington Beach Fire Department told AP that the helicopter was associated associated with an annual Cars 'N Copters fundraising event planned for Sunday.

There were reportedly several other helicopters in a car park close to where the crash happened. According to CBS, an "exclusive helicopter landing party" was being hosted at the nearby Offshore 9 Rooftop Lounge on Saturday afternoon, where attendees were invited to "watch helicopters arrive from a bird's eye view ahead of the charity event.

The cause of the crash is still unclear.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified of the crash, city officials told CBS.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A gathering of old high school classmates at a South Carolina bar turned deadly early Sunday morning after four people were killed and 20 more were wounded in a mass shooting.

The shooting unfolded around 1 a.m. on Sunday at Willies Bar and Grill on St. Helena Island, the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office said in a statement. The bars owner, Willie Terrell, told local outlet WJCL the venue was hosting an alumni party for graduates from Battery Creek High School. It was one of multiple alumni parties scheduled this weekend, he said.

Terrell described his bar as packed, and police said hundreds of people were nearby when gunshots rang out. The owner recounted a chaotic scene after hearing shots that sounded like machine gun fire.

It was just mayhem, a tragedy, outside, Terrell told WJCL. Its just unreal.

Beaufort County EMS transported several victims to local hospitals, including four people who were in critical condition. More victims have continued to show up at area hospitals seeking treatment for their injuries, according to the sheriffs office.

The owner of Willies Bar and Grill described the scene as mayhem (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Police said hundreds of people were near the venue when the shooting started (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

A security officer was among those killed, Terrell told WJCL. Police have yet to release the victims names as they work to notify their families.

One of the security officers who passed away happens to be the son of my dad's best friend, Terrell said. He came and we spoke the night before...it was close, real close.

The sheriffs office said it is investigating persons of interest and urged anyone with information on the shooting to contact law enforcement.

This is a tragic and difficult incident for everyone, the sheriffs office said. We ask for your patience as we continue to investigate this incident. Our thoughts are with all of the victims and their loved ones.

The Beaufort County Sheriffs Office declined to provide additional details when contacted by The Independent.

A sticker on the door of the bar said no weapons were allowed on site. (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Representative Nancy Mace, whose district includes St. Helena Island, shared a statement asking for anyone with information on the shooting to contact the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office.

COMPLETELY HEARTBROKEN to learn about the devastating shooting in Beaufort County, she wrote on X. Our prayers are with the victims, their families, and everyone impacted by this horrific act of violence.

Senator Tim Scott also called the shooting heartbreaking.

Im lifting up in prayer the families who lost loved ones and those who were injured, he wrote on X. All of us in South Carolina will be holding those affected close in our hearts in the days ahead.
Aid trucks moving through the Gaza Strip. It is now essential to establish security, enable aid, and rebuild infrastructure - Abdallah F S Alattar/Anadolu

At last, a peace of sorts eventually seems to have come to Gaza and Israel, but maintaining it may be as hard as getting here in the first place. Once the dust hopefully settles in Gaza and a huge sigh of relief resonates around the globe, the even more daunting challenge begins.

Both the UN and the Trump 20-point plan suggest that an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) is required to maintain the ceasefire and begin the daunting and complex humanitarian operation to feed the starving, turn the power and water back on, start the clear up, rebuild, and in time establish a local Palestinian Police Force. To begin with, a small contingent from US Central Command is setting up a Civil Military Co-ordination Centre to get things moving.

Some are suggesting, among them me, that the stabilisation force should replicate the structures and methods of KFOR, the Kosovo Force, set up around 25 years ago to keep the peace in the province of Kosovo. I was involved with KFOR as a youngish Army officer for several years. We were focused on building a secure environment and guaranteeing the freedom of movement through all Kosovo territory for all citizens, irrespective of their ethnic origins. KFOR operated under a UN resolution, but it was a Nato force, not a UN one. This is a very important difference. Secondly, KFOR focused on enabling humanitarian aid and getting the local infrastructure up and running again. As in Gaza, there were major ethnic and religious issues. KFOR is, in fact, still in place, though it is much smaller these days and being slowly wound down.

The first challenge for the Gaza ISF is its make-up and force structure. Most likely the force will predominantly be made up of soldiers from Middle Eastern countries who are acceptable to Israel as well as the Palestinians. The Qataris have been key players in negotiations thus far, and the Hamas leadership has often been resident in Doha, so they are likely contributors. However the small Gulf state does not have the troop numbers to go it alone  around 60,000 soldiers will be needed, as with the original KFOR, to provide an effective stabilisation force.

First and closest to the challenge is Egypt who are already putting troops forward with Qatar, to begin with by providing security troops to the US initial mission. It is also likely that the Saudis, who are the closest to the Israelis, would provide some of the force, along with other Gulf states like UAE and Oman. These nations can do much of the heavy lifting when it comes to the enablers, such as C-17 heavy transport aircraft and heavy lift helicopters. Turkey has also expressed a keen interest in getting involved which would seem sensible as it sits betwixt the West and the Middle East in many helpful ways, cultural, ethnic and religious.

As with KFOR, the Rules of Engagement (ROE) for the force will be most important. This is a monumental challenge. The ROE must be robust enough that any attempt by Hamas or other groups to reignite conflict can be put down, but sensitive enough that small indiscretions by a poor and starving population are not punished overly harshly. It is vital that the ISF is effective in making sure it is the only significant armed group in Gaza, so that the Israelis do not perceive threats  or suffer attacks  and feel tempted to act themselves. The ISF must also avoid antagonising the people and becoming engaged in a war of occupation against them.

Once lines are drawn, perhaps with four or five international brigades in place across Gaza, as there were in Kosovo, the humanitarian and reconstruction task can begin in earnest. Whether this operation is based out of Egypt or Israel doesnt really matter, but likely the massive amounts of initial aid will come through Egypt as it did last year.

This is where the West, led by the US, should play its part in providing the resources and infrastructure to get aid in and infrastructure working again. I well remember being peripherally involved in starting up Pristina Power Station B, back in Kosovo in 2000. People were ringing up their mates in the UK power industry to find out which switches to flick. It was members of my current Army Reserve unit, the Engineer and Logistics Staff Corps  the best specialist unit nobody has heard of in the British Army  who ultimately got the job done. The ELSC is a group of experts, most with little military experience, but with skills the MoD does not usually have, like starting power stations and building (or operating) railways. The unit is a huge force multiplier and its members give their time pro bono in service of our nation.

Perhaps my comrades and I have a role to play in Gaza. We celebrate our 160th anniversary this year, with a book on our exploits to be published next month  more on that another day!

Whatever one may think of President Trump, he seems to have forced an unlikely peace on Israel and Hamas. I, for one, applaud him for that. This morning with Hezbollah all but destroyed and Hamas and Iran crushed, the Middle East seems a more peaceful place for the first time in my memory, and peace in this region is good for the whole planet.

Now if President Trump can make this peace hold, and then achieve a just peace deal for Ukraine  and I believe he may be able to do that  he will have more than earned the Nobel Peace Prize he covets. It would be shameful, in that brighter future, if he didnt get it.
There are growing questions over the collapse of a case against two men accused of spying for Beijing, with the former chief of the Secret Intelligence Service saying he is unsure why the prosecution was dropped.

It comes amid allegations that the prime ministers team had access to multiple documents that proved China was a national security risk but supposedly chose not to hand them over to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) before the case was brought to a close.

And on the eve of Sir Keir Starmers trip to Egypt, where he will attend a Middle East peace summit chaired by Donald Trump, the White House has reportedly warned that the failure to prosecute the two alleged Chinese spies risks undermining the special relationship  and could threaten intelligence sharing between Britain and the US.

Christopher Berry, left, and Christopher Cash have both denied the spying allegations (PA)

Speaking about the collapse of the trial, Sir John Sawers told Times Radio: "I don't think it's got anything to do with intelligence. I think these two people accused of spying in parliament were low-grade reporters of opinion in parliament. What they were doing, if the allegations are true, was certainly illegal.

And frankly, I'm a bit confused and unsure about why the prosecution was dropped. Of course, China poses an intelligence threat, a subversion threat here in the UK, as well as being an economic partner.

I think the government was slow in putting out a clear line on this. We heard one from Yvette Cooper at the end of last week. But I think the Americans will be equally perplexed as to why the prosecution was dropped when the case looked pretty clear, the former MI6 chief added.

It comes after two former top civil servants questioned the prime ministers explanation for the abandonment of the prosecution of Christopher Cash, 30, a former parliamentary researcher, and Christopher Berry, 33, a teacher.

Keir Starmer will attend a peace summit in Egypt on Monday (PA Wire)

The prime minister has maintained the last Conservative administration had not designated China as a threat to national security, so 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.

Mark Sedwill, a predecessor to the PMs current national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, expressed confusion about why the trial fell apart because Beijing was of course a threat to the UK, while former cabinet secretary Simon Case said intelligence chiefs had publicly warned of the threat from China for years.

Former attorney general Dominic Grieve on Friday dismissed the governments claims as weird, telling The Independent: I can't see why the PM was not in a position to ask the Cabinet Office to provide the evidence.

Mr Cash and Mr Berry were charged by the CPS in April last year with spying under the Official Secrets Act 1911, when they were accused of collecting and communicating information which could be useful to an enemy. Both denied the charges.

White House sources told The Times that Mr Trump is increasingly concerned about the reliability of the UK after the charges were dropped, with a senior official saying: The United States has been warning allies about the Chinese threat to our combined national security since President Trump first came into office in 2017.

The US government exercises extreme caution in sharing information with foreign governments subject to adversarial coercion and influence. We are especially careful in jurisdictions where our adversaries can act with impunity.

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.

The Tories have accused the government of political interference in the trial, with shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel urging attorney general Richard Hermer, to come to parliament and account for what has happened.

The Sunday Times reported last week that in a meeting last month Mr Powell revealed the governments evidence would be based on the national security strategy, which was published in June and does not refer to Beijing as an enemy.

Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, said Mr Powell played no role in the collapse of a prosecution against the two alleged spies and has the PMs full confidence.
Pakistani troops patrolling along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Photograph: Aamir Qureshi/AFP/Getty Images

Intense clashes erupted along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on Saturday night, after an attack by the Afghan Taliban on Pakistani military posts led to a heavy exchange of fire and reportedly left dozens of soldiers dead.

According to officials, Afghan troops opened fire on Pakistani army posts along the north-western border with Pakistan on Saturday night and seized several of the posts. The attacks came after the Taliban regime in Afghanistan accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes on Afghan territory, including in the capital, Kabul, earlier this week.

On Sunday, Pakistan responded with retaliatory strikes, gunfire and ground raids on Afghan Taliban posts along the border.

In a statement, the media wing of the Pakistan military said 23 soldiers had been killed and another 29 wounded in the attacks. They claimed that 200 Taliban and affiliated terrorists from the Afghan side were killed in their retaliatory strikes and that terrorist training camps had been dismantled.

The Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid had earlier claimed that Taliban forces killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in the attacks, while just nine from the Taliban side were killed.

The clashes signal a new low in Afghan-Pakistan relations, which have become increasingly hostile amid claims that Afghanistan is giving a safe haven to Islamist militants carrying out an escalating number of deadly attacks on Pakistani soil.

Early on Sunday morning, the Taliban governments defence ministry said its forces had conducted retaliatory and successful operations along the border. If the opposing side again violates Afghanistans territorial integrity, our armed forces are fully prepared to defend the nations borders and will deliver a strong response, said the ministry.

Pakistans media wing accused the Afghan Taliban of launching attacks to facilitate terrorism.

Exercising the right of self-defence, the alert armed forces of Pakistan repelled the assault decisively all along the border and inflicted heavy casualties on Taliban forces, said the statement.

We will not tolerate the treacherous use of Afghan soil for terrorism against Pakistan  the state of Pakistan will not rest until the menace of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan is completely eliminated.

The cross-border strikes came after two explosions were reported in the Afghan capital and another in south-eastern Afghanistan on Thursday. The Taliban-run defence ministry subsequently accused Pakistan of violating its sovereignty in connection with the attacks. Pakistan has neither denied nor confirmed carrying out the Kabul strike, only stating that it had carried out a series of retribution operations.

Analysts said recent days showed just how volatile the situation along the Afghan-Pakistan border had become. The two countries share a nearly 1,600-mile (2,600km) rugged and mountainous border known as the Durand Line, which is contested by Afghanistan.

Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, the Pakistan government has accused them of giving shelter to the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an Islamist militant group who are behind a deadly rise in insurgent attacks in Pakistans border region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Thousands of TTP militant attacks  mostly targeting Pakistani police, paramilitary and army  have been carried out over the past four years, leaving more than 2,500 dead. Islamabad has grown increasingly impatient with Kabul, publicly calling on the Afghan Taliban to stop harbouring TTP militants, accusing them of turning a blind eye to training camps and giving funding and arms to TTP fighters who carry out attacks on Pakistani soil, allegations backed by UN findings.

Imtiaz Gul, a security analyst based in Islamabad, said Pakistans patience with Kabul had been wearing thin as TTP attacks continued to escalate. Just earlier this week, at least three senior army officers, including 20 soldiers, were killed in attacks by the Pakistani Taliban. According to Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, there have been more than 600 attacks by TTP so far this year, the most in a decade.

Gul described the clashes as a logical conclusion of the tensions that had been brewing up between the two countries, particularly after the continuous refusal of the Afghan regime to take demonstrable conclusive action against the TTP, which is spearheading the terrorist attacks in Pakistan.

Speaking at a press conference in Delhi, where he was on an official visit to India this week, the Afghan Taliban foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, denied that Afghanistan was giving shelter to TTP fighters. There is no safe haven for TTP in Afghanistan, he said.

Muttaqi said the situation along the Afghan-Pakistan border was now under control and that allies Qatar and Saudi Arabia had reached out to express that the war should stop.

Afghanistan has the right to keep its territory and its borders safe and so it has retaliated to the violation, he said. We achieved the objective of our retaliatory mission  so from our end, we have stopped.

Michael Kugelman, a South Asia analyst based in Washington DC, described the border situation as precarious. He emphasised that while the cash-strapped Taliban in Afghanistan lacks the capacity to fight the Pakistani military head-on, he cautioned that the strikes could further fuel the cross-border militant insurgency in Pakistan.

The risk is that its recent strikes in Afghanistan will galvanise TTP to carry out reprisals, which could invite further and perhaps more intense Pakistani operations in Afghanistan, said Kugelman. And then the cycle could play out again. There are no winners or easy long-term solutions here.
Relatives of the hostages gathered in Tel Aviv over the weekend after news of their imminent release broke - Jack Guez/AFP

Hostages to be released by Hamas on Monday will need to be taught how to eat normally again after being starved in captivity, medics said.

Dr Michal Steinman, the chief nursing officer at Beilinson Hospital, said they would have had little to eat in the two years since Hamas launched its Oct 7 2023 attack, triggering the Israel-Hamas war.

We have to be extremely careful because we are wary of overfeeding, she said. The hospital is one of four centres in Israel due to receive the 20 hostages believed to still be alive.

In the past, some of them have so completely lost their appetite that we have had to work with them in order for them to feel hungry again.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Dr Steinman also said that unlike the hostages released in January and February, they will undergo intensive monitoring for at least the first 24 hours, due to fears over their underlying health.

We have to take into consideration another 200 days in captivity, she said. We have to think about the clinical issues, the nutritional state and their psychological state.

Dr Steinman said the unit had stocked up on extra eye and skin medicines, prompted by their experience with other former hostages.

One of the rooms at the Beilinson hospital where some hostages will recover - X.com

Hamas is expected to release 20 living hostages on Monday, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners as part of a peace plan brokered by Donald Trump.

Although many of those released in January and February had been given extra food in the weeks before, some emerged dramatically emaciated.

Dr Steinman said the unit at Beilinson waiting to receive the hostages, near Petah Tikva, had carried out a full simulation with actors playing the part of patients last week to try and make the homecoming as stress-free as possible.

The bespoke unit has treated a number of other hostages, including the four all-female IDF spotter units who were abducted on Oct 7 and had warned their superiors about suspicious activity in Gaza.

The hostages will be released to the Red Cross  without ceremony, this time  before being handed over to the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), who will immediately check their health before flying them to hospital via helicopter.

We dont know which hostages were going to get yet, so we will have to react quickly, said Dr Steinman.

Dr Michal Steinman said newly released hostages would undergo intensive monitoring for at least the first 24 hours

Previously returned hostages had been so starved they were only given nuts in the first few hours, to avoid the risk of overfeeding, she said.

Among the 20 due to be released are two sets of brothers: David and Ariel Cunio, and Gali and Ziv Berman, who are twins. Others include Nimrod Cohen, Evyatar David and Elkana Bohbot.

Mr Cohen, 21, was the only survivor of his IDF tank crew when it was overrun by Hamas terrorists near the perimeter fence.

He is a Rubiks cube fanatic, and a burnt cube was found in the tank. His parents have been vociferous critics of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, accusing him of stalling talks with Hamas to prolong the war.

Elkana Bohbot was filmed, apparently under duress, in multiple videos by Hamas.

In one, he was shown begging to be released from Gaza in a pretend telephone call with his wife.

In August, Hamas released a video of Mr David, a civilian hostage taken on Oct 7, looking emaciated in a tunnel and being forced to dig his own grave.

In comments made under duress, the 24-year-old urged Mr Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire, warning that time is running out for the starving remaining hostages. He was forced to tick off days of his captivity on a makeshift calendar.

The returning hostages unit at Beilinson has been furnished with Israeli flags and baskets of gifts that include a teddy, phone charger, blanket and slippers. It also has accommodation for family members.

In January, a group of female soldiers who had been taken hostage were reunited when Agam Berger (right) was released by Hamas - Instagram

However, Keren Schwartz, the director of social services at the hospital, said that after the initial euphoria at being reunited with loved ones, family members had to learn to be patient.

Were trying to help families get back with a family member who was missing for two years. Its a lot of time. Its more difficult than just going back to the same routine as before, she said.

She said that giving the released hostages the simplest of personal possessions, such as a pillow or a blanket that can remain theirs, could start the healing process.

Ms Schwartz added that, although Mondays released hostages were likely to be in a worse physical condition, their recovery should be easier as they would not have the guilt of leaving any fellow living hostages behind.

The unit is reserved exclusively for returning hostages.

While some previously released hostages return for outpatient treatment, it largely stands empty, waiting for the final ones to be released.

The last two times when we opened it, we knew that it was not the final chapter, said Dr Steinman.

Now we are really, really hoping that this is the last chapter. Were trying to keep our feet on the ground.
Long queues have built up at one of the few EU airports where the new entry-exit system was planned to take effect on day one.

The Schengen area digital borders scheme is being gradually rolled out across Europe, but three countries have said they will start fingerprinting and photographing all third-country nationals from the outset: the Czech Republic, Estonia and Luxembourg.

Prague airport is by far the busiest location intending to apply the entry-exit system in full to arrivals. Passengers from the first few UK flights to touch down in the Czech capital on Sunday morning told The Independent they had gone through the normal analogue checks without a significant wait.

Dozens of border registration machines have been installed at Terminal 1 of Prague airport to record biometrics. The aim is that arriving travellers will provide their fingerprints and facial biometrics ahead of the passport control desks.

But the authorities ordered passport staff to start recording the biometrics at their posts rather than using the kiosks.

Queues quickly built up as arrivals from British airports, as well as Turkey, Egypt and the UAE, converged on the passport desks.

At the terminal, arriving and departing passengers mingled. Stuart Linden Rhodes, who was at the airport to fly to Leeds Bradford, observed the queues. He told The Independent: All machines still switched off, heading to an hour now. Fingers and eyes being done at the passport control desk.

Waiting game: the international arrivals area at Prague airport (Simon Calder)

Passengers from London initially reported waiting about an hour for their biometrics to be collected, and for their passports to be inspected and stamped.

But Hamilton Nash, who arrived later from London, said: Just fought through the queues. No machines operating. Its an hour to 90-minute-long queue.

They just started allowing Australian and British passport holders to use the EU channel to ease the congestion in the airport.

The entry-exit system applies to travellers leaving the Schengen area as well as arriving. But Mr Linden Rhodes reported that his biometrics were not recorded on departure. Usual exit, glare at you and then your passport before stamping it, he said.

Starting on Sunday 12 October, Schengen area member states have 180 days to make all their frontiers EES-compliant. The faces and fingerprints of third-country nationals, including British passport holders, are stored on a central EU database.

Senior travel figures have warned of long waits. Michael OLeary, chief executive of Ryanair, told The Independent: Im pretty certain its going to go wrong. But he added: Were moving into the winter period, so theres a lot less pressure on, but I think it will be bumpy and lumpy through the winter.

Experts are warning passengers should arrive up to four hours early as the new EES system is rolled out (Stuart Linden Rhodes)

Mark Tanzer, chief executive of Abta, the travel association, said: Im afraid there will undoubtedly be some delays as this new entry and exit system for the Schengen area comes into effect.

Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, advised leaving yourself between three and four hours from the point of entry before continuing with travel plans.

She told the BBC Today programme: If youre not leaving yourself enough time and you unfortunately arrive at an airport where there is a bottleneck, which in a lot of places there are already, this is going to add another layer of frustration and delay.

The Schengen area  comprising most of the EU plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland  has 1,800 border crossings, with more than 500 million entries and exits a year.
The Israeli government says it expects all living hostages held in Gaza to be released on Monday morning and that it is preparing for the release of about 2,000 Palestinian detainees, the crucial next phase of the ceasefire deal that could end the two-year war in Gaza.

We are expecting all 20 of our living hostages to be released together at one time to the Red Cross and transported among six to eight vehicles, said the Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian.

Hostages will be driven to a military base to see their families or to hospitals if medical care is needed. The remains of deceased hostages are expected to be sent to the national Institute of Forensic Medicine for identification.

An unnamed Hamas official told Al Jazeera that living hostages had been gathered in Gaza and the militant group would meet the Red Cross on Sunday night to agree the logistics of their release.

There are 48 hostages still in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

An international taskforce will work on finding the remains of hostages not released on Monday, with many believed to be buried under the rubble somewhere in the devastated Gaza Strip.

Israel will also release nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees, the vast majority of whom will be sent to Gaza or exiled to neighbouring countries, once Israeli hostages are back on Israeli soil.

Several Hamas commanders, prominent Palestinian political figures and detained doctors whose releases were requested by Hamas were not on the list of Palestinians to be freed. The doctors Hussam Abu Safiya and Marwan al-Hams, who were detained in Gaza during the war, as well as the prominent Palestinian political leader Marwan Barghouti, were not on the list.

Hamas said it was still in talks with Israeli negotiators to secure their release.

The hostage-detainee swap is the first step in Donald Trumps 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza. A ceasefire has been in place since Friday afternoon, but most of the details of the US presidents proposals need to be negotiated before a lasting end to the war is established.

The US president will visit Jerusalem on Monday to speak at the Knesset, as well as meeting families of the hostages.

Trump will then fly to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt where he will co-chair a peace summit attended by the leaders of more than 20 countries aimed at finalising a permanent truce in Gaza.

Related: Donald Trump and Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to chair Gaza peace summit on Monday

As he boarded Air Force One on Sunday evening, Trump said that the war is over and everybodys cheering.

There are 500,000 people yesterday and today in Israel and also the Muslim and Arab countries all cheering  Thats never happened before, he said.

Palestinians are desperate to see the ceasefire extend into a permanent end to the war, after two years of an Israeli campaign that destroyed most of the strip, killed more than 67,000 Palestinians and wounded about 170,000. Israel stands accused of conducting genocide in Gaza by a UN commission of inquiry and several human rights bodies.

Israel denies the claim of genocide and says its conduct in the war, launched in retaliation for an attack by Hamas-led militants that killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostage, constitutes self-defence.

In Israel, preparations were under way to receive the hostages, who will be taken to a military base to undergo an examination before being taken to hospitals, which have run drills to prepare for the releases, using actors in place of hostages to practise.

We are very excited, waiting for our son and for all the 48 hostages, Hagai Angrest, whose son Matan is among the 20 hostages still held in Gaza, told Reuters.

On Sunday night, tens of thousands of people cheered in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv as the US Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, spoke alongside Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner.

I dreamed of this night. Its been a long journey, Witkoff said. The crowd yelled praise for Trump, but booed when Witkoff mentioned the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Families in the occupied West Bank also prepared to receive loved ones who were being let out of Israeli jails. Israeli authorities instructed families not to be vocal in their celebrations and warned them to limit their interaction with the media.

Roughly 2,000 Palestinian detainees are due to be let out around the same time as the hostages are released. About 1,700 were detainees from Gaza, while 250 were longtime prisoners of Israel, among them Palestinian leaders. About half of the 250 are to be released to Gaza or exiled to neighbouring countries, while the other half will be released to the West Bank or East Jerusalem.

As preparations continued for the hostage swap, humanitarian groups geared up to send aid into Gaza.

Cogat, the Israeli military agency that oversees humanitarian aid in Gaza, said it expected about 600 trucks to enter the strip each day, starting on Sunday. This would restore aid to about prewar levels, after months of severely restricted aid into the strip.

The UN said about 170,000 metric tonnes of food, medicine and other humanitarian aid was ready to enter Gaza once Israel permits its entry. Tents, high-energy food for malnourished children and menstrual hygiene supplies were among the prioritised aid items.

A spokesperson for the World Food Programme, Abeer Etefa, said that roads were being cleared and repaired on Sunday to help facilitate future aid deliveries.

The restoration of aid follows months of Israeli siege on Gaza, which resulted in famine in parts of the territory, according to the worlds leading authority on food crises. At least 459 people have died of hunger over the past two years and starvation has spread through the territory since May.

The restoration of regular aid is mandated by the Trump plan. The UN will once again coordinate supplies into Gaza after months of being barred by Israel from doing so.

The role of the private Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which was meant to replace the UN in aid distribution in Gaza, remained unclear. The foundations logistics sites in Gaza had stopped operating after the ceasefire deal started.

The GHF was widely seen as a failure, with its model of distribution marked by overcrowding and death. More than 1,000 people were shot to death by Israeli soldiers during the daily scramble to access food at the GHF sites, chaos that aid groups said was brought on the foundations militarised model of provision. The GHF consistently denied any wrongdoing.

A spokesperson for GHF told Reuters there was a temporary closure of aid sites during the hostage transfers, but that there was no change to our long-term plan.

The US will deploy up to 200 troops in Israel to help establish a taskforce to assist with stabilisation efforts in Gaza. No US troops will be deployed within Gaza, but will advise the taskforce, known as the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC), from within Israel.

The head of US Central Command, Adm Brad Cooper, met the Israeli military chief, Eyal Zamir, while travelling to Gaza alongside Witkoff and Kushner. Cooper said his visit was in service of the establishment of the CMCC.
Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson was rushed to hospital in a painful ordeal after berating the National Health Service.

The motoring journalist and farmer suffered another health scare last week that required urgent medical attention.

It comes a year after the 65-year-old was just days from death before he underwent heart surgery to clear blocked arteries.

Writing in The Sunday Times, Mr Clarkson disclosed that he spent last Sunday at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford after reporting a very hot neck.

The NHSs John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford (Supplied)

The writer and broadcaster revealed that he was treated for an ailment he refused to disclose because thats none of your business.

Hours before his admission, Mr Clarksons newspaper column was published in which he branded the NHS a creaking old monster.

The father-of-three criticised officials for allowing international doctors who had been struck off in their native countries to work in Britain.

They had to chisel me off the ceiling with a spatula

Jeremy Clarkson

Mr Clarkson called his treatment Defcon1 painful, adding: They had to chisel me off the ceiling with a spatula afterwards.

He praised the spotless hospital and kind medical professionals, admitting: I genuinely couldnt find anything to moan about.

However, Mr Clarkson said his positive experience failed to alter his opinion on the health service, saying: We as a nation cannot afford it.

Mr Clarkson, who recently claimed to have lost about a stone and a half after using the Mounjaro weight-loss jab, said he gave up paying for private healthcare because of insurers' reluctance to pay out
The East London Mosque in Tower Hamlets (PA Archive)

A mosque is facing criticism over entry rules for a charity fun run.

The 5km run being held in Londons Victoria Park, billed as inclusive and family-friendly, is only open to men and girls under the age of 12.

The Muslim Charity Run has been organised by East London Mosque and was due to take place in Londons Victoria Park on Sunday.

Baroness Shaista Gohir OBE, the chief executive of the Muslim Women's Network UK, told the Mail on Sunday that the organisers were likely in breach of the Equality Act.

Kellie-Jay Keen, founder of feminist group Party Of Women, said: Banning women and girls over the age of 12 from a public charity event is plainly unlawful and reinforces regressive sexist attitudes towards women's place in public life.

No charity should be allowed to operate under a different set of rules because of religion or culture. Equality before the law must apply to everyone.

However the mosque strongly denies claims the event breaches equality legislation.

A spokesman said: The suggestion that our event breaches the Equality Act is entirely incorrect.

Single-gender sporting events are lawful under Section 195 and Schedule 23 of the Act, and are common across the UK, including the Women's Run Series, Nike Women's 10K, and gender-segregated swimming sessions at Orthodox Jewish facilities like Manchester Jewish Community Centre.

The Muslim Charity Run operates under the same legal framework as these established events.

The Mail on Sunday reported that the Equality and Human Rights Commission would assess any complaints.

An EHRC spokeswoman said: We consider each [complaint] carefully and take action where appropriate.

The criticism comes after US President Donald Trump sparked controversy by claiming in a speech in September that London wants to "go to Sharia Law".

Reacting to the comments, London mayor Sadiq Khan called Trump racist and Islamophobic
Luke Littler earned a comprehensive 5-1 victory over Jonny Clayton to secure his place in the final of the World Grand Prix, where he will take on Luke Humphries.

Littler was in formidable form and hit 10 180s on his way to yet another final with an average of 97.26 and punished Claytons inability to finish on the doubles.

It means the world number one and two will face off in yet another final, where Littler will look to gain revenge over Humphries, who beat him in the Premier League final back in May.

RESULTS!  Luke Humphries and Luke Littler set up a blockbuster final at the @BoyleSports World Grand Prix, following wins over Danny Noppert & Jonny Clayton respectively!  https://t.co/cN6xY3pftu #WGPDarts | SFs pic.twitter.com/RIHLMdo94P  PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) October 11, 2025

Littler had battled past Gerwyn Price 3-2 in an epic quarter-final at the Mattioli Arena on Friday night, which was secured on a superb 152 checkout.

The world champion, though, wasted little time in racing into a 2-0 lead against Clayton with an average of just over 102.

Clayton had been struggling to get away in the double-start format  but the Welshman landed a fine 154 checkout to put himself on the board in the third set, which he went on to clinch by finishing off 128 on the bullseye.

There was little to chose between the pair in the fourth set, which went to a last-leg decider. Littler  with Clayton having teed up on 32  dispatched an ice-cool 140 checkout, with two treble 20s and his favoured double 10, to move two clear at 3-1.

That appeared to knock the stuffing out of Clayton, who failed to win a leg throughout the rest of the contest and Littler ran riot to claim all six of the remaining legs to put the hat on a commanding performance and seal a 5-1 victory.

Luke Littler (pictured) claimed a 5-1 victory over Jonny Clayton to reach the final (Nigel French/PA)

Littler told Sky Sports: Im glad to get through to the final. The 140 felt like a 170 but as soon as that double 10 landed, it killed Jonny off.

Im just very happy to get through to the final.

I definitely owe him one for the Premier League but Lukes had a very good record (here). Hes lost one and hes won one himself, but for myself, its all new. Hopefully I can get the win tomorrow.

World number one Humphries had earlier held off a fightback from Dutchman Danny Noppert to battle his way into a third-consecutive World Grand Prix final with a 5-3 victory.

Humphries  the 2023 champion who lost out to Mike De Decker last year  had looked to be coasting towards another shot at the title after moving 3-0 ahead on the back of an average of just over 103, including a 155 checkout in the opening set.

Noppert, though, got himself on the board by taking the fourth set on a last-leg decider and then after Humphries had moved 4-1 up, the Dutchman regained momentum to reduce the deficit back to 4-3.

Humphries (left) held his nerve to set up another showdown with Littler (right) (John Walton/PA)

Humphries clinched a key break in the opening game of the eighth set with a 135 out shot and then held with a 110 finish to move one leg away, eventually landing double 12 to secure his spot in Sundays final.

I felt in the flow and then all of a sudden it disappeared, Humphries said on Sky Sports. I felt tired, it was a struggle and Danny pushed me really hard.

I got a little frustrated in myself, but went into the break at the seventh set, I splashed some water into my face and said come on  it is either now or never, so I came out of it more fired up and it seemed to work.
On Oct 7 2023, Hamas terrorists flooded out of the Gaza Strip and into southern Israel, killing close to 1,200 people and dragging 251 hostages, including children, back to Gaza.

Two years on, some 20 hostages are still being held alive, while the fate of two more remains unknown. Hamas and affiliated militant groups hold the bodies of 26 hostages.

On Monday, they will be handed back under the first phase of Donald Trumps peace plan.

Under the deal, the terror group will release the remaining 48 hostages and Israel will withdraw its troops to an agreed-upon line.

These are the captives who remain alive and those whose bodies will be returned.

Still alive

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An IDF soldier, he was on duty at the Nahal Oz military base when he was captured and taken to Gaza.

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The twin Berman brothers were taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza on Oct 7. Released hostages said that Hamas held them separately.

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Planned to open an ice cream shop in Tel Aviv before he was captured at the Supernova music festival. He spoke to his wife and mother during the attack, telling them he was helping to evacuate the wounded. They saw him hours later in a Hamas video, tied up on the floor with a bloodied face. In May 2025, Mr Bohbot appeared with another hostage, Yosef-Haim Ohana, in a video released by Hamas.

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Taken captive while working as a security guard at the Supernova music festival. He was reported to be one of several security guards who tried to help and save others during the attack. In August, a Palestinian terror group published a video showing Mr Braslavski thin and crying, saying he had run out of food and water.

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An IDF soldier, he was the only survivor from the crew of a tank attacked by Hamas during the opening hours of the Oct 7 assault. He was kidnapped after the vehicle suffered a mechanical malfunction.

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Ariel was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz with his girlfriend Arbel Yehud, who was released in January 2025. A message he sent during the attack read: We are in a horror film.

Ariels fate is unknown. Israeli officials say that returning hostages have not brought news of his situation or whereabouts. Hamas also has not released proof-of-life.

Ariels brother David was taken from the same kibbutz. His wife, Sharon Aloni Cunio, and their twin daughters, then just three years old, were also kidnapped. They were released in November 2023.

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Abducted from the Supernova music festival. One of Mr Davids friends was killed during the attack. His family woke up to a text from him that morning that said the party was being closed because they are bombarding the party.

After searching social media for signs he was alive, they received a message saying he had been identified in a Hamas photo. In August 2025, Hamas released footage of an emaciated Mr David.

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Was kidnapped from the Supernova music festival. The Israeli government said earlier this year that Mr Gilboa-Dalal was, at one point, made to watch the release of other fellow hostages. The most recent sign of life came in a video which he said was recorded in August 2025.

This is all we want, we just want it to end. We want to return to our families. Please bring us back, he said in remarks likely dictated by his captors.

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Kidnapped from the Supernova music festival, he has a young daughter and is the primary caregiver for his mother and younger brother. Hamas released footage of Mr Herkin in April 2025, the first sign of life since his abduction.

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A dual Argentinian-Israeli citizen, Mr Horn was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz. He had come from his home in Kfar Saba to visit his older brother, Iair, for the weekend. Iair, too, was kidnapped; he was later released in February 2025.

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A Nepalese agriculture student who came to Israel for his studies, and was kidnapped from Kibbutz Alumim. He was later seen in footage taken in Gazas Al-Shifa hospital on the day of Hamass initial attack on Oct 7 2023. His family recently authorised the release of a clip, located by the IDF, which showed him in captivity from November 2023, the last sign of life.

b'

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Was abducted while trying to escape across a highway from the Supernova music festival massacre. He had worked in his familys bakery for years, but had dreams of a career in finance.

b'

'

Was working as a security guard at the Supernova music festival. Survivors said he stayed behind to care for the wounded until he was taken hostage. Photos of him tied up on the ground on Oct 7 2023 circulated online after the initial Hamas attack. Mr Kupershtein was pictured in the same clip as Maxim Herkin in footage released by Hamas in April 2025.

b'

'

Kidnapped from Kibbutz Nahal Oz, near the military base where five female soldiers were captured. His wife said she last saw him being driven away in his own car. He appeared in a Hamas proof-of-life video in both April 2024 and April 2025, the month of his birthday.

b'

'

Abducted while working as a security guard at the Supernova music festival. His father is the co-founder of the Tikva Forum, a hostage family organisation that opposes the ceasefire deal and argues Hamas should be defeated through military force.

b'

'

A soldier serving at the Erez crossing on the Gaza border when he was taken prisoner. Israeli media said he and two other soldiers were seen being walked out of their base in shorts and T-shirts by Hamas gunmen. There has not been any proof-of-life from Nimrodi.

b'

'

Taken hostage during the Supernova music festival. He helped paramedics transfer wounded people before he was abducted. In May 2025, Ohana was pictured, along with another hostage, Elkhana Bohbot, in a video released by Hamas.

b'

'

A Serbian citizen and keen pianist, he was kidnapped during the attack on the Supernova music festival. Hamas has released two videos of Ohel since his abduction, both thought to be from September 2025.

In the most recent one, his family has said it seemed Mr Ohel was possibly blind in one eye.

b'

'

Abducted with his partner Noa Argamani from the Supernova music festival. Ms Argamani was rescued from central Gaza in June 2024 by the Israeli military. She said the pair had been held separately and she has been fighting for his liberation since her return to Israel.

b'

'

Kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. He was in a proof-of-life video released by Hamas in December 2024, after which his mother made an emotional appeal to Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, to negotiate a deal that would ensure the captives return. A hostage released earlier this year said Mr Zangauker was alive, but in serious distress.

Body held captive

b'

'

Went out to defend his home after hundreds of terrorists infiltrated Kibbutz Nir Oz. He was killed during the attack and his body taken to Gaza. His wife and two young children survived.

b'

'

A Bedouin Arab serving as a tracker in the Israeli military. He was killed in a battle with Hamas fighters in the Nahal Oz area before his body was taken to Gaza.

b'

'

Taken hostage from the Beeri kibbutz. He was killed during a failed Israeli military attempt to rescue hostages in December 2023. His body remains in Gaza.

b'

'

Abducted from the Supernova festival, he was later killed in captivity. He was a father of two and was described as being a joyful person who loved life, worked in construction and loved techno music.

b'

'

A US-Israeli citizen who was serving in the IDF when he was killed fighting Hamas near the Gaza border on Oct 7. His family has chosen not to sit shiva, the traditional Jewish mourning period, until his body is returned from Gaza for burial.

b'

'

An economist, poet and composer. In the 1950s, Mr Cooper and his wife helped to found the Nir Oz kibbutz, from where they were both abducted by Hamas. The Israeli military confirmed his death in captivity in November 2023. His wife, Nurit Cooper, was released on Oct 23 2023.

b'

'

Kidnapped along with his wife and two daughters from Kibbutz Nir Oz. The IDF confirmed in December 2023 that he had died in captivity. His family had been released under the November truce deal. He was described as a photographer and motorcycle enthusiast who was always smiling.

b'

'

Killed in Kibbutz Beeri during the Oct 7 attacks. His wife made a call saying he had been killed before she was murdered. His body is being held in Gaza.

b'

'

An Israeli army officer who was taken prisoner during the 2014 Gaza war. The circumstances of his death are unclear, but Hamas still holds his body.

b'

'

The police officer was injured and waiting for an operation on Oct 7. He left hospital to defend Kibbutz Alumim. He texted friends to tell them he had been shot twice in the leg before being killed. His body was taken to Gaza.

b'

'

Killed by Hamas militants in Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak. He was part of the kibbutzs rapid response team and helped defend it during the attacks. His widow, Ella Chaimi, gave birth to his fourth daughter seven months after his death.

b'

'

An Israeli commander who was killed fighting Hamas on October 7 2023. For eight weeks, he was considered a hostage, until the IDF confirmed his death in early December 2023, after determining he had died in the fighting on October 7. His body was taken to Gaza that day, where it has remained.

b'

'

A student who was volunteering at the Supernova festival when she was kidnapped. She was later killed in captivity. She had been shown in a video bloodied and beaten, before being hauled off by four men.

b'

'

Wounded and then kidnapped during the Supernova festival. Hostages freed in the November 2023 truce said he had died of his injuries in captivity. He had been a sound technician for some of Israels leading musicians.

b'

'

A taxi driver who was taking a customer from central Israel to Kibbutz Beeri when the Hamas attack began. He was killed and a video later showed his body being kicked and stamped on by a cheering crowd on a Gaza street.

b'

'

An American-Israeli who was serving in the IDF when he was killed on Oct 7. Initially believed to have been captured alive, the IDF said in December that he had been killed during the Hamas onslaught.

b'

'

A cattle-breeder kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz. His family said he left home early that morning to feed his horses. The Israeli military confirmed his death in Hamas captivity in December 2023.

b'

'

An agricultural intern from Tanzania, he is believed to have been killed immediately after being kidnapped by Hamas on Oct 7. He worked at the Nahal Oz dairy farm and had plans to open an agricultural business back home.

b'

'

A Thai national who worked on a farm near Kibbutz Beeri. Israel confirmed he had been killed on Oct 7 in May, 2024 and his body taken to Gaza.

b'

'

A chef and cheesemaker at the Kibbutz Beeri dairy. Initially believed to be being held in Gaza, his kibbutz said in May 2024 he had been killed by Hamas during the attacks. He was taken hostage with his two children, Noam, 17, and Alma, 13, who were released in November 2023.

b'

'

Killed by Hamas on Oct 7 while serving in the IDFs 7th Armoured Brigade. His body was taken to Gaza.

b'

'

A captain in the IDF and originally from South Africa. He was killed and his body abducted during the Oct 7 attacks.

b'

'

A Thai labourer who was killed alongside Sonthaya Oakkharasri.

b'

'

An ambulance driver and volunteer medic. He was presumed to be a hostage until the IDF confirmed in May 2024 he had been killed fighting Hamas gunmen in the Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak.

b'

'

Taken from Kibbutz Beeri on Oct 7. An IDF investigation found he was likely accidentally killed by an Israeli strike on Gaza in January 2024.

b'

'

Abducted from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz, a video showed him being driven to Gaza on the back of a motorbike. In November 2023, Hamas released a video showing him lying on a bed looking very ill. The terror group later said he died of a heart attack after reports he had had no medicine for 40 days.
Meryl Streeps heartwarming speech about Diane Keaton has gone viral in the wake of the Annie Hall stars death.

The Oscar-winning actor, whose wit, warmth and individuality made her one of Hollywoods most cherished figures, died on Saturday (12 October) in California. She was 79 years old.

Follow along with live updates concerning Keaton here.

Tributes have poured in from her Hollywood peers, honouring Keatons life and career on screen. Leonardo DiCaprio, Bette Midler, Robert DeNiro, and Reese Witherspoon are among those to share messages of love for the actor.

Fans have likewise flooded the internet with their favourite moments from Keatons oeuvre, including scenes from Annie Hall (1977), Somethings Gotta Give (2003), and First Wives Club (1996).

One video in particular has gone viral on social media. It which shows Streep giving a speech honouring Keaton at her 45th American Film Institute Life Achievement Award Ceremony in 2017.

Streep  who played the sister of Keatons character in the 1996 film Marvins Room  begins her speech by recalling her own childhood trips to the museum where she and her siblings would rush upstairs to see a giant model of a transparent woman made of lucite.

You could see her guts and her heart and her brain and she was breathtaking, says Streep, going on to compare the figure to her co-star and friend Keaton who is seen sitting in the crowd next to Steve Martin, grinning from ear to ear.

Diane Keaton (2022 Invision)

Nodding to the actors penchant for layering her clothes, Streep says: Diane Keaton, arguably the most covered up person in the history of clothes, is also a transparent woman.

Theres nobody who stands more exposed, more undefended, and just willing to show herself inside and out than Diane.

She continues: I fell for her pretty much the same time everybody did with Annie Hall because she had the stream of consciousness of a hummingbird. And shes just so hard to capture, shes in flight. When she lights down, she stops your heart. Shes given us all so much happiness.

Streep goes on to thank Keatons mother for bringing her into the world, adding: I cant imagine the Seventies, Eighties, Nineties, or 2000s without you. Love you, Diane. So does everybody.

The moment has been shared thousands of times on social media platforms with fans commenting on how happy Keaton looks, and how heartwarming Streeps speech is.

Speaking to The Guardian after Keatons death, Streep called the actor our American treasure: indelible singular girl and brilliant artist. Crushing news that she is gone, but her smile and her style and antic spirit will live on film and in our hearts forever.

Keatons death came as a shock given that while she had not made any public appearances for some time, there were no reports of illness. A cause of death is yet to be disclosed.
Our nightmare is coming to an end: Trump flies to Israel to push through last critical hours of Gaza ceasefire

Donald Trump is en route to Israel and Egypt to oversee the critical hours of a Gaza ceasefire he helped broker, as relatives of hostages held their breath ahead of their expected release.

For the first time, Hamas militants have agreed to release all 48 remaining hostages  20 alive, 26 confirmed dead, and two whose lives were in serious danger with an unknown status. The deadline for Hamas to return the captives who have been held for two years expires at midday on Monday (0900 GMT).

Shortly afterwards, 1,700 Palestinians detained from Gaza since October 2023 and 250 more serving life sentences will be released from Israeli detention. The bodies of 360 Palestinians Israel is holding will also be returned.

Leaving to fly to Israel ahead of the planned releases, Mr Trump told reporters his trip would be: A very special event.

We're going to have an amazing time, he added: This is going to be a very special time. Everybody is very excited about this moment in time.

People in Tel Aviv hold placards with pictures of hostages who were kidnapped on 7 October 2023 (Reuters)

Israeli spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said Israel was prepared and is ready for the release, adding that the living hostages will be released in one go to Red Cross vehicles, but warned against any sick displays by Hamas. during the handover.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described the expected return of the hostages as a historic event.

In a statement issued on Sunday evening, he said: Citizens of Israel, my brothers and sisters, this is an emotional evening, an evening of tears, an evening of joy. Because tomorrow, children will return to their border. This is a historic event.

But he also warned the campaign is not over.

There are still very great security challenges ahead of us, he said: Some of our enemies are trying to rebuild themselves to attack us again. And as we say  Were on it.

A lot is riding on the exchange: if it proceeds as planned, a fragile ceasefire will hold and hopefully progress to second phase of a long-term agreement. The truce so far has also allowed a limited Israeli military withdrawal and so the return of tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians.

On Sunday, Palestinian families continued the perilous journey north to what remains of their homes, after two years of slaughter, famine, and forced displacement. Others flocked to the additional much needed trucks of aid that have finally been permitted to enter.

Mr Trump has staked his desired reputation as a peacemaker president on this deal which he has heralded as a momentous breakthrough that will deliver everlasting peace in the Middle East. And so as the clock is ticking, he has scheduled a whirlwind visit to both Israel and Egypt to push it through after previous truces collapsed or stalled at the initial phase.

He is expected to land in Israel at 9.20am local time, where he will be welcomed by Mr Netanyahu, then address the Knesset, and meet the families of hostages. By lunchtime, he will fly to Egypt to attend a formal signing ceremony, joining British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.

In anticipation of his arrival, roads between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have been lined with US and Israeli flags, as well as towering posters thanking the US president .

Key details of the deal:

Hostage release:

Twenty living hostages will be handed over on Monday morning in one coordinated release. They will be transported by Red Cross vehicles to Israeli-controlled territory within Gaza, then transferred to Reim base in southern Israel for reunification with families and initial medical checks. The International Committee of the Red Cross will have ambulances on standby for hostages in critical condition. They will be transported to Sheba or Ichilov medical centres in Tel Aviv, or Beilinson in Petah Tikva. The bodies of deceased 28 hostages will be taken to the Abu Kabir forensic institute for identification before they will be released to family for burial.

Palestinian prisoner release:

250 prisoners serving life sentences will be released: 15 of them will be able to return to East Jerusalem and 100 to the West Bank, but 135 slated for deportation, according to Israeli media. A further 1,700 detainees from Gaza  including 22 minors under 18  who were arrested after 7 October 2023 will also be freed. Israel will release the remains of 360 deceased Palestinians currently in their custody at some point during this period. The largest Palestinian prisoners association told The Independent they had not yet received full confirmation of the exact release list or location.

Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Saturday (Reuters)

In Hostage Square, a main rallying point in Tel Aviv, tension crackled. In the final hours before the deadline, rumours circulated that Hamas might release the hostages as early as Sunday. Hamas reportedly does not know the locations of all the deceased.

Ilan Dalal, father of Guy GilboaDalal, 22 who was taken by Hamas during during the 7 October raid on the Nova music festival, said on Sunday the family felt relief and fear.

Guy appeared haggard and thin alongside fellow captive Evyatar David, in a disturbing video released by Hamas in September.

Our nightmare is finally is coming to an end now. Tomorrow morning I'm going to hug my son for the first time after two years, Ilan said with visible emotion.

But I don't know what kind of son I'm going to get back. I hope that he wasnt so harmed that we cant easily rebuild his life. In the last video, Hamas published, we saw the despair in his eyes.

Palestinians rally around aid trucks in Khan Younis on Sunday (AFP/Getty)

Ilan was speaking alongside Tal Shoham, 38, a former hostage who was taken from his family home in Kibbutz Beeri on 7 October and held in underground tunnels with Guy until his release earlier this year. Mr Shoham said he was struggling to block hope and excitement so I wont break apart if [the deal] doesnt happen.

But the days are going on, I almost sure that they will be home. I'm letting myself feel more and more from the happiness and joy of this process, he added.

There was also anxiety in the occupied West Bank where Palestinian families said they had been given no information about if and when their loved ones would be released. Palestinian officials told The Independent that they believe that most will be freed from Israels Ofer prison, located in the West Bank, but they were still getting the details.

Among those slated for release are 1,700 detainees, including 22 children, arrested from Gaza since 7 October 2023. The Independent investigated Israels mass arrests of Palestinians since it launched its unprecedented bombardment of Gaza in 2023, revealing evidence of torture leading to deaths in detention, arbitrary detention, and sexual violence  ill treatment Israel denies.

Israel will also free 250 prisoners serving life sentences who were detained before 7 October 2023. Israeli media has reported that 115 of them will be permitted to travel to East Jerusalem and the West Bank, but 135 who were convicted of murder are slated for deportation with no further details given.

US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff spoke at Hostages Square, flanked by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump on Saturday night (Reuters)

Among those who will be deported is Hamdallah Sarma, 50, who was arrested in 1995 and sentenced to life for intentional homicide according to the Israeli ministry of justice.

Noama Sarma, his mother who is in her eighties, told said they have no further information about if or when he will be released and where he will be sent to.

I know nothing, no one called us, we heard some of them will be sent abroad, we don't know. But I am overjoyed to finally hopefully see him, she added.

Mr Trump has pinned a lot on this deal, and joined regional countries including Qatar, Egypt and Turkey to impose significant pressure on all sides of the conflict.

On Saturday, his top envoy Steve Witkoff, along with son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka Trump, travelled to Israel and joined rallies in Tel Aviv. There they were met by large crowds of supporters who unfurled a giant banner reading Nobel President Trump and chanted Thank you, Trump.

Visibly emotional, both Mr Witkoff and Mr Kushner pledged to see the deal through. Mr Witkoff said it proved that miracles can happen.

Palestinians have been returning to find their homes in ruins after two years of assaults by Israel (AP)

At the rally there was no love for Mr Netanyahu who has been accused by many families of deliberately scuppering previous deals, and intensifying the ground offensives on Gaza to placate extreme-right war mongering members of his razor-thin coalition.

Crowds were booing Mr Netanyahu so loudly when he was mentioned by Mr Witkoff that the US envoy begged the gathering to let him finish his sentence.

When asked about the booing, Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said on Sunday that Mr Netanyahu has gotten us to this point.

This is why we are here today waiting for our hostages to return home through military, through diplomatic pressure. Prime Minister Netanyahu took risks and those risks led us to this point, she added.

Israel launched an unprecedented bombardment and siege on Gaza in the aftermath of Hamas 7 October attacks on southern Israel where, according to Israeli estimates, around 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

In the two years since then, Palestinian health officials say that more than 67,000 people have been killed, including thousands of children.

Swathes of Gaza have been razed to the ground, more than 90 per cent of the 2.3 million-strong population has been forced to flee their homes multiple times, and famine has unfolded, according to the UN-backed global hunger monitor.

On Monday, the UK will host a three-day conference on Gazas recovery and reconstruction, as Sir Keir Starmer promised the UK will play a leading role in the next stage of the peace process.

As the PM travelled to Egypt for the signing ceremony for the Gaza peace plan on Monday, he promised a 20m humanitarian aid package to deliver essential water, sanitation, and hygiene services to tens of thousands of civilians across Gaza.

The funding, delivered through Unicef, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), will help those facing famine, malnutrition and disease, UK officials said.

Sir Keir is expected to say on Monday the UK will support the next stage of talks to ensure the full implementation of the peace plan, so that people on both sides can rebuild their lives in safety and security.

Additional reporting by Rateb Qaissy
Hungarian author Laszlo Krasznahorkai, winner of the 2025 Nobel Prize for Literature - Fundacion Formentor Begona Rivas

When the scientist and inventor Alfred Nobel endowed five (later six) prizes, to be awarded to individuals whose work has been of the greatest benefit to mankind, it was a lofty ambition that has contrived for over a century to maintain the prestige of its founders ambition.

The Nobel committees enigmatic deliberations, often controversial laureates and occasional whiffs of wrongdoing (the 2018 literature award was beset by a whopper of a sex scandal; this year there have been reports of suspect betting) have only served to maintain its image in the public mind as a prize everyone has heard of, even if we are sometimes rather vague about the winners and their achievements.

While a cohort of prospective laureates might regard a prize as the crowning acknowledgement of their lifes work (the Nobel committee was left in no doubt as to why President Trump deserved this years peace prize) the chosen ones who actually get the call can seem strangely downbeat about the whole business.

Yomping off-grid in the Rocky mountains last week, the immunologist Dr Fred Ramsdell missed the call that would have announced his shared award for medicine. When his wife told him hed won the Nobel prize, his response was, No, I havent.

Writers seem to have particularly strong adverse reactions: George Bernard Shaw initially turned down the prize in 1926, remarking that I can forgive Nobel for inventing dynamite, but only a fiend in human form could have invented the Nobel prize. His fellow Irishman, the playwright Samuel Beckett, contrived to turn his Nobel resistance into absurdist drama.

Warned by his publisher to go into hiding, he fled to Tunisia, pursued by the media. Eventually he agreed to an interview, on condition that no questions were asked. The resulting film of Beckett, standing on a beachfront balcony in austere silence, broken only by the sound of waves and the cheerful chirping of a small bird, is as quintessentially Beckettian as any of his writings.

From absurdist drama to street theatre: emerging from a taxi accompanied by her son clutching a globe artichoke and a bunch of onions, the novelist Doris Lessing learned of her 2007 award from a couple of strenuously polite journalists.

Oh Christ! said she, Im sure youd like some kind of uplifting remarks. Eventually she conceded that since shed won all the prizes in Europe, every bloody one, she was delighted to win the whole lot: Its a Royal Flush. But she later complained the constant media attention meant winning the Nobel had been a bloody disaster.

However volubly writers may lament its disadvantages, the literature prize serves the practical purpose of introducing (mostly) outstanding work to a new audience. (It is hard not to feel that there should be a subsidiary prize for translators.) The novelist Colm Toibin founded the Tuskar Rock Press in 2008 to publish this years winner, the Hungarian novelist Laszlo Krasznahorkai, describing him as half shaman, half shy showman.

Cover quotes such as Susan Sontags description of Krasznahorkai as the contemporary Hungarian master of apocalypse are unlikely to propel his work towards bestseller status  which might suit the author quite well: in a rare interview he reckoned that most of us need only ten [readers], maybe six on a bad day.

Even the Nobel committees description of him as a great epic writer in the Central European tradition might not tempt those of us who arent already fans of the central European epic. But two good things seem likely to come of the prize: the first is that Krasznahorkai, the shy showman, is unlikely to succumb to the well documented Nobel Effect, of giving up his work in favour of making windy media-induced pronouncements on global matters.

The other is that more readers will be encouraged to open one of his elegantly published and eerily compelling novels  which are, indeed, troubling in theme and experimental in form (in the sense that he doesnt share a fondness for conventional full stops with his fellow Nobel laureate, John Galsworthy). But they are also very funny, brilliantly readable (thanks to his English translators, including the Hungarian-born poet, George Szirtes), with a searching world view that is, even at its bleakest, timely in its deep humanity.
TV star Ross King has said there arent enough words to express his gratitude for the opportunity to be part of Strictly Come Dancing following his elimination on Sunday night.

King, 63, was the second contestant to leave the hit BBC dance programme after losing the dance-off on Sunday night to actress Balvinder Sopal and her dance partner Julian Caillon.

The Scottish presenter performed Saturdays dance routine, a paso doble to the theme from Thunderbirds Are Go, with professional dancer, Jowita Przystal, for the second time, however was voted out by the judges.

In a post shared on his Instagram page after the show, King said: There arent enough words to express my gratitude for this amazing opportunity.

Thank you to everyone who has been on this journey with me  the Strictly cast and crew, friends, family, my wonderful dance partner Jowita, and most importantly, to the fans.

You kept me inspired with your kind words and kept me in the competition with your votes.

I hope, like me, youve been inspired to try something new and as always, keep dancing!

Fellow contestants commented under the post to congratulate the presenter for his time on the show, including former England rugby player, Chris Robshaw, who said: Ross you are an amazing man and you shall be missed. I loved our Calcutta Cup battles on the dance floor and dressing gown coffees.

Ross King and Jowita Przystal with Tess Daly (left) during the results show of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC1 (Guy Levy/BBC/PA)

Former Geordie Shore star Vicky Patterson said: Love you so much. Im going to miss you so much too, while Strictly co-host Tess Daly said: Adored by the entire team you will be SO MISSED Ross.

King was awarded the lowest score on Saturday night with 19 points for his paso doble despite being described as the most improved contestant of the week by judge Anton Du Beke.

His professional dance partner, Przystal, also took to social media to thank King for his hard work, commitment and for every laugh and tear we shared along the way.

Przystals Instagram caption continued: I hope when you look back, you feel proud of what weve done, because I certainly am. Im so grateful to have shared this journey with you, and I hope youll keep on dancing (and not just the slosh).

A huge thank you to everyone who works on the show, you are truly the best in the business, and none of this would be possible without you.

And to everyone who voted, supported, and showed such kindness. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Good luck to all the remaining couples, youre absolute superstars and I cant wait to cheer you on every week.

Sundays results show also featured a routine from Strictlys professional dancers in tribute to the Minecraft movie, along with a musical performance by Chinese pianist Lang Lang of the song Reflection from the Disney film Mulan, accompanied by professional dancers Nancy Xu and Kai Widdrington.

Neighbours actor Stefan Dennis did not perform on Saturday due to illness and received a bye to next weeks show.

The remaining 13 couples will return to the Strictly dancefloor next week on Saturday at 6.30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Bridget Phillipson says Jonathan Powell retains the confidence of the Prime Minister - BBC/Jeff Overs

Jonathan Powell did advise on matters surrounding the collapsed China spying case, a Cabinet minister has said.

Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, admitted in interviews on Sunday morning that it was Mr Powells role in Government to advise Downing Street on such matters.

While she insisted Mr Powell was not involved in discussions about the substance or the evidence of the spying case before its collapse, her comments were the first time Labour has admitted that he advised ministers on the issue.

Christopher Cash, who worked for Tory MPs, and Christopher Berry, a teacher, were charged with passing intelligence to Beijing after being arrested in March 2023.

The case was dropped last month amid claims by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that the Government failed to hand over enough evidence that China was a threat to national security for the case to continue to trial.

Last week, Sir Keir Starmer insisted that none of his ministers was involved in the decision to drop the Chinese spying case.

But Mr Powell, as an adviser rather than a minister, continues to face scrutiny over his involvement.

When challenged as to what the role of a national security adviser was, if not to advise on cases such as that of Mr Cash and Mr Berry, Ms Phillipson said: Well he will be.

She added: But as I say, this is a decision taken by the CPS.

Asked for assurances that Mr Powell played no role in the CPSs decision to drop the case, Ms Phillipson told Sky News: Yes, I can give that assurance.

We are very disappointed that the CPS were not able to take forward the prosecution.

Ms Phillipson says Jonathan Powell, seen here with Chinese politician Wang Yi, played no role in the CPSs decision to drop the spying case - Xinhua

Ms Phillipson subsequently told the BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: I can give you that reassurance, he did not have those conversations around the substance or the evidence of the case.

The Education Secretary, who is running to become the deputy leader of the Labour Party, insisted that Mr Powell retained the confidence of the Prime Minister.

Downing Street has maintained that it would have been impossible to give evidence that contradicted the previous governments position that China was not a threat.

But that claim has been contested by leading lawyers, two Cabinet secretaries, the former heads of MI6 and the CPS, as well as former Tory Cabinet ministers.

Last week, it was reported that Mr Powell chaired a Whitehall meeting that considered whether the UK could describe China as a national security threat in court without jeopardising relations with the Chinese president.

Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, has expressed a desire for greater economic cooperation with China, one of the worlds largest economies, as she struggles to boost UK growth.

She travelled to Beijing in January to meet He Lifeng, Chinas vice premier, in a bid to strengthen ties to a nation which, if Hong Kong is included, is Britains third-biggest trading partner.

Exports to China are currently running at around 29bn per year, supporting around half a million jobs in the UK.

Speaking on a visit to India on Thursday, of which the main focus was growth, the Prime Minister was asked whether Mr Powell or any government ministers were involved in the decision.

He told journalists: The witness statements were drawn up, and I can be absolutely clear then, ministers were not involved in any of the decisions since this Governments been in, in relation to the evidence thats put before the court on this issue.

The evidence was ... the only relevant evidence, and that evidence was the situation as it was under the last government, rather than this Government. You can only try someone on the basis of the situation as it was at the time of the alleged offence.

Ms Phillipson said that China presents threats and challenges to the UK but also offers opportunities for trade.

She told the Camilla Tominey Show on GB News: All I can make clear is that we are disappointed that prosecutions didnt go ahead. But this does predate this Government. It goes back some years, and it was a decision taken by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Dame Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, said: Labour are desperate to cover up their capitulation to China over the spy case, but their story just keeps unravelling.

At first they insisted they had no role whatsoever in the case collapsing. But today they have finally let slip that Starmer ally and political appointee Jonathan Powell advised on matters surrounding the case.

Powell has well-documented links to China. So this admission opens up further serious questions  what advice did he give, whom did he give it to, and what else is the Government hiding from us? His position looks increasingly untenable.

Graham Stringer, a veteran Labour MP, told LBC that Mr Powells position was untenable if he had been involved in decisions not to label China a threat.

If hes been shown not to act in this countrys interests when it comes to our security, yes... thats a really serious matter.

The Telegraph revealed last week that the national security adviser suppressed a major Whitehall investigation into Chinese spying after lobbying from the Treasury.

A Government spokesman said the China audit was not published in detail because much of its content was classified.

A spokesman for the Chinese embassy said this weekend that Chinas development was an opportunity for the world and not a threat to any country.

In a statement responding to the dropping of the case, they said: We firmly oppose attempts to smear China by peddling unfounded allegations of spying activities or concocting the so-called China threat.
The Duke of York said he had no recollection of posing with Virginia Giuffre when she was a teenager - US Department of Justice

Prince Andrew told Jeffrey Epstein they were in this together the day after a damning picture of the Prince with Virginia Giuffre was published, a leaked email has revealed.

The Duke of York wrote that he was concerned about his friend, the paedophile financier, and would rise above questions from the press.

The email, obtained by the Mail on Sunday, was sent 12 weeks after the Duke has said he ceased contact with Epstein.

In his disastrous 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, the Duke said he stopped contacting the convicted sex offender in December 2010 after they were pictured in Central Park, New York.

Epstein was convicted in 2008 for procuring a minor for prostitution and was sentenced to 18 months in prison in the United States. He died in 2019 in prison while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

Among Epsteins victims was Virginia Giuffre, who lodged a civil lawsuit against the Duke in August 2021. She alleged that she had been trafficked by Epstein to London and raped and abused by the Duke on three separate occasions when she was 17.

Melania Trump, Prince Andrew, Gwendolyn Beck and Jeffrey Epstein at a party at the Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach in 2000 - Davidoff Studios Photography

The Duke reached an out of court settlement with Ms Giuffre in 2022, avoiding a jury trial. He paid her an estimated $12m (9m) but has always vehemently denied the allegations, insisting that he had no recollection of ever meeting her.

The Duke has continued to face questions over his relationship with Epstein and whether he maintained contact with him longer than he has publicly claimed.

The email, dated Feb 28 2011, appears to undermine the Dukes position in the Newsnight interview, when he said he had cut ties after I was aware that he was under investigation and that was later in 2006 and I wasnt in touch with him again until 2010.

The email followed the publication of a photograph in the Mail on Sunday showing the Duke with his arm around Ms Giuffre, then 17, at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell, the socialite and former girlfriend of Epstein.

At the time, Ms Giuffre said she had suffered sexual abuse at the hands of Epstein for four years. Her introduction to the Duke occurred during a six-week trip to Europe.

Virginia Giuffre, with a photo of herself as a teenager, when she said she was abused by Jeffrey Epstein - Emily Michot / Miami Herald

In the email, reported by The Sun and the Mail on Sunday, the Duke wrote: Im just as concerned for you! Dont worry about me! It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it. Otherwise, keep in close touch and well play some more soon!!!!

He reportedly signed off the message with: A, HRH The Duke of York, KG.

KG refers to his title of Knight of the Garter, which he has held since 2006 and still continues to hold.

It is claimed that Epsteins email address was confirmed through official records, and the Dukes email address was also verified.

The Duke was forced to withdraw from public life shortly after the Newsnight interview and was stripped of his military titles and charity affiliations by his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

However, historians said that his association with Epstein continues to cause reputational damage to the Royal Family. AN Wilson described the Dukes conduct as a major crisis for the monarchy perhaps the gravest since the abdication of Edward VIII in 1936.

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, he added: The King and the Prince of Wales cannot be seen to support or underwrite Andrew any more.

His very existence as an official Royal is a scandal. So they must cast him out, for if they show him mercy, they are themselves implicated, and we are only a hairs breadth away from a republic.

In December 2010, the Duke of York and Epstein were pictured walking through Central Park in New York - Jae Donnelly

Ingrid Seward, the royal author, told The Sun: Im afraid this looks very, very bad for Andrew. Its a small but hugely damning email. By getting caught in this lie, he has put one foot in the mire and slipped and got his whole body in the muck.

If it was his contention that he had never met Virginia, or indeed that the infamous image was a creation, then surely he would have said something straight away?

She added: This is the point of no return for Andrew. The lifeless tentacles of Epsteins reputation are ruinous to many people and I cant see a way back from this.

The Duke has categorically denied the claims made by Ms Giuffre. In the Panorama interview, he told broadcaster Emily Maitlis that the alleged London encounter with Ms Giuffre never happened.

He added that the picture with Ms Giuffre could have been forged and said: Nobody can prove whether or not that photograph has been doctored but I dont recollect that photograph ever being taken.

The programme suggested there had been emails following the meeting in New York and that there had been friendly exchanges, if not a direct conversation.

According to the court documents, on Feb 27 2011, Epstein emailed: Jes staley will be in London on next tue afternoon, if you have time.

A reply from the member of the British Royal family asked: Jes is coming on March 1 or next week?

Mr Staley, who worked for Epstein when he was head of JP Morgans private bank, has always denied knowing about Epsteins crimes.

Ms Giuffre died by suicide on April 25 2025, at her home in Western Australia at the age of 41.

The Duchess and Duke of York at the funeral for the Duchess of Kent in September - Toby Melville

This report comes just weeks after at least seven charities dropped the Duchess of York as a patron or ambassador following the emergence of an email dating 2011 in which she reportedly referred to Epstein as her supreme friend and appeared to apologise for her public criticism of him.

A spokesman for the Duchess stated: This email was sent in the context of advice the Duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats.

The Telegraph has approached the office of the Duke of York for comment.
Benjamin Netanyahu signs Donald Trumps peace plan for Gaza

For nearly two years, Hamas had been explicit about its terms: without an end to the war and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, there would be no release of the remaining hostages.

As far as Hamas was concerned, its captives were the only form of leverage it had over Israel. Or so it long believed.

Yet in recent months, some within its ranks had started to question the wisdom of that strategy. Holding the hostages had done little to deter Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, from waging a devastating and unrelenting war that left Gaza in ruins.

Several interlocking factors explain the abrupt change of course that led Hamas to finally release the hostages who had languished in its tunnels for 736 days: exhaustion, weakness, mounting regional pressure and growing confidence in Donald Trump, the US president, to hold Israel to its word.

But, according to Arab and Western diplomats, the most decisive reason lay in a shift in Hamass calculus. Far from being an asset, the hostages had become a liability  and freeing them offered the group its best chance of survival.

Hamas under pressure to compromise

That realisation coincided with a wider shift in the region. Even once sympathetic Arab states had grown exasperated with Hamass intransigence and were rallying behind the US plan to end the war. Suddenly the group found itself without allies and under mounting pressure to compromise.

Hamas negotiators who travelled to the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh last week for indirect talks with Israel about Mr Trumps 20-point peace plan were therefore more malleable than before.

We came to make our case but to an extent we were pushing against an open door, said one Gulf official familiar with the negotiations. Hamas was not opposed to the principle of releasing the hostages. What they wanted were meaningful guarantees that the war would not restart  and reassurances they could trust the Americans.

The deal on offer fell far short of Hamass hopes. Even Arab officials were dismayed by how lopsided Mr Trumps plan had become. Last-minute revisions to the draft hardened demands for Hamass unconditional disarmament while allowing Israel to maintain a military presence in the Strip. It was less a ceasefire deal than an ultimatum to surrender.

Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, the Egyptian president, right, meets US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, far left, at the presidential palace in Cairo - Egyptian Presidency Media Office

Even so, regional powers were determined to hold Hamas to it  a point made in forceful terms as the groups delegates gathered in Egypt. Never before had they faced such unity from regional powers, including traditional allies such as Turkey and Qatar.

Trumps 20-point plan is the capstone on the pyramid, a Western diplomat said. Beneath it lies months of patient diplomacy that forged an unprecedented consensus across Europe, the Middle East and North America.

For the first time Hamas has been told by all its Middle Eastern partners that it must release the hostages  and that it can have no role in Gazas governance.

Hamas has yet to give a clear answer to the more contentious parts of Mr Trumps plan, notably whether it will disarm or accept a transitional administration under an international trusteeship overseen by Mr Trump and Sir Tony Blair, the former prime minister.

Hostage deal good for regime

But the first phase, a prisoner-for-hostage swap, proved far less contentious.

Regional mediators warned Hamas that refusing to release the hostages would allow Mr Netanyahu to resume his war with the full backing of Mr Trump, and would risk eroding growing global support for the Palestinian cause.

Conversely, if Hamas released the hostages and Israel later reignited the conflict, international outrage would be fiercer than ever.

Hamas, which had drawn similar conclusions, may also have calculated that freeing the hostages would give it greater scope to negotiate or resist more contentious issues such as disarmament.

The fact is that Hamas has more leverage without the hostages than with them, the Gulf official said. Israel can justify renewed hostilities if Hamas still holds the hostages. Going back to war because Hamas hasnt complied with abstract demands is harder to defend.

Still, the leadership needed convincing. Exacting a far lower price for the hostages was a gamble  and one that could easily misfire.

Mr Netanyahu, after all, abandoned a previous three-phase ceasefire deal that was meant to pave the way to permanent peace when Israel resumed hostilities in March. Mr Trump did little to restrain him then.

Israeli air strikes targeting senior leaders of Hamas in Doha led to Donald Trump offering protection to the Arab state - JACQUELINE PENNEY/AFP

But Hamass confidence in the US president grew after he responded furiously to Israels air strike on Qatar last month, a botched attempt to eliminate Hamass political leadership. Mr Trump forced Mr Netanyahu to apologise, extracted a promise it would not happen again and  most impressively in Hamass eyes  signed an executive order guaranteeing Qatars security against hostile action.

That, diplomats believe, persuaded Hamas that Mr Trump was now more serious, and more willing to stand up to Israel, than before.

Exhausted by a war that has scythed through its leadership and killed many of its most experienced fighters, Hamas was ready to listen by the time its mediators arrived in Egypt last Monday.

By Tuesday evening  under pressure from Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatars prime minister, and Ibrahim Kalin, Turkeys intelligence chief,  Hamas had agreed in principle to Mr Trumps plan, though it sought further assurances.

These were delivered on Wednesday when Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Mr Trumps envoys, flew to Sharm el-Sheikh. The following day Hamas announced its readiness to free the hostages within 72 hours of a ceasefire.

Mr Trump had his victory. But with Hamas insisting on further talks before accepting the rest of the plan, the harder battle  to secure a lasting peace in Gaza  lies ahead.
TV star Ross King has been eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing, becoming the second contestant to leave the show.

The Scottish presenter  best known from Lorraine and Good Morning Britain  and his professional partner, Jowita Przystal, exited the competition after a tense dance-off against Eastenders actor Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon during Sunday nights (12 October) results show.

Both couples performed their Movie Week routines from Saturday (11 October) once more, with King and Przystal dancing the Paso Doble to the theme tune from Thunderbirds. Sopal and Caillon danced a foxtrot to The Way You Look Tonight from the film Swing Time.

Contestants crowd around Ross King and Jowita Przystal during the results show of Strictly Come Dancing (BBC)

Judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke all voted to save Balvinder and Caillon. Head judge Shirley Ballas said that she would have made the same decision.

Speaking about his time on the programme, King said: I have loved every single minute of it. I would like to say thank you to everyone who has supported us, all the people who voted  theyve been amazing.

I want to thank everyone here in this room, backstage, the judges, the crew  every single person here has made me so, so welcome.

Speaking about Przystal, he said: I want to thank a very special lady who has been with me through it all and has been absolutely everything: shes been a mentor, teacher, carer.

I could not have wished for a better partner, and I could not have wished to be on a better show. Thank you, judges, for all your remarks.

Ross King and Jowita Przystal after dancing to the theme from Thunderbirds (BBC)

Przystal thanked King for his work and time during rehearsals, adding: I hope Im going to be a little part in your life forever.

Kings elimination does not come as a huge surprise given that he was awarded the lowest score on Saturdays live show, earning just 19 points. (You can find the week three leaderboard in full here.) Du Beke, however, did praise the presenter as the most improved contestant this week.

Ballas acknowledged Kings dedication to the performance, stating: You gave 1,000 per cent of yourself this week you can go home and be very proud of what youve achieved.

King breaks down in tears following emotional Loch Lomond trip (BBC)

Sundays results show also featured a group routine from the Strictly professionals in tribute to this years Minecraft movie, as well as a performance of the song Reflection from the Disney film Mulan by Chinese pianist Lang Lang. He was accompanied by professional dancers Nancy Xu and Kai Widdrington.

As was announced earlier this week, Neighbours actor Stefan Dennis did not perform on Saturday due to illness. In line with the shows rules, he and Dianne Buswell will automatically go through to the next stage of the competition.

Writing on Instagram, Dennis said that he was so sorry to miss the episode but expected to be back next week with a rip roaring dance. Buswell, meanwhile, addressed claims that she was the real reason behind Denniss absence.

The remaining 13 couples will return to the Strictly dancefloor next week on Saturday (18 October) at 6.30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Kemi Badenoch speaks at Conservative Party Conference 2025 - ADAM VAUGHAN/EPA

At a packed and overly hot meeting at last weeks Conservative Party conference, James Johnson, former adviser to Theresa May, admitted that the next few minutes for the assembled throng of Tory supporters were not going to be very comfortable.

Johnson, the founder of polling firm JL Partners, was blunt. The old political truism that as people age they become more Conservative was breaking down for voters up to the age of 40. As they went into employment, bought a house, married and had children they tended to support Labour more, not less.

He had brought evidence  a poll of over 5,000 16-40-year-olds (16-year-olds will have the vote at the next general election). Although Conservatives picked up a little as people experienced life, Labours increase was greater. Reform tailed off.

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Achieving more \xe2\x80\x98life milestones\xe2\x80\x99 does not make young people much more Conservative

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The bad news did not end there at the event organised by Onward, a think tank. Among young voters aged 16-28, the Conservatives were down at 10 per cent, seven percentage points behind the Greens, a party which proposes banning landlords and legalising heroin and crack cocaine.

For voters aged 29-40 the picture was not much rosier. The Conservatives polled at 14 per cent, neck and neck with the Lib Dems and uncomfortably close to the percentage who said they would not vote  a proxy for disillusionment. For the young, Johnson said, the Conservatives were a minority party.

In a sobering finding for the Conservatives and Reform  whose leader has made much of his support among young people  Labour was ahead in both polls.

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Conservatives have been relegated to minor party status among younger voters

'

There is a bleakness amongst the public, and particularly the young, that the Left is successfully mining and the Right is losing. Faith in democracy itself is falling, as it is in the ability of the government to fix the economy. Whats the point? is too often the answer when politicians start asking for the voters attention.

The numbers are in no ones favour. Last week the Resolution Foundation, a think tank chaired by the former Conservative Cabinet minister, Lord Willetts, released a report revealing that wealth inequality is growing, not falling. In 2008 it took 28 years for a median earner saving all his or her income to have funds equal to the wealthiest 10 percent of the population. In 2022 that figure had risen to 52 years. On average, many peoples real incomes have been falling or stagnant since the financial crisis.

Labour may be very unpopular overall, but they are more likely to be the party of choice when voters are looking for support in a world of high rents, high house prices and increasing childcare bills. Asked which party cared about the things you cared about  cost of living, housing, taxes, crime and climate  Labour won. Only on immigration did the Conservatives draw level.

A fundamental part of Margaret Thatchers claim that the facts of life are Conservative (the actual quote is from a 1976 Tory policy document written by Chris Patten which said the facts of life invariably do turn out to be Tory) was that working hard paid off. But asked if you work hard and play by the rules, you will go far in life just 31 per cent in the JL poll agreed. Nearly 50 per cent supported the view that working hard and playing by the rules does not determine your success in the UK. A third would consider leaving the country.

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Young people do not think that working hard pays off, and a third would consider emigrating

'

The Left is seen as answering the questions, Johnson said, pointing out that a similar phenomenon was playing out in New York, where Zohran Mamdani is 13 percentage points ahead in the mayoral race. The Democratic nominee is arguing for free buses, free child care and a freeze on rents. In other words, more spending.

This is Badenochs exam question. She may have finally alighted on a narrative that has merit  tax people less, reduce the size of the state and release growth. But how does she persuade voters to firstly listen to her and secondly agree?

First, repetition. Voters only hear something when politicians are thoroughly bored of saying it. If the Conservatives really do believe that a smaller state and freer markets are the future  and can carve out a unique niche saying it  then the public may start to listen. Badenoch will need to dust off Milton Friedman and marshal an argument not just against the Left but against the big state, more money approach of the last electorally successful Conservative prime minister, Boris Johnson.

Many economists agree that the state is too big. But the public will not wear  winter fuel allowances, welfare  random attacks on spending which are ill-thought out and ineptly presented. The Left successfully made austerity a term of political abuse. The Right must reverse that mentality, not by being unpleasant  the nasty party to quote May  but by being competent and efficient.

When charities demand more money the Conservative answer should be can we find another way not how much do you need? When pressure groups demand more laws the Conservative answer should be we have enough rules. Where Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves reversed plans for cuts in welfare, Badenoch will have to stay the course.

There are welcome stirrings of fresh thinking on the Right, a moribund space for too long. Next year, a book called The New Left will seek to change the terms of the debate around the state. Written by Alex Morton, the head of strategy at the Centre for Policy Studies, the original Thatcherite think tank, the book will argue that the Right has failed to build a coherent strategy against the Left and has instead bent towards it. The Right is trapped in 20th century thinking, Morton told me.

Something similar happened in America between the 1930s and the 1970s, when Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal became the accepted foundational principle of government. Policy focused on the safety net, government programmes and protecting people following the 1930s depression and the horrors of the Second World War.

This was all necessary until it wasnt. Stagflation, unemployment and a backlash against the Vietnam War obliged the United States to discover a new way to organise  neoliberalism  led by Ronald Reagan, a president who learnt much from Thatcher, who had fought and won a similar battle in the UK.

The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: Im from the government, and Im here to help, Reagan said in 1986. Badenoch hopes that a smaller state argument can work with voters again. In a world of overwhelming state provision and politicians who feel obliged to always do something rather than leave well alone, she has a mountain to climb.
Saturday Night Live star Colin Jost was left squirming after he was inserted into archival footage of President Donald Trump and the deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein partying together  all thanks to artificial intelligence.

During this weeks episode, featuring SNL alum Amy Poehler as host, Weekend Update host Michael Che did not hold back from trying to make his co-host, Jost, uncomfortable.

OpenAI has updated its video-generating app Sora to allow users to create cameos of themselves in video. And theyre pretty realistic. I mean, I made this one before the show, Che says behind the anchor desk.

The well-known archival footage of a young Trump and Epstein laughing and talking during a party then starts to play  but with the insertion of Jost, whose likeness awkwardly dances around the two.

The AI-generated Jost dances around, laughing with Trump and Epstein, before the now-deceased financier turns around to face him.

During Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update host Michael Che made fun of his cohost Colin Jost by sharing an AI-generated video of him partying with President Donald Trump and the late Jeffrey Epstein (Saturday Night Live/YouTube)

Once the clip concluded, Che began to taunt a visibly uncomfortable Jost, saying, Ha ha ha. You suck.

After shaking his head and peering out awkwardly into the crowd, Jost replies, Really excited for that to just be out there. The two comics then continued on with the Weekend Update portion of the show.

Meanwhile, the original footage, shot by NBC in 1992, shows Trump and Epstein talking during a party at Mar-a-Lago, Trumps Florida estate.

The men appear to be pointing and laughing as loud music blares over the speakers.

The footage was taken more than a decade before Epstein pleaded guilty to felony prostitution charges in Florida.

The original clip, which did not feature Jost, was taken in 1992 (Saturday Night Live / YouTube)

While the president has long denied having a close relationship with Epstein, despite photographic evidence suggesting otherwise, last month, a bawdy letter he penned to Epstein featuring a hand-drawn figure of a naked woman was made public.

Trump has denied writing the letter to Epstein for his 50th birthday, calling it a fake thing, and has sued both The Wall Street Journal and its owner, Rupert Murdoch, for defamation, claiming the letter is nonexistent.

Now, the House is stalling on swearing in a newly-elected Democrat Congresswoman, Adelita Grijalva, who has promised to be the clinching signature on a petition to force a vote on a bill to release all the files related to the Epstein case  something Republican leaders and Trump do not want.
South Korea summons Cambodian envoy after student kidnapped and tortured to death while on holiday

South Korea summoned the Cambodian envoy to express concern after a Korean college student was kidnapped and brutally tortured to death in a case that threatened to spark a diplomatic row between the two countries.

Police in South Korea said on Sunday they planned to conduct a joint autopsy with Cambodian authorities on the 22-year-old student from North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea who was found dead in Cambodia in August after being lured by a fake job offer. He had entered the country on 17 July and died of cardiac arrest caused by torture two weeks later.

His family said they received a phone call from Cambodia a week after his departure, with the callers demanding a ransom of 50 million won ($38,500) and claiming the student had caused trouble and had been detained.

The incident, linked to an employment scam and organised crime, sparked outrage in South Korea and highlighted a rise in kidnappings targeting Korean nationals in the country.

On Friday, South Korean foreign minister Cho Hyun summoned the Cambodian ambassador, Khuon Phon Rattanak, to express concern over the brutal death of the student. He called on the Cambodian government to cooperate fully with South Korean authorities and to take stronger measures against such scams.

It was a rare diplomatic move, as Seoul seldom summons ambassadors from other nations.

Alleged nline scammers arrested by authorities sit in a classroom on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, July 18, 2025

The Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) said in a statement that South Korean police and the National Forensic Service are working with Cambodian authorities on the possibility of conducting a joint autopsy of the students remains.

Officials from the KNPA and the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency plan to travel to Cambodia once the schedule is finalised with local authorities, Yonhap reported.

The repatriation process will proceed after conducting an autopsy in accordance with intergovernmental procedures, said Ahn Jung-man, a senior official at the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency. We will focus on determining the exact cause of death and identifying those responsible for the crime.

The student left his home in Yecheon after telling his family he was travelling to Cambodia to attend an exhibition.

It was later revealed that he may have been lured by money mule recruiters in South Korea, who tricked him into selling his bank account for fraudulent activities and convinced him to travel abroad for a supposed job opportunity in information technology or related fields.

Computers, smartphones and other equipment seized during a raid on a scam centre in Cambodia's Kandal province (AKP)

A week later, his family received a threatening phone call from a man speaking Korean with a Chinese-Korean accent. The caller demanded a ransom, according to the police.

The family immediately reported the incident to the South Korean Embassy in Cambodia and to local police, but the students location could not be traced. The caller cut off contact after four days.

On 8 August, the students body was discovered inside a black car near Bokor Mountain in Kampot Province, southern Cambodia  a region notorious for employment scams and forced labour in online fraud centres, often referred to as pig butchering scams, which frequently target foreigners, particularly South Koreans.

Cambodian authorities and the South Korean Embassy confirmed the cause of death as cardiac arrest resulting from severe torture.

The National Police Agency also said it will hold a meeting with its Cambodian counterpart later this month to discuss measures to prevent similar incidents.

The talks are scheduled for 23 October, and NPA Commissioner General Park Sung-joo is reportedly considering a visit to Cambodia to assess the situation on the ground and enhance cooperation with local authorities.

To prevent such incidents, the agency said it also plans to strengthen international coordination by conducting joint cross-border operations with organisations such as Interpol and deploying an additional 30 officers to oversee overseas investigations.
An oil storage depot targeted by Ukraine in Bryansk, Russia

The US has been helping Ukraine step up its long-range strikes on Russian energy targets in an attempt to weaken Vladimir Putins war effort and force him to negotiate.

For months, Washington has provided Kyiv with the intelligence needed for its intensifying aerial offensive against critical Russian refineries, pipelines and power stations, according to Ukrainian and US officials.

The intelligence-sharing, the officials told the Financial Times, has been crucial to helping Ukraine carry out the attacks since midsummer that have driven up domestic prices, cut Russian oil refining by a fifth on certain days, and led to a reduction in exports from key ports.

It is the first time Washington has been reported to have directly supported air strikes on energy facilities deep inside Russian territory  a move discouraged by the Biden administration over concerns of escalation.

The shift is viewed as a further signal of Donald Trumps growing support for Kyiv and hardening stance towards Moscow, particularly in the wake of his failed summit with Putin in Alaska in August.

On Saturday, Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian leader, called on the US president to help broker peace in Ukraine as he did in the Middle East, after Israel and Hamas signed the first phase of a US-led peace deal, saying if Mr Trump could stop one war, others can be stopped as well.

The pair spoke again on Sunday, with Mr Zelensky hailing another productive conversation that included long-range capabilities  a suggestion that Tomahawk missiles might have been on the agenda.

We covered all the aspects of the situation: defence of life in our country, strengthening our capabilities in air defence, resilience, and long-range capabilities, he said in a statement, adding that Mr Trump was well-informed.

Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump at the United Nations General Assembly in September - Anadolu/Getty

Away from the diplomatic stage, US intelligence has been helping Kyiv plot flight paths and make altitude, timing and mission decisions, enabling Ukraines long-range attack drones to dodge Russian air defences and reach their targets.

The US is closely involved in all stages of planning, three sources familiar with the operation told the Financial Times. A US official said Ukraine selected the targets and Washington then shared intelligence on the sites vulnerabilities.

The change in policy came after a phone call in July in which Mr Trump allegedly encouraged Mr Zelensky to intensify such attacks and asked whether Kyiv could hit Moscow if the US provided long-range weapons.

Ukraine hopes to strike at the core of Russias economy by disrupting oil and gas output, which accounts for a quarter of its GDP, while fuelling domestic discontent and forcing Putin to negotiate.

Mr Trump has been demanding that European countries reduce their dependency on Russian oil in exchange for his agreement to impose tough sanctions on Moscow.

Oil and gas revenue remains the Kremlins largest source of funding for the war effort, making energy exports as well as Russias shadow fleet of oil tankers a central target of Western sanctions.

The US has long shared intelligence with Kyiv that helps attacks on Russian military targets in occupied parts of Ukraine and provides advanced warning of incoming Russian missiles and drones.

Washington has still not decided whether to send Kyiv long-range weapons, including Tomahawk missiles, which have a range of 1,550 miles (2,500km) and would be capable of striking Moscow and much of western Russia.

Officials in Washington are concerned that doing so would lead to an escalation. The Kremlin has warned Mr Trump that it would destroy any remaining relationship with Washington.

Since August, at least 16 out of Russias 38 refineries have been hit, some repeatedly, resulting in petrol shortages across the country and prompting Moscow to cut diesel exports.

Despite causing mounting pressure for the Kremlin, analysts say the situation is still far from spiralling into a crisis that would derail Russias economy.

On Friday, Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraines energy grid, causing blackouts across much of the country. Moscow has targeted Ukraines energy infrastructure each winter since it invaded in 2022, cutting power, heating and water supplies to millions of households and disrupting water supply  actions Kyiv has condemned as war crimes.

Russian strikes on Saturday killed at least five people and left parts of the southern Odesa region without electricity, according to Ukrainian officials.

The same day, Mr Zelensky held a very positive and productive call with Mr Trump, congratulating him for his outstanding role in brokering a peace deal between Israel and Hamas.

If a war can be stopped in one region, Mr Zelensky said, then surely other wars can be stopped as well, including the Russian war.
Keir Starmer. Downing Street said the discussions will cover the efforts to support the Palestinian Authoritys own transformation and reform programme. Photograph: Indranil Aditya/EPA

The UK is to host an international summit on the recovery of Gaza, Downing Street has said, as Keir Starmer prepared to attend a multi-nation event in Egypt intended to finalise a truce in the Palestinian territory.

The prime minister will be among an estimated 20 national leaders, among them Donald Trump, who will gather in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday, with Starmer saying the aim must be to ensure a lasting peace after two years of devastating loss of life.

As humanitarian groups geared up to send aid into Gaza, the UK has said that 20m in already-pledged aid will now be focused on water, sanitation and hygiene services. The funding will be delivered through Unicef, the World Food Programme and the Norwegian Refugee Council.

Related: Donald Trump and Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to chair Gaza peace summit on Monday

The UK will also host a three-day conference organised by the Foreign Offices Wilton Park agency, based in West Sussex, beginning on Monday afternoon.

The event will include representatives from the Palestinian Authority as well as Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Germany and Italy. Other participants will include the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank, and private sector and development financiers.

The discussions will also cover efforts to support the Palestinian Authoritys own transformation and reform programme to ensure it can support Gazas recovery, a Downing Street statement said, adding that while the process would be Palestinian-led, there was absolutely no role for Hamas.

In a comment at the summit in Egypt released in advance, Starmer said: We stand determined to seize this opportunity to deliver a lasting peace, and a stable, secure future for the whole region.

Today is the first, crucial phase of ending this war and now we must deliver the second phase, in full.

The UK will support the next stage of talks to ensure the full implementation of the peace plan, so that people on both sides can rebuild their lives in safety and security.

Related: Israel and Gaza prepare for release of hostages and prisoners

Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, said: The UK has worked intensively with international partners in recent months to create the momentum that has led to President Trumps peace initiative, and to support the ceasefire that is now in place, but we now need to work with the same intensity and urgency to develop a plan for Gazas recovery and reconstruction.

Gaza has been completely devastated. The ceasefire gives us the opportunity not just to urgently scale up humanitarian efforts but also to look to the future of Gazas recovery. Rubble must be cleared, infrastructure repaired, healthcare restored and homes rebuilt.

Speaking to the BBC on Sunday, Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, said: We know that we need to see a viable Palestinian state alongside a safe and secure Israel. Thats the governments position. Thats what we want to continue to be involved in making happen and why the prime minister, Keir Starmer, is tomorrow travelling to Egypt.

Asked what part the UK had played in the ceasefire, she said: We do have a role, but of course, the role of the US has been critical in this. We can all recognise that.

Speaking later to the BBC, Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, said: I think we have to be honest at the fact that Britain has had no role, no role whatsoever.

She added: I think its extraordinary that Keir Starmer apparently is going to Egypt tomorrow when weve got plenty of domestic issues that he should be resolving and sorting out.
Hosts of Ukrainian refugees say they are facing endless bureaucracy and horrendous support from the Home Office, with thousands stuck in limbo more than three years after Russias invasion of the country.

For Juliet Grover, the daughter of a Jewish refugee who escaped the Nazis, the decision to become a host was personal. She signed up to the Homes for Ukraine scheme as soon as the war began in February 2022, firmly believing that providing refuge to those in need was important.

Yet immediately she says she was struck by the difficulties facing host families, with little to zero information and advice given by the UK government.

Juliet Grover (far left) has hosted a number of Ukrainian refugees since the war started in 2022 (Supplied)

The first people who came were a woman and her two young children who had applied for visas, she told The Independent. She was stuck in a refugee centre in Poland; it took us four months to get the visas sorted, it was horrendous.

I was on the phone every day going around in circles, I went to see MPs and the government but we were completely stonewalled. We managed to get a visa sorted for her and her daughter, but her sons visa was not issued, which meant they couldnt travel over for months.

In her desperation, she even drove to Sheffield from Wales to try and speak to someone at the Home Office, but was refused entry at the reception.

The mother Ms Grover helped, called Lena, was eventually able to come to the UK with her son and daughter, then aged four and five. Ms Grover spent hours registering them with schools, the GP, the local authorities and with national insurance.

Thankfully Im a housewife and I have the time to go through these things, but I didnt understand any of it. Id never had to go to the council or sort right to work codes; youve got no chance of speaking to a single person if you ask for help.

Among the many issues facing Ukrainian refugees is the lack of translating services available, which includes information papers to help their situation, which are often only provided in English.

The Grovers have become increasingly frustrated over the lack of support offered by the Home Office to assist refugees (Supplied)

After Russian forces invaded eastern Ukraine more than three-and-a-half years ago, Lena packed a quick rucksack, grabbed her two children and fled from her home city in Dnipro.

Despite her previous employment working in a bank, she is now a cleaner while her husband, who joined her eight months later, works in a Lidl as he cannot work as an engineer in the UK.

They are strong, good people, Ms Grover said. Ive now been involved with helping 20 of them, and theres not one who hasnt got a job within a fortnight.

Last November, Lenas elderly parents also travelled to the UK and are now residing with Ms Grover. Despite being a retired doctor and teacher, they do not qualify for retirement here and they now regularly attend the jobcentre in search of menial work.

Ms Grover said: Im not allowed inside to sit with them, and they cant speak a word of English. They dont know the culture or language, theyre fish out of water and theyre completely lost, she said. Just last week, they were informed that their home had been destroyed by a Russian strike.

They are now among the 300,000 Ukrainians residing on temporary visas in the UK, with former home secretary Yvette Cooper announcing earlier this month that it could be extended by a further 24 months.

However, the process of renewing visas has been painful with only a 28-day window to complete the complicated process, and an eight-week waiting time, which places their jobs and accommodation at risk.

The UN estimates that nearly 7 million people have fled Ukraine since Putins invasion (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

We spent weeks trying to do it and when the visas were eventually renewed, Lena and her daughters came through but again her sons was missing. How does that happen? It just had gotten lost in the abyss, Ms Grover explained.

Many Ukrainians struggle to find accommodation in the private rented sector given that they need a deposit, while others struggle to find a UK guarantor and negotiate with landlords due to a language barrier.

Last year, a report by the British Red Cross found that breakdowns in hosting arrangements often occurred due to a lack of sufficient training and ongoing support for hosts, as well as cost-of-living pressures.

Luke Piper, head of immigration at The Work Rights Centre, said: Frustratingly, the experience of Lenas family absolutely rings true with what were seeing among our clients since the roll-out of the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme requiring Ukrainian people to apply to extend their stay. We are also seeing technical issues that make it difficult for Ukrainians to prove their right to work and their right to stay.

Whenever the government changes the visa rules or rolls out a new scheme, we receive a spike in calls from confused and panicked individuals trying to figure out what it means for them.

This ongoing uncertainty is taking a mental toll on many Ukrainian people in the UK and hindering their ability to progress their careers or put down roots. Some families have been in the UK for nearly four years now  this will become six with the visa extension. With no sign of war in Ukraine slowing down, its time ministers reconsidered routes to settlement for Ukrainians who have sought to rebuild their lives in Britain.

A government spokesperson said: We thank all the hosts and sponsors who have made an invaluable contribution to our Ukraine schemes. A range of guidance is available on the government website to support them, as well as through the voluntary and community sector, and through local authorities.

Government guidance for Ukrainians who intend to make an application for the extension scheme is available in Ukrainian and Russian.
Health experts have warned against using weight loss jabs as a quick fix to help deal with the obesity crisis.

With more than 2.5 million people in the UK now on Mounjaro and Wegovy, there are growing fears that doctors will prescribe the jabs rather than tackling broader issues of junk food and promoting healthy lifestyles.

Katherine Jenner, from the Obesity Health Alliance, said weight loss drugs were only a temporary reprieve from obesity which is a chronic, long-term condition.

Its not the quickness of it that concerns me, its the long-term effect. Obesity is a chronic, long-term condition and its not something that magically goes away. Its not a quick fix, its a temporary reprieve, she told The Telegraph.

Ms Jenner said she was surprised about how many people were using them, saying she was worried about the side effects of the injections which suppress appetite.

Thats a lot of people [on it], she said. We dont know the extent of the side effects, such as an increase in pancreatitis and gall bladders being removed.

Weight loss drugs are only a temporary reprieve from obesity, says Katherine Jenner, from the Obesity Health Alliance - Victoria Klesty/Reuters

Ms Jenner said weight loss drugs could provide a short-term solution for people facing the prospect of chronic Type 2 diabetes, but warned: There needs to be wrap-around care and long-term support for people who are going to put the weight back on quicker when they come off it.

With more than one in 20 people now on weight loss drugs in the UK, there are concerns about them becoming more expensive, even though they are subsidised by the NHS.

Dr Charlotte Refsum, director of health policy at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, has advocated for expanded access to weight loss jabs like Mounjaro on the NHS.

A report by the institute in May claimed a wider NHS roll-out of the drugs could deliver cost-benefit neutrality by 2035, and cumulative fiscal benefits of 52bn by 2050.

Anti-obesity medications are effective, well tolerated by those taking them and highly scalable. The Government must follow its instincts and be bolder  providing faster, broader access in a more convenient way that meets them where they are  online, at home and in the high street, she said at the time.

The cost of treating obesity may be high, but the cost of not treating it is higher.

Figures revealed by The Telegraph show that 2.49 million packs of Mounjaro and Wegovy were purchased in July, up from 493,000 in the same month last year. These monthly figures were likely to represent the number of patients on the jabs, experts said.

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How weight-loss jabs work

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Private pharmacies, many of which prescribe online, are now charging as much as 389 a month for some jabs that were previously available for less than 200.

Donald Trumps claim that Britain and other countries were freeloading on the US by paying too little for the drugs, which are manufactured in America, resulted in a stockpiling frenzy in recent months.

Experts are uncertain if prices will continue to rise, or become cheaper over time as new alternatives become available.

Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, said the Government was committed to ensuring the latest weight loss drugs were available to all, not just those who could afford them.

He told the Labour Party conference in September: The wealthy talk about how theyve transformed their health, their confidence, their quality But seriously, what about the millions who cant afford them?

That is a return to the days when health was determined by wealth. When some had access to the best care money can buy while others waited, and suffered.

And I say never again. Because our historic duty  and our modern mission  is to ensure that the best science, the best healthcare, the best innovations are available to not just some but to all.
Sir Ed Davey and his wife Emily claim they have been stalked for several months - Yui Mok/PA

A man has been charged with stalking Sir Ed Davey and his family over a period of four months.

Inigo Rowland allegedly turned up at the Liberal Democrat leaders address unannounced on numerous occasions between June and October this year, according to a court list.

The 58-year-old has also been charged with possession of a flick knife.

Sir Ed, MP for Kingston and Surbiton, and his wife Emily have a son called John, who has severe disabilities, and a daughter named Ellie.

A Met Police spokesman said of Rowland: He appeared at Wimbledon magistrates court on Tuesday Oct 7 and was remanded into custody.

He will next appear at the same court on Tuesday Oct 14.

He was arrested on Monday Oct 6 in relation to the offences, which are alleged to have taken place between June and October.

A spokesman for the Liberal Democrats said: We cannot provide any details at this time, Eds number one priority is the safety of his family.
Lisa Lockey, Annice Grundy, Tracey Hooper and Bethany Hutchison raised concerns over lack of single-sex changing rooms - CHRISTIAN CONCERN

NHS nurses who complained about sharing the same changing room as their transgender colleague could face a misconduct probe.

Bethany Hutchison, Lisa Lockey, Annice Grundy and Tracey Hooper, who all work at the Darlington Memorial Hospital, could be dragged through a disciplinary process after speaking publicly about being forced to undress in front of Rose Henderson, who was born male.

Rose Henderson identifies as female but has not undergone any physical or hormonal transition.

The nurses have filed a legal case suing their employer, County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, for sexual harassment and discrimination.

They claimed they were told to broaden their mindset, be more inclusive and undergo re-education when they repeatedly raised concerns with NHS managers.

Their high-profile employment tribunal will be heard later this month. But the nurses now face professional misconduct investigations after four complaints were made by members of the public to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

Victimisation claim

The nurses, who are being supported by lawyers at the Christian Legal Centre, have submitted a detailed legal response to the NMC, arguing that the complaints from the members of the public are ideologically driven, legally baseless and amount to unlawful victimisation.

They assert that their actions were protected under the Equality Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act, and that they acted in good faith, with legal advice and in full compliance with the NMC Code.

The NMC has said in writing to the nurses that it is gathering information and [will] assess whether the concerns raised require a full NMC investigation.

NMC cases can take years to be resolved, with the professionals involved experiencing the threat and stress of being disciplined or even losing their careers.

The case has prompted Claire Coutinho, the shadow secretary of state for women and equalities, to intervene.

She criticised the latest development, saying: It is beyond belief that these four remarkable nurses may now be dragged through another vexatious disciplinary process simply because they stood up against radical transgender ideology in the NHS and defended their legal right to single-sex spaces.

Our institutions have been captured by an ideology that wants to pretend that biological sex isnt real and puts the feelings of transgender women above the rights of women to get changed in dignity, privacy, and safety.

The Government needs to get a grip and intervene to make sure the Darlington nurses and Jennifer Melle are not punished for believing that women are women.

Ms Melle is a nurse in London who has been suspended after calling a transgender patient Mr.

Disciplined for believing in biology

Andrea Williams, the chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: Its quite something that these nurses are being disciplined for believing in biology; that men are men and women are women.

We need to be clear that it now takes extraordinary courage just for speaking the obvious truth. They are not being targeted for misconduct, but for standing up for basic rights and safeguarding.

The NMC must not allow itself to be weaponised as a tool of ideological enforcement. These complaints should be dismissed without delay.

Millions of people across this country and around the world support the nurses. Yet just four misconceived complaints are enough to trigger lengthy investigations that could last for years.

The nurses full employment tribunal against County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust is scheduled to begin on Oct 20 2025.

The NMC was contacted for comment.
The Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar is depicted in a 1907 painting - Universal History Archive

Pocket watches worn by Admiral Nelson and two of his most important officers at Trafalgar have been reunited for the first time since the battle.

Just before the battle on Oct 21 1805, the British commander called several of his officers together on HMS Victory, his flagship, and instructed them to set their watches by the time displayed on his own.

Thomas Masterman Hardy, his flag captain on the Victory, and Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, the second in command of the fleet, who engaged the enemy first on Royal Sovereign, were among them.

Now an anonymous collector has managed to bring all three mens watches together and they are to go under the hammer at Spinks in London in December with an estimated sale price of 800,000 to 1.2m.

After Nelson was mortally wounded by musket fire at Trafalgar, he was carried to the orlop deck, where he died about three hours later.

Hardy, his close friend, then took possession of his personal items, including his watch, which was returned to the family and later incorporated into a carriage clock.

The carriage clock made from Nelsons watch

Martyn Downer, the Nelson expert who represents the owner, said: It is remarkable that these three gold watches have come together after more than 200 years.

Nelsons was made by the brilliant Swiss-born Josiah Emery and was one of just 38 examples, of which only 22 are known to survive.

He was probably given it after the Battle of the Nile in 1798, and we know he treasured it.

It was Nelsons niece Charlotte who had it made into a carriage clock to be passed to her descendants who joined the Navy, which it was.

Captain Hardy was wearing this watch as he held Nelson in the hours before the naval hero died from his wounds

Mr Downer added: Hardys watch, which has only recently been discovered, was made by Robert Holland in 1755 and was probably a family gift.

Like Nelsons, it would have been at some of the most celebrated battles in British history, and has been described as the watch he wore while he held the dying Nelson in his arms.

Admiral Collingwood was wearing his watch as he became the first commander to engage the enemy at the Battle of Trafalgar

The expert said of the third watch: Collingwood was second in command at Trafalgar, he was first to engage the enemy in Royal Sovereign, and assumed command on Nelsons death. He bought his watch by Thomas Moss on his last leave in England, two years before Trafalgar.

He would remain at sea for seven years and died there in 1810. His body was brought home and laid in a tomb next to Nelson.

The watches for sale are as close as anyone can get to Trafalgar  by holding them and looking at their dials as just as Nelson, Hardy and Collingwood did.

For collectors, they are of supreme importance and never before has there been a chance to buy the time that won the Battle of Trafalgar.
An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows The tail snapped off in the crash and the body of the chopper was wedged between the palm trees and a nearby staircase, Image 2 shows Eric Nixon was identified as the owner of the helicopter but was not known if he was piloting the aircraft at the time of the crash, Image 3 shows The tail snapped off in the crash and the body of the chopper was wedged between the palm trees and a nearby staircase

Five people, including a child, were hospitalized after a helicopter crashed into a row of trees at Californias bustling Huntington Beach on Saturday afternoon, according to reports.

The chopper was steadily lowering down to the tree line before it suddenly careened back upwards and then went out of control at about 2 p.m.

Two people on the chopper were removed safely, while three pedestrians on the ground were left injured, police told CBS News. All were hospitalized in unknown condition.

A helicopter crashed into a row of trees at Californias bustling Huntington Beach on Saturday afternoon. NBCLA

The chopper lost control and crashed into a row of palm trees on the edge of the sand. NBCLA

California Highway Patrol said that the crash was near the Cars N Copters on the Coast event site at the Waterfront Beach Resort. NBCLA

The incident began when the helicopter started to spin sideways as its rear rotor appeared to stop working.

It plummeted to the ground but was cushioned by the line of palm trees at the edge of the sand. One tree snapped and fell on top of the prone chopper, according to the video.

BREAKING #HuntingtonBeach / #California



New social media video has emerged from the Helicopter crash in HB. Witnesses say there may have been a bird strike with a tail rotor. HB Fire has upgraded this to a multi casualty incident, and multiple people have been https://t.co/RaWw9pLRNmpic.twitter.com/SoshJ99gm9  OC Scanner (@OC_Scanner) October 11, 2025

The tail snapped off in the crash and the body of the chopper was wedged between the palm trees and a nearby staircase, according to an aerial view from CBS News.

You can hear this odd sound that didnt sound right. I looked out and I see the helicopter spiraling out of control. My friend saw shrapnel, or just debris, catapulting across PCH, Kevin Bullat, who watched the crash happen, told CBS News.

California Highway Patrol said that the crash was near the Cars N Copters on the Coast event site at the Waterfront Beach Resort, KTLA reported.

The tail snapped off in the crash and the body of the chopper was wedged between the palm trees and a nearby staircase. Getty Images

A Huntington Beach spokesperson told the outlet that the helicopter was associated with the Cars and Copters event which is an automotive and helicopter shindig benefitting the Huntington Beach Police & Community Foundation, according to its website.

The owner of the chopper was identified as Eric Nixon  an aviation enthusiast who regularly executes risky routes in whirly birds and posts them to Instagram.

Eric Nixon was identified as the owner of the helicopter but was not known if he was piloting the aircraft at the time of the crash. instagram/nixon.helicopters

All five people were hospitalized for unknown reasons. Getty Images

One video posted to the social media profile of Cars N Copters on Sept. 15 promoted the appearance of Nixons Bell 222SP, identified by its tail number N222E, which crashed on Saturday, lifting off near a crowd.

The Bell 222SP which gained a ton of popularity from the 80s show Airwolf. Seeing one in person is rare. Excited to have it back! Thank you @nixon.helictopers, the post read.

It is not clear whether Nixon was operating the Bell 222SP at the time of Saturdays accident.

The annual automotive and aircraft showcase was sold out and set to begin on Oct. 12, according to its website

The event hosted an exclusive helicopter landing party at the Offshore9 Rooftop Lounge, which is also at the Waterfront Beach Resort, from 12:30 to 3:30 PDT Saturday, according to its website.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were notified, city officials said. An investigation into the crash is ongoing.
By Eduardo Baptista and Selena Li

BEIJING/HONG KONG (Reuters) -China called U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariffs on Chinese goods hypocritical on Sunday and defended its curbs on exports of rare earth elements and equipment, but stopped short of imposing new levies on U.S. products.

Trump on Friday responded to Beijing's most recent export controls by imposing additional tariffs of 100% on China's U.S.-bound exports, along with new export controls on critical software by November 1.

The revived trade tensions have rattled Wall Street, sending Big Tech shares tumbling, worried foreign companies dependent on China's production of processed rare earths and rare earth magnets, and could derail a summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping tentatively scheduled for later this month.

The Chinese commerce ministry's statement on Sunday was Beijing's first direct response to Trump's lengthy Truth Social post on Friday, where he accused Beijing of suddenly raising trade tensions after an uneasy truce was reached six months ago between the world's two largest economies, allowing them to trade goods without sky-high tariff rates.

"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," Trump said.

The commerce ministry said in an equally lengthy statement that its export controls on rare-earth elements followed a series of U.S. measures since bilateral trade talks in Madrid last month.

Beijing cited the addition of Chinese companies to a U.S. trade blacklist and Washington's imposition of port fees on China-linked ships as examples.

"The U.S. actions have severely harmed Chinas interests and undermined the atmosphere of bilateral economic and trade talks, and China is resolutely opposed to them," the ministry said.

Beijing stopped short of explicitly connecting these U.S. actions to its export curbs on rare-earth elements, saying they were motivated by concern about these materials' military applications at a time of "frequent military conflicts".

It also held off on announcing a corresponding levy on China-bound U.S. imports, unlike earlier in the year, when both superpowers progressively ratcheted up tariffs on each other until the U.S. rate was 145% while China's was 125%.

'Path for negotiations'

China's decision not to immediately respond in kind to Trump's opening salvo in this latest round of trade tensions could leave the door open for both countries to negotiate a de-escalation, analysts said.

"By clarifying the rationale behind its retaliatory measures, Beijing is also outlining a potential path forward for negotiations. The ball is now in the U.S. court," said Alfredo Montufar-Helu, managing director at strategic advisory firm GreenPoint.

But Hutong Research said in a note on Saturday that if Beijing chooses not to respond to Trump's 100% tariff hike, it may signal that it no longer prioritises a long-term deal with him, reflecting diminished confidence in his ability to restrain hawks or stick to commitments.

"Key watchpoints now: Whether Beijing moves to freeze or complicate the TikTok sale, given its political symbolism. Proceeding with the sale under current conditions would be seen as a major concession (from Beijing)," the research firm said.

Other tools in Beijing's arsenal include regulatory action targeting U.S. companies. China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) said last month leading U.S. AI chip manufacturer Nvidia violated the country's anti-monopoly law, during U.S.-China trade talks in Madrid.

The market regulator on Friday announced an antitrust investigation into U.S. chip manufacturer Qualcomm over its June 2025 acquisition of Israeli chip designer Autotalks.

A few hours after the commerce ministry's response to Trump's post and tariff hike, SAMR said Qualcomm had completed the acquisition without informing the regulator, adding that the U.S. firm had acknowledged this.

"Based on clear facts and conclusive evidence, our bureau lawfully initiated an investigation into Qualcomm's unlawful...acquisition of Autotalks," SAMR said.

The commerce ministry also countered Trump's narrative that China was using its dominance in processed rare earths and rare earth magnets to attack all countries, not just the U.S.

"We have been contacted by other Countries who are extremely angry at this great trade hostility, which came out of nowhere," Trump said on Friday on Truth Social.

China produces over 90% of the world's processed rare earths and rare earth magnets. The 17 rare earths are vital materials in products ranging from electric vehicles to aircraft engines and military radars.

Exports of 12 of them are restricted after China's commerce ministry on Thursday added five - holmium, erbium, thulium, europium and ytterbium - along with related materials.

The commerce ministry statement on Sunday sought to reassure foreign companies spooked by the latest export curbs, promising to promote compliant trade by granting general-purpose licenses and license exemptions.

"China's export controls are not export bans," it said. "Any export applications for civilian use that comply with regulations will be approved, and relevant enterprises need not worry."

(Reporting by Eduardo Baptista in Beijing and Selena Li in Hong Kong; Editing by William Mallard)
Vice President JD Vance, appearing on ABC's "This Week," did not go as far as President Donald Trump who has said Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker "should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers!" as Pritzker and Chicago Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson oppose Trump's stated effort to deploy National Guard troops to the city to crack down on crime -- and aid ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in immigration policing.

In an interview with co-anchor George Stephanopoulos, Vance wouldnt say flatly whether Pritzker had committed a crime but said he had failed to protect the safety of Chicagoans and has violated his fundamental oath of office which seems pretty criminal.

ABC News - PHOTO: Vice President JD Vance speaks with ABC News while appearing on This Week, Oct. 12, 2025.

He should suffer some consequences, Vance told Stephanopoulos. Whether he's violated a crime -- ultimately, I would leave to the courts, but I certainly think that he has violated his fundamental oath of office. That seems pretty criminal to me. I'd leave it to a judge and juries to decide whether he's actually violated the crime, Vance said.

Appearing on "This Week" after Vance, Pritzker told Stephanopoulos that he was not afraid of Trumps threats, which have ramped up recently against many of the presidents political foes, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Come and get me, Pritzker said, responding to Trump.

They're making things up to go after people, Pritzker said. I'm going to stand up for the people of my state. And we've got to all stand together because that there is truly unconstitutional actions that are coming out of this administration, coming at the states and the people of the United States and all of us, Democrats and Republicans, need to speak out about it.

ABC News - PHOTO: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks with ABC News while appearing on This Week, Oct. 12, 2025.

"It's true that the president says things and sometimes he follows through on those threats, and he certainly has the power of the presidency," Pritzker further said. "He does not have the power to overcome the Constitution. And so, am I afraid? I am not afraid. Do I think that he could do it? He might. But as I've said before, come and get me."

Repeatedly asked if he agreed with Trumps claims that Pritzker committed a crime, Vance focused on crime in Chicago.

"Well, I think that Governor Pritzker has allowed a lot of people to be killed in the city of Chicago and elsewhere. George. I think that it's disgraceful, and I think that he absolutely should suffer some consequences for the fact that there are thousands of innocent Chicagoans who are dead because he failed to do his job," Vance said.

Pressed by Stephanopoulos, Vance pushed back.

"It's really a "yes" or "no" question. Do you believe he's committed a crime?" Stephanopoulos asked.

"George, you are going to keep on asking this question, I'm going to keep on telling you that Governor Pritzker has failed to do his job," Vance responded.

Vance said that the White House would "litigate this as much as we can" when it comes to their power to militarize troops across American cities.

A ruling this week from U.S. District Judge April Perry barred the White House deploying National Guard troops from Illinois and Texas into the city, claiming the administrations claims lack credibility. Vance said the White House has the authority to "provide proper safety" in Chicago, however.

"We're obviously going to litigate this as much as we can. We think that we have the authority to provide proper safety to our citizens all over the United States, but particularly in Chicago. But I think for any federal judge or anybody else to look at the situation and say, is it tolerable? And I think the obvious answer, George, is no," Vance said. "The president looks at the situation. He sees the fact that you have multiple people dying of murders every weekend in the city of Chicago. And he says this is intolerable."

Vance also responded to Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitts recent opposition to sending National Guard troops across state borders without the permission of the state getting them.

By saying so, Stitt offered a rare Republican pushback to the Trump administrations moves to send National Guard troops to blue-state cities like in Chicago, where Johnson and Pritzker are fighting in court to block the deployment of Texas Guard members.

Vance said Stitt, chair of the National Governors Association, should look at Chicago as a "different case" because of gang violence.

"Well, I'd say to Governor Stitt, you have to look at what's happening on the ground in Chicago and the reason why Illinois is a different case ... because Chicago has been given over to lawlessness and gangs for too long, George. If you look at the murder rates in Chicago, the violent crime rates you have, you have women who have young families, they're terrified their kids are going to get killed in a drive-by shooting," Vance said.

"Why shouldn't federal troops empower the people in Chicago to live safe lives? When the governor and local -- the local mayor just simply refuse to do their job?" Vance added.

Pritzker disputed those claims from the vice president.

Well, you know, they've said that Portland is on fire. Portland is not on fire. In Chicago, we've cut the homicide rate in half. We've got double-digit declines in all of our violent crime statistics. He says that we've got the highest crime rate in the entire world. That's ridiculous. We're not even in the top 25 cities in the United States, Pritzker said.

Vance won't say whether Homan allegedly accepted $50,000 or what happened to money

Separately, Vice President Vance stood behind "border czar" Tom Homan when asked about the accuracy of reports that Homan had accepted $50,000 from undercover agents posing as businesspeople during an undercover FBI operation last year, leading to a bribery investigation that was subsequently shut down by the Trump administration Justice Department.

The sting operation, which stemmed from a broader public corruption probe that did not initially target Homan, led agents to an encounter in which they allegedly recorded Homan allegedly accepting a bag containing $50,000 in cash while agreeing to potentially help the men obtain government contracts in the event Trump won the 2024 election, sources said.

"Tom Homan did not take a bribe. It's a ridiculous smear. And the reason you guys are going after Tom Homan so aggressively is because he's doing the job of enforcing the law," Vance said when asked by Stephanopoulos whether Homan kept the money or gave it back.

Will Oliver/EPA/Shutterstock - PHOTO: Border Czar Tom Homan speaks to the media at the White House, in Washington, September 8, 2025.

DOJ ended probe of 'border czar' Tom Homan for allegedly accepting $50K in FBI sting: Sources

In a statement to ABC News in September, FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed the probe and said it "was subjected to a full review by FBI agents and Justice Department prosecutors. They found no credible evidence of any criminal wrongdoing."

Asked about the allegations on Fox News in September, Homan said, I did nothing criminal. I did nothing illegal.

Pressed on whether Homan did or did not accept the $50,000, Vance said that there was "no evidence" the border czar engaged in illegal activity but that he thought it was possible hed been paid substantially for services in the past.

George, this story has been covered ad nauseum. He did not take a bribe. Did he accept $50,000? I'm sure that in the course of Tom Homan's life, he has been paid more than $50,000 for services. The question is, did he do something illegal? And there's absolutely no evidence that Tom Homan has ever taken a bribe, Vance said.

"Did he keep that money?" Stephanopoulos asked again about the allegations from the FBI probe.

"Accepting $50,000 for doing what, George? I'm not even sure I understand the question," Vance replied. "Is it illegal to take a payment for doing services? The FBI has not prosecuted him. I've never seen any evidence that he's engaged in criminal wrongdoing."

"So, I'm actually not sure what the precise question is. Did he accept $50,000? Honestly, George, I don't know the answer to that question. What I do know is that he didn't violate a crime," Vance said.
PALESTINIAN-ISRAEL-CONFLICT (Photo by EYAD BABA/AFP via Getty Images)

Hamas fighters battled rival Palestinian groups and beat suspected Israeli collaborators within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire that ended the two-year conflict in Gaza.

The militant group set up checkpoints across the strip and engaged in gun battles with rivals who had received weapons from the Israeli military, according to Gazans interviewed by the Financial Times. Armed men in masks searched cars for weapons in Gaza City.

Hamas demanded that all rivals surrender their weapons within 48 hours. Popular Forces, the largest rival militia run by Yasser Abu Shabab, refused to comply and said it would continue defending its territory around Rafah. (RELATED: Hamas Says It Will Release Hostages One Day Early)

We have no intention of leaving the Gaza Strip, the militia said on social media.

The violence surprised many Gazans who expected Hamas to be weakened after Israels offensive. Hamas said it would take over enhancing security and stability and protecting citizens rights.

Hamas security forces arrested collaborators and informants in Gaza City after saying they proved those people spied for Israel and participated in assassinating resistance members, according to the Palestinian Home Front, a Hamas-affiliated Telegram channel. A video distributed by Hamas channels showed an alleged collaborator being beaten, CNN reported.

At least 27 people died in fierce clashes between Hamas security forces and armed members of the Dughmush family near the Jordanian hospital in southern Gaza City, according to BBC. Eight Hamas fighters and 19 Dughmush clan members were killed, according to local medical sources.

More than 300 Hamas fighters stormed a residential block where Dughmush gunmen were positioned, the BBC reported eyewitnesses as saying. One resident described the chaos: This time people werent fleeing Israeli attacks. They were running from their own people.
ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN-GAZA-CONFLICT (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Hamas said Sunday it will release 20 Israeli hostages one day ahead of schedule.

The terror group told Israel it has the captives ready for exchange before President Trump arrives in the region Monday, sources familiar with the deal told the Wall Street Journal. Trump brokered the peace agreement between Hamas and Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel stands ready to receive the hostages at any time. Israel is prepared and ready to immediately receive all of our hostages, Netanyahu said Sunday.

The handover marks 737 days since Hamas seized the hostages during its Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Hamas will release all 20 captives at once through the Red Cross using six to eight vehicles, Netanyahus spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian said. (RELATED: Fmr Democratic Rep Says Biden Couldnt Have Pulled Off Trumps Israel-Hamas Peace Deal)

Hamas holds at least 28 bodies of dead hostages in addition to the 20 living captives. The group claimed it doesnt know where some bodies are located.

Trump plans to land in Israel Monday morning to address the Knesset before traveling to Egypt. He announced his 20-point peace framework Sept. 29. Hamas accepted the plan Wednesday after negotiations with mediators. Israels cabinet approved the deal Thursday.

The agreement requires humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza. Egypts Red Crescent said 400 trucks carrying 9,000 tons of supplies  including medical equipment, flour, fuel and blankets  stand ready.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel still wants to destroy Hamas remaining tunnel network after the hostage release. Israel has destroyed only 30% to 40% of the tunnels, according to the WSJ.

The diplomatic breakthrough ends a war that lasted more than two years.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons slammed New York officials for issuing commercial drivers licenses to illegal immigrants, including an Indian national caught with an ID that didnt identify him.

Lyons was left outraged after the now-detained truck driver Anmol Anmol was driving across the US with a license that read No Name Given before being arrested in Oklahoma last month.

Its really scary, Lyons told Fox News The Big Weekend Show Saturday. To see that on a drivers license issued by the state, No Name Given. And the worst part, theres a REAL ID star right up there in the corner.

I dont know about you all, but it was like going through a security clearance for me to get my REAL ID.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Todd Lyons appears on Fox News The Big Weekend Show, to discuss the No Name Given illegal immigrant on Oct. 11, 2025.

Lyons was referring to the CDL license Anmol was found with after the illegal migrant was stopped for a routine inspection at an I-40 truck scale in Oklahoma.

The New York State issued ID only identified Anmol by his last name, with the first and middle name spaces filled in with the moniker No Name Given.

Anmol was arrested by federal agents after it was discovered he had crossed into the country illegally under the Biden administration in 2023, the Department of Homeland Security announced Friday.

Anmol was placed into removal proceedings after his arrest.

I cant believe we are giving illegal aliens, who have no right to be here, these drivers licenses, Lyons said.

The New York State issued ID only identified Anmol by his last name, with the first and middle name spaces filled in with the moniker No Name Given. U.S. Department of Homeland Security

REAL IDs allow holders to board domestic flights and enter federal facilities without a passport.

New Yorkers must provide several documents at the DMV to prove their identity, Social Security number, and residency in the state.

Officials have not revealed how Anmol obtained the ID, but the New York Department of Motor Vehicles confirmed to The Post that the license, issued on April 14 and set to expire May 26, 2028, was real.

We have these sanctuary states that want to go ahead and try to just make it welcoming to these people who we dont even know who they are, Lyons said. Again, these are CDL licenses. These people are transporting hazardous goods, materials at times. And in some cases, we dont know exactly what they are doing.

Lyons called the situation dangerous, claiming people have died from such drivers.

Look how many American citizens have lost their lives because of individuals like that, who have these drivers licenses, he said.

Three Haitian migrants were killed when Indian national Harjinder Singh made a rogue U-Turn in an 18-wheeler on a Florida highway, causing the fatal crash back in April.

Harjinder Singh was captured on video making the rogue U-turn while driving a tractor trailer in Florida on Aug. 12, 2025.

Singh obtained a drivers license and work permit in California and was issued a drivers license from both The Golden State and Washington State.

Before acquiring the licenses, Singh failed an English language proficiency test and a highway sign exam after the August 12 crash.

Lyons revealed the DHS has been working with local and federal law enforcement to crack down on such licenses.

Homeland Security Investigations has dedicated to working with the state police departments and our own federal agencies to make sure we get these IDs off the street, he said.
Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty; Netflix Ilse Koch in 1940 and Vicky Krieps as Ilse Koch in 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story.'

NEED TO KNOW

Ilse Koch was married to the commander of the Buchenwald concentration camp during the Holocaust and allegedly tortured prisoners

Ilse was also accused of taking human remains and making items out of them

Ryan Murphy used parts of Ilse's story in his Netflix show Monster: The Ed Gein Story



Ilse Koch's story is being resurfaced for Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennans Monster: The Ed Gein Story.

In the series, Vicky Krieps plays Ilse, who was Nazi commander Karl-Otto Koch's wife and was known as the "Witch of Buchenwald." Karl-Otto was the head of the Buchenwald concentration camp, where more than 50,000 people were killed during World War II, according to the Buchenwald Memorial. After the war ended, Ilse was arrested for war crimes and tried in both the American and West German courts.

During her trials, she was accused of using the skin of murdered prisoners to make various objects, including lampshades and book bindings. She was never officially convicted of abusing human remains, with officials saying there was insufficient evidence, but she was sentenced to life in prison for war crimes before her American sentence was reduced to four years.

She was then sentenced to life in prison for a second time in West Germany. Ilse died by suicide in her prison cell in September 1967.

More than 50 years after her alleged disturbing acts surfaced, Ilse was featured in Monster. Although Krieps admitted that she was "scared" to take on the role, she found that Murphy's "comic" portrayal of Ilse made her feel more comfortable.

"That was freeing to me, and why I felt I can do this, because this is actually clearer, portraying someone whos larger than life," Krieps told Variety in October 2025. "To me, she was like a mix of an old Hollywood star and a 50s housewife who wants to be perfect. Because she wants to be so perfect, she doesnt realize that what shes doing is going over dead bodies."

Here's everything to know about the German war criminal Ilse Koch and how she was portrayed in Monster: The Ed Gein Story.



Who was Ilse Koch?

Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Ilse Koch in January 1940.

Ilse, who was born in September 1906, was a German war criminal. Although she had no technical involvement in the Nazi party, she was married to the commander at the Buchenwald concentration camp, Karl-Otto.

During his time as commander from 1937 to 1941, Karl-Otto oversaw the torture and murder of thousands of prisoners, per the Buchenwald Memorial. Ilse and Karl-Otto lived in a house on Buchenwalds property and allegedly held lavish parties, according to Britannica. The couple had three children: son Artwin and daughters Gisele and Gudrun.

After four years as head of Buchenwald, Karl-Otto was fired from his post and was later internally convicted by the Nazi party of corruption, fraud and embezzlement, among other charges. He was executed in 1945.



Why was Ilse Koch called the Witch of Buchenwald'?

ullstein bild/ullstein bild via Getty Ilse Koch at her Augsburg trial in November 1950.

Ilse was given several nicknames due to the alleged actions she committed during her husband's reign at Buchenwald. Some of those nicknames were "The Witch of Buchenwald," "The Beast of Buchenwald," "The Queen of Buchenwald," "The Red Witch of Buchenwald," the "Butcher Widow" and "The B---- of Buchenwald."

She received those monikers because of her alleged torture of prisoners, sexual abuse allegations and reported use of human remains as fabric. After she was arrested for war crimes in 1945, she was tried in a sensational case where the allegations surfaced.

In the American 1947 trial, eyewitnesses testified that she abused prisoners and ordered certain prisoners to be killed, per Britannica. In addition to her alleged torture, Ilse was also accused of turning deceased prisoners' skin into various items, including lampshades, book bindings, a briefcase and gloves. Ilse denied all the allegations and claimed that she never tortured any prisoners nor saw anyone being treated poorly at the camp, per The New York Times.

Prosecutors were unable to prove the disturbing claims about the human remains, so she was not convicted on those charges. Instead, she was sentenced to life in prison for being part of the "common design" to torture prisoners, per Britannica.

Ilse was sentenced to life in prison and avoided the death penalty because she was pregnant with a fourth child. She gave birth to her son, Uwe, in October of that year.

Two years into her prison sentence, she was released on Oct. 17, 1949. However, that same day, she was arrested by West German authorities and was charged with abusing German citizens. Later that year, she was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for a second time.



Did Ed Gein really study Ilse Kochs crimes?

Toronto Star Archives/Toronto Star via Getty; Getty Ilse Koch in August 1947 and Ed Gein arrested in 1957.

The Netflix series Monster: The Ed Gein Story tells the story of real-life murderer Ed Gein. In addition to being convicted of murdering two women, he also robbed graves for human remains to make household items and clothing.

In the show, Charlie Hunnam plays Gein and contextualizes his character by detailing things and people that may or may not have influenced Gein to commit his crimes. In the series, one of the people the fictional Gein admires is Ilse. The series depicts Gein's alleged girlfriend, Adeline Watkins (played by Suzanna Son), telling him about Ilse. Her trial took place 10 years before his 1957 arrest.

The show insinuates that Gein became intrigued by Ilse allegedly crafting items out of human remains and took after her. In Monster, after Gein was convicted of his crimes and committed to an institution on the basis of insanity, he had an imaginary radio conversation with Ilse.

Although it's possible that Gein was aware of Ilse and her war crimes because of the widespread media attention, there is no evidence to show that her alleged activities inspired him.



What happened to Ilse Koch?

European/Archive Photos/Getty Ilse Koch at the the District Court at Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany in December 1950.

On Sept. 1, 1967, Ilse died by suicide at a female prison in Aichach, Germany, after allegedly experiencing delusions, according to the 2015 book KL: A History of the Nazi Concentration Camps. She was 60 years old.

Decades later, Ilse's case remains a topic of discussion and speculation. In 2023, Tomaz Jardim released his book Ilse Koch on Trial: Making the Bitch of Buchenwald and argued that while she was a war criminal, Ilse ended up being a "convenient scapegoat" for postwar Germany, while other war criminals walked free.



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A "devastating" blast at a Tennessee explosives manufacturing plant on Friday is believed to have left 16 people dead, authorities announced on Saturday.

At a press conference on Saturday, Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said authorities had narrowed down the number of workers missing after the massive blast to 16.

"At this time we have not located any survivors, and we are making the assumption that all are deceased at this time," Davis said.

- PHOTO: The aftermath is seen following an explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems in McEwen, Tennessee.

The explosion occurred Friday morning at Accurate Energetic Systems in McEwen, located about 50 miles west of Nashville.

Earlier, authorities had said 18 people remained unaccounted for after the blast. However, the sheriff said Saturday evening that two people, whose vehicles and belongings were found at the scene, were later determined not to be on site at the time of the explosion.

The cause of the explosion has not yet been determined, according to officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the National Center for Explosives Training and Research.

At a briefing earlier Saturday, Davis said the search had transitioned from a search and rescue into a recovery effort.

"It's a great loss to our communities," Davis said while holding back tears. "We are dealing with explosions, and I would say at this time, we're dealing with remains."

Davis said officials are now in the process of identifying the remains and are using cellphone data to determine whose devices were at the site at the time of the blast.

"As we get into this, we find it more devastating that we thought initially," he said.

Davis emphasized that the investigation is a "slow, methodical" process due to the nature of the scene and the volatility of the chemicals currently present.

Certified explosive specialists and bomb technicians with the ATF were also at the scene to help law enforcement.

WKRN - PHOTO: Law enforcement officials are shown at the scene of an explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems in McEwen, Tennessee, Oct. 10, 2025.

Authorities said they would be conducting some controlled explosions throughout the day on Saturday to clear out the dangerous materials currently at the scene, so they can safely continue the investigation and recovery efforts.

- PHOTO: The aftermath is seen following an explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems in McEwen, Tennessee.

After the blast, four to five people were brought to hospitals, according to the sheriff, who did not detail their injuries.

Asked to describe the building where the explosion occurred, Davis said, "There's nothing to describe. It's gone. It's probably been one of the most devastating situations that I've been on in my career."

The sheriff said during an earlier briefing that this is 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're just going to clean up the debris and leave. We're going to probably be here for a few days," he said.

Brett Carlsen/Getty Images - PHOTO: Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis speaks to media at Accurate Energetic Systems on Oct. 10, 2025, in McEwen, Tennessee.

"We're trying to take as much time as is needed right now. We're prioritizing people that are involved, their families and trying to be very compassionate toward them," he continued.

Victims identified in California fireworks warehouse explosion

Accurate Energetic Systems manufactures explosives and energetic devices for the military, aerospace, demolition and mining industries, according to its website.

Its customers include the Defense Department and Homeland Security, according to the Association of the United States Army.

Video from a Nest camera at a home in Lobelville, about 11 miles from the plant, captured shaking as an explosion can be heard.

WKRN - PHOTO: Law enforcement officials are shown at the scene of an explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems in McEwen, Tennessee, Oct. 10, 2025.

A McEwen resident who lives several miles from the plant said she felt her whole house shake.

"It felt like our house had some kind of explosion," Lauren Roark told ABC News. "I jumped out of bed, asked my husband, 'What was that?'"

Roark found what she believes to be debris from the explosion in her yard -- "big chunks of insulation-looking stuff" -- which she reported to authorities.

WKRN - PHOTO: First responders are on the scene at an explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems in McEwen, Tennessee, Oct. 10, 2025.

Kadi Arnold, who also lives in McEwan, told ABC News she would sometimes hear explosions from the plant, which is about 4 miles from her home, but "knew this one wasn't normal."

"The explosion was so loud and shook my home, I literally thought the back of my house had exploded," she said.

Kadi Arnold - PHOTO: Smoke from an explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems military munitions plant is seen from McEwen, Tennessee, on Oct. 10, 2025.

"Once I realized it wasn't my home, I immediately knew something terrible had happened at AES," she said, adding the community is in "shock."

"We're a pretty tight-knit community and we're all just devastated and heartbroken," she said.
When Stefany Larrea stumbled upon pictures of Spence Cabin in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it felt like destiny. The bright pink and green exterior of the secluded river lodge perfectly matched her and her fiance's wedding colors.

The couple, who live in Charleston, South Carolina, had been searching for a mountain destination to get married. This one was under budget. And it still had one weekend available in the fall before it closed for the season.

It was meant to be there, the 31-year-old remembered thinking when she booked the wedding venue in May. It was either do it now or wait a whole year.

See the impact of the government shutdown as agencies shutter or fight to stay open Travelers wait in line at a security checkpoint at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois on November 7 2025. Hundreds of flights were canceled across the United States on Friday after the Trump administration ordered reductions to ease strain on air traffic controllers who are working without pay amid congressional paralysis on funding the US budget. Forty airports were due to slow down, including the giant hubs in Atlanta, Newark, Denver, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles.

Then came the federal government shutdown on Oct 1. Suddenly, Larreas wedding plans were thrown into limbo amid uncertainty over whether the national park would keep the cottage open.

The first day was just panic, Larrea said of the shutdown and her scramble to figure out whether her wedding would still be possible. You start to realize that it might not pan out.

Stefany Larrea and her fiance, Dante, plan to get married Oct. 23 at Spence Cabin in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The shutdown has furloughed thousands of people, including National Park Service employees, and caused widespread confusion over whether publicly funded tourist destinations, such as national parks and Smithsonian museums, will continue to operate.

Some closures have already begun to derail engagements, elopements and weddings planned at popular attractions across the country. More are expected to follow as the shutdown stretches into its second week, with no clear end in sight.

Impossible to re-create

Jenn Maurer, an outdoor wedding photographer, rushed to find a new location to shoot a surprise engagement Oct. 8, after learning that White Sands National Park in New Mexico might be closed because of the shutdown.

The couple was traveling on vacation from the Midwest, and the groom had planned to pop the question against the desert sunset, Maurer said. But less than 24 hours before the shoot, conflicting reports online made it unclear whether the park would be open.

A camper is seen on the ridge of a dune in White Sands National Monument park, the largest of its kind in the world, known for its rare white sand dunes made of gypsum minerals, near Alamogordo, New Mexico, September 27, 2017. REUTERS/Darren Ornitz

More: Are national parks open or closed? Here's the status of the most popular NPS sites

She opted to move the engagement to a nearby patch of unrestricted Bureau of Land Management territory. That turned out to be the right choice. The park was closed.

It's been really confusing for couples who are planning these big events and trying to have this really special moment in a place that's meaningful to them, she said. White Sands is one of those places that's incredibly unique and impossible to re-create.

Dropoff in photo shoot requests

In the nations capital, some couples have canceled or rescheduled engagement photo sessions because of closures of popular museums and national monuments, including the National Gallery of Art, Library of Congress, National Archives Museum, U.S. National Arboretum and the Washington Monument.

We're just putting those sessions on hold, especially for the clients who have had their heart set on those locations, said Christian Nwosu, a wedding photographer in the area, noting that it is hard to find locations with a similar vibe to many of the shuttered museums.

It makes it challenging to reschedule and then when those locations open back, I suspect that they'll be quite busy with both photographers and visitors, Nwosu said.

Oct 1, 2025; Washington, DC, USA; National Parks Service workers remove trash from around the Washington Monument on the first day of the federal government shutdown on October 1, 2025.

For photographers, the delays mean less income in the short term. Nwosu and other photographers in the Washington, DC, area with whom USA TODAY spoke said theyve seen a drop-off in the number of people requesting photo shoots since the shutdown began.

For couples, canceled photo shoots can delay plans to send out save-the-date cards and cross off other milestones on their way to the altar, Nwosu said.

Anna Wright, another photographer in the DC area, said shes worried clients planning to elope at the DC War Memorial on the National Mall will need to change their plans as a result of the shutdown.

The couple is unlikely to reschedule their shoot, set to take place the week of Oct. 12, Wright said. But shes unsure if the National Park Service will barricade the memorial and prevent them from using it, or if park personnel will be available to cordon off the area for the private event.

As of Oct. 9, the Parks Service said open-air memorials and monuments will remain open to the public.

Everybody is just waiting to see, Wright said. It's a frustrating cloud over their wedding, which should be very exciting.

The sun sets on America's most visited national park, Great Smoky Mountains.

The show goes on

Many national parks, including Great Smoky Mountains, announced plans to keep their gates open throughout the shutdown but said they will limit some services and close facilities, including bathrooms.

A group of nonprofits and local governments in Tennessee partnered together to keep the Smoky Mountains open during the shutdown through Oct. 19 with some restrictions. The longest shutdown in U.S. history occurred in 2018 and lasted 35 days. If this one were to last the same length, it would end Nov. 4.

For people hosting permitted events in the parks, the difficulty is figuring out exactly which parts of the parks are impacted.

In the early days of the shutdown, Larrea said she called Great Smoky Mountains National Park repeatedly to see if Spence Cabin would remain open for events. No one was there to answer her calls. And since she doesnt live locally, she hasnt been able to inspect the park.

There were other brides on Facebook that were asking the same questions that I was asking and no one really seemed to have answers, she said.

More: With the Smokies open during shutdown, retired park ranger worries about 'mixed message'

Her efforts to create a Plan B also failed. With only three weeks until the wedding, most of the other venues in the area were already booked.

Still, Larrea is hopeful her wedding will go on as planned. She said shes heard rumors from others on Facebook that park rangers plan to honor special events permits throughout the shutdown. USA TODAY was unable to verify the accuracy of the information.

Larrea said shes choosing to have faith that the shutdown will end and the venue will be open. She and her fiance, Dante, will make the six-hour drive from South Carolina to Tennessee on Oct. 21.

I have this gut feeling that everything's going to be fine, she said. I'm trusting that because otherwise, I'd be losing my mind right now.

Editor's note: On Oct. 25, Larrea got married at Spence Cabin, thanks to local funding that's keeping the Great Smoky Mountains open through the government shutdown. The cabin was chilly, she said, because the park had run out of propane to heat the fireplace. But otherwise, the venue was "magical," Larrea said.

Karissa Waddick is a reporter on USA TODAY's Nation Desk. She can be reached at kwaddick@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: She found her dream wedding venue. Then the shutdown came.
The desert Southwest is not looking so dry this weekend. Remnants of tropical storm Priscilla arrived on Friday and have led a path that stretched from Nevada up to the southwest corner of Colorado.

Meteorologist intern Miriam Guthrie said, Parts of the Southwest saw significant rainfall totals, where many places broke their daily record rainfall totals, other places saw multiple months of rainfall in just days.

Las Vegas saw flooded streets on Friday night as Harry Reid Airport registered 0.92 inches of rain. Thats roughly triple what the area sees on average for the entire month of October. It was also the fourth wettest calendar day in October.

In Arizona, Flagstaff saw more than 2 inches of rain over the weekend. U.S. 60 was closed in both directions in the Mesa area southeast of Phoenix on Sunday morning as standing water covered the roadway. Flooded roads were also seen to the north near Sedona.

Numerous water rescues have been reported around Phoenix Sunday morning due to heavy rain. Up to 2.5 inches of rain has fallen in the area through mid-Sunday morning, and the city saw 0.70 inches of rainfall on Saturday alone. This is several months' worth of rainfall in just a couple of days.

Grand Junction, CO also saw more than 2 inches of rain, setting daily rainfall records on both Friday and Saturday. Hundreds were ordered to evacuate from the Vallecito Creek area north of Durango, where overflowing mountain streams put homes at risk.
House GOP leaders are facing increasing pressure to bring the chamber back to Washington amid a shutdown fight with no end in sight.

A growing number of GOP lawmakers are voicing frustrations with their leadership for prolonging the House recess, warning that the optics surrounding that inactivity could backfire on the party to the benefit of Democrats.

The rumbling is creating a headache for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and his leadership team, who have made canceling votes a central part of the Republicans shutdown strategy. In doing so, theyre betting that an empty House will pile pressure on Senate Democrats to drop their opposition to a GOP spending bill and help reopen the government.

But as the shutdown drags on, neither side has given an inch, causing federal workers to receive diminished paychecks on Friday and threatening a similar pay squeeze on military personnel, who are at risk of missing their first scheduled paycheck next Wednesday.

Those pressure points have only amplified the calls from within the GOP conference for Johnson to reconvene the chamber, if only to move legislation to ensure the troops are compensated.

Military pay should not be held hostage due to Washingtons dysfunction! Rep. Jen Kiggans, a Virginia Republican who represents Norfolks massive naval base, wrote this week on the social platform X.

Kiggans, who is the lead sponsor of legislation to pay the troops during the shutdown, urged Johnson and GOP leaders to pass her bill immediately. And she invoked a powerful advocate in President Trump, who has said Congress will probably pass legislation to prevent any delays in those payments.

The President has made it clear: we must pay our troops, Kiggans said.

Shes hardly alone.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said this week that Johnson should bring the House back to Washington for many reasons. But the Georgia firebrand pointed specifically to the issue of health care premiums, which are expected to skyrocket at the end of the year, when enhanced subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are scheduled to expire. Greene is the rare Republican urging GOP leaders to address the issue immediately to prevent patients from just getting destroyed.

Any serious Speaker of the House is going to build consensus within his conference behind a plan, Greene told CNN. Its not something secret that gets worked on in a committee.

House Republicans staged a conference-wide call on Thursday, during which a number of GOP lawmakers also expressed frustrations about the leadership strategy, which has featured the cancellation of all votes since Sept. 29. Those figures raised concerns that keeping the House on recess during the shutdown was a bad look for Republicans, according to a source on the call. Among the dissenters were Reps. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.), Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.) and Julie Fedorchak (R-N.D.), MSNBC reported this week.

Other Republicans, siding with Kiggans, made clear that they want GOP leaders to tackle the issue of military pay, the source said.

Johnson, for his part, has sent mixed messages on the issue. On Tuesday, the Speaker suggested he was ready to support a stand-alone bill to pay the troops and air traffic controllers, even if other parts of the government remained shuttered.

Im certainly open to that, he said. Weve done it in the past. We want to make sure that our troops are paid.

But the idea is opposed by Senate Republican leaders, who are hoping to maximize the pressure on Senate Democrats to support the GOPs short-term spending bill, which would fund all areas of the federal government, including the military. And Johnson quickly changed his tune to reject a stand-alone Pentagon bill, saying if Democrats want to fund the military they should support the larger package.

We have voted so many times to pay the troops. We have already done it. We did it in the House three weeks ago, Johnson told reporters in the Capitol on Friday. The ball is in the court of Senate Democrats right now. Thats it.

Democrats have criticized that argument as they demand bipartisan talks to address the expiring ObamaCare subsidies. But theyve been joined, in recent days, by GOP lawmakers who are also questioning Johnsons hands-off approach.

Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) was one such lawmaker who publicly challenged Johnsons assertion that the House has already done our job.

No, what the House has done is pass a 7-week Continuing Resolution, Kiley posted Wednesday on X. The entire reason a CR is necessary is that Congress has not done its job in passing a timely budget. The Speaker shouldnt even think about cancelling session for a third straight week.

Two days later, Johnson canceled votes for a third straight week.

The Speaker has suggested theres a way to ensure the troops are paid without bringing House lawmakers back: Trump could do it unilaterally.

The executive branch, the president, is working on ways that he may have, as well, to ensure the troops are paid, Johnson said during Fridays press conference.

Such a move would relieve some pressure on Congress to end the shutdown. But it wouldnt break the stalemate over how to reopen the government, nor would it alleviate the apprehensions of rank-and-file Republicans itching to get back to the Capitol to show voters that theyre fighting the good fight.

Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), the chair of the House Appropriations Committee, had forecast those misgivings in September, on the last day the House was in session before the shutdown.

I hope well come back, Cole said at the time. Our leaders have to make that decision, but I intend to be back here.

I dont think its a good look to be home when the government shuts down.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Steam rises from the chimneys of a thermal power plant and an oil refinery in Omsk, Russia, in October 2024. - Alexey Malgavko/Reuters

Almost 900 miles from Ukraines borders, a fire erupted at a Russian oil refinery on Saturday. The blaze  a result of a strike by Ukrainian long-range drones, according to sources in the countrys security services  was the third at the facility in the last month alone.

It was just the latest episode in an intensifying energy war between Ukraine and Russia.

Video from the area around the Ufa refinery in Bashkortostan, a Russian region in the southern Ural Mountains, showed a column of dark smoke rising from the plant following the attack. The refinery is one of the countrys largest.

This was at least the fourth Ukrainian attack on Russian oil facilities in the last week, continuing a campaign that accelerated over the summer and has led to gasoline shortages in parts of Russia.

Overnight on Thursday, according to the Ukrainian military, a gas processing facility and pumping station in the Volgograd region of southern Russia were also hit. Ukraines special forces claimed that the pumping station has an annual capacity of 50 million tons.

Signs read "No petrol" at a gas station in Yevpatoriya, Crimea on October 2, 2025. - Alexey Pavlishak/Reuters

But the energy war is a two-way street. Recent barrages of Russian missiles and drones have seriously damaged Ukrainian gas production and caused extensive power cuts across the country. Ukrainian officials say theyll have to turn to expensive imports of European gas to make up the shortfall.

The latest Russian strikes on Ukraine left more than 240,000 homes in the southwestern Odesa region without power on Saturday, according to officials. Ukraines energy ministry said more than 800,000 customers in Kyiv lost power for a time.

Ukraines extended reach

Kyivs growing ability to strike refineries well over 1,000 kilometers inside Russian territory is down to an increasing arsenal of locally-made drones and missiles.

Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russias gasoline shortage is up to around 20% of (its) needs. Kyiv had begun using two home-made cruise missiles in recent strikes, he said, and there are initial signs of success with this particular weapon.

Ukraine struck Russia 70 times in September, according to Ukrainian commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi.

We are destroying the aggressor countrys production of fuel and lubricants, explosives, and other components of the Russian military-industrial complex, Syrskyi said in a Telegram post on Friday .

Winter shortages

Ukrainian officials acknowledge, however, that Ukraines gas and other infrastructure is itself under heavy pressure from Russian attacks.

There are 203 key facilities in Ukraine that we need to protect with air defense systems, Zelensky said, while renewing his appeal for more Western systems.

The Ukrainian leader said he had discussed the Russian attacks in a call with US President Donald Trump Saturday as well as opportunities to bolster our air defense.

According to Syrskyi, Ukrainian air defenses are about 74% effective, but further efforts are needed to protect energy facilities.

The last week has seen several mass attacks by a combination of missiles and drones on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Moscow launched more than 50 missiles and nearly 500 drones on October 5, and then 465 drones and 32 missiles early Friday, according to Ukrainian officials.

Birds fly near residential buildings during a power blackout after critical civil infrastructure was hit by a Russian military attacks in Ukraine's Chernihiv region earlier this month. - Yan Dobronosov/Reuters

Fridays attack was one of the largest concentrated strikes specifically against energy facilities, according to Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. Unfortunately, there is significant damage to the energy infrastructure.

Russias mounting assault on Ukraines gas production means Kyiv will have to seek higher imports than previously anticipated.

Ukraine is currently negotiating with its international partners to increase natural gas imports by about 30% as the winter approaches, according to energy minister Svitlana Grynchuk.

Domestic demand for gas in Ukraine usually spikes sharply from November.

Ukraine had already arranged credits from European institutions for 800 million ($930 million), Grynchuk said, and had discussed expanding these loans.

Attacks on energy extract a very high price. Ukraine is likely to require more than 4 billion cubic meters of gas by the end of winter, according to an industry source, which at current market prices would cost about $2 billion. Thats in addition to equipment to repair facilities that repeatedly come under fire.

Most of those extra imports will come from Europe. The European Union disclosed last week that its storage facilities were at 83% capacity ahead of peak winter demand. For now, the price of natural gas remains steady on European markets.

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Is Columbus Day a federal holiday? Yes.

Is it celebrated everywhere? No  some places have even replaced it with Indigenous Peoples' Day.

While the stock markets will be open for the holiday  Oct. 13 this year  banks as well as state and federal offices will be closed. Read on to find out if your mail will be delivered or if the kids have school.

People watch the 70th annual Columbus Day Parade in New York, Oct. 13, 2014.

When is Columbus Day 2025?

Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day take place Monday, Oct. 13.

Is Columbus Day still a federal holiday?

Yes. The United States government first honored Italian explorer Christopher Columbus with a federal holiday in 1892. In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt made Columbus Day an annual federal holiday, designating the second Monday in October to commemorate his arrival to the Americas in 1492, according to Britannica.

But in recent years, the holiday has become more controversial with critics arguing that Christopher Columbus isn't an appropriate person to celebrate because he represents the colonial era of the United States, as noted by the nonprofit news organization Truthout.

"First of all, Columbus didnt actually discover the Americas, despite what you may have been taught in elementary school. Thanks to archaeological evidence, we know now that there were many other groups who traveled to the Americas long before Columbus did," Truthout notes.

The idea of replacing Columbus Day with a holiday honoring indigenous peoples was first proposed in 1977 at the United Nations Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas, according to Britannica.

"In the 21st century, many more states and cities have begun to observe Indigenous Peoples Day on the second Monday in October, either in place of or in addition to Columbus Day," according to Britannica.

Are banks open on Columbus Day?

Banks will be closed on the federal holiday or will operate on a federal holiday schedule.

Is the post office open on Columbus Day?

No, retail locations for the U.S. Post Office will be closed in observance of Columbus Day, and there will be no mail delivery to homes or offices.

Are schools open on Columbus Day?

Depends. Local students will be happy to know public schools in Flagler and Volusia counties are closed. Both counties mark it as a "teacher work day" with students excused from class.

Bay County is the only district in Florida that closes specifically for Columbus Day, according to its school calendar.

The 2025-2026 school calendars for both Flagler and Volusia counties mark it as a "teacher work day" with students excused from classes.

Is Indigenous Peoples' Day an official holiday?

It depends on where you live.

Around 30 states and Washington, D.C., do not celebrate Columbus Day, according to Renamecolumbusday.org. Around 221 cities have renamed it or replaced it with Indigenous Peoples' Day. Some states recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day through a proclamation, while others treat it as an official holiday.

Although not a federal holiday, former President Joe Biden issued presidential proclamations in support of Indigenous Peoples' Day in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: What's open on Columbus Day? Is it a federal holiday?
Study finds 5 sleep profiles linked to different health traits. Image credit: Maite Pons/Stocksy

Getting enough high-quality sleep is essential for health and wellbeing but how do we know whether the sleep we are getting is meeting our needs?

Now, a study has identified five distinct sleep profiles, linking brain activity and sleep quality with a number of different health and lifestyle outcomes.

The researchers suggest that sleep profiles are linked to not only health and behavior, but also to the wiring and activity of the brain.

Do you have trouble falling asleep, or waking frequently during the night? It could be because of how your brain is wired, and may be affecting your mental and physical health, according to new research.

A study conducted by researchers in Canada and Singapore, using patient-reported sleep, health and lifestyle factors, as well as brain imaging, has identified five distinct sleep profiles.

The research, published in PLOS Biology, found that each of the profiles showed unique patterns of brain network organization, and was linked to different mental and physical health traits.

Valeria Kebets, PhD, co-first author of this study, who is currently manager of machine learning projects at the Applied AI Institute, Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, told Medical News Today that:

The most important finding of our study is that sleep is multi-dimensional, and some of the profiles show that specific aspects of sleep are related to mental health or cognitive performance in a distinct way.

Linking sleep patterns to health factors

The researchers analyzed data from 770 healthy adults aged between 22 and 36 years of age from the WU-Minn Human Connectome Project (HCP), a study investigating the relationship between human brain circuits and behavior.

All participants filled in questionnaires about their lifestyle, mental and physical health, personality and objective measures of physical health and cognition. They also completed sleep health questionnaires to define different dimensions of sleep, including duration, satisfaction and disturbances.

In addition to the self-reported questionnaires, participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to identify neural signatures of their sleep profiles.

The researchers outlined their objective, saying that: [I]n this study, we sought to take a multidimensional data-driven approach to identify sleep-biopsychosocial profiles that simultaneously relate self-reported sleep patterns to biopsychosocial factors of health, cognition, and lifestyle in the [healthcare professional] cohort of healthy young adults. We further explored patterns of brain network organization associated with each profile to better understand their neurobiological underpinnings.

5 distinct sleep profiles related to mental and physical health traits

The researchers identified 5 profiles related to 118 biopsychosocial measures  spanning cognitive performance, physical and mental health, personality traits, affects, substance use, and demographics  as follows:

Profile 1: generally poor sleep, with decreased sleep satisfaction, longer time to fall asleep, more sleep disturbances, and daytime impairment. This was linked to depression, anxiety, somatic complaints, internalizing behavior, fear, anger, and stress. Profile 2: higher complaints of daytime impairment without complaints of sleep difficulties, suggesting sleep resilience, linked to attentional problems, such as inattention, ADHD, low conscientiousness, fear, anger and stress. Profile 3: mostly characterized by the use of sleep medication. This was linked to worse performance in visual episodic memory and emotional recognition, but also to satisfaction in social relationships. Profile 4: insufficient duration of sleep (less than 67 hours per night), which was associated with worse accuracy and longer reaction time at multiple cognitive tasks, delayed reward discounting, language, fluid intelligence, and social cognition, as well as more aggressive behavior and lower agreeableness. Profile 5: sleep disturbances, such as multiple awakenings, nocturia (waking frequently to urinate), and breathing issues, as well as pain or temperature imbalance. This group tended to show aggressive behavior, worse cognitive performance, anxiety, thought problems and internalisation, and substance abuse.

Kebets outlined the potential clinical significance of their findings, saying that:

The five profiles were found in a sample of healthy young adults that didnt have a psychiatric diagnosis or disabilities, suggesting that they could be used as a marker for the development of future issues, and they can guide tailored interventions.

Brain network connections linked to sleep profiles

Each profile was associated with a unique brain-network organization, having distinct patterns of network connectivity within the brain.

However, the researchers emphasize that further research is needed to clarify the relationships between the sleep profiles and brain network connectivity.

We found some patterns of brain connectivity that were specific to each profile, but overall we observed dysfunctional connectivity patterns in the brain networks that are responsible for motor and visual functions, Kebets told us.

How to get the best nights sleep: Expert tips

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise that getting enough quality sleep is essential for health and wellbeing. People aged 18 and over should aim for at least 7 hours of sleep a night.

But how can you ensure that you get enough quality sleep?

Experts suggest the following may help:

exercise regularly  try to get 20-30 minutes of exercise a day, but do not engage in intense exercise too close to bedtime

ensure that your mattress is comfortable and supportive  if it is old or not a good fit for you, this can lead to sleep issues

limit alcohol consumption at night  although it can make you fall asleep faster, it can disrupt your sleep patterns and increase waking, snoring, and even sleep apnea

avoid large meals and beverages close to bedtime, as these can cause indigestion and a need to urinate, which will disturb sleep

try to go to bed and wake up at around the same time each day

make sure your bedroom is a comfortable environment for sleeping in  keeping it cool (6070 degrees Fahrenheit) and dark will help your sleep

take time to wind down before bedtime, by meditating, reading a book, taking a hot bath or shower, or listening to music.

General advice would be to keep good sleep habits  e.g., limit using your phone in the hour before going to sleep, limit alcohol/drug use, and have a regular bed time. Regularity is really key, Kebets also told us.

Sleep is central to your daily functioning  your mental health, your ability to think properly and memorize things, your mood and behavior. Dont hesitate to talk about your sleep complaints (short sleep duration, sleep awakenings, long sleep latency, etc.) to your [family doctor] to have appropriate advice on the intervention that could help your specific issue.  Valeria Kebets, PhD

View the original article on Medical News Today
Dogs often perform a curious little ritual before doing their business: spinning in circles. Youve probably noticed your dog turning two or three times before finally settling into position. It looks amusing, but theres real science and instinct behind it.

Veterinarians and animal behaviorists have studied this routine for years, and their findings suggest that dogs are acting on ancient instincts. In the wild, circling helped flatten grass, check for danger, and choose a clean spot. Some research even points to magnetic sensitivity, with dogs aligning themselves along the Earths north-south axis before relieving themselves.

Old Instincts in Modern Dogs

Image via Pexels/CESAR A RAMIREZ VALLEJO TRAPHITHO

Animal behaviorists like Dr. Mary Burch and Dr. Gary Richter believe that circling before pooping has deep evolutionary roots. Wild dogs and wolves often lived outdoors, where flattening tall grass or rough soil made for a cleaner, safer place to relieve themselves. Circling also allowed them to check for insects, snakes, or hidden predators before entering a vulnerable position. Even though your dog now has a fenced backyard and a cozy bed, those instincts havent disappeared.

This spinning can also be comforting. Much like the way dogs turn before lying down, they may be adjusting the ground to make it feel right under their paws. Its their version of fluffing the pillows before resting, a small ritual to get comfortable and stay alert. Some behaviorists say this habit also helps them face the direction where they feel safest while keeping watch over whats around them.

Scent Signals and Social Clues

Dogs have scent glands on their paws and near their rear that release odors unique to each animal. When they spin or scratch the ground before or after pooping, theyre leaving behind a scent marker that tells other dogs they were there.

Those smells carry a surprising amount of information. Other dogs can learn who passed by, how recently, and even pick up clues about their health or stress level. Its an old form of communication, a natural social network built on scent rather than sound. Thats also why some dogs take their time choosing a spottheyre reading messages left by others and deciding where theirs should go.

Magnetism and the North-South Mystery

Image via iStockphoto/Francisco Franco

One of the most surprising discoveries came from a 2013 study in the Czech Republic and Germany. Researchers observed 70 dogs across 37 breeds over two years, recording nearly 1,900 poops and more than 5,500 pees. The data revealed that dogs preferred to align themselves along the Earths north-south magnetic axis when pooping.

The pattern held only when the magnetic field was stable. During geomagnetic disturbances or magnetic storms, dogs lost their orientation and faced random directions. This magnetic sensitivity, called magnetoreception, is common in many animals, including whales, dolphins, and migratory birds. Scientists suggest that dogs inherited this trait from their wolf ancestors, who may have used it for navigation. While domestic dogs no longer need it to travel, it might still offer a subtle sense of comfort or alignment.

When Spinning Signals Trouble

Most of the time, this pre-poop spin is harmless and even healthy. Walking and turning can help stimulate the bowels, especially for dogs that require a little extra movement to initiate bowel movements. However, excessive spinning without results could point to constipation or discomfort. If your dog repeatedly tries to go but cant, or shows signs of straining, its time for a veterinary checkup.
After skipping university and working construction, this millennial built a $532 million empireand it's all thanks to a chance encounter and a cold email (Left: Courtesy of Tom Grogan Right: Daniel Boczarski / StringerGetty Images)

Tom Grogans first job paid him just 30 ($40) a day lugging bricks and hauling cement on a Birmingham building site. His latest payday? A 400 million ($532 million) takeover deal for the UK arm of Wingstopthe American fried chicken chain with celebrity fans like Kylie Jennerthat he cofounded with Herman Sahota and Saul Lewin.

And its all thanks to a chance encounter that traces back to when he was just 18 and not sure what he really wanted to do with his life. Like many Gen Zers today, the millennial decided to skip university and try his hand at the trade industry when he turned 16 years old.

He had been working as a labourer on a building site for 2 years when he met a property developer. Like Grogan, he hadnt gone to university either and made his way from the bottom to the top, so he began to mentor the teenager.

You meet certain people in life that change the direction of it, Grogan exclusively told Fortune, adding that the mentorship led to an internship at Dragon Den (the UK equivalent of Shark Tank) star James Caans private equity firm in central London.

So I started to understand how deals were put together. I was surrounded by a number of entrepreneurs, and that really quickly drove my fire to do something more with my life.

That very quickly led me to wanting to leave the world of employment to start my own business in the world of residential development and property development, he added. Along that journey, you have to meet lots of people, pitch for money. So I sort of understood the fundraising process and having worked within the world of private equity, I understood business plans and presentations.

His real estate career set the stage for everything that followed, including meeting Sahota and Lewinthe men who would eventually help him launch Wingstop UK. They met while working in real estate and property development, but they decided to chance their arm in fast food seven years ago.

The trio saw the U.S. cult following and wanted to bring it to London. The problem? Nobody believed in them.

It took one cold email and 50 nos before a $532 million yes

Grogan first discovered Wingstop through a line in a Rick Ross trackthe Grammy-nominated rapper was a franchisee in the U.S. and heavily promoted the brand through his music. Wanting in, he tried his luck sending a cold email to the parent company in Texas.

Thats really how we discovered Wingstop, Grogan says. We Googled it, and back in September 2016, I sent a cold email to Wingstop HQ: Hey, youve got no presence in Europe. Wed love to launch the brand in the UK. Honestly, my thought process was, Ill figure it out afterwards. It was a punt.

To his surprise, the U.S. team replied positively, and Grogans cofounders came on board to piece the deal together. We managed to convince the US parent that one, we could raise the necessary capital, and two, we would assemble a team around us. Yes, we had no experience, but we had identified a market gap. No one in the UK food-and-beverage world was speaking authentically to younger consumers the way brands like Gymshark and Nandos were, he explains.

We didnt have to worry about product or even food at first. We later learned just how tough operations are in a restaurant business, but being naive allowed us to jump headfirst into the challenge with no preconceptions. That was a gift.

But getting the go-ahead was just the first hurdle: What followed were months and months of rejection from 50 investors.

Three young men with no experience in hospitality, ultimately trying to pitch a brand, that no one in Europe had really heard of at that timethats a huge red flag, Grogan continued. We had a lot of setbacksWe took a lot of nos and we had a lot of stops and starts, but by the skin of our teeth, we managed to pull it off.

One of the largest fast-food brand takeovers in Britain

In the end, it took nearly a year to get that yes. If wed have stopped a week earlier, we wouldnt be sat here now, he said adding that each rejection was a lesson. Ultimately, by the 50th presentation, a lot of the concerns that early investors had raised had either been figured out or we had an answer for.

By then, theyd managed to secure what is now the site for their flagship restaurant in Londons West End. So it made it a bit more real for those later investors that came to speak to us, Grogan adds. We say amongst ourselves that the stars have aligned on this journey, and that was probably one of the first stars that did align for us.

And the stars really did align for Grogan and the team. They built the UK Wingstop brand from scratch; following in the U.S. branches targeting of Gen Z and millennial consumers, using social media and the celebrities of the moment. Today, there are 57 Wingstop sites in the UK.

Nearly nine years after sending that first cold email, the trio sold a majority stake of Lemon Pepper Holdings (Wingtop UKs parent company) to Californian private equity firm Sixth Street just before the New Year. Already, it has plans to expand to 200 UK sites in the next five years. The deal marked one of the largest takeovers of a restaurant brand in Britain.

And Grogan, a 35-year-old Brit with zero prior restaurant cashed in his share of a 400 million ($532 million) windfall.

Reflecting on his meteoric rise from construction sites, Grogan tells the next generation of aspiring entrepreneurs that real-world experiencenot lecturesshapes success.

Unless you want to be a doctor or a lawyer, university is a waste of time. The experiences that you can have within the world of business, or with a mentor, or by becoming street smart are far more valuable than a textbook.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Former Rep. Katie Porter, a leading Democratic contender for governor, at a candidates forum last month in Los Angeles. (Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times)

The emergence of two videos showing former Rep. Katie Porter in an unfavorable light have cast a cloud over her gubernatorial prospects, feeding perceptions among some that the Irvine Democrat is thin-skinned and a short-tempered boss.

How Porter responds in coming days could determine her viability in next years race to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to both Democratic and Republican political strategists.

Everyone's had a bad day. Everyone's done something that they wouldn't want broadcast, right? You don't want your worst boss moment, your worst employment moment, your worst personal moment, captured on camera, said Christine Pelosi, a prominent Democratic activist from the Bay Area and a daughter of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

I definitely think that it's a question of what comes next, said Pelosi, who had endorsed Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis before she dropped out of the race.

Porter, who has a narrow edge in polls in the 2026 governor's race, came under scrutiny this week when a recording emerged of her brusquely threatening to end a television interview after growing increasingly irritated by the reporters questions.

After CBS reporter Julie Watts asked Porter what she would say to the nearly 6.1 million Californians who voted for President Trump in 2024, the UC Irvine law professor responded that she didnt need their support if she competed against a Republican in the November 2026 runoff election.

After Watts asked follow-up questions, Porter accused Watts of being unnecessarily argumentative," held up her hands toward the reporter's face and later said, I dont want this all on camera.

The next day, a 2021 video emerged of Porter berating a staffer who corrected her about electric vehicle information she was discussing with a member of the Biden administration. Get out of my f shot! Porter said to the young woman after she came into view in the background of the videoconference. Porter's comments in the video were first reported by Politico.

Porter did not respond to multiple interview requests. She put out a statement about the 2021 video, saying: It's no secret I hold myself and my staff to a high 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.

Several Porter supporters voiced support for her after the videos went viral on social media and became the focus of national news coverage as well as programs such as The View.

In this critical moment in our country, we dont need to be polite, go along to get along, establishment politicians that keep getting run over by the opposition, wrote Peter Finn and Chris Griswold, co-chairs of Teamsters California, which has endorsed Porter and represents 250,000 workers in the state. We need strong leaders like Katie Porter that are willing to call it like it is and stand up and fight for everyday Californians.

EMILYs List, which supports Democratic women who back abortion rights, and Rep. Dave Min (D-Irvine), who won the congressional seat Porter left to unsuccessfully run for U.S. Senate last year, are among those who also released statements supporting the former congresswoman.

Lorena Gonzalez, president of the influential California Labor Federation, alluded to assertions by some in the states Capitol before the videos emerged that powerful Democratic and corporate interests dislike Porter and have been trying to coax another Democrat into the race.

The only thing that is clear after the past few days is that Katie Porters willingness to take on powerful interests has the status quo very afraid and very motivated, Gonzalez said in a statement.

There has been a concerted effort to urge U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla into the race. The San Fernando Valley Democrat has said he wont make a decision until after voters decide Proposition 50, the redistricting proposal he and other state Democratic leaders are championing, on the November ballot.

Read more:Your guide to Proposition 50: California redistricting

A pivotal indicator of Porters plans is whether she takes part in two events that she is scheduled to participate in next week  a virtual forum Tuesday evening with the California Working Families Party and a live UC Student and Policy Center Q&A on Friday in Sacramento.

Her Democratic gubernatorial rivals seized on the videos. Former state Controller Betty Yee called on Porter to drop out of the race, and businessman Stephen Cloobeck and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa attacked her in ads about the uproar.

Read more:Who is running for California governor in 2026? Meet the candidates

Former Sen. Barbara Boxer, a fellow Democrat, said she saw the same traits Porter displayed in the videos  anger, a lack of respect, privilege  previously, notably in the 2024 Senate contest, which is why she decided to back then-Rep. Adam Schiff, who ultimately won. Boxer has endorsed Villaraigosa for governor.

I had a bad taste in my mouth from that experience, Boxer said, growing upset while describing her reaction to the video of Porter cursing at her staffer. This video tells us everything we need to know about former congresswoman Porter. She is unfit to serve. Period.

Disagreements arose between Boxer and her staff during her more than four decades in elected office, she acknowledged. But even when we weren't happy with each other, there was always respect, because I knew they deserved it, and I knew without them, I was nothing, Boxer said, adding that men's and womens behavior as elected officials must be viewed through the same lens. We are equal; we are not better. She's proof of that.

Beth Miller, a veteran Sacramento-based GOP strategist who has worked with female politicians since the 1980s, said women are held to a different standard by voters, though it has eased in recent years.

In some ways, this plays into that bias, but in other ways, it unfortunately sets women back because it underscores a concern that people have, Miller said. And that's really disappointing and discouraging to a lot of female politicians who don't ascribe to that type of behavior.

Miller also pointed to the dichotomy of Porters terse reaction in the television interview to Porter championing herself in Congress as a fearless and aggressive inquisitor of CEOs and government leaders.

You exhibit one kind of behavior on the one hand and another when it affects you, Miller said. And you know, governor of California is not a walk in the park, and so I don't think she did herself any favors at all. And I think it really is a window into who she is.

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
by Melani Manel Perera

The Archbishop of Colombo made an appeal to this end during celebrations for the anniversary of the founding of the broadcaster TV Derana. Sri Lankans, who today struggle hard to earn a living, must learn to discern which influences are positive or negative, without passively accepting everything that comes from abroad.

Colombo (AsiaNews)  Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, archbishop of Colombo, spoke last Thursday at a thanksgiving mass celebrated in the chapel of the archbishop's residence to mark the 20th anniversary of the broadcaster TV Derana.

Sri Lanka, said the prelate, should not become subservient to the conditions imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and foreign nations; such dependency undermines the country's self-respect.

The religious service was attended by the networks founder, parliamentarian, and entrepreneur Dilith Jayaweera, Deputy Chairman Laksiri Wickremage, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Madhawa Madawala, members of the board of directors, senior managers, and staff.

Thank God for the service rendered to the nation of Sri Lanka through this media network, said Card Ranjith in his homily.

The prelate stressed that many of the values now considered moral and civil should be recognised as elements already part of the country's cultural heritage. He noted that people must learn to choose the best from external cultures that are not part of their heritage, and mature in this process.

At the same time, with a cultural heritage dating back over 2,600 years, Sri Lankans must be able to discern whether foreign influences are positive or negative, without passively accepting everything that comes from abroad.

True progress does not lie in imitating others. If there are alternative paths to national advancement based on what is suitable for the country, it is the collective responsibility of all citizens to recognise and implement them," he emphasised.

For the cardinal, this duty should not fall solely on the political leadership, but on the entire country, adding that the people of Sri Lanka also possess dignity and self-respect.

As far as I know today, if we take five families, at least two of them can be described as families who struggle to earn a daily wage. Due to the harsh living conditions in the country and the current economic difficulties, keeping a family alive for a month has become a serious challenge, he said.

Therefore, it is wrong for us to deliberately betray our country's culture, on the one hand, become slaves to other nations, follow their dictates, and erase our country's heritage," on the other, Cardinal Ranjith said. "[O]ur young generation must act wisely at this time. Parents, as adults, should also reflect on what we are passing on to our children, he added.

Finally, the archbishop of Colombo urged the media, in particular the Derana network, to guide people on the right path and contribute to building a morally strong society.

ECCLESIA IN ASIA IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES IN ASIA. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE IT EVERY SUNDAY? TO SUBSCRIBE, CLICK HERE.
At the Angelus, Leo XIV encouraged people to nourish the "spark of hope ignited by the Gaza agreement. His also turned his thoughts to those who have lost loved ones. We ask God, who is the true Peace of humanity, to heal all wounds with the power of forgiveness. He expressed closeness to the people of Ukraine, still under Russian attacks, and to the people of Peru. On the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality, the pope urges the faithful to share in the joy of the Magnificat and warns against forms of worship that do not foster communion with others but can num our hearts.

Vatican City (AsiaNews)  Pope Leo XIV spoke today at the Angelus in St Peter's Square at the conclusion of the Jubilee of Marian spirituality, celebrated together with thousands of pilgrims from associations, movements, and communities particularly inspired by Marian devotion.

In his address, he also called for a just and lasting peace that respects the legitimate aspirations of the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, urging the parties involved "to continue courageously" after the "spark of hope" given to the Holy Land by the ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages in Gaza.

Two years of conflict, said Leo regarding the war in Gaza, have caused death and destruction throughout the land, especially in the hearts of those who have brutally lost their children, parents, friends and possessions.

With the entire Church, I am close to your immense pain. The gentle touch of the Lord is directed especially toward you today, in the certainty that even amidst the deepest darkness, he always remains with us: Dilexi te, I have loved you, Leo said, citing the apostolic exhortation he released on Thursday.

We ask God, who is the true Peace of humanity, to heal all wounds and to help us with his grace to accomplish what now seems humanly impossible: to remember that the other is not an enemy, but a brother or sister to be seen, forgiven and offered the hope of reconciliation.

At the Angelus, Leo XIV also mentioned the latest Russian attacks against several cities and civilian infrastructures in Ukraine, killing innocent people, including children, and leaving many families without electricity and heating.

My heart goes out to those who suffer, who have been living in anguish and deprivation for years. I renew my appeal to put an end to violence, to stop destruction, to open up to dialogue and peace!

The pontiff also expressed his closeness to the "dear people of Peru currently caught up in a delicate political transition after the Peruvian Congress impeached President Dina Boluarte for failure to deal with mounting violence and organised crime.

I pray that Peru may continue on the path of reconciliation, dialogue and national unity, said the pope, where he served for many years as a missionary.

During the Eucharistic celebration, which he led in St Peter's Square with the statue of Our Lady of Fatima at the foot of the altar, Leo said in his homily: Marian spirituality is at the service of the Gospel: it reveals its simplicity.

Our affection for Mary of Nazareth leads us to join her in becoming disciples of Jesus. It teaches us to return to him and to meditate and ponder the events of our lives in which the Risen One still comes to us and calls us.

Marian spirituality immerses us in the history upon which heaven opened. It helps us to see the proud being scattered in their conceit, the mighty being cast down from their thrones and the rich being sent away empty-handed. It impels us to fill the hungry with good things, to lift up the lowly, to remember Gods mercy and to trust in the power of his arm.

Likewise, Jesus invites us to be part of his Kingdom, just as he asked Mary for her yes, which, once given, was renewed every day.

Taking inspiration from today's Gospel, in which some lepers do not return to thank Jesus after being healed, Leo XIV said that Gods grace can touch us and find no response. It can heal us, yet we can still fail to accept it. Let us take care therefore not to go up to the temple in such a way that does not lead us to follow Jesus.

Some forms of worship do not foster communion with others and can numb our hearts. In these cases, we fail to encounter the people God has placed in our lives. We fail to contribute, as Mary did, to changing the world, and to share in the joy of the Magnificat.

Let us take care to avoid any exploitation of the faith that could lead to labelling those who are different  often the poor  as enemies, lepers to be avoided and rejected.

Marys path follows that of Jesus, which leads us to encounter every human being, especially the poor, the wounded and sinners. Because of this, authentic Marian spirituality brings Gods tenderness, his way of being a mother, to light in the Church.
12 October 2025 21:00 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

Once hailed by his loyalists as the king of the occupied Azerbaijani lands, Robert Kocharyan has resurfaced on Armenias political stage, still clinging to his delusions of grandeur and bitterness toward the realities of peace. During his rule, he strutted across the occupied territories as though they were his personal fiefdom. At the so-called OSCE meetings, he often attempted to dominate the room with condescending facial expressions  as if the fate of a nation depended on his gestures rather than on genuine diplomacy. Those were the days when the OSCEs inefficiency had turned it into a political swamp, where empty rhetoric replaced real negotiation.

Kocharyans political persona was built on deceit, the illusion of eternal occupation, the glorification of aggression, and the suppression of truth. Yet, as the saying goes, a fool knows not the worth of gold. He never understood the value of peace, cooperation, or long-term vision. He could not foresee that one day his own people would become the victims of the same lies he once fed them.

At a recent press conference in Yerevan, Kocharyan made yet another attack on the Washington agreements, signed on August 8 to solidify peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. His statements were not only provocative but also profoundly cynical. Armenia gained nothing, he declared, insisting that the United States secured control over the corridor, Azerbaijan achieved strategic benefits, and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received only a photo with Trumps signature and a piece of paper with no legal force.

What also caught my attention was the map he displayed  a parallel universe where Armenia still occupies Garabagh. For Kocharyan and the revanchists, the conflict era is not over yet.

For him, every peace initiative is a loss because it dismantles the system of revanchism and corruption on which his political power once thrived. The same system that turned Armenia into a hostage of its own myths and left it economically paralyzed for decades.

Kocharyans dismissive tone toward regional connectivity projects  particularly the Zangazur corridor  once again underscores his inability to grasp modern geopolitics. He claimed that Zangazur has zero benefits for Armenia. But in truth, it is precisely the opposite: Zangazur represents a historic opportunity for Armenia to integrate into transregional trade routes, diversify its economy, and emerge from isolation. By rejecting this, Kocharyan reveals not statesmanship, but the mindset of a man who prefers darkness to light  a politician who built walls rather than bridges.

His words reflect the desperation of a bygone elite struggling to stay relevant. Kocharyans Garabagh clan  a political relic of the 1990s  has long been rejected by Armenian society. Even his attempts to exploit public discontent toward Pashinyan have failed to mobilize significant support. For most Armenians, the memory of Kocharyans era evokes poverty, censorship, and corruption  not pride or progress.

His mockery of the Washington Declaration and his absurd suggestion to build the Trump Road with domestic funds, while claiming to save state money, border on self-parody. It is ironic to hear financial advice from a man widely known for misappropriating his own countrys wealth and leading it into systemic economic decline.

Moreover, his recent rhetoric exposes his continuing loyalty to Moscow. Kocharyan portrays himself as a guardian of Armenias sovereignty, yet he openly calls for deeper dependency on Russia, the very power that has turned Armenia into a satellite state. He laments Yerevans Western drift and blames it for Armenias defeats, claiming that ignoring Russias interests led to the loss of Garabagh. Such statements not only serve Russias geopolitical narrative but also confirm Kocharyans role as a political instrument rather than an independent actor.

In this sense, Kocharyans reappearance is more than just political nostalgia  it is a warning sign. His words reveal that the revanchist current in Armenian politics, though weakened, is not extinguished. It continues to feed on resentment, denial, and the illusion of lost glory. His attack on peace efforts reflects a deeper truth: some in Armenia still cannot accept the new regional order, in which Azerbaijan stands as a decisive power, shaping the South Caucasus together with Turkiye and influencing the regions connection to Europe and Asia.

Ultimately, Kocharyans narrative is not about Armenias future  it is about his own failure. A failure to lead, to adapt, and to understand that the age of occupation and isolation is over. The region is moving toward cooperation, trade, and connectivity. Armenia has the chance to be part of this progress  but only if it frees itself from the grip of men like Kocharyan, who mistake nostalgia for leadership and cynicism for wisdom. He also announced that his team intends to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections, signalling that he plans to use every available lever of influence  including leaning on Russia, which is not surprising, since last week there were reports of him secretly visiting Moscow and holding meetings. Apparently, Kocharyan returned on August 8 with orders to act against the Washington agreements.

As time passes, Kocharyans arrogance seems increasingly misplaced. His every speech echoes the same tragic irony: the man who once fancied himself a king now stands alone, a fool who never understood the worth of peace  nor the true value of gold.
12 October 2025 13:56 (UTC+04:00)

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During the first six months of the current Iranian year (March 21  September 22, 2025), Irans imports of Azerbaijani products saw a notable decline compared to the same period last year, Azernews reports.

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12 October 2025 10:35 (UTC+04:00)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has expressed its condolences to Qatar following the tragic death of Qatari diplomats in a car accident in Egypt, Azernews reports.

The message of condolence was shared on the official Facebook page of the Azerbaijani MFA.

We express our condolences to the government and people of the State of Qatar on the tragic death of Qatari diplomats in a car accident in Egypt, the statement read.

It should be noted that three Qatari diplomats lost their lives in the accident.
12 October 2025 16:00 (UTC+04:00)

by Peter Tase

Within the framework of close relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Mexico, Azerbaijans Ambassador to Mexico, His Excellency Mammad Talibov, delivered a distinguished keynote lecture on the history of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, with a particular focus on the 44-Day Patriotic War of 2020 and the restoration of Azerbaijans territorial integrity and sovereignty.

The conference, held on October 3, 2025, before professors and students at the Tecnologico de Monterrey, centered on key strategic themes that promote regional peace in the South Caucasus. Ambassador Talibov emphasized that the remarkable results of the 44-Day Patriotic War were achieved in accordance with international law and United Nations resolutions.

Ambassador Talibov, who also serves as Azerbaijans non-resident ambassador to Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, Guatemala, Honduras, and Panama, highlighted Azerbaijans post-war reconstruction efforts under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. He underscored the nations commitment to restoring its territorial integrity and sovereignty, while promoting stability and cooperation across the South Caucasus.

In his address, Ambassador Talibov reviewed the historical background of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, focusing on the new geopolitical realities in the South Caucasus, Azerbaijans peace agenda, and initiatives aimed at ensuring regional stability and economic cooperation, which also benefit the European Union.

He further noted Azerbaijans growing geostrategic importance in Eurasia and Bakus ongoing economic development. Azerbaijan continues to play a crucial role in major strategic energy projects and land transport corridors that are essential for trade between Europe and Asia, as well as for ensuring global energy and food security.

Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan has strengthened its geopolitical relevance, emerging as a key transport hub along the Middle Corridor. The countrys active participation in global organizations such as the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Organization of Turkic States, alongside its leadership of COP29, represents the cornerstone of its foreign policy.

Ambassador Talibov also outlined Azerbaijans future development strategies in digital transformation, renewable energy, the green economy, and technology, as well as programs for reconstruction and the return of former internally displaced persons to the liberated territories.

The lecture concluded with an interactive Q&A session, during which participants discussed Azerbaijans strategic outlook and its growing leadership role in regional and international cooperation. In recent years, Azerbaijans proactive diplomacy has focused on strengthening bilateral economic and cultural ties with Latin American countries, particularly Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, and Guatemala.

In parallel diplomatic developments, on September 34, 2025, Azerbaijans Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov paid an official visit to the Republic of Peru. According to the Press Service of Azerbaijans Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the first round of political consultations between the foreign ministries of both countries took place in Lima.

The Azerbaijani delegation was led by Deputy Minister Elnur Mammadov, while the Peruvian side was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Felix Ricardo Denegri Boza. During the consultations, both sides discussed the current state and future prospects of bilateral cooperation in political, economic, energy, cultural, and tourism fields, emphasizing the importance of establishing a contractual and legal framework to advance these relations.

As reported by AZERTAC, the State News Agency of Azerbaijan, the two countries exchanged information on existing economic and trade opportunities and expressed mutual support for joint initiatives.

During his visit, Deputy Minister Mammadov also met with Jose Enrique Jeri, President of the Peruvian Congress and Chairman of the Peru-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Friendship Group. Both parties exchanged views on strengthening interparliamentary relations and highlighted the importance of bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

Additionally, Deputy Minister Mammadov held talks with Elmer Schialer Salcedo, Perus Minister of Foreign Affairs. Minister Salcedo expressed Perus interest in enhancing bilateral relations with Azerbaijan and voiced his hope that the inaugural political consultations would serve as a platform for expanding cooperation in multiple areas.

In Lima, Deputy Minister Mammadov gave several interviews to Ricardo Sanchez Serra, correspondent for Perus leading daily La Razon and Vice President of the College of Journalists of Peru. He also spoke to official media outlets El Peruano and the state news agency Andina.

As part of his visit, Mammadov delivered a lecture at the National University of San Marcos, one of the oldest and most prestigious higher education institutions in the Americas, where he presented Azerbaijans foreign policy priorities in detail and answered questions from the audience.

Given the economic capacities of Mexico (GDP: US$1.8 trillion) and Peru (GDP: US$289 billion), both countries increasingly view Baku as a model of strong economic and industrial growth. Consequently, bilateral cooperation with Azerbaijan is expected to continue expanding, fostering greater trade and political alignment between the regions.

Azerbaijans growing geostrategic role and leadership in multilateral diplomacy will further advance economic partnerships and political cooperation between Mexico, Peru, and the dynamic government of Azerbaijan.

The views and opinions expressed by guest columnists in their op-eds may differ from and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff.
12 October 2025 17:40 (UTC+04:00)

Contacts between Russia and Azerbaijan have not completely ceased, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Pavel Zarubin, the author and host of the program Moscow. Kremlin. Putin, Azernews reports.

It must be said that although this was not the best moment in the history of our bilateral relations, the volume of our trade and economic cooperation continued to grow, Peskov stated, emphasizing that Moscow expects the resolution of existing issues with Baku.

It should be recalled that the meeting between President Ilham Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Dushanbe last week, held after the tragic crash of the AZAL plane on December 25, was regarded as a significant step toward overcoming the period of tension and cooling in Azerbaijani-Russian relations. It also marked the first official meeting between the two leaders following the incident.
12 October 2025 13:24 (UTC+04:00)

Security sources have confirmed that Pakistan launched heavy response after what it describes as unprovoked firing from across the Pak-Afghan border, inflicting significant losses on Afghan positions and foreign formations, security sources said, Azernews reports via DND News.

Security sources say Pakistani forces carried out a strong and sustained retaliation after unprovoked firing from Afghan positions along the Pak-Afghan border. Several Afghan soldiers were reportedly killed and multiple foreign formations suffered heavy losses, the sources added.

According to available information, Afghan Taliban provided shelters to terrorists to infiltrate into Pakistan from Kunar, Nagarhar, Khost, Paktia and Hemond and Pakistani troops were vigilant, and they responded with lighting speed, destroying Tashkeels (columns) of terrorists.

Related Story: We Stand with India, says Afghan FM Amir Khan Muttaqi after approving permanent presence of 15,000 Indians in Afghanistan

According to the same security officials, Afghan posts did not provide covering fire for the foreign fighters sheltering among them. Pakistani strikes reportedly hit several Afghan posts and bases believed to be hosting TTP and ISIS and other armed groups that Pakistan called as Fitna-e- Khawarij.

Related Story: Afghan FM Amir Khan Muttaqi will meet Indian NSA Ajit Doval today, October 10, 2025

The operations reportedly involved artillery, tanks, and both light and heavy weapons. Air assets and drones were also used to target suspected hideouts of TTP and ISIS terrorists. The headquarters of the Afghan forces that sheltered ISIS and Fitna al-Khawarij were also targeted, the report added.

All casualty and damage figures in this account are attributed to unnamed security sources and remain unconfirmed by independent or bilateral authorities.

It has been confirmed by independent sources also that several Afghan soldiers and foreign fighters were killed; multiple Afghan posts hit. Targets included ISIS and Khawarij hideouts; headquarters sheltering those groups were also struck with FATAH GMLRS that are also being used by Pakistan Army to target TTP hideouts inside Afghanistan, sources claimed.

Credible sources confirmed that the coordinated assaults originated from across several key sectors, including Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, Chitral and Baramcha in Balochistan facilitating the illegal entry of Khawarij and troops responded immediately and decisively, the counteroffensive targeted and destroyed multiple Afghan border posts and dozens of Afghan soldiers and Khawarij were killed instantly.

Official spokesperson of Afghan Taliban Zabihullah Mujahid said to an international News Agency that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has decided to stop attacks on Pakistan.

Meanwhile security forces in Rawalpindi state that Afghanistan started this and now Pakistan will finish according to its own choice of time.

At present, Pakistans political, military and intelligence leadership are sitting together and formulating an immediate and effective strategy to fully defend Pakistan and respond to the aggression from Afghanistan with full force. So far, Pakistans brave forces have responded vigorously not only with small and large weapons but also with long-range air strikes and artillery, as a result of which not only the Afghan forces but also the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, i.e. Fitna-ul-Kharij, included in their ranks, have suffered heavy losses. This war will continue until our objectives are achieved, said an official source in Islamabad.

On October 10, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif categorically said that Pakistan will exercise the right to protect its soil from terrorists that come from Afghanistan.
12 October 2025 19:38 (UTC+04:00)

Iranian representatives will not attend the Peace Summit scheduled to take place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on October 13, held to mark the signing of a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, Azernews reports via Tasnim News Agency.

Although Iran received an invitation to the event, no government representatives plan to travel to Egypt to participate in the summit.

It should be recalled that Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement mediated by Egypt, which came into force on October 10 following the partial withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
12 October 2025 17:07 (UTC+04:00)

An Israeli official might have confirmed that Hamas offered to release its hostages abducted on October 7, 2023, on Sunday, a day earlier than previously agreed on, informing the Hebrew-language media, including The Times of Israel, Azernews reports.

Allegedly, Hamas expressed readiness to honor the commitment before United States President Donald Trump arrives in Israel on Monday.

Previously, it was reported that Hamas could release its remaining hostages as early as Sunday.

Note that, Egypt has confirmed it will host an international summit on Monday for foreign leaders to discuss the agreement to end the war in Gaza.

The meeting will take place in the picturesque Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, the Egyptian presidency has said moments ago, Reuters reports.

More than 20 world leaders will attend, including US president Donald Trump.
12 October 2025 20:35 (UTC+04:00)

Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure linked to the countrys military-industrial complex, the Defence Ministry said on Sunday, as tensions rose over a possible US decision to supply long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kiev, Azernews reports via Ria.

The ministry, cited by RIA news agency, said the attacks targeted energy facilities supporting Ukraines war production.

Separately, Interfax reported that Russian air defences had shot down 72 Ukrainian drones in the past 24 hours.

Kremlin alarmed by potential US missile transfers

The Kremlin said it was deeply concerned about the possibility of the United States providing Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, warning that the conflict had reached a dramatic point with escalation from all sides.

The topic of Tomahawks is of extreme concern, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state television. Now is really a very dramatic moment in terms of tensions escalating from all directions.

Peskov cautioned that Moscow would treat any Tomahawk launch as a potential nuclear threat. Just imagine: a long-range missile is launched, and we know that it could be nuclear. What should Russia think? How should it react? he said.

Tomahawks can strike targets up to 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) away  enough to reach Moscow  and older versions of the missile are capable of carrying nuclear warheads, according to US data.

Putin warns of new stage if missiles delivered

President Vladimir Putin earlier this month said the missiles cannot be used without direct US military involvement, warning that any supply to Ukraine would mark a qualitatively new stage of escalation.

Washington has not yet announced a final decision. US President Donald Trump said Monday that he would want to know what Ukraine plans to do with them before agreeing to provide the missiles, though he added he had sort of made a decision.

The Financial Times reported on Sunday that the US has quietly helped Ukraine carry out long-range drone strikes on Russian energy facilities for months, providing intelligence to guide route planning, altitude, timing, and mission coordination to evade Russian air defences.
News / Religion

by Stephen Jakes

Award-winning Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin'ono has launched a scathing critique of internationally known evangelist Benny Hinn, accusing him of exploiting vulnerable people under the guise of religious ministry.Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Chin'ono described Hinn as a "conman" who manipulates faith and emotion for personal enrichment."This man is not a man of God, he is a conman. Benny Hinn has built a career manipulating faith and emotion to enrich himself while deceiving millions. Like many religious fraudsters, he preys on the desperate, the sick and the poor, promising miracles that never come," Chin'ono wrote.He went further to allege that Hinn's influence in Zimbabwe is bolstered by "crooked friends in high places", suggesting a symbiotic relationship between corrupt elites and religious figures."There are countless crooks like him who exploit the vulnerable and the ignorant in the name of God, turning faith into a profitable business. At least for him, in Zimbabwe he has crooked friends in high places who also depend on a passive and captive citizenry; people who have been conditioned to tolerate abuse, repression and corruption without protest."Chin'ono concluded that this dynamic represents a mutually beneficial arrangement between political power and religious manipulation - one that thrives on ignorance and fear while the nation sinks deeper into moral and economic decay.His remarks have sparked debate online, with supporters praising his boldness and critics accusing him of disrespecting religious beliefs.
12 October 2025 22:22 (UTC+04:00)

Polls have opened in Cameroon in an election that could see the worlds oldest serving head of state extend his rule for another seven years, Azernews reports via Al Jazeera.

The single-round election on Sunday is likely to return 92-year-old incumbent Paul Biya as president for an eighth term in the Central African nation of 30 million people.

Biya, in power for 43 years, faces off against 11 challengers, including former government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary, 79, who has generated unexpected momentum for a campaign calling for an end to the leaders decades-long tenure.

Bakary  a close ally of Biya for 20 years, who resigned from the government in June to join the opposition  is considered the top contender to unseat the incumbent after another leading opponent, Maurice Kamto, was barred from the race.

But analysts predict Biyas re-election, given his firm grip on state machinery and a divided opposition.
South Oregon Coast's Redfish Rock Marine Reserve Is Giving Back Economically, Study Shows

Published 10/09/25 at 9:25 p.m.

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff





(Port Orford, Oregon)  Back in 2012, parts of the Oregon coast were closed off to fishing and other kinds of seafood harvesting to create marine protection areas  or the marine reserves. Among them was a five-square-mile section of south coast just south of Port Orford. (Photo of Humbug Mountain at the Reserve - Manuela Durson - Manuela Durson Fine Arts)

Now, a new study from the area shows that science and tourism activities at Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve are generating significant economic benefits for the region. Conducted by the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife in collaboration with Sea & Shore Solutions and an Oregon Sea Grant fellow, the research highlights how no-take marine reserves can support jobs and income in coastal communities.

Using input-output economic modeling and interviews with scientists and tour operators, the study tracked direct, indirect, and induced impacts from 2022 to 2024. The findings show that Redfish Rocks-related activities supported approximately $982,000 in economic output and 20 jobs across multiple levels.

- Curry County saw $177,000 in income and 5 jobs

- The seven-county coastal region saw $435,000 in income and 8 jobs

- The state level saw $228,000 in income and 4 jobs

Dr. Sarah Klain, a former ODFW social scientist and co-author of the report, noted that while the reserve doesnt generate revenue from fishing, the spending tied to research and tourism has meaningful ripple effects.



Photo of Humbug Mountain at the Reserve - Manuela Durson - Manuela Durson Fine Arts

Port Orfords a small place, so showing that the reserve provides a few jobs and some income matters, she said.

Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve was established to protect a diverse array of habitats and species, including groundfish and sea urchins that were heavily fished prior to the reserves creation. These days, it serves as a hub for scientific monitoring and eco-tourism, drawing visitors and researchers to its scenic waters and rugged reef structures.

Read the full report at this link.

Katy Bear Nalven, Sea & Shore Solutions Project Coordinator, said the findings show how the Oregon's coastal marine reserves are advancing our understanding of the social and economic impacts of protected marine areas.

Shannon Davis of The Research Group in Corvallis added that the report offers a clear picture of how marine reserve-related spending flows through local businesses and households.



Trail Keepers of Oregon

This study paves the way for future analysis to continue to better understand the social and economic impacts of Oregon's marine reserves, Davis said.

Oregons five marine reserves, including Redfish Rocks, are managed by ODFW to conserve biodiversity, support scientific research, and minimize disruption to traditional ocean uses. The others are at small areas at Cape Falcon (near Manzanita), Cascade Head (Lincoln City and Neskowin), Otter Rock (near Depoe Bay), and Cape Perpetua near Yachats. This latest study underscores how thoughtful marine management can benefit both ecosystems and economies.

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N. Oregon Coast Man Reported Missing, Found Deceased on Seaside Beach

Published 10/10/25 at 6:25 p.m.

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Seaside, Oregon)  A local man was found dead on a north Oregon beach early Friday morning. (Seaside file photo / Oregon Coast Beach Connection)

Authorities in Seaside have confirmed the identity of a man found deceased on Seaside Beach as Wayne Wilson, 64, a resident of Seaside.



Seaside Police and the City of Seaside today said Wilson had been reported missing Thursday evening, October 9. This prompted an overnight search involving Seaside Police, Seaside Fire & Rescue, and the Clatsop County Sheriff's Office. He was last seen around 6:30 p.m. near his home in the vicinity of N. Wahanna Road and Broadway Street.



At approximately 7:37 a.m. Friday, Seaside dispatch received a report of a man down near the Avenue A beach access. Emergency responders arrived on scene and confirmed Wilson was deceased. The Clatsop County Medicolegal Death Investigator was called to conduct an examination.

The City has stated publicly that no further investigation is pending.



The City of Seaside wishes to thank Seaside Fire, Police, and Dispatch for their continual efforts on behalf of the community, the City said. The City also extends its gratitude to the community member who took the initiative to call SPD early this morning and report finding Wilson.



No further details have been released regarding the cause of death.

Seaside is known as one of the safest beaches, not just on the Oregon coast but in the nation. It is a wide open beach with many eyes locked on the area because of various businesses on the beachfront.

There was one disturbing incident in Seaside back in 1997 when two beachgoers were killed by two young men in an admitted thrill kill. The couple, Gabriella Brooke Goza, 26, and Frank Nimz, 36. were sitting on the beach late at night waiting for the sun to rise when a pair of residents in their 20s murdered them.

Today's incident, however, had nothing to do with any criminal act.

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Understanding the Oregon Coast Under Our Feet: Lincoln City Talk Given by Prominent Geologist

Published 10/11/25 at 6:25 p.m.

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Lincoln City, Oregon) - A public presentation next week will offer a deep dive into the dynamic geological history of the Oregon Coast, with a special focus on Siletz Bay and the surrounding Lincoln City area. Titled Understanding the Earth Under Our Feet, the event is sponsored by the Cascade Head Biosphere Collaborative and will feature renowned Earth scientist Scott Burns, Professor Emeritus of Geology at Portland State University.

Scheduled for Friday, October 17, 2025, the presentation will take place from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at Pelican Brewing, overlooking Siletz Bay. (map)

Professor Burns will guide attendees through the forces that have shaped the coastline over millions of years, highlighting the landforms and geological features that define the region today. It will have a special emphasis on the Lincoln City area - which includes Cascade Head, once a volcano.

Community members are encouraged to attend and bring their questions and curiosity. The event promises an engaging evening of science and storytelling in a scenic coastal setting.

Burns On Our Beaches

Some of what Burns has dug into in his career has provided some interesting answers about the area. He talked to Oregon Coast Beach Connection several years ago about Depoe Bay.

There were once  until the '70s, anyway - theories that Cape Foulweather was once a volcano. That got debunked. Now, it's clear Cape Foulweather near Depoe Bay was a product of the Columbia Basalts: a series of lava flows that scorched across proto-Oregon some 14 million years ago.

Indeed, Burns is one of the few people who have tested the rocks here for their age.

Yet why do rocks in the Depoe Bay area look smoother than other, similar spots?



Oregon Coast Beach Connection: Cascade Head was a volcano

According to Dr. Burns, the area around Depoe Bay was, for whatever reason, above ground. So here, when the lava flows arrived they would hit the sea and cool into those rounder shapes. It's called pillow basalt, and it's the same thing you see footage of in Hawaii when lava plunges into water there.

These bubbly pillow basalts run from Fishing Rock State Recreation Area down to Rocky Creek State Scenic Viewpoint, roughly four miles on either side of Depoe Bay. You'll notice a big difference at the beginning of Otter Loop Road, at Rodea Point.

Ever wondered how deep those rocks go around Depoe Bay? According to Burns these layers can be hundreds of meters thick. Science Behind the Puffy, Bubbly Pillow Basalts of the Oregon Coast

Burns also had plenty of answers about a unique feature found briefly at Pacific City's Cape Kiwanda a few years back.



Pilar French photo

Portlander Pilar French had discovered an odd set of lines near the top of the dune. Oregon Coast Beach Connection shared this with the geologist. New, Rare Sand Feature Atop Cape Kiwanda Floors Oregon Coast Geologists - Video

Burns essentially flipped out: he'd never seen this kind of set of designs before. After consulting other geologists at the university, it turned out this was new for the region. This was a rare thing, to see these kinds of ridges so close to each other  not to mention it's really odd that patterns like this are formed on a dune, period.

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The continuing fallouts from the texts from Virginia Democrat Attorney General candidate Jay Jones fantasizing about assassinating the Republican former Speaker of the State House is having a major impact on all of the statewide races to be voted on next month in Virginia according to new polls. The disastrous debate performance of Democrat candidate for governor Abigail Spanberger compounds the Democrats problems.

Major independent pollster The Trafalgar Group, in its latest Virginia poll found incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares ahead of Jay Jones by almost 6 points. Their previous poll had shown Jones leading by 3 points. That makes a 9 point swing in that race from Jones to Miyares.

The Trafalgar poll also showed momentum for the GOP in both of the other statewide races, with the Democrat lead in the governor's race narrowing to 3 points and in the lieutenant governor's race to one point. Democrats had double digit leads in both races two months ago.

In the recent governor candidate debate, Spanberger five times refused to condemn the assassination remarks by her Attorney General running mate Jones. She also refused multiple times to take a stand on allowing biological boys into school restrooms and locker rooms of girls.

Jones claimed he had an internal poll that showed him still winning by one point.

https://redstate.com/sister-toldjah/2025/10/11/game-on-new-poll-on-va-statewide-races-confirms-democrats-worst-fears-amid-jay-jones-scandal-n2194978

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/former-roanoke-womens-swimmer-rips-abigail-spanberger-refusing-commit-protecting-womens-sports

https://thefederalist.com/2025/10/09/spanberger-refuses-5-times-to-withdraw-endorsement-of-jay-jones-over-assassination-fantasies/

https://redstate.com/sister-toldjah/2025/10/10/winsome-earle-sears-makes-her-move-after-abigail-spanbergers-disastrous-debate-performance-n2194932
1400 unite in colourful show of breast cancer support at charitys 10th Anniversary of the Cancer Focus Pink Run. Picture by Brian Morrison.

1400 unite in colourful show of breast cancer support at charitys 10th Anniversary of the Cancer Focus Pink Run. Picture by Brian Morrison.

1400 unite in colourful show of breast cancer support at charitys 10th Anniversary of the Cancer Focus Pink Run. Picture by Brian Morrison.

1400 unite in colourful show of breast cancer support at charitys 10th Anniversary of the Cancer Focus Pink Run. Picture by Brian Morrison.

1400 unite in colourful show of breast cancer support at charitys 10th Anniversary of the Cancer Focus Pink Run. Picture by Brian Morrison.

Over 1,400 people turned Belfasts Titanic Slipways into a sea of pink on Sunday as Cancer Focus Northern Ireland celebrated the 10th anniversary of its popular Pink Run.

The sold-out event, held as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, saw runners, families, and even pets take part in the 5km colour run, raising funds to support local breast cancer services.

1400 unite in colourful show of breast cancer support at charitys 10th Anniversary of the Cancer Focus Pink Run. Picture by Brian Morrison.

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly joined the celebrations, calling the event a colourful celebration of hope and solidarity.

The Pink Run is a fantastic way to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month and it is such an honour to be able to join everyone here for this special 10th Anniversary event at Titanic Slipways, she said.

To see so many people getting together, sharing stories and remembering loved ones in such a colourful celebration of hope and solidarity is really special.

Junior Ministers Aisling Reilly and Joanne Bunting also took part, praising the charitys work and highlighting the importance of regular breast checks and awareness.

I am delighted to be here to show my support for this years Pink Run, said Ms Reilly.

1400 unite in colourful show of breast cancer support at charitys 10th Anniversary of the Cancer Focus Pink Run. Picture by Brian Morrison.

So many people here have been impacted by breast cancer and it was a privilege to have the opportunity to meet some of them and hear their stories and also learn more about what the charity is doing to support those dealing with this terrible disease.

Junior Minister Joanne Bunting added: I know from personal experience how difficult it is to receive that diagnosis.

We all need to build regular self-checks into our routine and know the signs and symptoms to look out for. This event is an opportunity to come together and to raise that awareness as well as vital funds for support services in a fun and heart lifting way

1400 unite in colourful show of breast cancer support at charitys 10th Anniversary of the Cancer Focus Pink Run. Picture by Brian Morrison.

Cancer Focus NI Chief Executive Richard Spratt said the charity was overwhelmed by the turnout. Ten years ago, we were hoping for 60 participants  today we had more than 1,400, he said. It was a delight to see women coming together, sharing their stories, and being part of something truly empowering.

1400 unite in colourful show of breast cancer support at charitys 10th Anniversary of the Cancer Focus Pink Run. Picture by Brian Morrison.

Belfast History Explained: Who was Sheila the Elephant?

Proceeds from the run, sponsored by Dale Farm Sukie, b bold, and Northstone, will go towards Cancer Focus NIs counselling, family support, and specialist fitting services for women affected by breast cancer.
Watch: East Belfast sign cut with angle grinder to remove Irish language

By Christopher Leebody and Grainne Ni Aodha, PA

By Christopher Leebody and Grainne Ni Aodha, PA

There has been condemnation over damage to a east Belfast street sign with Irish on it, as police confirmed an investigation has been launched into the hate-motivated incident.

A white sign to Shandon Park was cut with an angle grinder, to remove the Irish language, at around 8.15pm on Saturday, the PSNI confirmed.

Reacting to the damage, Sinn Fein councillor Padraig Donnelly branded it disgraceful.

The damaged sign in east Belfast. Photo: Kirsten Elder for Belfast Telegraph

This was a disgraceful act of vandalism designed to stoke division and intolerance, said councillor Donnelly.

There is nothing to fear from the Irish language, or indeed from equality.

The rights of Irish language speakers must be respected.

A PSNI spokesperson said police are asking those with information to contact police on 101 quoting 129811/10/25 or through the online PSNI non-emergency form, or through Crimestoppers.
The Fire and Rescue Service has left Lanyon Place train station after it was evacuated earlier following a report of a suspected gas leak.

In a statement, Translink said: Lanyon Place station will be closed from now until further notice due to fire alarms sounding.

The station has been evacuated and NIFRS are in attendance.

Lanyon Place

Watch: East Belfast sign cut with angle grinder to remove Irish language

No services will commence from or stop at Lanyon Place until further notice.

Its understood the station was evacuated following a smell of gas.

Specialist units of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) were sent to the station to inspect gas systems.

In a new statement, a NIFRS spokesperson confirmed they have since left the scene.

At approximately 5pm this evening, NIFRS attended an incident at NIR Lanyon Place, Belfast, where it was reported there was a smell of gas, they said.

Two NIFRS appliances and two Fire Officers attended the scene as a precaution. Firefighters isolated the gas supply to the building and used gas-monitoring equipment to survey all areas of the NIR site.

NIFRS personnel worked with NIR management and Phoenix Gas engineers to check and monitor all internal gas systems.

NIFRS left the scene at approximately 6.30pm, with Phoenix Gas and NIR teams remaining at the site to carry out further checks and due diligence.

No services are currently stopping at the station with many services carrying straight on to Belfast Grand Central Station.

More to follow.
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Mike Nesbitt said he will make his decision by January (PA)

Mike Nesbitt has said he is not a lame duck leader after stating he will decide whether to stand in the next election by next year.

Mr Nesbitt, who also serves as Northern Irelands Health Minister, said he will need to leave time for a new party leader to come in ahead of the election, if he decides not to run again.

The next Northern Ireland Assembly elections are scheduled for May 2027, by which time Mr Nesbitt would be 70.

It is my intention to make that decision in January of 2026, and that timing is important because should I decide not to go again, that leaves time for a campaign for a leader to be elected at the next AGM, which will be March 2026, and that gives that next leader 14 months before the election, he told the BBCs Sunday Politics programme.

I assure you I am not a lame duck leader, and there is no talk within the party that Im aware of about whos going to be next.

UUP leader Mike Nesbitt addressed the party conference on Saturday (UUP/PA)

He said if he decides to stand aside, he will want to stay on as health minister, saying it is a strain to do the two roles and he has successfully delegated party leadership duties to senior colleagues.

When it was put to him that no-one wants the leadership job, Mr Nesbitt said I dont think thats true.

When highlighted there had been a lack of interest in the role previously, he added: But I think this time, there is prospects of people  plural  stepping forward.

He also ruled out being leader of the UUP for the third time, stating: I am not going to live forever.

He said unionism would benefit from having two parties, a traditional and a progressive party, and he wants the Ulster Unionist Party to be the latter.

Mr Nesbitt was also asked about comments he made at the UUP party conference on Saturday in which he warned against unionists supporting right-wing parties and that English nationalism was a greater threat to Northern Irelands place in the UK over Irish nationalism.

Its based on my own anecdotal evidence of going over to Westminster and seeing people like Nigel Farage, Lee Anderson and Douglas Carswell, he said.

Carswell, when I was there one day, was attacking Scotland for its block grant, so there is this shift in attitude.

The days of Northern Ireland exceptionalism, based on the Troubles, are long gone. Treasury are taking a very, very hard line on Northern Ireland and our finances.

Its a long time since that kind of bond in terms of what Northern Irish people did and the two world wars, their contribution to protecting the United Kingdom, I dont see that being strong anymore.

Asked about a border poll, he added: I see no evidence that a border poll would result in constitutional change.

Asked about Heather Humphreys as a possible future Irish president, Mr Nesbitt said: I think of the two candidates, she is the lesser threat to the union because she is an Ulster woman of Presbyterian stock.

Asked if he was worried about Catherine Connolly presidency, he added: I wouldnt be particularly worried about it, but she reflects a style of politics and an ideology that I dont support.
File photo dated 20/01/19 of a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) logo badge in Derry City in Northern Ireland (Niall Carson/PA)

Hate-motivated damage to a street sign with Irish on it in east Belfast has been condemned.

A white sign to Shandon Park was cut with an angle grinder to remove the Irish language translation at around 8.15pm on Saturday.

Sinn Fein councillor Padraig Donnelly condemned the attack.

This was a disgraceful act of vandalism designed to stoke division and intolerance, Mr Donnelly said.

There is nothing to fear from the Irish language, or indeed from equality.

The rights of Irish language speakers must be respected.

Police have asked anyone with information about the incident to contact them on 101, quoting 129811/10/25, or through the online PSNI non-emergency form. Information can also be passed to Crimestoppers.
Tributes have been paid to a Belfast man who has died suddenly while in Thailand.

Cillian McMinn, from south Belfast and who was in his late 20s, passed away on Sunday, 5 October, while in Bangkok.

A funeral notice described him as the beloved son of Anna, cherished grandson of Joanna and Joe, and much-loved nephew of Keavy.

Friends and family have said he was someone who will be sorely missed by all who knew him, both at home and abroad.

Cillians remains will repose at his late home in the Rosetta Road area of Belfast, on Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 15 October, with visitors welcome between 12 noon and 8pm each day.

A service to celebrate his life will take place at Antrim and Newtownabbey Crematorium on Thursday 16 October at 1pm.

Cillian McMinn died in Thailand

Belfast History Explained: Who was Mary Ann McCracken?

The family has requested family flowers only, with donations in lieu, if desired, to The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust  the charity that helps bring home the remains of those who have died overseas.

.
Catherine Connolly has said she has been the underdog all her life as the frontrunner outlined her vision to expand the role of the Irish presidency.

The independent candidate, 69, who is backed by several left-wing opposition parties, is ahead in the presidential campaign according to opinion polls.

The Galway TD and former barrister, who said the reaction to her campaign has been overwhelming, is in pole position to become Irelands 10th president.

The contest is between Ms Connolly and Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys, who served at Cabinet for 10 years, after Fianna Fails candidate Jim Gavin dramatically dropped out of the race a week ago.

All my life, I suppose I (have been) the underdog, but I dont really take polls on too seriously, she told the PA news agency.

I feel I stood for the reasons Ive outlined, and over 12,000 volunteers have come on board, the parties have come on board.

I have emphasised at every point that Im an independent candidate who wants to draw support from all parties and none.

She told PA she is hoping to draw votes from Fianna Fail after Mr Gavins exit.

I think theres a golden opportunity here for Fianna Fail to give (me) a number one because of the similarities of the themes that Im articulating and what Fianna Fail stood for, or stands for, actually, in terms of a united Ireland, in terms of neutrality, in terms of the triple lock that Micheal Martin, going back, said was a core part of our neutrality.

So I think theres a golden opportunity there for the members now to look and support me for the greater good, for the common good.

Irish presidential candidate Catherine Connolly in Rathfarnham Castle Park during her campaign. Issue date: Sunday October 12, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Ms Connolly said previously that she would like to continue to expand the role of president if she is elected as president.

Mr Higgins has previously been accused of politicising the largely symbolic role, for example when speaking out about Irelands housing crisis.

Asked how far she would expand the role, Ms Connolly referred to the vow the president takes to dedicate my abilities to the service and welfare of the people of Ireland.

And therein is scope  what is in the interest of the welfare of the people of Ireland, is it in their interest that we have over 16,000 people homeless?

Asked about how she would handle US President Donald Trump if he were to visit Ireland, she said as deputy speaker she hosted Joe Bidens visit to the Irish parliament even though his record on Israel-Palestine left a lot to be desired.

Asked if she found that difficult, she said: Its not difficult to act as a human being and to fulfil the role that youve been given.

I did that as leas Cheann Comhairle for four and a half years, and I listened to perspectives and opinions from all sides of the House without any difficulty, because we have to make a democracy work, its all we have.

At a canvass in Firhouse Community Centre during the week, Ms Connolly heard concerns about housing, local transport, carers and disability services.

One woman told her she seems authentic and asked her to speak up for carers if she was to win.

I have stood proudly before every electorate and said I would rather lose votes than change what matters (to me), Ms Connolly told that gathering.

I will be your voice as president. I will come back to you and I will listen to you.

The Taoiseach has to inform the president of the day on a regular basis, that will be an active meeting with both sides giving input, not just the Taoiseach, but the president also reflecting whats been said to me around the country.

Speaking to PA later, Ms Connolly said she hoped to revisit the majority of the places she has been during the presidential campaign because she gave a solid promise that I would go back and listen.

And I will do that.

Asked how she would be different from Mr Higgins, who she said has courage and spoken out when necessary, she said: I think each president does it differently and and they bring their own characteristics to bear.

I was moulded and shaped from a very early age to the importance of equality, of social justice.

She said she has received praise for highlighting the importance of second chances, after she came under question for her employment of a woman who had a Special Criminal Court conviction  who, as a result, had access to Leinster House for six months while her security clearance was pending.

(While canvassing last Sunday) in Dublin, people thanked me for highlighting that people need second chances and the importance of that.

It has come up in different places in the inner city in Dublin, Ive got letters of support from people who worked in prisons to say thank you for highlighting this, because we do our best.

Asked if she finds the media in Ireland hard to trust, after stating it was a breach of our privacy laws that the womans name and image had been published, she said: I think the media have a job to do.

On Israel-Palestine, Ms Connolly said the UN quite clearly needs reform, and that Ireland should be championing that reform.

It worries me intensely, the breach of international law on a regular basis, by Russia invading Ukraine, by Israel carrying out genocide, Israel going into Iran, Israel bombing Qatar, and getting away with it all under the framework of self defence.

Absolutely, what Russia has done has breached international law, but we must use the same standards with other countries as well, or our credibility is at stake.

The resilience of the Palestinian people has just been an example to the world.

Asked if she believed the UK government should publish its criteria for calling a border poll, she said her role would have nothing to do with policy.

I think my role as president would be to facilitate more cross-community dialogue, she said.

I think thats where my focus will be on the amount of work being done on the ground by civic organisations, (the) meticulous, methodical, difficult work, bringing people together, either physically or in zoom meetings, and working through the problems and the challenges that are there.
Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said he would vote for Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys (PA)

Irish premier Micheal Martin has said he is deeply sorry for how Fianna Fail candidate Jim Gavin had fared during the presidential race.

The Taoiseach and Fianna Fail leader said he had not spoken to the partys former presidential contender but said he was in touch with friends of Mr Gavin.

Mr Gavin withdrew as a presidential contender last Sunday after a tenant claimed he tried to recover 3,300 euros in overpaid rent from Mr Gavin 16 years ago.

Ive been speaking to people close to Jim, he said.

I think Jim is obviously having time with himself and his family, and I think that should be respected, and I think its been very traumatic for him and very difficult for him and for his family, and Im very conscious and aware of that.

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin attended a grassroots event in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA)

I have been talking to close friends of Jim.

He said he is glad to see that that has been resolved in relation to Mr Gavin reportedly repaying his former tenant 3,300 euro.

I think the tenant is also a victim in all of this, he said.

I listened to the podcast (the tenant spoke on) and I think he spoke frankly and candidly and in a very reasonable manner. So Im glad that that has been resolved.

He made the comments at the annual Fianna Fail grassroots event on Saturday evening in Dublin, days after he apologised to his parliamentary party for how presidential candidate Mr Gavin fared.

Addressing the event, he said he was deeply sorry for how things turned out, and acknowledged the disappointment within the party.

Clearly we need to have a new procedure for deciding when we run a candidate for president and who that candidate is to be, he said.

I for one support the idea that we move to a process which is in tune with the wider reforms which we have introduced in the past.

Tonight, we think of Jim Gavin and his family who have gone through a very traumatic time, he added, which drew applause from the room.

Jim Gavin has made a very significant contribution to our country as UN peacekeeper, public servant and in his impactful work in the North East inner city of Dublin where he is hugely respected. This needs to be said.

Speaking to the media before his address, Mr Martin also explained his decision not to direct party members to vote a certain way, stating it would represent a certain degree of arrogance if he did.

He said he would vote for Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys, as its important that the president of Ireland is one who can get on with other countries, but said he would not campaign for her.

Fine Gael presidential candidate Heather Humphreys cuts a cake at half-time during a visit to a game in Tipperary while on the campaign trail (Niall Carson/PA)

Earlier, Ms Humphreys thanked Mr Martin for saying he would vote for her.

Presidential candidate Catherine Connolly said on Saturday that Mr Martin was entitled to back Ms Humphreys and said: I think he probably has actually clarified the situation  that for the leadership of Fianna Fail there is very little difference between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, so the people of Ireland have a clear choice to make now.

Mr Gavins withdrawal has left just two candidates in the race ahead of polling day in less than two weeks.

On Saturday, Ms Humphreys canvassed in Co Tipperary, while left-wing independent Ms Connolly met people in counties Waterford and Wexford.

Speaking at Upperchurch Drombane GAA, Ms Humphreys was asked about comments from former Fine Gael minister and broadcaster Ivan Yates calling on Fine Gael to smear the bejaysus out of Ms Connolly.

Ms Connolly said she was absolutely shocked when she heard Mr Yatess comments and said it trivialised the election campaign.

Ms Humphreys responded: Ivan Yates is a commentator, and he hasnt been in Fine Gael for the last 25 years, and hes certainly not advising me on my campaign.

Hes entitled to say what he thinks himself. Hes no more involved in my campaign than Joe Brolly is involved in Catherine Connollys campaign.

So I wont be a candidate thats going to smear anybody, but I will ask the hard questions, and I have already a number of issues that I think Catherine needs to clarify.

She raised the issue again of Ms Connolly giving a woman with a Special Criminal Court conviction access to the Dail for six months while Garda clearance was pending.

She said: We all know the rules are very clear, you must have Garda vetting. We talk about trying to unite people in this country, were talking about a united Ireland. Eirigi are the very people that tried to pull down the Good Friday Agreement.

She also raised questions about using 3,691 euros of parliamentary allowance for a trip to Syria in 2018.

I really do believe she needs to answer those questions, but those are straight questions, and thats acceptable in any campaign, Ms Humphreys said.

These are the questions that will be debated during the campaign, but I certainly wont be smearing anybody.

Appealing for votes, Ms Humphreys said she was a centre ground candidate at a divisive time who wont fall out with our European neighbours.

I need all the votes I can get, theres no question about that, she said as she pledged to travel on trade missions all over the world if she became president.

Ms Humphreys also thanked Mr Martin for saying he would vote for her after Mr Gavins shock withdrawal.

Fine Gael presidential candidate Heather Humphreys meets Ruth Ryan, aged four, holding her teddy Bruno, during a visit to Upperchurch Drombane GAA in Tipperary (Niall Carson/PA)

After surviving a leadership wobble during the week, Mr Martin said he would not be telling party members who to vote for, stating that when you start telling people how to vote they generally go in the opposite direction.

Asked about discontent within Fianna Fail, junior minister Niall Collins said the issue needed to be put into perspective.

Nobody is dead, he said on RTE Radio.

Ms Humphreys said she had received phone calls from some Fianna Fail members who will definitely vote for me.

Id just like to thank the Taoiseach Micheal Martin for saying that hes supporting me and hes going to vote for me. I do appreciate that, she said.

Asked about her stance on fox hunting, Ms Humphreys said she is in favour of rural pursuits, stating that there are many controls and many regulations in place.

The candidates are entering the final week of campaigning, which includes a one-on-one debate on RTE Radio on Sunday.

The last poll conducted, which was published last Sunday before Mr Gavins withdrawal, put Ms Connolly ahead of Ms Humphreys.
Goldie Hawn has led tributes to her First Wives Club co-star Diane Keaton, saying she left memories beyond imagination following her death aged 79.

Keatons loved ones have asked for privacy after she died in California, a family spokesperson told US magazine People.

The actress shot to fame in the 1970s with her role as Kay Adams in The Godfather, as well as her collaborations with Woody Allen.

Paying tribute to her co-star on Instagram, Hawn wrote: Diane, we arent ready to lose you.

Youve left us with a trail of fairy dust, filled with particles of light and memories beyond imagination.

How do we say goodbye? What words can come to mind when your heart is broken? You never liked praise, so humble, but now you cant tell me to shut up honey. There was, and will be, no one like you.

You stole the hearts of the world and shared your genius with millions, making films that made us laugh and cry in ways only you could.

I was blessed to make First Wives Club with you, our days starting with coffee in the makeup trailer, laughing and joking, right through to the very last day of filming. It was a roller coaster of love.

Keaton won an Oscar for Allens influential film Annie Hall and became associated with the title characters menswear-centric wardrobe.

Her many beloved films included Father Of The Bride, The Family Stone, Somethings Gotta Give and The Book Club movies.

Another of her First Wives Club co-stars, Bette Midler, wrote on Instagram: The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died. I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me.

She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star.

The Book Club co-star Jane Fonda said on Instagram: Its hard to believeor acceptthat Diane has passed.

She was always a spark of life and light, constantly giggling at her own foibles, being limitlessly creativein her acting, her wardrobe, her books, her friends, her homes, her library, her world view.

Unique is what she was. And, though she didnt know it or wouldnt admit it, man she was a fine actress!

Actor Ben Stiller paid tribute on X, writing: Diane Keaton. One of the greatest film actors ever. An icon of style, humor and comedy. Brilliant. What a person.

On Instagram, actor Steve Martin posted a screenshot from an Interview magazine article where Martin Short asks: Whos sexier, me or Steve Martin? to which Keaton replies: I mean, youre both idiots.

Captioning the post, Keatons Father Of The Bride co-star wrote: Dont know who first posted this, but it sums up our delightful relationship with Diane.

In a tribute on Instagram, actress Viola Davis wrote: Man  you defined womanhood.

The pathos, humor, levity, your ever-present youthfulness and vulnerability  you tattooed your SOUL into every role, making it impossible to imagine anyone else inhabiting them.

You were undeniably, unapologetically YOU!!! Loved you.

Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who starred alongside Keaton in Father Of The Bride, said in a tribute on Instagram that working with her will always be one of the highlights of my life.

She added: Thank you for your kindness, your generosity, your talent, and above all, your laughter.

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Director Paul Feig said on X he had been honoured to call Keaton a friend, adding: She was an amazingly kind and creative person who also just happened to be a Hollywood legend.

She has been taken from us far too soon. We will miss you, Diane.

Keaton was nominated for Oscars for her roles in Somethings Gotta Give, Marvins Room and Reds, in which she starred opposite Warren Beatty.

Her film debut was in 1970s Lovers and Other Strangers but her big break came in Francis Ford Coppolas The Godfather, as Kay, the girlfriend and then wife of Al Pacinos Michael Corleone, in 1972.

She reprised her role in 1974s The Godfather Part II and once more in 1990s The Godfather Part III.

Diane Keaton starred in Reds with Warren Beatty (PA)

Much of her career was defined by her many collaborations with Allen, her one-time boyfriend, and Annie Hall was the signature character of her career to many of her fans.

People speculated that the movie was based on Keaton and Allens relationship and Keaton told told The New York Times in 1977: Its not true, but there are elements of truth in it.

Keaton won the best actress Oscar for her role in the film.

Other collaborations with Allen included Manhattan, Sleeper, Manhattan Murder Mystery, and Play It Again, Sam.

She remained a supporter of Allen after the accusation by Mia Farrow that he had abused their adopted daughter, Dylan.

Farrow said on Instagram following Keatons death: She was an absolutely wonderful actress  and a rare and fascinating person. Thoughts with her children and sisters. Rest in peace Diane.

Keaton also frequently worked with Nancy Meyers, starting with 1987s Baby Boom.

Their other films together included 1991s Father Of The Bride and its 1995 sequel, as well as 2003s Somethings Gotta Give.

Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler in The First Wives Club (PA)

In 1996 she starred opposite Hawn and Midler in The First Wives Club, about three women whose husbands had left them for younger women.

More recently she collaborated with Fonda, Mary Steenburgen and Candice Bergen on The Book Club films.

Bergen told the PA news agency that Keatons death was a huge loss both personally and for all of us.

Keaton never married. She adopted a daughter, Dexter, in 1996 and a son, Duke, four years later.

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Her final films were Summer Camp and Arthurs Whisky in 2024, and it appears she had not started filming anything else.

In December 2024 she released her first ever solo single, a holiday song called First Christmas.

Her last Instagram post was for National Pet Day in April and featured her dog Reggie.
Bridget Phillipson said the UK had played a key role in the Middle East (PA)

Israel has rejected a Cabinet ministers claim the UK played a key role in securing the Gaza ceasefire as Sir Keir Starmer prepares to join other world leaders at a peace summit on the Middle East.

Benjamin Netanyahus deputy foreign minister Sharren Haskel said she would have to contradict the assertion that Britain had been a leading player behind the scenes.

Earlier on Sunday, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson defended the UKs efforts towards ending the war in Gaza, where a fragile truce is holding following an agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump.

We have played a key role behind the scenes in shaping this, she told Sky Newss Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips.

Asked what this contribution involved, she said: These are complex matters of diplomacy that we are involved in but we do welcome and recognise the critical role that the American government played in getting us to this point.

On Sunday afternoon, Ms Haskel criticised the decision to recognise Palestinian statehood and accused Britain of diminishing the prospect of peace by emboldening Hamas.

The Government of the UK, Macrons plan, the whole conversation about declaring a Palestinian state  we disagree with you, she told Sky News.

Asked about Ms Phillipsons characterisation of the UKs efforts, the minister said: Well, I have to contradict her words, unfortunately.

Unfortunately, with the declaration of the Palestinian state during a very sensitive time two months ago when the teams were already around the table negotiating, when we truly believe we are able to reach a deal; the message that the UK Government sent Hamas was the message that: the longer they continue this war, they will be rewarded.

The UK joined countries including France, Australia and Canada last month in confirming recognition of Palestinian statehood in a historic if largely symbolic move leaders said was intended to safeguard the prospect of a two-state solution.

The Prime Minister will attend the signing ceremony for the Gaza peace plan in Sharm El Sheikh on Monday, where he is expected to heap praise on Mr Trump and the diplomatic efforts of Egypt, Qatar and Turkey.

Sir Keir will pay particular tribute to the US leader and partners in the region for bringing us to this point before calling for swift progress towards phase two, Downing Street said.

Sir Keir will attend the Sharm El Sheikh peace summit on Monday (PA)

French President Emmanuel Macron will also attend, the Elysee Palace confirmed on Saturday.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Sir Tony Blair, who was poised to potentially join a Board of Peace supervising governance of Gaza under the plans, met the deputy chief of the Palestinian Authority on Sunday.

Hussein Al-Sheikh said he had confirmed our readiness to work with President Trump, Mr Blair and other partners to secure the entry of aid and the release of hostages and prisoners, before starting on recovery and reconstruction.

We stressed the importance of stopping the undermining of the Palestinian Authority, and especially the return of the withheld Palestinian revenues and preventing the undermining of the two-state solution in preparation for a comprehensive and lasting peace in accordance with international legitimacy, he said in a post on X.

The 20-point plan brokered by the US president 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 the enclave.

The Israeli military has said it will continue to operate defensively from the roughly 50% of Gaza it still controls after pulling back to agreed-upon lines.

Under the terms of the agreement, the first phase of the plan is expected to see remaining hostages returned to their families and Palestinian prisoners released by Monday morning.

The Government has already said there are no plans to send British troops to be part of the multinational force that will monitor the truce.

Asked whether Sir Tony had consulted Sir Keir about his possible role, Ms Phillipson said: Im afraid I simply cant answer that question.

Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel dismissed the Prime Ministers visit to Egypt as a photo opportunity on Sunday.

I think we have to be honest (about) the fact that Britain has had no role  no role whatsoever  under Keir Starmers Government, in even getting to this very seismic and momentous moment, she told the BBC.

I think its extraordinary that Keir Starmer apparently is going to Egypt tomorrow when weve got plenty of domestic issues that he should be resolving.

About 200 US troops have arrived in Israel, where they are expected to set up a centre to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid and provide security assistance, the Associated Press reported on Saturday.

The Gaza war was triggered when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on 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 Hamas-run Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the deaths were women and children.

The United Nations and many independent experts consider the ministrys figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.
Madagascar has in recent weeks seen the most significant unrest in year (Alexander Joe/AP)

An attempted coup is under way in the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, the countrys president has said, a day after members of an elite army unit were seen joining youth-led protests against the government.

Madagascar has been shaken by three weeks of the most significant unrest seen for years, with protests led by a group calling itself Gen Z Madagascar. The United Nations has said the demonstrations have left 22 people dead and dozens injured, though the government has disputed this number.

A statement from President Andry Rajoelinas office on Sunday said it wishes to inform the nation and the international community that an attempt to seize power illegally and by force has been initiated.

Unrest has been ongoing in Madagascar since last month (Alexander Joe/AP)

It added: In view of the extreme gravity of this situation, the president of the Republic strongly condemns this attempt at destabilisation and calls upon all forces of the nation to unite in defence of constitutional order and national sovereignty.

The statement did not identify who was attempting to overthrow the government, but members of the elite Capsat military unit joined the protests against Mr Rajoelina on Saturday and called for the president and other government officials to step down.

Addressing crowds of protesters from an armoured vehicle, Colonel Michael Randrianirina of the Capsat unit had said on Saturday: Do we call this a coup? I dont know yet.

He denied any coup had taken place, but the unit claimed to have taken control of all of Madagascars armed forces and said it had installed a new leader of the military, General Demosthene Pikulas.

We responded to the peoples call, Mr Randrianirina told reporters. Mr Pikulas, who spoke alongside Mr Randrianirina, declined to say if they had asked Mr Rajoelina to resign, but the Capsat army unit appeared to be in a position of authority.

The protests on Saturday were among the largest since the unrest began on September 25.

Protesters have brought up a range of issues, including poverty and the cost of living, access to tertiary education, and alleged corruption and embezzlement of public funds by government officials and their families and associates.

Protesters have called for the president to step down (Alexander Joe/AP)

Civic groups and trade unions have joined the protests, which have resulted in nighttime curfews being enforced in the capital Antananarivo and other major cities.

Mr Rajoelina had attempted to appease the protesters by firing his entire government, including the prime minister, on September 29. But he appointed a military general as the new prime minister and the protesters have not relented.

Madagascar, a large island of 31 million people off the east coast of Africa, has had several leaders removed in coups since it gained independence from France in 1960.

Mr Rajoelina himself first came to power as the leader of a transitional government following a 2009 military-backed coup.

An uprising by the Capsat unit was pivotal in the coup that brought Mr Rajoelina to power. He was elected president in 2018 and re-elected in 2023  a vote boycotted by opposition parties.
US President Donald Trump set off for Israel and Egypt on Sunday to celebrate the US-brokered ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas and urge Middle East allies to seize the opportunity to build a durable peace in the volatile region.

It is a fragile moment with Israel and Hamas in only the early stages of implementing the first phase of the Trump agreement designed to bring a permanent end to the war sparked by the October 7 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas-led militants.

Mr Trump thinks there is a narrow window to reshape the Middle East and reset long-fraught relations between Israel and its Arab neighbours.

It is a moment, the Republican president says, that has been helped along by his administrations support of Israels attacks on Iranian proxies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Very excited about this moment in time, Mr Trump told reporters before Air Force One took off.

He said many people in both Israel and Arab countries were cheering the agreement, adding that everybodys amazed and their thrilled and were going to have an amazing time.

The White House says momentum is also building because Arab and Muslim states are demonstrating a renewed focus on resolving the broader, decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, in some cases, deepening relations with the United States.

I think you are going to have tremendous success and Gaza is going to be rebuilt, Mr Trump said on Friday.

And you have some very wealthy countries, as you know, over there. It would take a small fraction of their wealth to do that. And I think they want to do it.

The first phase of the ceasefire agreement calls for the release of the final 48 hostages held by Hamas, including about 20 believed to be alive; the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel; a surge of humanitarian aid to Gaza; and a partial pullback by Israeli forces from Gazas main cities.

Israeli troops on Friday finished withdrawing from parts of Gaza, triggering a 72-hour countdown under the deal for Hamas to release the Israeli hostages, potentially while Mr Trump is on the ground there. He said he expected their return to be completed on Monday or Tuesday.

Mr Trump will visit Israel first to meet hostage families and address the Knesset, or parliament, an honour last extended to President George W Bush during a visit in 2008.

US Vice President JD Vance on Sunday said Mr Trump also was likely to meet newly freed hostages as well.

Knock on wood, but we feel very confident the hostages will be released and this president is actually travelling to the Middle East, likely this evening, in order to meet them and greet them in person, Mr Vance told CBSs Face the Nation.

US President Donald Trump with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month (Evan Vucci/AP)

Mr Trump then stops in Egypt, where he and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will lead a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh with leaders from more than 20 countries on peace in Gaza and the broader Middle East.

It is a tenuous truce and it is unclear whether the sides have reached any agreement on Gazas post-war governance, the territorys reconstruction and Israels demand that Hamas disarm. Negotiations over those issues could break down, and Israel has hinted it may resume military operations if its demands are not met.

I think the chances of (Hamas) disarming themselves, you know, are pretty close to zero, HR McMaster, a national security adviser during Mr Trumps first term, said at an event hosted by the Foundation for the Defence of Democracies on Thursday.

He said he thought what probably would happen in the coming months is that the Israeli military is going to have to destroy them.

Israel continues to rule over millions of Palestinians without basic rights as settlements expand rapidly across the occupied West Bank. Despite growing international recognition, Palestinian statehood appears remote because of Israels opposition and actions on the ground,

The war has left Israel isolated internationally and facing allegations of genocide, which it denies.

International arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister are in effect, and the United Nations highest court is considering allegations of genocide brought by South Africa.

Hamas has been militarily destroyed and has given up its only bargaining chip with Israel by releasing the hostages. But the Islamic militant group is still intact and could eventually rebuild if there is an extended period of calm.

Mr Netanyahu reiterated that Israel would continue with its demilitarisation of Hamas after the hostages are returned.

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 Friday as Israel began to pull back its troops.

Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble and rebuilding is expected to take years. The territorys roughly two million residents continue to struggle in desperate conditions.

Under the deal, Israel agreed to reopen five border crossings, which will help ease the flow of food and other supplies into Gaza, parts of which are experiencing famine.

Mr Trump is also standing up a US-led civil-military co-ordination centre in Israel to help facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid as well as logistical and security assistance into Gaza.

Roughly 200 US troops will help support and monitor the ceasefire deal as part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organisations and private-sector players.

US troops will not be sent to Gaza, Admiral Brad Cooper, the US military commander for the region, said in a social media post on Saturday.

The White House has signalled that Mr Trump is looking to quickly return attention to building on a first-term effort known as the Abraham Accords, which forged diplomatic and commercial ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco.

A permanent agreement in Gaza would help pave the path for Mr Trump to begin talks with Saudi Arabia as well Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country, toward normalising ties with Israel, according to a senior Trump administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.

Such a deal with Saudi Arabia, the most powerful and wealthy Arab state, has the potential to reshape the region and boost Israels standing in historic ways.

But the kingdom has said it will not officially recognise Israel before a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Emergency services work to extinguish a fire following a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Friday (Dan Bashakov/AP)

Russia has attacked Ukraines power grid in a major overnight operation, as part of an ongoing campaign to cripple energy infrastructure before winter.

The incident came as Moscow expressed extreme concern over the United States potentially providing Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine.

Kyiv regional governor Mykola Kalashnyk said two employees of Ukraines largest private energy company, DTEK, were injured in Russian strikes on a substation in the region. Ukraines Energy Ministry said energy infrastructure was also attacked in the regions of Donetsk, Odesa, and Chernihiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted that Russia has launched more than 3,100 drones, 92 missiles, and around 1,360 glide bombs against Ukraine over the past week, and said on X: Russia continues its aerial terror against our cities and communities, intensifying strikes on our energy infrastructure.

He called for tighter secondary sanctions on buyers of Russian oil.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia continues its aerial terror against our cities and communities (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

Sanctions, tariffs, and joint actions against the buyers of Russian oil  those who finance this war  must all remain on the table, he said.

He also wrote on Sunday he had a very productive phone call with US President Donald Trump, in which they discussed strengthening Ukraines air defence, resilience, and long-range capabilities, along with details related to the energy sector.

Their discussion followed an earlier conversation on Saturday, Mr Zelensky said, during which the leaders agreed on Sundays topics.

The phone calls came after Mr Zelensky said on Friday that he was in discussions with US officials about the possible provision of various long-range precision strike weapons, including Tomahawks and more ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles.

Mr Trump, who has been frustrated in his efforts to end the war by Russian objections, said earlier this week he has sort of made a decision on whether to send Tomahawks to Ukraine, without saying more. A senior Ukrainian delegation is set to visit the US this week.

In an interview with Fox News Channels The Sunday Briefing after his call with Mr Trump, Mr Zelensky was asked whether Mr Trump had approved the Tomahawks.

We work on it, he said, adding: Of course we count on such decisions, but we will see. We will see.

Later on Sunday, Mr Trump warned Russia that he may send Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles if Moscow does not settle its war there soon.

I might say, Look, if this war is not going to get settled, Im going to send them Tomahawks, Mr Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew to Israel ahead of a meeting to sign the Gaza ceasefire deal.

The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, very offensive weapon. And honestly, Russia does not need that.

He added: I might tell them that if the war is not settled  that we may very well  we may not, but we may do it. I think its appropriate to bring up.

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in remarks published on Sunday that the topic of Tomahawks is of extreme concern.

US President Donald Trump has said he has sort of made a decision on whether to send Tomahawks to Ukraine (Alex Brandon/AP)

He told Russian state television: Now is really a very dramatic moment in terms of the fact that tensions are escalating from all sides.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said in comments released on Sunday that he doubts the US will provide Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles.

I think we need to calm down in this regard, he said. Our friend Donald sometimes he takes a more forceful approach, and then, his tactic is to let go a little and step back. Therefore, we shouldnt take this literally, as if its going to fly tomorrow.

Ukraines energy sector has been a key battleground since Russia launched its all-out invasion more than three years ago.

The latest attacks on Ukraines energy grid came after Russian drone and missile strikes wounded at least 20 people in Kyiv, damaged residential buildings and caused blackouts across swaths of Ukraine on Friday, which Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko described as one of the largest concentrated strikes against Ukraines energy infrastructure.

Each year, Russia has tried to cripple the Ukrainian power grid before the bitter winter season, apparently hoping to erode public morale.

Ukraines air force said on Saturday that its air defences intercepted or jammed 103 of 118 Russian drones launched against Ukraine overnight, while Russias defence ministry said it had shot down 32 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory.
Ditch your prejudices and be a better person, implores actor James Martin

Star of Oscar-winning short An Irish Goodbye delivers powerful message as he urges public to embrace Good Relations Week

James Martin is a Good Relations Week ambassador

Amanda Ferguson Sun 12 Oct 2025 at 08:00







Actor James Martin MBE wants people to connect with each other this Good Relations Week.
A convicted sex offender was found to have breached his bail conditions when he handed police an internet-accessible phone, a court heard yesterday.

Belfast Magistrates Court was told that, following a report in the media, police had been called to Patrick McGirrs former home in Bangor after a large crowd had gathered outside.
Why Roy Walker was ahead of his time at Crusaders and waiting for Alan McDonald to finish his half time cigarette on international duty
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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.
Do you enjoy fishing for striped bass in the eastern part of the state? You can help preserve the species through a new state auction.

While this saltwater fish is not native to the Berkshires, it remains one of the most iconic and prized species for anglers, generating roughly $600 million a year for the coastal economy from anglers from across the state. Quite a few Berkshire anglers travel to Cape Cod and Rhode Island to fish for them, according to former Eagle outdoors columnist Gene Chague, who regularly updated Berkshire readers on regulations and conditions for stripers out east.

The auction, organized by the state Department of Fish and Games Division of Marine Fisheries and the Massachusetts Environmental Trust, features 20 low-number specialty license plates that showcase striped bass in pursuit of alewives. The auction goes live Wednesday at 8 a.m. To participate, visit mass.gov/striper-plate.

"Everyone has a role to play in conserving our states iconic striped bass fishery and coastal culture, said DFG Commissioner Tom OShea. For many, the simple step of choosing a striped bass conservation plate is an easy way to get involved and have a tangible impact."

The fish's popularity has brought challenges. In 2023, after anglers nearly doubled the harvest from 2022, officials narrowed the slot limit to between 28 and 31 inches (previously the upper limit was 35 inches), while anglers must still follow the one-fish-per-day rule. Fisheries managers maintained the 2023 limits this year, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commissions Striped Bass Management Board is considering additional restrictions, including a 12 percent reduction in removals.

Proceeds from the auction will fund research on striped bass movement, ecology, and angler behavior, as well as habitat restoration projects and education on proper handling. Most anglers release striped bass after catching them, but recreational fishing causes the highest number of post-release deaths, the Department of Fish and Game reports.

The Striped Bass Citizen Scientist Project found that several angler-related factors affect post-release survival, including release time, angler experience, and water temperature. The study showed that fly tackle, single lure hooks, and dead menhaden produce the lowest mortality rates  2.7 percent, 3 percent, and 2.9 percent, respectively  while bait tackle (6.3 percent), double treble hooks (6 percent), and live mackerel (7.4 percent) cause the highest.

Handling time also matters: if anglers handle a fish for 30 seconds, it experiences a 2.8 percent mortality rate, which rises to 8.7 percent at 150 seconds. Smaller fish (20 inches or less) survive more often, with mortality peaking at 7.6 percent for 40-inch fish. Striped bass also struggle to survive in waters exceeding 75 degrees.

The funds generated from the plates will bring that picture further into focus.

Massachusetts hosts one of the largest striped bass fisheries in the country. Anyone can fish for striped bass in the state, but the state requires anglers to obtain a recreational or commercial permit.

Most striped bass in Massachusetts originate from Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware and Hudson rivers. They migrate northward in the spring and summer and return south in the fall, rarely straying more than a few miles from the coast. MET Board Chair R.J. Lyman said that residents have raised about $27 million in the state since 1995 through specialty license plates.
As the Israel-Hamas war comes to an end, or the possibility of an end, or at least a ceasefire, the prospects for peace are better understood by looking at how it began  or, specifically, when it began.

The Hamas massacres and mass hostage-taking took place on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. In 1973, six years after Israel soundly defeated its Arab neighbours in the Six Day War, Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on the holiest day of the Jewish year. The Yom Kippur War marked a decisive and diverging moment in Arab and Muslim attitudes toward the existence of the State of Israel.

The creation of the State of Israel in 1948 was opposed, in principle and with military force, by Israels Arab neighbours. Israel won that war, but the consensus in the Arab world remained that Israel was a foreign imposition by the worlds former imperial power, Britain, and new imperial power, the United States.

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As colonial governance gave way to independent states after the Second World War, a pan-Arab nationalism grew in the Middle East, led above all by Gamal Abdel Nasser, president of Egypt from 1954 to 1970. It was a sense of Arab identity and mastery over their own lands that drove hostility toward Israel.

Nasser and his Arab allies went to war in June 1967, but Israel won an even more complete victory than in 1948, seizing east Jerusalem, Gaza, the West Bank, the Golan Heights and the Sinai Peninsula. Defeated  and worse, humiliated  the Arab League met in Khartoum in September 1967 and was defiant, issuing its Three Nos  no peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel and no negotiations with Israel.

Arab nationalist hostility toward Israel had one last military gasp. After Nassers death in 1970, his successor, Anwar Sadat, launched the Yom Kippur War. In 1973  and again in 2023  Israel was caught literally off-guard. Initially, it looked as though Egypt and Syria might reverse their losses in 1967 and perhaps deal a devastating blow to Israels continued existence. But Israel recovered and won the war.

Then everything changed. Sadat concluded that pan-Arab attempts to eliminate Israel had not only failed, but were mistaken. He travelled to Jerusalem to address the Knesset. He reversed Khartoum: yes to peace with Israel, yes to recognition, yes to negotiations. In 1979, he made peace with Israel at Camp David, and the Sinai was returned to Egypt.

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Egypts peace signalled that the Arab world was abandoning its eliminationist policy toward Israel. Yet the eliminationist view found a new home in Islamist extremism. In 1979, the Islamic Revolution took Iran dramatically in that direction. Egyptian Islamic Jihad assassinated Sadat in 1981 for making peace with Israel.

For more than 50 years, Israels neighbours have diverged. Good relations have grown with friendly, or at least not hostile, Arab nations, while threats have increased from Iran and its proxies on Israels border, including Hamas. For a long while, Saudi Arabia was supportive of the Islamist eliminationist cause.

When Saudi Arabia changed course, ceasing funding for jihadism at home and abroad, it made possible the great foreign policy triumph of the Trump-Netanyahu alliance, the 2020 Abraham Accords, which saw several Arab states recognize Israel. Arab nationalism, it came to pass, could accommodate Israels existence. Not so with Islamist extremism, which became the locus of eliminationism.

Hamas is part of the latter. Its cause is the destruction of Israel, not the welfare of Palestinians. Thus the October 7 attacks on the anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. If Arab countries would no longer take the fight to Israel, that cause would be taken over by an Islamist arc from Tehran to Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, which made war on Israel on Oct. 8, 2023.

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Israel has smashed Hezbollah, pulverized Gaza and launched attacks on Irans nuclear program  all with the tacit, and sometimes active, support of the principal Arab powers, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which are more than content to see the capacities of Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood degraded.

In 2025, then, Israel has Arab friends and weakened Islamist enemies. That set the stage for U.S. President Donald Trumps peace plan, which enjoys wide support among Arab leaders, including the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The plan got further support from non-Arab Muslim countries, including Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey, all of which wish to limit the influence of the Islamist extremism of Iran, Hamas and the wider Muslim Brotherhood.

Indeed, it was Israels assassination attempt on Hamas leaders in Qatar that galvanized Trump. The diplomatic breakthrough of the Abraham Accords meant that Israels path to peace requires the support of the Gulf Arabs. For that, and his familys own commercial interests, Trump forced Israel to apologize to Qatar and accept his peace plan.

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The Gulf Arabs are, after all, Arabs. They reject the Islamist desire to exterminate Israel, but they are not prepared to abandon, at least in principle, their Arab Palestinian brethren. They cannot accommodate themselves to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus 30-year opposition to a Palestinian state, much less the desire of some of his coalition partners to ethnically cleanse Gaza of Palestinians altogether.

The great hope of the Trump peace plan, and the broader Abraham Accords process, is that an Israel and pan-Arab peace can isolate and eventually render ineffectual the Islamists in Iran. That is why Trump was willing to join Israels attack on Iran, consent to its continued pulverization of Hamas and also insist on some kind of openness to a Palestinian state.

Israel advocates misunderstood the joint recognition  a gesture in principle with no immediate practical effect  of a Palestinian state by the United Kingdom, France, Canada and Australia last month. It was not a reward for Hamas; it was a reward and encouragement for Arab states to build an alliance with Israel against Iran and its jihadist proxies.

The final part of the new prospects for peace will be the much-delayed departure of the wily survivor Netanyahu, who will now have to answer for his failure to prevent the Hamas attacks. In 1973, Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir won the Yom Kippur War. She was out of office the next year.

National Post
On Friday, the team that conducted the $750,000 Reconnecting Communities feasibility study will release its final report, recommending whether the city should repair or remove the deteriorating bridge over Marshall Street, which divides the busy area between Main and River streets.
I just dream of the moment where I can play jazz, have a negroni and read my cookbooks in peace, jokes Irish telly presenter and food writer, Donal Skehan, adding wryly: But were in this chapter of life

Skehan and his wife Sofie are smack-bang in the middle of parenthood with two crazy boys, Oliver, five, and Noah, seven.

The slow-baking and stew-braising days of his 20s are but a fuzzy memory, and now, aged 39, his weekends revolve around ferrying children to different things and trying to keep up with the madness of life, rather than making decadent, time-intensive meals.

Which explains his new cookbook, Donals Real Time Recipes. Parenthood knocks you for six, and you need every little bit of help you can get, he says, with a grin that tells you he absolutely loves being a dad. Its amazing how your cooking changes so dramatically from pre-children to children. You put yourself last. This book is all about putting everyone first, to ensure that you get a table full of food that is nutritious, balanced and something you can look forward to.

Fundamentally, Skehan is not into having downtime in the kitchen. Aside from throwing dinner together at home, he makes lots of cookery shows, has written numerous cookbooks and the thing that really bugs him throughout is stopping and waiting for things to go into the fridge, waiting for them to go into the oven.

So if you too hate the words now leave to marinate for X hours he feels your agony and frustration.

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Theres none of that in Real Time. I need straight-through cooking, says Skehan, which means no faffing, no waiting around, just dinner, cooked swiftly and without complications. The aim is that when you sit down for dinner, you actually have something youre very excited about, he buzzes.

The recipes in Donals Real Time Recipes are designed to take you 30 minutes or less, and its a gimmick Skehan acknowledges is a bit overdone, shall we say.

We all know there has to be novelties like 30-minute meals and the like, but at the core of this book is really good, hearty, home-cooked food, he says seriously.

Ultimately, the takeaway is the process. If you really get into the bones of the recipes, youll see that has been thought through in every single recipe. And yes, theres a time frame on it, but actually, if you look at how they flow in the kitchen, thats whats really clever about them.

His process, he says, is a blueprint for feeding yourself thats ideal, whether you have kids or not. Life can get out of hand in lots of ways, and cooking is a fantastic anchor point, says Skehan, who is always hunting down new ways to enter a flow state of total immersion in a task.

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Im really big into my pottery at the minute, thats my current escape, where it used to be the kitchen, he says, noting how cooking and pottery are actually quite similar  theres an oven (kiln) involved in both, and the pinch pots he creates remind him of making pastry,.

Would he want to go on the celebrity version of The Great Pottery Throwdown? God if theyll have me, Id love that!

YouTuber and podcaster Skehan grew up in Howth, Ireland, and after living in LA for several years, moved back to Ireland a couple of years ago. He first made a name for himself in boyband Streetwize, then began food blogging in 2007.

Both of his parents worked in the food industry. My dad used to go to work at 4am in the morning and would be back around the time we were doing homework at the table, Skehan remembers.

My mum and dad made a big effort to make sure that we sat down at 5pm every day  you sat at your dinner table and you ate your food and you were brought in to help as well if needed.

It was a big tradition in my house, he says, when asked whether it makes him sad that cooking and eating are now so often rushed affairs.

Im sad to see that its not as prevalent, and I think its something that we really do need to keep, he adds, but fully understands that, with kids especially, its easier to stick on an episode of [kids show] Bluey and get them to eat and concentrate, than it is to push them to sit [at the table].

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Hes all about the small achievements though, like growing food in a couple of veg boxes with his boys. Even if they never eat what comes out of it, theyve seen the process of where its planted, how it grows, he says. We picked cucumbers the other day, and they ate them literally from the box, for me, it was a real win.

"Most of the time, it might be hard to get them to eat a cucumber, but create a bit of excitement and novelty, and thats where you can win. Which is why they have taco and spaghetti nights too. You can get them to do just about anything, if you make a game out of it, he says with a laugh. Thats my five and seven-year-old anyway.

And for those who find cooking dinner an interminable chore, take inspiration from Skehans mum, who would always start by chopping an onion, then, the rest would come By literally just getting over that first hurdle, youre in the kitchen, youre cooking, says Skehan happily, and from there, youll find your flow.

(Donal Skehan/PA)

Donals Real Time Recipes by Donal Skehan is published in hardback by Yellow Kite (Hodder & Stoughton), priced 25. Photography by Donal Skehan. Available October 9.
Catherine Connolly has claimed politics of fear is being used against her after Heather Humphreys said she has legitimate questions to answer.

Ms Humphreys accused Ms Connolly of insulting allies of Ireland, but Ms Connolly insisted in response that she is a committed European.

The two women are the only candidates in the presidential race after several high-profile figures failed to secure nominations from elected politicians and after Fianna Fails Jim Gavin withdrew.

A Business Post/Red C poll, carried out from October 1st to 7th, put Ms Connolly on 36%, Ms Humphreys on 25%, and Mr Gavin on 12 per cent.

Mr Gavin withdrew from the race on the evening of Sunday October 5th.

Jim Gavin withdrew from the race last week. Photo: PA.

In a Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll published last Sunday, Ms Connolly was on 32 per cent, nine points ahead of Fine Gaels Ms Humphreys on 23 per cent. Mr Gavin was on 15 per cent.

In the debate on RTEs This Week programme, Ms Connolly rejected claims from Ms Humphreys that she is not pro-business or pro-Europe, and described allegations that she had insulted allies of Ireland as inaccurate.

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She said: I have been pro-business all my life. My father was a qualified plasterer and then became a small builder. I fully understand the business side.

Im absolutely pro-European. Asking questions of the military industrial complex and the direction that the compass is going in Europe, its not the same as anti-European. Im a committed European and a committed European asks questions.

Ms Humphreys said: Youve managed to insult our allies. Youve insulted Germany, youve insulted France, youve insulted the UK, our nearest neighbour, youve insulted the US.

There were so many things said there that I've insulted people. I don't recall ever insulting anybody in my life Catherine Connolly

That doesnt go without consequences. If youre a president of this country, you have to meet other leaders and other heads of state, and how are you going to speak to them? How are you going to talk to them?

Ms Connolly said: There were so many things said there that Ive insulted people. I dont recall ever insulting anybody in my life.

She added she would hope Russia would withdraw from parts of Ukraine it has occupied since 2014 as part of a future peace agreement.

Obviously, you cant invade a sovereign country, but at some stage, sense has to prevail, she said.

The dust is still settling on the dramatic shake-up to the presidential election caused by Mr Gavins withdrawal a week ago.

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Taoiseach and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin addressed a party event on Saturday night, telling the gathering he is sorry for how things turned out.

He told media at the event he is glad th issue that prompted Mr Gavins withdrawal had been resolved, after Mr Gavin reportedly repaid his former tenant 3,300.

Mr Gavin withdrew from campaigning for the presidency after Sunday World deputy editor Niall Donald claimed he tried to recover 3,300 in overpaid rent from Mr Gavin 16 years ago.

Mr Martin said he would vote for Ms Humphreys in the presidential election, but said it would show a certain degree of arrogance if he told his party how to cast their votes.

Micheal Martin has said he will vote for Heather Humphreys. Photo: PA.

Ms Connolly said Mr Martin was entitled to back Ms Humphreys and that it had clarified that the people of Ireland have a clear choice to make now.

Speaking on RTE Radio, she said Mr Martins support for Ms Humphreys indicates there is no difference in the philosophies of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.

We all knew that for a long time, and hes actually set it out now and confirmed it, Ms Connolly said.

Presidential Election 2025 Connolly, who has been the underdog all her life, on her presidential vision Read more

So Im saying to the ordinary members of Fianna Fail, you know my track record in the Dail, you know my history in relation to standing up for social justice, for equality, for violence against women, and in relation to the north.

Ms Humphreys said if Fianna Fail supporters were going to vote for Mr Gavin, I would ask them to give me their number two please.

Ahead of the debate, Ms Humphreys remarked that she could apply for a job in RTE, referring to all the broadcast debates she has taken part in, while Ms Connolly said here we go again as she entered the radio studio.
An attempted coup is under way in the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, the countrys president has said, a day after members of an elite army unit were seen joining youth-led protests against the government.

Madagascar has been shaken by three weeks of the most significant unrest seen for years, with protests led by a group calling itself Gen Z Madagascar. The United Nations has said the demonstrations have left 22 people dead and dozens injured, though the government has disputed this number.

A statement from President Andry Rajoelinas office on Sunday said it wishes to inform the nation and the international community that an attempt to seize power illegally and by force has been initiated.



Unrest has been ongoing in Madagascar since last month (Alexander Joe/AP)

It added: In view of the extreme gravity of this situation, the president of the Republic strongly condemns this attempt at destabilisation and calls upon all forces of the nation to unite in defence of constitutional order and national sovereignty.

The statement did not identify who was attempting to overthrow the government, but members of the elite Capsat military unit joined the protests against Mr Rajoelina on Saturday and called for the president and other government officials to step down.

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Addressing crowds of protesters from an armoured vehicle, Colonel Michael Randrianirina of the Capsat unit had said on Saturday: Do we call this a coup? I dont know yet.

He denied any coup had taken place, but the unit claimed to have taken control of all of Madagascars armed forces and said it had installed a new leader of the military, General Demosthene Pikulas.

We responded to the peoples call, Mr Randrianirina told reporters. Mr Pikulas, who spoke alongside Mr Randrianirina, declined to say if they had asked Mr Rajoelina to resign, but the Capsat army unit appeared to be in a position of authority.

The protests on Saturday were among the largest since the unrest began on September 25.

Protesters have brought up a range of issues, including poverty and the cost of living, access to tertiary education, and alleged corruption and embezzlement of public funds by government officials and their families and associates.



Protesters have called for the president to step down (Alexander Joe/AP)

Civic groups and trade unions have joined the protests, which have resulted in nighttime curfews being enforced in the capital Antananarivo and other major cities.

Mr Rajoelina had attempted to appease the protesters by firing his entire government, including the prime minister, on September 29. But he appointed a military general as the new prime minister and the protesters have not relented.

Madagascar, a large island of 31 million people off the east coast of Africa, has had several leaders removed in coups since it gained independence from France in 1960.

Mr Rajoelina himself first came to power as the leader of a transitional government following a 2009 military-backed coup.

An uprising by the Capsat unit was pivotal in the coup that brought Mr Rajoelina to power. He was elected president in 2018 and re-elected in 2023  a vote boycotted by opposition parties.
US President Donald Trump set off for Israel and Egypt on Sunday to celebrate the US-brokered ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas and urge Middle East allies to seize the opportunity to build a durable peace in the volatile region.

It is a fragile moment with Israel and Hamas in only the early stages of implementing the first phase of the Trump agreement designed to bring a permanent end to the war sparked by the October 7 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas-led militants.

Mr Trump thinks there is a narrow window to reshape the Middle East and reset long-fraught relations between Israel and its Arab neighbours.

It is a moment, the Republican president says, that has been helped along by his administrations support of Israels attacks on Iranian proxies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Knock on wood, but we feel very confident the hostages will be released and this president is actually travelling to the Middle East, likely this evening, in order to meet them and greet them in person JD Vance

Very excited about this moment in time, Mr Trump told reporters before Air Force One took off.

He said many people in both Israel and Arab countries were cheering the agreement, adding that everybodys amazed and their thrilled and were going to have an amazing time.

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The White House says momentum is also building because Arab and Muslim states are demonstrating a renewed focus on resolving the broader, decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, in some cases, deepening relations with the United States.

I think you are going to have tremendous success and Gaza is going to be rebuilt, Mr Trump said on Friday.

And you have some very wealthy countries, as you know, over there. It would take a small fraction of their wealth to do that. And I think they want to do it.

The first phase of the ceasefire agreement calls for the release of the final 48 hostages held by Hamas, including about 20 believed to be alive; the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel; a surge of humanitarian aid to Gaza; and a partial pullback by Israeli forces from Gazas main cities.

Israeli troops on Friday finished withdrawing from parts of Gaza, triggering a 72-hour countdown under the deal for Hamas to release the Israeli hostages, potentially while Mr Trump is on the ground there. He said he expected their return to be completed on Monday or Tuesday.

Mr Trump will visit Israel first to meet hostage families and address the Knesset, or parliament, an honour last extended to President George W Bush during a visit in 2008.

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US Vice President JD Vance on Sunday said Mr Trump also was likely to meet newly freed hostages as well.

Knock on wood, but we feel very confident the hostages will be released and this president is actually travelling to the Middle East, likely this evening, in order to meet them and greet them in person, Mr Vance told CBSs Face the Nation.



US President Donald Trump with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month (Evan Vucci/AP)

Mr Trump then stops in Egypt, where he and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will lead a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh with leaders from more than 20 countries on peace in Gaza and the broader Middle East.

It is a tenuous truce and it is unclear whether the sides have reached any agreement on Gazas post-war governance, the territorys reconstruction and Israels demand that Hamas disarm. Negotiations over those issues could break down, and Israel has hinted it may resume military operations if its demands are not met.

I think the chances of (Hamas) disarming themselves, you know, are pretty close to zero, HR McMaster, a national security adviser during Mr Trumps first term, said at an event hosted by the Foundation for the Defence of Democracies on Thursday.

He said he thought what probably would happen in the coming months is that the Israeli military is going to have to destroy them.

Israel continues to rule over millions of Palestinians without basic rights as settlements expand rapidly across the occupied West Bank. Despite growing international recognition, Palestinian statehood appears remote because of Israels opposition and actions on the ground,

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The war has left Israel isolated internationally and facing allegations of genocide, which it denies.

International arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister are in effect, and the United Nations highest court is considering allegations of genocide brought by South Africa.

Hamas has been militarily destroyed and has given up its only bargaining chip with Israel by releasing the hostages. But the Islamic militant group is still intact and could eventually rebuild if there is an extended period of calm.

Mr Netanyahu reiterated that Israel would continue with its demilitarisation of Hamas after the hostages are returned.

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 Friday as Israel began to pull back its troops.

Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble and rebuilding is expected to take years. The territorys roughly two million residents continue to struggle in desperate conditions.

Under the deal, Israel agreed to reopen five border crossings, which will help ease the flow of food and other supplies into Gaza, parts of which are experiencing famine.

Mr Trump is also standing up a US-led civil-military co-ordination centre in Israel to help facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid as well as logistical and security assistance into Gaza.

Roughly 200 US troops will help support and monitor the ceasefire deal as part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organisations and private-sector players.

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US troops will not be sent to Gaza, Admiral Brad Cooper, the US military commander for the region, said in a social media post on Saturday.

The White House has signalled that Mr Trump is looking to quickly return attention to building on a first-term effort known as the Abraham Accords, which forged diplomatic and commercial ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco.

A permanent agreement in Gaza would help pave the path for Mr Trump to begin talks with Saudi Arabia as well Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country, toward normalising ties with Israel, according to a senior Trump administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.

Such a deal with Saudi Arabia, the most powerful and wealthy Arab state, has the potential to reshape the region and boost Israels standing in historic ways.

But the kingdom has said it will not officially recognise Israel before a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Anticipation built across Israel, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank on Sunday as the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held before a critical day for all sides and the region.

Preparations appeared under way for the freeing of the 48 hostages  both alive and dead  still in Gaza, and for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

More ramped-up aid was being readied for Gaza, much in ruins after two years of war that began when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostage. In Israels ensuing offensive, more than 67,600 Palestinians were killed in Gaza, according to Gazas Health Ministry.

US President Donald Trump was scheduled to arrive in Israel on Monday, staying a few hours before heading to Egypt.

This is what is known and what remains unknown:

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 737 days since hostages taken

Sunday was day 737 since the hostages were taken  a number many Israelis have updated daily on strips of adhesive tape worn in national commemoration.

Israel said on Sunday that it expects the 20 living hostages to be released together on Monday. They were then to be handed to the International Committee of the Red Cross, and to the Israeli military, which planned to take them to the Reim military base in southern Israel to be reunited with their families.

Israel then planned to take the hostages to centres around Israel but asked the Red Cross to have ambulances ready in case a hostage needs immediate care after more than two years in captivity.

It appeared unlikely that the remains of up to 28 others will be returned at the same time. Medical experts and advocates say that would be crucial to begin the healing process for many families, and for society at large, but one ceasefire document contains stipulations for remains that are not returned within 72 hours.

On Sunday, Israel said an international body will help locate the remains if they are not released tomorrow.

Volunteers prepare Israeli flags as people gather at so-called Hostages Square, in Tel Aviv (Emilio Morenatti/AP)

 Palestinian prisoners listed for release

As part of the ceasefire deal, Israel is to release around 2,000 Palestinians. Among them are some 1,700 people who troops seized from Gaza during the war and who have been held without charge since.

Also among those being released are some 250 Palestinians serving prison sentences.

Many are members of Hamas and the Fatah faction who were imprisoned over shootings, bombings or other attacks that killed or attempted to kill Israelis, as well as others convicted on lesser charges. They will return to the West Bank or Gaza or be sent into exile.

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It is unclear who will be among the prisoners released back into Gaza, and whether any will be deported.

 Aid expected to surge in Gaza

Humanitarian organisations said they are preparing to surge aid into Gaza, especially food that has been in short supply in many areas.

That includes some 400 trucks from Egypt on Sunday that will have to undergo Israeli inspection before being allowed into the strip.

The Israeli defence body in charge of humanitarian aid in Gaza said around 600 trucks of aid per day will be entering soon, as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement.

The worlds leading authority on food crises said in August Gazas largest city was gripped by a famine that was likely to spread across the territory without a ceasefire and an end to restrictions on humanitarian aid.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification said famine was devastating Gaza City  home to hundreds of thousands of people. That famine was expected to spread south to the cities of Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis by around now if the situation did not change.

The larger task of rebuilding Gaza is daunting, as much of it is in rubble and most of its two million residents displaced.

People walk past a large American flag decorating a building in Jerusalem (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP)

 Trump to travel to Israel and Egypt

Mr Trump, who pushed to clinch the ceasefire deal, is scheduled to arrive in Israel on Monday morning.

A giant US flag enveloped a building in Jerusalems City Hall complex, and US and Israeli flags were projected onto the Old Citys walls on Saturday night.

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The White House schedule has Mr Trump meeting families of hostages and speaking at the Knesset, Israels parliament, before travelling to Egypt for a peace summit attended by regional and international leaders later on Monday.

From there, he was slated to return to the White House, arriving overnight on Tuesday.

 Daunting issues remain unsolved

The ceasefire and release of hostages is the first step in the proposed peace plan. Competing demands remain on the next steps, casting uncertainty on whether the conflict is indeed over.

Israel wants Hamas to disarm, and Hamas wants Israel to pull its troops out of all of Gaza. The future of Gazas government, which has been in Hamass hands for two decades, also remains to be worked out.

Gazas Health Ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the 67,600 deaths were women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the UN and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.
NEED TO KNOW

John Candy married Rosemary "Rose" Candy (nee Hobor) in 1979

The couple welcomed two children before his 1994 death

His life is the subject of the Prime Video documentary John Candy: I Like Me

For comedy legend John Candy, there was only one woman: his longtime wife Rosemary "Rose" Candy (nee Hobor), whom he was married to until his untimely death in 1994.

John and Rose were high school sweethearts in their native Toronto, long predating his star turns in comedies like Stripes and Planes, Trains and Automobiles. The couple married in 1979 and welcomed two kids: Jennifer Candy in 1980 and Christopher Candy in 1984.

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John died in 1994 after suffering a fatal cardiac arrest while filming a movie in Mexico. He was 43 years old.

John Candy: I Like Me, which debuted on Oct. 10 on Prime Video, chronicles his rise to fame, family life and ultimate death. Though Rose participated in the documentary, she rarely talks to the media about her late husband.

Its just not her thing. My father was the one who was in front of the cameras, Chris told The Hollywood Reporter in October 2016.

So, who is John Candy's wife? Here's everything to know about Rose Candy.

Rose is an artist

Emma McIntyre/WireImage Jennifer Candy, Rosemary Candy and Christopher Candy. Jennifer Candy, Rosemary Candy and Christopher Candy.

Rose is a painter and ceramicist whose work has been recognized since she was a student at the Ontario College of Art & Design, which she attended from 1970 to 1973, according to the bio on her website.

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In her early career, she showed locally in Toronto, including at Toronto City Hall and the Canadian Guild of Crafts. From 1974 to 1979, Rose received Ontario Arts Council Visiting Artist Grants, which were for her work building workshops including grades from elementary level to high school including wheel throwing workshops for teachers and night school classes for adults, per her website.

Today, Rose's artwork is on display at Las Laguna Art Gallery in Laguna Beach, Calif., and is available on her website.

At this time my ceramic and painting studios are located in Los Angeles ... I have lived here with my family for over 40 years, she wrote on her website. All the work that you see on this website has been a process of discovery. A reality check in on to keep practicing and keep learning.

They met on a blind date

Chris Candy/Instagram Rose Candy. Rose Candy.

When John and Rose first met, its because the two were fixed up on a blind date  but according to John, it didnt go that well.

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We didnt get along on our first date. It was a blind date, too, he told a reporter in a unearthed clip shown in John Candy: I Like Me. But I was going to show her, how dare you not like me!

Rose, though, disagreed, saying she found him to be very kind, very sweet.

While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter in October 2016, Jen added to the story, saying, They went out on a date and enjoyed each other, and then my dad reached out to Mom asking if she could help him type out a script.

John and Rose married in 1979

Barry King/Alamy Stock Photo Rosemary Margaret Hobor and John Candy. Rosemary Margaret Hobor and John Candy.

John was already a rising comedy star when the couple wed in Los Angeles in 1979. They married there as John was filming 1941 at the time.

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Wed been living in sin for a number of years, so it wasnt really the same, John said in John Candy: I Like Me. [The wedding] was so rushed because we were trying to find a date. We couldnt get a weekend. It was a silly wedding, but we had fun.

In fact, they rushed so much that they didnt scope out their church before the big day, and arrived to find that it was undergoing renovations. We didnt think to look, he added, laughing. It was under construction.

The new documentary also debunks a longtime rumor about John and Rose's wedding: that they got married in a McDonalds. In photos from their wedding day, the fact food chains iconic golden arches are clearly visible in the background  but not by choice. In fact, the couple's reception took place on a soundstage that had just been vacated by Ronald McDonald and company.

A McDonalds Canada commercial had just filmed, and the golden arches are prominently displayed, Christopher explained in John Candy: I Like Me.

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In a November 2024 episode of Julia Louis-Dreyfus podcast Wiser than Me, John's Second City Television costar Catherine OHara revealed the unusual reason she missed the couples wedding  she slept through it.

We did the show, and then we would go to one of our houses and stay up all night coming up with ideas. It was so fun and electric and exciting, she explained. But then I would sleep most of the day.

Maybe I missed some things, she added. I think I missed John Candys wedding. I was asleep.

They shared two children

Chris Candy/Instagram Jennifer Candy, Chris Candy, Rosemary Candy and John Candy. Jennifer Candy, Chris Candy, Rosemary Candy and John Candy.

After tying the knot, the couple welcomed two kids: Jennifer in 1980 and Christopher in 1984.

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Both of the Candy siblings are now professional comics. Christopher has hosted events at Second City Toronto, where his father is an alum, and has cameos in Blink 182s Dance With Me video and Ben Afflecks Dunkin Donuts commercial.

The two are also now co-producers of John Candy: I Like Me. Throughout the filmmaking process, Christopher says he learned a lot about his late father.

It was great to see the connective tissue between the two of us  there's so much of him that I relate to," he told PEOPLE in October 2025. "The behavior, the way we get up and make noises in the morning.

He continued, saying, That was a real treat to see within the documentary."

She brought out the best in him

Jennifer Candy-Sullivan/Instagram Jennifer Candy-Sullivan and Rosemary Candy. Jennifer Candy-Sullivan and Rosemary Candy.

John's reputation as a kindhearted person has followed him for decades, but so too has Rose's.

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What Rose always brought was this calm, in control, grounding, wise element, friend Martin Short once said. If John was upset about something, by the end of the day, Rose would calm him down. Its one of the most successful marriages Ive ever known.

John famously hated to watch his films after they were finished  but his wife helped with that.

He put a lot of effort and love into everything he did, but he didnt like going to the premieres, Chris told The Hollywood Reporter in October 2016. He had a hard time watching the final product.

Jen agreed, saying, He would send Mom [to screenings] and she would come back and tell him where [the audience] laughed, what they laughed at.

Rose never remarried after John's death

Jennifer Candy-Sullivan/Instagram Jennifer Candy-Sullivan, Rosemary Candy and John Candy. Jennifer Candy-Sullivan, Rosemary Candy and John Candy.

After John's untimely death, Rose didnt marry again, choosing to focus on her two young kids.

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"None of us believed it would happen," Frank Hober, Rose's older brother, told PEOPLE at the time of John's death. The whole family is in turmoil.

During the familys grieving, Rose was a rock for all of us, Chris told The Hollywood Reporter in October 2016.

One of the things she taught us is that you have to go with the feelings," he continued. "People are going to grieve differently."

Read the original article on People
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BusinessBanking & financeLiberal Party Opinion Taylor Swift and the Liberal Party suffer from the same problem Jacqueline Maley Columnist and senior journalist October 12, 2025  4:00am

October 12, 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 164 View all comments

There seems to be a moment in the career of every pop star when she has become so famous that its hard not to write songs about being famous. Taylor Swift  who is not so much a pop star as an epoch and a mega-culture unto herself  has reached that point. Taylor Swift has written a song lamenting that she would trade the Cartier for someone to trust. Sydney Morning Herald The second song on Swifts newly-released album, Life of a Showgirl, has her crooning (to her also-famous footballer fiance Travis Kelce) about how that view of Portofino was on my mind when you called me at the Plaza Athenee (a famous five-star hotel in Paris) and lamenting that she would trade the Cartier for someone to trust. In the song, titled Elizabeth Taylor, Swift sings that oftentimes it doesnt feel so glamorous to be me and in the next breath she is reminiscing about dining in the best booth at Musso & Frank (a famous five-star fine-diner in Hollywood). She is too clever not to deliver such lines without her usual Swiftian irony, but Elizabeth Taylor brought to my mind a scene from the sitcom 30 Rock, where studio executive Jack Donaghy (played by Alec Baldwin) delivers a tough talk to his networks superstar, comedian Tracy Jordan.

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Related Article Letters Fight the good fight, not each other, for all our sakes Tracy, Jack tells him, you may come from humble beginnings, but youve been rich for a looong time, and I think its affecting your act. Cut to Jordan doing a stand-up bit about how the people in St Barts eat their lobster. The federal Liberal Party does not suffer from the problem of excess popularity, but they have succumbed to the political version of this kind of out-of-touch tail chasing. Once a political party starts fighting about its own fighting, and once its chief output is about itself, it needs fresh material. In the case of the federal Liberal Party, the internal division and the evident animosity within the party room is not just affecting the act. It is the act.

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The recent departure of West Australian MP Andrew Hastie from the Liberal front bench (he resigned last Friday from his position as opposition home affairs spokesman) was only the most recent symptom of a more profound problem. As with the sacking (from the front bench) of controversial Liberal senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, the ostensible differences were policy ones  like the fight over whether to stick with Australias net zero carbon emissions commitment, and differences of opinion over immigration rates. But the real divide is ideological. The Liberals right-wing flank seems to gaze longingly at the success of the anti-immigration, populist parties sweeping democracies throughout the West. Current polls indicate that the Conservative Party could face electoral wipeout by Nigel Farages anti-immigration party Reform UK. Bloomberg Meanwhile, the moderates within the Liberal party room look to the cautionary example of the British Tory party, which teeters on the brink of oblivion, and see a potential dystopian future.

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The Tories were once the most electorally successful political party in any parliamentary democracy, ever. Now, they hold just 119 seats in the 650-seat British parliament, and they face electoral wipeout by Nigel Farages anti-immigration party Reform UK. Former Labour Party strategist-turned-politics podcaster Alastair Campbell calls the Tories the second most popular populist party. One of the more embarrassing aspects of the Libs internal spats is how thoroughly they expose the poverty of new ideas and lack of intellectual depth within the party. This week this masthead published an extract from Niki Savvas forthcoming book, Earthquake, the election that shook Australia. Savva reports that the chief of staff to former opposition leader Peter Dutton, Alex Dalgleish, pulled together Duttons policy advisers for a meeting in February 2024. The boss wanted them to work up novel and innovative policy ideas, according to Savvas report. Dalgleish told them this was because, up until then, shadow ministers had been unable to produce anything of quality.

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Political leadership The meeting where Dutton and Hasties relationship fell apart This was little more than a year out from the eventual federal election. The fact that Dutton didnt, according to this report, trust his own frontbenchers to come up with policies in their own portfolios, is extraordinary. Dutton wanted the Australian people to vote in a ministerial line-up that he, himself, didnt think was particularly worthy. This week Senator Price popped her head up again, telling 2GBs Ben Fordham that she had written to Ley (presumably in a private letter, or private until she talked about it on syndicated radio) about her concerns about backgrounding and leaking to the media. Its got to stop  we look like a clown show, she said. Like a pop star singing about eating lobster tail in a leather booth, it is not very interesting material. For ordinary voters, it is entirely unrelatable.

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Occasionally, a possible policy debate looks like it might poke its head through the clownery. Hastie has said he is interested in the crisis in modern conservatism, and what it looks like in a fractured age. He wants the Liberals to once again appeal to aspirational middle Australians. Recently, he raised eyebrows with a post to his social media about the nobility of old-school Australian car manufacturing. We used to make complex things in this country  but thats all gone, he said, standing next to a gleaming red vintage Ford Falcon GT. We used to make complex things in this country  but thats all gone, Hastie said, standing next to a vintage Ford Falcon GT. @andrewhastiemp Its not just about the cars, its this sense that weve now lost something  we are a nation of flat white makers when we could be making beautiful cars like this again.

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Hastie hankers for a past where Australians build stuff with our hands. Its the kind of muscular, male-centric rhetoric that Tony Abbott used to favour, and which is unlikely to win back the female voters who have deserted the Coalition. Let alone the younger voters who also abandoned the Coalition at the election, and who feel little connection to halcyon Holden days past. Such voters probably care less about the model of the car theyre driving, or where it was manufactured, than they do about all the other things they worry about on their work commute, or as theyre dropping the kids to school, or, most likely, juggling both. They likely dont have too much time or emotional energy to feel nostalgia for a vehicle. No matter how flash it is. Jacqueline Maley is a columnist and author. Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter.
The legendary creator of Mad Max, Babe and Happy Feet has always been fascinated by technology. But is AI really just another tool?

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George Miller has some advice for anyone concerned about the rise of AI and its impact on the creative industries, and filmmaking in particular. Be alert but not alarmed  and be excited, he says. At 80, the filmmaker behind Babe, Happy Feet and the Mad Max universe has seen plenty of technological innovation, in both medicine, where he began his career, and cinema. And he knows that big shifts often trigger big anxieties. Ill never forget when I was a young medical student and Christiaan Barnard in South Africa did the first heart transplant, he says. I remember the debate, We should not be doing this. This is playing God. This is against human nature. And now there are probably three heart transplants going on [in his hometown of Sydney] today, and I know people who are walking around having active lives because of heart transplants. That happens at every turn, you know. And here we are again in this rapidly accelerating process. Miller has always embraced innovation. Without CGI, he couldnt have made Babe, with its talking pig. Without motion-capture, he couldnt have made Happy Feet, with its dancing penguins. Part of me has always been interested in tools, and I think that applies to just about everything we do, he says. And AI is the next tool  and as much as people are threatened by or uneasy about it, its here to stay.

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Miller is lending his enthusiasm and his expertise to Omni 1.0, a festival of AI filmmaking for which he is a judge. And its a mark of the staggering speed at which AI is advancing that the first iteration, Omni 0.5, was held only in April. Staging Omni every six months gives the festival a chance to stay relevant, but its still a stretch. The early entries that came in were significantly, noticeably inferior to the ones that came at the end of the two-month submission period, says Miller of the first festival. I just cant wait to see what has happened in six months. Omni was the brainchild of Aryeh Sternberg and Travis Rice, colleagues at the University of NSW. They had expected 50 or 60 entries, says Sternberg, whose career has largely been in the advertising and audience targeting space. And we got nearly 1000. OK, we said, this is something real. Submissions came from all around the world, in all shapes and sizes. We had a few 30-seconders, we had quite a few between three and 15 minutes. We had a good handful that were up to 30 minutes, and we had 15 feature-length entries. And we had one that was 4 hours long. Travis Rice (left) and Aryeh Sternberg, co-founders of the Omni AI Film Festival. Entries for round two closed on September 14, and the uptick in quality has been significant, Sternberg says, which is reflective of three factors. One is the technology itself, which continues to evolve tremendously fast. The second is its exposure and availability to filmmakers. And the third is its exposure and availability to people who didnt realise before that they had the ability to create content.

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For all that AI has the potential to democratise production like nothing before it, it also poses a plethora of ethical, industrial and legal issues that the tech companies behind its development dont seem in any great hurry to resolve. But for Miller, thats no reason to turn your back on it. People should be concerned because of all the ethical issues, he says. But the thing people cant do is just opt out through fear because its a question of adapt or die. The emergence of Tilly Norwood, the so-called AI actress, does not represent an existential threat to real flesh and blood performers, in Millers view. He likens it to the fact Marlon Brando was scanned before his death so that his likeness would be available to anyone willing to pay for its use. Actor or AI asset? Marlon Brando was scanned before his death, but having his likeness is not the same as having him, insists Miller. You do not have Marlon Brando and all that comes with it. You wont, as a director, have that discourse with him. You wont get the wild, imaginative, often unique things that he does. Youll have an artefact that looks like Marlon Brando, but thats not why people still watch Marlon Brando movies. Miller is not alone in his view that AI is merely a tool, incapable of generating original compelling stories and characters with human imagination to drive it. But Sternberg is convinced that the situation will change. How long, do you think, until a genuine AI-generated feature film emerges that is good enough to compete with traditional movies?

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Its sleeting on the west coast, raining on the east. Im in New Zealands South Island in shoulder season, so this is not unexpected and Ive planned accordingly: hikes by day, tiny camper by night, no fixed itinerary. My vehicle of choice is the Nomad, a Toyota minivan hybrid cleverly converted for single occupancy by Kiwi company Mad Campers.

A tiny camper allows for travel around New Zealands South Island without a fixed itinerary Pedro Merino / Stocksy United

I opt for rain, heading east to picturesque Banks Peninsula. Ive enough time to tramp a section of the Summit Walkway before making my way to the small town of Duvauchelle for the night. Its foggy and cold on Mount Herbert, where I join the walk. I know there are spectacular views all around but all I can see is paddock grass and sheep dung. The wind whistles eerily across the hills, clouds scud across the sky and the mist whirls in the hollows of the valleys below. It barely seems possible that Christchurch is just an hours drive away.

At Duvauchelle Im soon tucking into tomato and zucchini pasta with hot smoked salmon and bay vistas on the side. The Nomad has a fully equipped kitchen at the rear that can handle some creative cookery but the vans superpower is a lounge with a Perspex roof bubble that provides 190cm headroom, so I can stand up inside. The Nomad is also certified self-contained, a must for free camping.

The next day (glorious sunshine, oh bliss) Im heading to Motueka, my base for a few days walking in Abel Tasman National Park. I begin the Abel Tasman Coast Track walk at Marahau, along with 30 raucous 12-year-olds on a school outing. While the full coastal trek takes five days to Wainui. Im tackling the section from Marahau to Akersten Bay, about a four-hour return trip plus an hour for lunch and siesta. The path winds through forest with regular views out to sea and down to the golden sand beaches of Tasman Bay.
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NationalNSWPublic transport Its come to a complete stop: Why youll be waiting a while to see Circular Quay upgraded Matt O'Sullivan October 13, 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 78 View all comments

A long-promised upgrade of the busy ferry wharves and promenade at Sydneys Circular Quay has stalled due to the Minns government quietly deferring extra funding for the project, despite fears being raised for years about them reaching the end of their working lives. Although the scale of the Circular Quay revamp has been scaled back from previous plans, a hold up to further funding is delaying the project proceeding to the next stage, which would involve seeking planning approval and, if granted, contractors to overhaul the wharves and promenade. The Circular Quay ferry wharves were largely built in the 1940s. Sam Mooy The NSW transport department had previously planned to release a detailed environmental assessment last year for the area, which serves as a major gateway to Sydney Harbour and the central city. The latest state budget dropped references to the Circular Quay upgrade after the previous years detailed a commitment to upgrading the promenade and ferry wharves and $335 million in funding over four years to 2026-27. Until June last year, almost $171 million was estimated to have been spent on the project, which was primarily for planning.

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Action for Transport ferry expert Graeme Taylor said the lack of extra funding showed that the project had stalled. It has just come to a complete stop. They would need to start work next week to have the project completed in time for the Brisbane Olympics, which will see increased visitor numbers to Sydney and a global focus, he said. Experts say the supporting structure of Circular Quays promenade is at the end of its working life. Edwina Pickles Taylor said the wharves and promenade would be extremely difficult to upgrade due to the constrained site, the large number of people in the area at any one time and the need to keep ferries operating there. The promenade is in a really poor state of repair and needs regular ongoing maintenance until the time when it is replaced, he said.

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The promenades supporting structure is at the end of its working life, and vehicles over two tonnes are banned from it because of the safety risk, limiting access for emergency vehicles. The wharves do not comply with accessibility standards, and are also at the end of their working lives. Related Article Exclusive

Public transport Serious decay beneath Sydney's Circular Quay main promenade revealed The Maritime Union of Australia, which represents ferry deck-hands, said there had been no progress on the project in the last 12 months. The wharves are ageing. They are in need of repair and refreshing to the point of replacement. There are known safety risks on the wharves going back a few years, union deputy secretary Paul Garrett said. The MUA is concerned that at some stage a wharf will collapse and staff and passengers will be injured. Good fortune lasts only for so long. Coalition transport spokeswoman Natalie Ward said Circular Quay was a gateway for tourists and commuters experiencing the best harbour in the world.

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This is becoming a pattern for transport infrastructure: announce, delay, obfuscate. We have seen it with Metro, trains, buses and now ferries. The people of Sydney deserve better, she said. Transport Minister John Graham said the Liberals in government made grandiose promises about Circular Quay with a regularity similar to departures of the Manly ferry. Upgrading the ferry wharves and promenade was a Labor promise in the 2023 election. Sam Mooy The truth is they didnt do the work. We have $465 million allocated in state and federal funding for the renewal, but we are also doing the work now to keep these iconic wharves in safe and reliable condition, he said. The federal government allocated $220 million in its budget last year for Circular Quay, much of which is for upgrading the train station there. NSW budget papers state that federal funding is for land transport assets only.

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Upgrading the ferry wharves and promenade was a Labor promise at the 2023 election, and calculations by the Parliamentary Budget Office at the time estimated it would cost $716 million. After offsetting the capital cost with $315 million in savings from cancelling the previous Coalition governments more extensive revamp plans, the budget office estimated the project would cost $401 million. Related Article Development The single biggest obstacle to transforming Circular Quay Transport for NSW did not answer specific questions about when the project would proceed or why the environmental assessment was not released last year, saying it was planning the renewal consistent with the governments commitment to deliver transport infrastructure. Planning to date includes the preparation of a business case, detailed design, complex technical studies, procurement documentation and importantly, an environmental impact statement, it said in a statement.

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Additionally, to understand the unique risks and challenges, Transport has worked with industry partners and undertaken site investigation work. A decade ago, the need to upgrade the historic ferry wharves spurred the then-Coalition government to pursue a broader redevelopment of Circular Quay. However, plans for construction to start were repeatedly delayed, and the proposed upgrade was scaled back in 2023 when Labor won the state election. 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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NationalNSWProtests Pro-Palestinian protesters vow they will keep marching despite ceasefire Matt O'Sullivan, Angus Thomson and Kayla Olaya Updated October 12, 2025  4:10pm ,first published October 12, 2025  3:23pm 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

Pro-Palestinian protesters promised no let-up in their marches through central Sydney while the citys Jewish community gathered to mark the two-year anniversary of Hamas October 7 attacks, as a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict opened the way for the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners from Monday. Rally organisers had accepted a route for the march from Hyde Park to Belmore Park near Central Station after NSWs top court last week blocked protesters descending on the Opera House forecourt amid police warning of the potential for a crowd crush. The march came ahead of a peace ceremony in Egypt on Monday and the start of the exchange of the remaining Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip for Palestinian prisoners. Palestine Action Group organiser Josh Lees said Sundays rally, attended by an estimated 8000 people, would not be the last because, while a peace plan outlined by US President Donald Trump hopefully delivered some reprieve for Palestinians, it would not result in peace for the people of Gaza.

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In future, well be definitely having more Palestinian demonstrations, he said. [The latest ceasefire is] certainly not going to deliver peace to the Palestinians, let alone a life for the Palestinians, because its a plan for ongoing occupation. A small flotilla of yachts and motorboats sporting Israel and Australian flags passed by the Opera House on Sunday. Edwina Pickles A 30-year-old man was arrested at the rally on the intersection of George and Liverpool streets at about 3.20pm for allegedly possessing a sharpened stick. Two people at the protest needing medical assistance were treated by paramedics. Ahead of the march, fellow organiser Amal Naser told the crowd gathered in Hyde Park that it was disappointing that the highest court in the state had banned them from walking to the Opera House. But that didnt stop us, she said, citing the protesters who turned up on Sunday.

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Police maintained a heavy presence in and around the Opera House on Sunday. Edwina Pickles The other speakers at the pro-Palestine rally in Hyde Park included several Australians who had returned from the Middle East after they had been detained by Israeli authorities when their Gaza-bound flotilla was recently intercepted. Police also had a heavy presence in and around the Opera House on Sunday, which included security checkpoints near the Toaster apartment building and the entrance from the Botanic Gardens. The Opera House stairs were fenced off from the public while police had at least four vessels patrolling nearby. A small flotilla of motorboats and yachts sporting Israeli and Australian flags passed by the Opera House shortly after midday. Related Article Opinion

Trump diplomacy The world looks to Trump for peace, we get volatility and the master of grift Cory Alpert Former White House staffer

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Members of Sydneys Jewish community and their supporters braved wind and rain in Sydneys east on Sunday evening to commemorate those killed in Hamas October 7 attacks, and to celebrate the anticipated return of hostages two years later. Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said the vigil was planned as a night of sombre reflection but the Israel-Hamas peace deal brokered by the US administration, and the confirmation by Hamas officials of plans to release Israeli hostages from Monday morning (Israel time), had restored hope in the Australian Jewish community. How quickly things can change if the effort is sustained, he told the crowd. We will never forget nor forgive what happened on that day, but we gather also to celebrate  what we pray will be a time of peace for all people who seek it. The crowd was played a video message from prominent Australian leaders including Defence Minister Richard Marles, federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, NSW Premier Chris Minns and NSW opposition leader Mark Speakman. Premier Chris Minns last week said demonstrators who defied the order by gathering at the Opera House could face the full force of the law.

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The Court of Appeal had said in its decision last week that flouting the order might expose participants to punishment for contempt of court. The alternative route on Sunday for pro-Palestine protesters from Hyde Park to Belmore Park ran via George Street, forcing the temporary closure of some roads and light rail services in the CBD. 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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Sydney doctors were up to 12 per cent better at diagnosing conditions in a milestone trial of an AI-assisted X-ray tool already used in NSW hospitals which could prevent misdiagnosis in one in every 17 scans.

From GP transcription software to complex screening and diagnostic tools, artificial intelligence is already commonplace in almost every corner of Australias health system. But few studies have investigated how the tools are used by doctors  and what they do when AI gets it wrong.

Professor Michael Dinh leads the research arm of the emergency department at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown. Wolter Peeters

One source of risk with these systems is that theyre highly accurate, but theyre not 100 per cent, said Professor Farah Magrabi, a Macquarie University expert on AI in healthcare whose independent analysis of a chest X-ray tool developed in Australia was published in the peer-reviewed Emergency Medicine Journal on Monday.

There are very few studies that are actually evaluating AI systems in the hands of doctors, Magrabi said. This study is really interesting because it delivers the evidence of what [AI] can do, particularly in a high-pressure ED environment.
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NationalCBD Selling pep talks for $150: The bizarre mystery of the Ben Roberts-Smith impersonator Stephen Brook and Kishor Napier-Raman October 13, 2025  4:30am 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

As if being declared a war criminal by the courts, losing your last shot at getting that finding overturned, leaving your billionaire backer(s) millions out of pocket and generally bringing great shame upon the Australian Defence Force wasnt bad enough. Now, the Victoria Cross recipient and former soldier has an impersonator. Recently brought to CBDs attention was a profile bearing the name Ben Roberts Smith, VC MG on personalised video sharing website Cameo, which allows users to buy a brief, customised video message from a celebrity of their choice. Who is impersonating Ben Roberts-Smith? Sam Mooy The website was at its peak during the dark days of COVID lockdowns, drawing users desperate for a little dose of serotonin. And while the novelty value has waned, for $150 or so, you can still buy a personalised pep talk from a B-grade Hollywood actor or washed-up reality TV star, a disgraced footballer, or even Nigel Farage. Or Schapelle Corby. And now, it seems, BRS. The profile, which has been live since August last year, while Roberts-Smith was awaiting the Full Federal Courts decision in his defamation appeal, promises birthday messages, pep talks, and advice starting from $151.59.

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Ben is Australias most decorated living soldier, the bio reads. A profile claiming to be Ben Roberts-Smith on the custom video website Cameo. Cameo He was awarded the Victoria Cross, Medal of Gallantry and Commendation for Distinguished Service during multiple deployments in Afghanistan. No mention of killing unarmed prisoners, strangely enough. Even stranger, CBD has it on good authority that the profile isnt real, and was not created, or authorised, by Roberts-Smith. Who, then, was behind the account? And what kind of videos would customers be receiving from the fake BRS? At $150 plus a video, its a costly mystery to solve. So all we can conclude is that the person behind the account has a rather bizarre, dark sense of humour.

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Heidi Ho! Saturday was opening day at Heide Museum of Modern Art, the beloved arts institution that was for many years the country home of eccentric modernist art champions John and Sunday Reed. Guests took the trip out to Bulleen for Face Everything, the new exhibition by Sydney artist Nell. But even more interesting than the artists response to the domestic nature of Heide Modern is what is happening behind the scenes. John and Sunday Reed on their wedding day in 1932. Courtesy of Sarah McKay CBD hears that after a decade, investment banker and philanthropist Steven Skala is stepping down as chair of the board. Barrister Philip Crutchfield, KC, will become chair on January 1.

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Crutchfield will maintain his board duties as chair of the Bell Shakespeare Company, the University of Melbourne Humanities Foundation, the University of Melbourne Law School Foundation and the Victorian Bar Foundation, as well as various listed and unlisted companies. Quite the portfolio. Meanwhile, the reputation of the Reeds continues to grow. The couple were at the intersection of Melbournes legal, cultural and social streams for decades. John Reed was a partner at law firm Blake & Riggall (now Ashurt) while Sunday Reed belonged to the OG Melbourne old-money family the Baillieus. Most recently, their story was told in the acclaimed play Sunday. And anyone who wants a racy art read should check out Modern Love: The Lives of John and Sunday Reed, written by Heide artistic director Lesley Harding and Kendrah Morgan. CBD hears a revamped edition is on the way. Spook season

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For Australias top spy, ASIO boss Mike Burgess spends plenty of time in from the cold. Burgess has been far more comfortable courting publicity than any of his predecessors, regularly getting up on his soapbox to remind us of all the big, scary threats to the nation lurking in the shadows. ASIO boss Mike Burgess. Alex Ellinghausen But Burgess next big speaking gig might stay in the shadows. In November, hes set to play headline act at the Lowy Institutes annual lecture, the flagship event for the countrys biggest foreign policy and national security think tank. Unfortunately for the institute, which last year charged upwards of $300-a-head for tickets to the event, this years lecture falls on the first Tuesday of November. Which, of course, is Melbourne Cup day. Once upon a time, that was enough to keep the pollies, policy wonks and bizoids distracted for an afternoon.

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But for the second year in a row, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is playing party pooper, with federal parliament scheduled to sit on Cup Day as well. That allows the government to dodge the unfortunate optics of any senior ministers being caught rolling around the Birdcage. And believe us, CBD has encountered plenty in years past. All of which means that Lowy might struggle to get interested punters over to Sydney Town Hall to hear Burgess tell us, yet again, that Australia is in the gravest danger its ever been in ever. In Da Club Speaking of blokes who have plenty to say these days, former prime minister Tony Abbott is set to launch his new history of Australia not once but twice this week, with events in Sydney and Melbourne.

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As CBD recently reported, Abbott has also been at the British Conservative Partys annual conference in Manchester, where he told the faithful that migrant boats headed to the United Kingdom should be intercepted in the English Channel and turned back to France. Sound familiar? Anyway, Abbott has another big speaking gig coming up in December, when hell deliver the Sir David Smith Memorial Oration hosted by CBDs friends at the Samuel Griffith Society. Related Article CBD The Dyson Heydon rehabilitation tour rolls on The conservative legal organisation has courted controversy recently after giving disgraced High Court judge Dyson Heydon a platform at its annual conference. Heydon was, in 2020, found by an independent court-commissioned investigation to have sexually harassed six female associates. And before his fall from grace, Heydon had a good relationship with Abbott. He was on the selection panel that gave Abbott a Rhodes Scholarship in the 1980s. As PM, Abbott appointed the judge to run a royal commission into trade unions.

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Will Heydon show up to hear Abbott speak? He is steadily re-emerging into conservative judicial circles. And the speech will be held at the all-male Australian Club in Macquarie Street, Sydney. Naturally. Despite all the baggage, Heydon is still a member. 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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Investigation NationalDiagnosing Murder This man just had his baby-shaking execution halted because his conviction might be based on junk science Michael Bachelard and Ruby Schwartz October 12, 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

A Texas man has had his execution halted after an appeal court ruled that the evidence for shaken baby syndrome, which was used to convict him, was in serious dispute. The reprieve for Robert Roberson came just days before he was to become the first person in the United States to be executed over the syndrome, and reflects a raging global debate about a medical theory that has also led to the prosecution and imprisonment of hundreds of Australians. Robert Roberson before his scheduled execution in 2024. His death was postponed until October 2025. AP The launch on the weekend of this mastheads new, four-part investigative podcast, Diagnosing Murder, lays out the human cost in Australia, and examines the controversy through the eyes of scientists, doctors on both sides of the argument, lawyers, and families. Its prompted one of Australias most respected forensic doctors, the long-time head, now retired, of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Professor Stephen Cordner, to break cover and speak publicly for the first time to urge Australia to hold an inquiry into the medical and legal issues involved.

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Cordner, who is also a professor at Monash University, says he is concerned that the diagnosis is leading to wrongful convictions. If youre in a position to  prevent future wrongful convictions  thats why Im here, he told Diagnosing Murder. In Texas, Roberson, who is autistic, was convicted in 2003 of shaking to death his two-year-old daughter, Nikki. His defence says Nikki had a high fever when Roberson took her to hospital and she probably died of undiagnosed pneumonia. Roberson was convicted of murder, partly due to his apparently emotionless response. Experts later insisted his autism meant he didnt appear in the way [police] expected a concerned father to act. The investigating detective on the case, Brian Wharton, now believes Roberson is innocent.

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In a last-minute reprieve on Thursday, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals directed the lower courts to look again at disputed evidence for shaken baby syndrome, in light of other decisions in Texas courts that the medical understanding had changed. Texas has a junk science law that allows for legal challenges to be brought in historical cases when forensic evidence has since been debunked or evolved. Shaken baby syndrome, which forensic doctors now prefer to call abusive, or inflicted, head trauma, is diagnosed based on a triad of injuries: subdural haemorrhage, retinal haemorrhage and brain swelling. These clinical signs are considered by most forensic doctors globally to raise a presumption that a child has been abused. Professor Stephen Cordner In Australia, the forensic paediatric community overwhelmingly believes the evidence for the diagnosis is strong and there is no real dispute. Few experts go against the orthodoxy. But Cordner told Diagnosing Murder in his view the evidence in triad-only prosecutions does not reach the level required to establish criminal responsibility for a serious assault or homicide. He said up to 50 medical conditions could cause the symptoms, without abuse, and there was still an enormous amount we do not know about infant and child mortality.

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So maybe we dont know whats going on  maybe its a mystery, Cordner said. No question, child abuse occurs. The real issue is, how well can medicine diagnose it? Related Article Diagnosing Murder Diagnosing murder: Is a medical theory ruining lives? More than 40 Americans have been exonerated since the 1990s after being convicted of shaking their babies. A New Jersey appeal court in 2023 upheld the judgment of a lower court that shaken baby syndrome was junk science. Judge Greta Gooden Brown wrote on behalf of the three-judge appeal panel: The very basis of the theory has never been proven. There have been hundreds of academic papers since the theory was first posited in 1971, but Brown said the prosecutors in two cases had not demonstrated general acceptance  of the hypothesis to justify its admission in a criminal trial.

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In another case last month in Illinois, the fifth circuit court appeal judge, Mitchell K. Shick, dismissed the testimony of the key prosecution expert in a case against a father charged with aggravated battery of his son. The expert, forensic paediatrician Sandeep Narang, could not reliably distinguish between an accidental and deliberate cause of injuries, the judge found. Narang is the lead author on a highly influential technical report supporting shaken baby theory published by the American Academy of Paediatrics, but the judge ruled: There is simply no science that supports Dr Narangs speculative opinion  This opinion is inadmissible under the facts of this case. Slides from a controversial presentation conducted by the Victorian Forensic Paediatric Medical Service at the Royal Childrens Hospital. In Australia, however, shaken baby theory is still widely argued in criminal courts and childrens courts in all states, leading to child removals and criminal convictions. Forensic doctors at our biggest childrens hospitals are at the heart of most prosecution cases. The Royal Childrens Hospital and its specialist unit known as the Victorian Forensic Paediatric Medical Service were approached for comment but declined to speak about individual cases. In a statement, the hospital said the VFPMSs work was underpinned by national and international research, which is constantly reviewed. The childs safety, health and wellbeing are always put first, the statement said.

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A Melbourne child, whose case is featured in Diagnosing Murder, had two of the three signs of the triad and no other bruises, fractures or marks when shaking was diagnosed at the Royal Childrens Hospital in Melbourne in 2021. The nine-week old was taken from her parents and lived in foster care for 18 months, while charges of recklessly causing serious injury were laid against her father, whom in the podcast we call Kabir. Cordner gave an expert opinion in the case in which he suggested birth trauma as a natural alternative explanation for the childs injuries. The prosecution withdrew the criminal case against the father in April. In the US, the Texas, Illinois and New Jersey rulings do not set national precedents, and in Australia, the most recent serious legal challenge to the theory was in 2021. Then, the Victorian Court of Appeal upheld the diagnosis. In the United Kingdom, the Crown prosecution service updated its advice the same year, saying it was rare that a charge of homicide (or attempted murder or assault) could be sustained where the only evidence available is the triad.

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It recommended prosecutors look further abroad  for a previous history of abuse or sibling deaths, a delay in seeking help, inconsistencies, other unexplained injuries, or previous violence or drug convictions. Cordner told this masthead that Australia should adopt similar guidance. 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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Exclusive PoliticsFederalDonald Trump Albanese scrambles to lock in minerals deal before Trump meeting Paul Sakkal October 12, 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 334 View all comments

Australia would mandate price floors for critical minerals and pump money into new rare earth projects, according to leaked plans about a resources deal with the US that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is trying to lock in before meeting President Donald Trump. Officials from the prime ministers department have started contacting Australian miners about how they could contribute to the new $1.2 billion critical minerals strategic reserve, according to the confidential departmental brief obtained by this masthead. Anthony Albanese and Donald Trump posing for a selfie in New York last month. On Saturday, Trump threatened to impose a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese goods and cancel a meeting with President Xi Jinping after China moved to dramatically expand export restrictions on critical minerals. In another sign of the importance of rare earths to the Washington trip, Ukraine has urged Australia to provide the war-torn nation with mining expertise to make Trumps minerals deal with Volodymyr Zelensky workable.

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The departmental brief was sent to miners over the past two weeks, shortly after Albaneses October 20 meeting with Trump was locked in, and there have been a series of closed-door talks between companies and officials in the past week. Related Article Updated

Trump diplomacy Trump threatens 100 per cent tariffs on China as trade war fears reignite By anticipating and responding to the critical minerals requirements of key international partners, and by addressing supply chain barriers, the reserve can be of strategic benefit to Australia, the brief states. Critical minerals are crucial to green energy, defence products such as nuclear-powered submarines, car making and powering artificial intelligence data centres. Securing a supply of key elements such as lithium, nickel and vanadium has become a priority of the Trump administration and underpinned its contentious claim to deposit-rich Greenland, as well as its deal-making with Ukraine. The push to secure critical minerals stems from fears of Chinas dominance in the sector  the country produces more than 90 per cent of the worlds processed rare earths  and that it will be used to thwart manufacturing and sovereign capacity in Western nations. Earlier this year, China started blocking exports to the US, causing carmakers to warn that they would need to wind down production.

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Concern over the key elements has burst into public view in recent days after Trump reacted furiously to Chinas move on Thursday to dramatically expand rare earths export controls, adding five elements to the restrictions. Related Article Foreign relations How Albanese managed to court Trump while distancing himself from the MAGA agenda On Saturday, AEST, Trump posted on Truth Social to say the US would impose a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese goods from November and place export controls on any and all critical software sold to China, wiping $4.4 trillion off the US sharemarket. Trump added that Xis move meant there seems to be no reason to meet the Chinese leader at scheduled talks at the APEC summit in South Korea at the end of the month, and he called out Chinas extraordinarily aggressive position on trade. Details about the Australian critical minerals reserve have been vague amid concerns that Australia lacked the funds to invest in hugely expensive extraction and processing.

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Labor has invested billions in companies such as Iluka and Arafura to increase Australias rare earths processing capabilities. There is growing anticipation among government officials about projects in Gippsland, Victoria, including the Fingerboards project, which contains terbium required for US defence products. Related Article Exclusive

Trade wars Mission critical: Australia keen to lock in new US deal before Trump meeting The departmental brief confirms Australia is exploring offtake agreements, in which a government would commit to buying a certain amount of a resource. The document reveals Labor is considering setting price floors, government loans and guarantees, together with other countries investing directly in Australian projects, in a sign of the governments focus on defending local companies from heavily subsidised competition from China. Australias critical minerals processing and refining capabilities are relatively underdeveloped, the document states. We do not currently have the depth and breadth of mid- and downstream expertise and technologies as some other countries.

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Are there design features that would enable the reserve to crowd in private investment and financing, and lower risk to the government? US ambassador Kevin Rudd has sought to bring Australian miners and US officials together for the best part of two years, attempting to tie Australia into a global supply chain of the elements needed for car making, smartphones and a range of new defence systems. After Trump and Zelenskys White House meeting in April, the countries signed a deal to give the US a stake in Ukraines minerals supply. This masthead reported last month that Labor was working to lock in a similar deal with the US before Albaneses White House visit. Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Ukraines ambassador to Australia. Alex Ellinghausen Ukrainian ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko said Ukraine wanted Australia to help it search for rare earths, build mining infrastructure and encourage Australian miners to invest in the war-torn nations resources sector.

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Ukraine has large deposits of critical minerals, and Myroshnychenko said Australias status as a mining powerhouse meant its help was needed to get the minerals out of the ground. Your know-how and new technology and the standards of mining in Western Australia  theyre probably the best in the world, he said. Theyre much better than those in the EU and anywhere else. Trump knows about your expertise in mining. You could definitely help Americans and Ukrainians to work on that minerals deal. Myroshnychenko said Ukraine still required Australias help for its war with Russia, arguing that aiding Ukraine was in Australias strategic interests because China had backed Russia and was taking lessons from the illegal invasion for its own thinking on retaking Taiwan. Rudd, speaking to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in August, said Australia had built unique expertise in universities and mining companies over 150 years, making it first in line to help meet the presidents objective of making the US secure in its supply.

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We have the best mining companies in the world and the biggest mining companies in the world, some of whom have just been meeting with president Trump, he said. Chinas industrial policy was clear, Rudd said: To ensure that the world is dependent on China while China is not dependent on the world. 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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PoliticsFederalResolve Political Monitor Leys approval ratings tank after month of Liberal chaos and disunity James Massola October 12, 2025  4:55pm 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 237 View all comments

Australians have slashed their approval of Sussan Leys performance after a month of Liberal Party instability, leaks, resignations and sackings, in findings that will pile pressure on the opposition leader and increase speculation about her political future. Just 33 per cent of voters rated Leys performance as either good or very good  a fall of 8 per cent in a single month  while 38 per cent rated her performance as either poor or very poor, up from 32 per cent last month. The finding delivers a net rating of minus 5 for Ley  down from plus 9 last month in a 14 percentage-point decline, well beyond the margin for error. Approval ratings for Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have both dropped, but Leys have fallen further. Dominic Lorrimer Prime Minister Anthony Albaneses performance rating also went backwards: 41 per cent of voters said his performance was good or very good  down from 44 per cent last month  and 47 per cent said it was bad or very bad, up from 45 per cent last month. That is a net drop of five percentage points and a net rating of minus 6, also outside the margin of error. Nevertheless, as Leys approval ratings fell further, Albaneses lead over her as preferred prime minister has increased by five percentage points in the past month, from 38-26 to 40-23, a net lead of 17 percentage points.

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The massive drop in support for Ley is likely to be seized on by her factional opponents as further proof that the opposition leader is not the person to lead the Liberals following the sweeping defeat at the election in May. Leys allies will say her personal approval  which until now has been much better than the partys languishing two-party preferred and primary votes  has taken a hit precisely because of the disunity and destabilising from within Coalition ranks. Overall, Labor holds a commanding and unchanged 10 percentage point lead in the two-party preferred vote at 55-45, based on the stated preferences of people surveyed, which is the same margin as the national vote in the May 3 election, when Albanese won a landslide victory, but a drop from the stratospheric 59-41 post-victory glow recorded for the government in August.

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Labors primary vote fell from 35 per cent to 34 per cent over the past month  a movement within the margin of error but it is the second month in a row in which the government lost ground  while the Coalitions vote rose by one percentage point from 27 to 28 per cent this month after falling by two points last month. The survey of 1800 people, conducted for this masthead by polling firm Resolve Strategic, took place from October 7 to 12 and has a margin of error of 2.3 per cent. Resolve pollster Jim Reed said Leys sliding approval ratings were not surprising given the instability weve seen recently. Its one of the ironies of politics that leaders do not control unity but they suffer most from disunity. Voters are telling us they dont know who will be leader next year, let alone what their policies are. Ley, who sacked Jacinta Nampijinpa Price last month for disloyalty and offensive comments about Indian immigration to Australia, will finalise a second mini-reshuffle soon after the resignation of shadow home affairs spokesman Andrew Hastie a week ago from the front bench.

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Related Article Factional politics Liberal Party factions: The split in the Right that is reshaping the political landscape Both rebel MPs returned to the backbench in part over their populist opposition to increasing overseas arrivals, although it is Coalition policy to reduce net overseas migration below current Labor targets. This view is also shared by most of those asked in the latest Resolve poll: 58 per cent of voters want to see the intake slashed; 27 per cent of people were unsure; and only 15 per cent were opposed to reducing the intake. On immigration, respondents to the survey were told that Australias current net migration is 316,000 people and the permanent intake is 185,000 people per year and that the Coalition wanted to cut it. They were then asked whether they support or oppose a significant reduction in Australias immigration numbers?.

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Most voters from across the political spectrum supported a cut, including 57 per cent of Labor voters, 65 per cent of Coalition voters, 50 per cent of people who voted independent and 77 per cent of One Nation voters. Even a slim majority of Greens voters (35 per cent support, 32 per cent oppose and 33 per cent undecided) wanted immigration cut, and every age cohort backed a cut, too. In September, population growth slowed to a near three-year low after net migration came in 17,000 people lower than the government had forecast. The country added 423,400 residents in the 12 months to the end of March to take the total population to 27.5 million. While the Coalitions factions are divided on thorny issues such as immigration and net zero, voters were also split when asked whether the opposition should move back to the political centre ideologically or tack further to the right. Overall, 25 per cent of voters said the Coalition should be more right-wing; 32 per cent said the Coalition should move to the political centre ground  which the moderate Ley is trying to do; 11 per cent said they wanted no change; and 32 per cent said they were unsure.

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Among Coalition voters, 32 per cent wanted it to be more conservative and 33 per cent wanted it to move to the centre ground. About a quarter, 23 per cent, were unsure and 12 per cent wanted no change. One Nations vote, which rose by 3 percentage points last month to a new high in the Resolve poll, held steady at 12 per cent, suggesting the party was still stealing voters from the Coalition. The Greens primary vote was unchanged on 11 per cent this month, while support for other parties, including independents, the Greens, other parties and One Nation held steady at a high 38 per cent, meaning more than one-third of Australians dont back either major party, confirming a decades-long trend away from the two major parties.

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PoliticsNSWNSW State Parliament Buried bombshells, vanishing votes and hidden hearings: The downfall of a Sydney mayor Max Maddison October 13, 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

Five pages into a submission to a NSW parliamentary committee in June, Office of Local Government deputy secretary Brett Whitworth buried a bombshell. The correspondence alleged that last year, Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig raised the potential preselection of Labor Bayside mayor Bill Saravinovski and the timing ... and any public knowledge of a NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) misconduct case against him. Bill Saravinovski, the former Bayside mayor. Kate Geraghty The submission was unorthodox because Whitworth made it as a private citizen. Hoenigs most senior public servant suggested the local government minister had improperly interfered in a Labor Party matter. Hoenig has denied speaking to Whitworth about Labor preselections, and the Herald does not suggest the allegation is true. Was this a message in a bottle? a committee member asked.

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After 40 years as a Labor powerbroker, mayor and councillor, Saravinovski was dumped from Labors ticket in August last year for the council elections. The question was why. Besides an NCAT listing for November, there was little information in the public domain, but allegations of misconduct were circling. As Saravinovski was told by Sussex Street his career on council would end, a series of Machiavellian political machinations leading to the office of NSW Premier Chris Minns was being orchestrated. Battle of Bayside Hoenig and Saravinovski each have decades of local Labor politics under their belts in neighbouring councils in Sydneys south: Hoenig became mayor of Botany in 1981 while Saravinovski, first elected in 1983, had 11 stints as mayor of Rockdale and later the merged Bayside Council. Hoenig moved into state politics in 2012. One of Hoenigs state MP neighbours is Lands and Property Minister Steve Kamper, one of Minns most trusted allies. Labor sources expect Kamper to resign as the member for Rockdale either ahead of the 2027 election, or soon after.

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Kampers chief of staff, Bayside councillor Ed McDougall, will almost certainly be his successor, according to multiple sources. In his inaugural speech to parliament a decade ago, Kamper heaped praise on McDougall, who served as his campaign manager. Teddy you are a young man well beyond your years. You are the smartest person I know. You display an incredible loyalty and compassion to all those around you, and I am so proud to call you my friend, he said. A stint as mayor would not hurt his chances: Some Labor sources said it would boost his profile in the electorate, while others felt it unnecessary given the respect he has from the premiers office. But he faced a series of hurdles. The first was a Bayside councillor named Jo Jansyn.

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If Saravinovski was out of the picture, Christina Curry, who served as mayor for a year across 2022 and 2023, believed with the support of Jansyns vote, she was in line to take the mayoralty, according to Labor sources speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. Before her 2021 run for council, Jansyn received a glowing endorsement from Hoenig, saying he personally asked Jansyn to run for her sins and she would be a great councillor. Jansyn then spent two years working in Hoenigs electorate office. On a Saturday in early August last year, Jansyn walked into her delayed Labor preselection expecting Hoenigs numbers would ensure her bid for a second term, according to Labor Bayside sources. She was wrong. Jansyn lost by a handful of votes to Soraya Kassim, a community worker who ran for the Greens in the state seat of Kogarah 20 years prior. Jansyn quit Hoenigs office the following morning. Last month, Hoenig denied having any involvement in Jansyns preselection, telling budget estimates he did not direct a single person on how to vote. I stayed right out of it, he said.

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In response to questions from the Herald, Hoenig said he was limited in what he could say because of the court proceedings against Saravinovski, but he reiterated his evidence from budget estimates and denied being involved in preselections. I have no knowledge, nor any interest, in the proceedings of some upper house committee, he said. As a state MP, I have a longstanding practice of not being involved in any local preselections concerning any of the four councils in my electorate, nothing changed in 2024. Labor sources said the end of Jansyns career on council wasnt personal. It was simply politics. She intended to support Christina Curry for the mayoralty, while there was a dispute over the ticket. A second hurdle

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McDougalls second hurdle was the prospect of other Labor councillors running for mayor. Cherie Burton, one of Minns closest advisers, helped clear the path, according to three people briefed on phone calls made at the time. Related Article Exclusive

NSW State Parliament The NSW minister accused of improper interference before preselection With Saravinovski out and no clear Labor candidate for mayor, Joe Awada also believed he had the numbers, supported by councillors Curry and Scott Morrissey. But Burton told him he needed to back McDougall. There are not many things Cheries not involved in. Shes a proxy for Chris in a lot of the local stuff, a Labor source said. According to two Labor members who spoke with Awada afterwards, Burton offered him a sweetener: step aside and give McDougall the mayoralty, lifting his profile for a run at Rockdale at the 2027 state election, and he would be frontrunner for the mayoralty for the remaining years.

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A spokesman for the premier said: The involvement in a private capacity of individual staff members in their local Labor area is a matter for them. McDougall and Awada did not respond to requests for comment. At the council meeting of October 9, 2024, McDougall became Baysides new mayor. Saravinovski in the spotlight

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There had been smoke around Saravinovski for decades, according to one Labor HQ source. Bayside councillors claimed they had been told by the councils general manager about the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) probe into Saravinovski and an unsolicited proposal from developer Ali Abrahim (also known as Ali Ibrahim) to build a car park in Brighton-Le-Sands. Under Operation Aspen, the ICACs investigators looked at allegations of impropriety levelled against the mayor in 2022. The watchdog opted against a full public hearing and referred the matter to the Office of Local Government on December 14 that year. On March 27, 2024, 15 months later, Whitworth referred the ICACs evidence  contained in a departmental report  to NCAT, satisfied Saravinovski engaged in misconduct. NCAT heard the matter in November 2024. In confidential evidence to a parliamentary committee, and relayed by multiple sources with knowledge of the hearing, Whitworth alleged Hoenig urged him on five occasions across the end of 2023 and beginning of 2024 to accelerate OLGs submission regarding Saravinovskis alleged misconduct to NCAT because of the looming Bayside preselection.

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Whitworth gave evidence that on the first two occasions, he told Hoenig it was improper for a minister to be involved in a purely party matter. Whitworth alleged that Hoenig persisted, according to sources who heard the deputy secretarys evidence. In response to questions from the Herald, Whitworth said: Given these proceedings were in-camera, I make no comment. Hoenig denied at budget estimates having ever discussed Saravinovskis preselection with his deputy secretary, and repeated the denials when contacted by the Herald. I have a longstanding practice of not being involved in any local preselections concerning any of the four councils in my electorate, nothing changed in 2024. Inside Labor HQ, senior apparatchiks had been grappling with a lack of information, according to one source. The formal endorsement of Bayside candidates was delayed as the Saravinovski matter was considered. Saravinovski told confidants he received correspondence from the ICAC telling him their investigation was over. After what he believed was a positive meeting with Labors candidate review committee, Meredith Burgmann and John Robertson, the mayor thought he would once again be endorsed.

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Bill Saravinovski and his son, Chris, who replaced him. Kate Geraghty Even though the NCAT matter was not listed until November and could not be reported on, Labors candidate review committee concluded it would end his 40 years of public service. Soon after, McDougall called Saravinovski with bad news: he was off the ticket, according to one source who spoke with the former mayor. A phone call from Kamper followed, according to one source, telling him he would be replaced at the top of the ticket by his 21-year-old son, Chris Saravinovski. Labor Bayside types were surprised: Chris hardly attended party branch meetings, nor had anything resembling political experience. The hearings begin

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In February, NCAT deputy president Rashelle Seiden, SC, handed down her judgment: the former Bayside mayor had engaged in misconduct on three grounds. The first found the veteran councillor failed to provide a full written disclosure regarding his relationship with Abrahim and the proposal to redevelop a Brighton-Le-Sands car park. The second and third found Saravinovski had engaged in intimidatory behaviour towards council staff, including interrupting a presentation and inadvertently knocking a water bottle off a desk. Rather than disqualifying him from standing for council, Seiden agreed with both parties submissions that a reprimand was appropriate. The matter appeared resolved. Then, in August, the ICAC revealed that the Director of Public Prosecutions advised there was sufficient evidence to charge Saravinovski with three counts of giving misleading evidence.

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Two of the matters involved Saravinovskis evidence in relation to Abrahim. The first charge alleges Saravinovski told ICAC investigators that he did not have a personal relationship or dealings with the property developer as of November 2018. The second is that he believed the less than significant non-pecuniary interest he declared in relation to the matter was a full disclosure. The third alleges Saravinovski claimed he did not provide Abrahim with access to confidential documents on January 25, 2022. There was enough doubt about Saravinovski floating around the public domain to warrant his removal, Labor sources say. Weve been proven correct. On the balance of things, we made the right call, a Sussex Street source said. As for Saravinovski, he fronted the local court clad in a charcoal suit last Thursday. Solicitors from the DPP overseeing the case looked on. The 16th-floor courtroom in the John Maddison Tower stands 14 kilometres from the fiefdom where Saravinovski ruled for four decades.

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With the matter adjourned until November, Saravinovskis fall from grace is still incomplete. The bigger story may be what Whitworth and Hoenig are yet to say. 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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Exclusive PoliticsVictoriaAnti-corruption Victorias integrity agencies push for reform amid collapse in public confidence Chip Le Grand October 13, 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

The states three leading integrity agencies  IBAC, the Ombudsman and the Auditor-Generals Office  have revived a push for parliament instead of the government to set their annual funding, as new data shows Victoria is Australias least trusted state when it comes to fighting corruption. The agencies told this masthead in a rare joint statement that there had been no commitment or substantive action by the state government to quarantine their budgets from political pressure since they publicly raised the matter before the last election. Victorian Ombudsman Marlo Baragwanath (left), IBAC Commissioner Victoria Elliott and Auditor-General Andrew Greaves. The issue of budget independence and how to address falling public confidence in Victorias integrity system will take centre stage at a national anti-corruption conference in Melbourne over the next two days to be addressed by Ombudsman Marlo Baragwanath, IBAC Deputy Commissioner Stephen Farrow and Australias most prominent integrity campaigners. Transparency International Australia chair Professor AJ Brown will on Monday present to the conference new data showing that public confidence in the Victorian government and its peak anti-graft body, IBAC, to fight corruption is lower than in any other state.

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Victoria has the worst corruption challenge, Brown said. Confidence in the state governments commitment to fighting corruption and the ability of the anti-corruption commission to tackle it is lower in Victoria than anywhere else in the country. Brown said providing budget independence for integrity agencies was absolutely fundamental to restoring public trust. The problem is both the risk of governments de-fanging integrity agencies by reducing or compromising their funding and the more subtle problem of gradual erosion of capacity, he said. IBAC, the Ombudsman and the Auditor-General published a joint report in October 2022 calling for the establishment of an independent commission or tribunal to determine funding for the states integrity agencies, a reform they described as profoundly in the public interest. A departmental briefing to then attorney-general Jaclyn Symes, released to the state opposition under freedom-of-information laws, recommended the issue be deferred to the incoming government.

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A government source, speaking confidentially to discuss internal matters, confirmed that no formal consideration had been given to the proposal. The government was also frustrated by the timing of the 2022 report, which it saw as an attempt to influence the state election campaign, the source said. In the three years since the report was published, government funding for IBAC and the Ombudsman has flat-lined, while funding for the Victorian Auditor-Generals Office has increased by 15 per cent. IBACs 2025-26 budget of $64.6 million is comparable to this years $67.4 million in total appropriations provided by the NSW government to that states Independent Commission Against Corruption. The Victorian Ombudsmans current budget of $22.7 million is less than 40 per cent of the $58.5 million provided to the NSW Ombudsman to do similar work. In response to questions from this masthead, IBAC Commissioner Victoria Elliott, Victorian Auditor-General Andrew Greaves and the Ombudsman, Baragwanath, issued a joint statement signalling their renewed push for reform. The Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC), Victorian Ombudsman (VO) and Victorian Auditor-Generals Office (VAGO) continue to examine the issue of budget independence and transparency for Victorias three core integrity agencies, the statement reads.

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Since the release of joint paper Budget independence for Victorias Independent Officers of Parliament in October 2022, discussions have been ongoing between our agencies and government. However, a commitment or substantive action by government in response has not yet been made. Editor's pick Investigation

Diagnosing Murder This man just had his baby-shaking execution halted because his conviction might be based on junk science Work is currently under way on an updated paper building on the 2022 paper, with the aim of providing recommendations that strengthen institutional independence, improve the quality of decision making, enhance transparency, and promote public trust in Victorias integrity system. A government spokesperson said the three agencies had received funding uplifts in recent years and were exempt from savings measures applied to government departments, such as efficiency dividends and the still unreleased recommendations of Helen Silvers review of the public service. The spokesperson said changes made this year to public sector financial management laws included provisions which supported budget independence for the integrity agencies.

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We expect all public sector bodies, including the integrity agencies, to manage their budgets and ensure public money is spent efficiently and effectively. Opposition spokesman for financial integrity David Davis said inadequate funding and support for the states integrity agencies had led to more public sector corruption. We have a real problem with integrity and, particularly, corruption across key areas of government procurement, he said. Transparency International Australia makes clear that if you starve the integrity agencies of support you end up with more corruption and higher costs. The previously unpublished results of a national survey conducted this year through the Australian Research Council Discovery Project show that only 19.5 per cent of respondents in Victoria thought the state government was doing a good job of fighting corruption. This compares with 31.8 per cent in NSW, 32 per cent in Queensland, and 33.2 per cent in Western Australia and South Australia. The research shows that public confidence in IBAC is lower than in other peak anti-corruption bodies including the nascent National Anti-Corruption Commission, despite intense scrutiny of the NACC and its commissioner, Paul Brereton.

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Respondents in Victoria also had less awareness of IBACs work than respondents in other states about their respective anti-corruption bodies. IBAC, in contrast to ICAC, can only conduct public hearings in exceptional circumstances. AJ Brown, the lead researcher on the Australian Research Council-funded five-year project, said budget independence was a concern for integrity agencies in all jurisdictions and that previously, Victoria was an exemplar state in addressing it. Transparency International Australia chair Professor AJ Brown. Victoria in 2019 through a series of law changes enshrined the principle of budget independence and created the Integrity Oversight Committee to review the performance and budgets of IBAC, the Ombudsman and the Auditor-General. Brown said Victoria now lagged behind NSW, where reforms prompted by a NSW Auditor-General report established a special integrity agency unit within the Department of Treasury and require the treasurer to report to parliament and answer questions about annual appropriations to integrity agencies.

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The Victorian reforms were a big step in the right direction but NSW seems to have leapfrogged Victoria, Brown said. In Victoria, the Integrity Oversight Committee has a statutory obligation to review the budgets of integrity agencies but in practice, this is stymied by advice from the government instructing the agencies not to provide the committee with their annual budget bids, which are treated as cabinet-in-confidence. The committees chair, Greens MP Tim Read, confirmed this meant his committee had no line of sight over a key step in the budget process. He backed the need for further reforms. Funding of integrity agencies should be decided at arms length from government, in the same way that MPs salaries are determined, Read said. Integrity agencies need the courage provided by independent funding. 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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Updated WorldMiddle EastIsraeli-Palestinian conflict The war is over: Trump heads to Israel as hostage release nears David Crowe and Angus Thompson Updated October 13, 2025  7:41am ,first published October 13, 2025  12:57am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

London: Israel expects to receive all living hostages from Gaza in a single group to be transferred by Hamas on Monday, in a crucial step toward a summit in Egypt that aims to turn the ceasefire into a lasting peace. US President Donald Trump is preparing to address the national parliament in Israel to mark the long-awaited halt to the two-year war, and may meet some of the hostages before heading to Egypt for the summit with 20 world leaders. Loading The war is over, you understand that, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday. The hostage transfer will clear the way for Israel to release almost 2000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 who were jailed for life, to ensure the ceasefire continues under terms agreed last week.

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But the Israeli Defence Forces said the country remained in a multi-front war and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signalled there could be more fighting to come. This is a historic event that blends sorrow over the release of murderers  and joy over the return of hostages, Netanyahu said in a televised address to the country. A billboard compares Trump to Cyrus the Great in Tel Aviv ahead of his arrival in Israel. Getty Images And I want to say: Everywhere we fought  we won. But in the same breath, I must tell you: the campaign is not over. There are still very great security challenges ahead of us. Some of our enemies are trying to rebuild themselves to attack us again. And as we say  Were on it.

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Hamas fighters have returned to parts of Gaza following the withdrawal of Israeli troops under the terms of the ceasefire, fuelling speculation about further conflict. A displaced Palestinian man carries his belongings as he walks through Gaza City. AP The chief of staff of the Israel Defences Forces, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, said the country was in the midst of a multifront war with more challenges ahead. In a positive sign for talks at the summit, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will attend the meeting to discuss the governance of Gaza, ending doubts about whether the West Bank authority would be represented. Hamas will not be present and Netanyahu is not expected to attend the meetings at the Sharm El-Sheikh resort in Egypt.

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Those planning to attend include British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Jordans King Abdullah II and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Aid trucks have been seen entering Gaza to disperse food and supplies to Palestinians on Sunday. Getty Images Speaking to NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday, US Vice President JD Vance said Trump was planning to greet the hostages Monday morning in Israel. Billboards and placards were set up in Tel Aviv praising Trump, who is also expected to meet with families of hostages and speak at the Knesset, Israels parliament, according to a schedule released by the White House. Trump is expected to be in Israel for about four hours before heading to the summit in Egypt on Monday.

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During this time, the entire nation of Israel will embrace them and help them get back on their feet, she said, adding Israeli forces were also ready to receive the bodies of the 28 hostages who died while in captivity, and who would be given a short ceremony in Gaza, where their coffins would be draped with flags. Related Article Analysis

Israeli-Palestinian conflict One group holds key to Gaza ceasefire  but a devilish question remains Following Fridays ceasefire declaration, Hamas official Osama Hamdan told Agence France-Presse the exchange was to begin on Monday morning as agreed. But Vance brought that timeline into question when he was asked on NBC when exactly the hostages would be released. It really should be any moment now, Vance said. The timing has not yet been announced for the release of some 2000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel who are to be freed under the deal. They include 250 people serving life sentences in addition to 1700 people seized from Gaza during the war and held without charge.

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Bedrosian said the Palestinian prisoners would be released once Israel has confirmation that all of our hostages set to be released tomorrow are across the border into Israel. As the third day of the ceasefire held, Associated Press footage showed dozens of trucks crossing the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing with the Gaza Strip. The Egyptian Red Crescent said they carried medical supplies, tents, blankets, food and fuel. The trucks were expected to head to the inspection area in the Kerem Shalom crossing for screening by Israeli troops. A poster thanking Donald Trump at Tel Avivs hostage square ahead of the presidents arrival in Israel. Getty Images Abeer Etefa, a spokeswoman for the World Food Program, said workers were clearing roads inside Gaza to facilitate delivery.

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As discussion turns to enforcing peace, Vance told NBC that while 200 US troops were already in the region to monitor the terms of the ceasefire and help ensure the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, no American soldiers would be deployed to Gaza. Palestinians continued to move back to areas vacated by Israeli forces. Many were returning to homes reduced to rubble. One man, Mohamed Samy, told The Associated Press he went back on foot to see if his home in Jabaliya was still standing. It was flattened, just like everything else in Jabaliya, Samy said. It was like the building never even existed in that place. I questioned my sanity. With Associated Press 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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WorldNorth AmericaTrump's America Opinion Can journalists refer to Donald Trump as a fascist? Well, it depends Parnell Palme McGuinness Columnist and communications adviser October 12, 2025  4:00am

October 12, 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 244 View all comments

Bari Weiss knows the price of courage, as well as its value. In 2020 it cost her a job she loved, as opinion writer and editor at The New York Times. That job wouldve been worth about $US150,000 ($229,000) a year. Now we can calculate a return on investment on courage: after leaving the Times, Weiss started publishing her own writing  and that of some of the most interesting voices internationally  on Substack. The newsletter evolved into an online news site called The Free Press, which has an estimated $US15 million annual turnover from subscriptions. Last week, Paramount acquired The Free Press for a reported $US150 million, one thousand times Weiss erstwhile salary. The 41-year-old will also become the new editor-in-chief of Paramount-owned CBS News. Thats the value of courage quantified. Brought in as a dissenting voice, Bari Weiss says she was bullied out of The New York Times for wrong think. AP If Weiss were a progressive and The New York Times was conservative, she would be celebrated as the heroine of a media Cinderella story, complete with wicked stepsisters. Brought in as a dissenting voice, she was then bullied out of the Times for wrong think. Co-workers demeaned her work and character on the company-wide Slack messaging service. The ideas she brought to the Times became unsayable. Weiss felt she had no option but to leave an increasingly censorious environment. From picking lentils out of the ashes on Substack, she has emerged as queen of the mainstream media realm. The wicked stepsisters at the Times cant contain their envy. Weiss is richer in social clout than in Emmys or Pulitzers, its new media column sneered. While newsroom leaders do not traditionally trumpet their personal beliefs, columnist Jessica Testa curdled, Ms Weiss has described herself as a left-leaning centrist, a radical centrist, a gay woman who is moderately pro-choice.

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If this were the Brothers Grimm telling of Cinderella, the birds would sing a little ditty alerting the reader to the bitter pretenders. Just a few years ago, Times journalists insisted that their uniformly left-progressive personal beliefs should be reflected unchallenged in the pages of that masthead. Related Article Media & marketing The Ellisons, Israel and will Network 10 fight for the right? Like the wicked stepsisters, defenders of the old dogma are trying to cut the foot to fit the shoe, but the blood is showing. The Guardian frames Paramounts acquisition as an anti-woke power grab. Weiss crime is finding merit in some of US President Donald Trumps actions, though she condemns others. The Free Press editorial line is that the president should be understood as a politician with the support of about half the country who does some good things and some bad things  and not, (its italics), as news site Vox would have him known, an appalling aberrant figure and budding authoritarian who all decent people must despise. The Guardian, Vox, and the Times are variously concerned that Weiss has criticised the woke left for policing progressive orthodoxy; that she has questioned experts  or worse, admitted new experts, similarly qualified but with different conclusions, into the pantheon of expert opinion-havers; and that she is supportive of the state of Israel.

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Vox concedes that Weiss has spoken out against the far right as well as the far left. This refers in particular to a speech she gave earlier this year to the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship. She warned her right-wing audience  aglow with the vibe shift ushered in by Trumps re-ascension  against succumbing to the same sickness as the authoritarian left. Power, she told the right, must not become the only principle. Conservatives must not fall into the same trap of policing purity. Vox acknowledges no courage in taking a warning to a celebration. It was merely, so the news site said, a product of her pro-Israel position, because her concerns very often tend to be about the antisemitism. Related Article Billionaires How Trumps billionaire mate is reshaping America Staff at Weiss new CBS newsroom dont seem to be encouraged either by her manifesto on journalistic purpose, in which she told them she will champion journalism that reports on the world as it actually is. The Guardian reports that many believe the appointment is utterly depressing. Other journalists are unnerved by her commitment to reporting in plain language, without pretension or jargon. All in all, the fear seems to be that journalism might return to a time when, as one attendee at a media conference in Australia fretted, it wouldnt be possible to call Donald Trump a fascist in print. Journalist Hanna Rosin, progressive but also old-school, cautioned in response that a proper journalist should define the characteristics which might be interpreted as fascist  but eschew the label, which has a very specific meaning. Not everybody in the US  or for that matter, Australia  will be happy if new media upstarts like Weiss bring back old news standards as they rise. Adolph Ochs intention upon purchasing the Times in 1896 was to make of the columns of The New York Times a forum for the consideration of all questions of public importance, and to that end to invite intelligent discussion from all shades of opinion.

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Given Weiss demonstrated ability to extend that invitation to readers, Times shareholders  including the Ochs-Sulzberger family, who still maintain voting control  might be richer if theyd held on to her and honoured the intent of their ancestor. Related Article Pop culture Anti-woke crusader Bari Weiss appointed to run CBS News None of this guarantees that Paramounts gamble of appointing an opinion writer and an editor  who has been accused of a chaotic management style  to lead a broadcast newsroom will work. But for now, Weiss has her happily ever after. In the original Grimm version, thats not all folks  the stepsisters bleed and the little birds swoop down to peck out their eyes. If I could rewrite the end of the story, Id instead give them the ability to see and the courage to act. Weiss story isnt really about one womans triumph. Its about what happens when journalism remembers its purpose: to describe the world as it is, not as those with a knack for words wish it to be. Courage remains costly, but its worth has been proven.

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Parnell Palme McGuinness is managing director at campaigns firm Agenda C. She has done work for the Liberal Party and the German Greens and is a senior fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies. Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter.
Sean McCarthaigh

An Coimisiun Pleanala has approved the development of a high-rise extension at University Hospital Limerick which will provide 96 new acute inpatient beds, despite objections by some local residents who complained about the proposed height of the building.

The Commission upheld the decision of Limerick City and County Council to grant planning permission to the HSE for a five-storey extension to an existing three-storey building with basement parking within the UHL campus in Dooradoyle, Limerick.

It rejected an appeal against the councils ruling by a group of local residents who expressed concern that the height of the building will increase from 12 metres to 37 metres as a result of the extension.

Subject to compliance with a number of planning conditions, the Commission said the development would be in accordance with the zoning of the site as well as the policies and objective of the Limerick City and County Development Plan 2022-2028.

The Commission said the extension would adequately integrate with the existing adjoining development in terms of design, scale and finish and would not seriously injure the visual amenities of the area including residential amenities of nearby properties.

It was also satisfied that the development would not create a traffic hazard or detract from a protected structure  a Catholic church  within the hospital grounds.

The extension will connect and integrate with another new building where another 96 new beds are due to become operational this month.

The plans for the extension had been opposed by a small group of residents from the adjoining Willsbrook estate who claimed the proposed development would be completely out of character with the surrounding residential areas.

They expressed concern that it would result in a loss of privacy for their homes and a reduction in daylight.

We believe that it is not fair or appropriate that the HSE in seeking to fix its own problem in UHL is unnecessarily creating major problems for its neighbours, they added.

The residents claimed UHLs grounds had not been specified as a location suitable for such buildings in the councils own Building Height Strategy.

They said there were other issues in relation to construction noise, traffic and parking.

The group also called on the HSE to engage constructively and meaningfully with affected residents in relation to its ongoing capital development plans for the UHL campus.

Planning consultants for the HSE said the phased development of the UHL campus in recent years has had the primary objective of increasing bed capacity and enhancing the overall functionality of the hospital.

They claimed ongoing expansion and improvement of healthcare services and bedspace capacity at UHL was strategically critical not only to Limerick but to the entire mid-west region.

While they accepted the new extension would be visible from various vantage points, they disagreed with the objectors that its visual impact would be negative.

They also pointed out that the suggestion by the appellants that the extension building could have been relocated to another part of the hospitals grounds was neither feasible nor practical.

In an 85-page report, a planning inspector with An Coimisiun Pleanala said there was a substantial setback distance of over 335 metres between the two new developments at UHL and existing houses in the Willsbrook estate.

A recent report by the Health Information and Quality Authority highlighted significant problems with overcrowding at UHL.

It found that the mid-west region has the lowest number of inpatient beds in the Republic in relation to the number of people attending the emergency department at UHL.

The HIQA report warned that 128 new beds due to be opened at UHL before the end of the year would not be sufficient to address all current or projected deficits in inpatient bed capacity at the hospital.

It also noted that the beds which will be delivered as a result of the Commissions latest ruling are unlikely to become operational until 2029.

Welcoming the decision, HSE Mid-West Region spokesperson, Sandra Broderick, said the development had been sanctioned under the 2024 National Acute Inpatient Bed Capacity Expansion Plan.

Ms Broderick noted that UHL operates the single busiest hospital emergency department in the country.

She claimed the 96 new beds coming on stream this month should result in a small but consistent reduction in the number of patients on trolleys if demand remains static.
By Grainne Ni Aodha, PA

Catherine Connolly said she would consider publishing correspondence relating to her attempts to obtain security clearance for an employee convicted of a gun crime.

The independent candidate, who has the backing of left-wing opposition parties, said questions being put to her about hiring a woman convicted of firearm offences have backfired.

She was asked about the story after appearing on a debate on RTE Radios This Week programme with Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys.

Presidential candidate Catherine Connolly (Brian Lawless/PA)

Asked after the debate if she would publish correspondence, she said: Ill take advice on that in terms of GDPR and that, but the email was simply asking where the process was at because it was taking so long, it was actually trying to elicit information, what is the delay?

"Most of the emails are between the person, or whatever contact is between the person and the system in Dail Eireann, not with me, and I put in an email asking where is this at?'

Ms Humphreys said on RTE Radio that Ms Connolly had legitimate questions to ask about hiring a woman for six months who was convicted by the Special Criminal Court for possessing firearms.

As Garda clearance was pending, Ms Connolly gave her access daily for six months to the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The woman then left of her own accord due to the length of time the security clearance process was taking.

Ms Humphreys said on air: Id like to ask Catherine, did she ask that person what she was going to use the guns for, the member of Eirigi, who was convicted by the Special Criminal Court.

She was brought into Dail Eireann without Garda approval, and we all know you have to have your staff vetted. This didnt happen.

Ms Connolly replied: Allegations are being made again that I broke the rules or that the vetting has to be done before the person comes in, thats not accurate.

Im really upset that this persons privacy has been absolutely trespassed upon for the purposes of trying to damage me. I believe it has backfired.

Fine Gael Presidential candidate Heather Humphreys (Niall Carson/PA)

On European issues, Ms Connolly said she campaigned actively and proudly against the Lisbon Treaty, but said she couldnt remember how she voted in other EU referenda.

During the radio debate, Ms Humphreys said she had voted against every European treaty, to which Ms Connolly replied, thats absolutely wrong.

Ms Connolly told the Dail in 2022 that she proudly canvassed against the Lisbon and Nice treaties due to concerns about the militarisation of Europe.

Asked after the radio debate if she had ever voted for an EU treaty, she said: Probably, yes. Id have to think back.

Lisbon stands out for me because I went out actively against it for two reasons.

One was the military industry complex and the direction we were going, and the other was the blatant neoliberal ideology that sets out the price of everything and the value of nothing.

But I have no recollection of canvassing against any other treaty.

Asked if she had ever objected to housing, she said: I never objected to housing. I might have put in submissions where I expressed my concerns, sharing the concerns of the residents, perhaps over my lifetime in politics, I dont know, that could have happened.

I have never objected. I have shared concerns on occasions, not many, and after considerable time with the residents and meeting them and studying the plans.
By Grainne Ni Aodha, PA

If the president were to go on trade missions it would elevate them to a whole new level, Heather Humphreys has said.

The Fine Gael presidential candidate has pledged to open doors for Irish businesses abroad and to promote investment into Ireland if she were to become president.

She also said she was asking her opponent, Catherine Connolly, to answer simple questions and was not being nasty.

Ive actually been on a state visit with President Michael D Higgins, and I see how important it is, and I can see the difference it makes Heather Humphreys

Actually, the president going on a trade mission, it brings it to a whole new level, she told reporters at RTEs studios in Donnybrook.

Ive actually been on a state visit with President Michael D Higgins, and I see how important it is, and I can see the difference it makes.

Asked if she would raise human rights issues as a pro-business president, she said she spoke to a woman from Gaza who has lost her three sisters, nieces and nephews.

Those are the things that are just so awful and I will never be afraid to speak up, she said.

She said she was not involved in any smear tactics against Ms Connolly, after former Fine Gael minister Ivan Yates said the party should attempt to smear the bejaysus out of the left-wing independent candidate.

I dont take advice from Ivan Yates, and I dont even listen to his programme, Ms Humphreys said, referring to Mr Yates podcast, but I do believe that Catherine Connolly has questions to answer.

She said those questions include asking a woman with a Special Criminal Court conviction what she was going to do with the guns, about using a parliamentary allowance to fund a trip to Syria in 2018 and how it took her 24 hours to say that she would not employ someone who is on the sex offender register to the Aras.

Those are legitimate questions, absolutely legitimate questions. And Ive been asked questions, Ive answered them. Youre entitled to be asked these questions about your judgment, and Catherines entitled to be asked them.

Im not doing it in a nasty way. Theyre very plain, simple questions.

Asked has she read the Irish constitution, she said: I certainly have read the constitution, Bunreacht na hEireann. I have a copy of it, and I have read it. Ive definitely read it.
POPE Leos first 100 days in the Petrine Office recently took place. His ministry is fuelled with deep discernment and prayer.

Two qualities stand out: calmness and confidence.

The calmness seems to come from his overwhelming belief that most problems are less intractable the more people can really listen to one another. (Its a conviction that dove-tails nicely with the importance of listening to others, which is at the very core of the synodal approach developed by Pope Francis.) Before debate or discussion or discerning solutions, he suggests, we need to listen, really listen, by giving others our full and undivided attention.

Leos confidence, too, is truly remarkable. Even before he became pope, he had the confidence to correct US vice-president JD Vance (who only became a Catholic in 2019) when he used Catholic teaching to justify President Trumps draconian immigration policy.

That said, it must have been a surreal moment of holy bewilderment when the reality dawned on Cardinal Robert Prevost in the conclave as the votes began to dictate the possibility, and then the probability, and then the reality, that although he entered the conclave as a cardinal, he would be leaving as pope.

Another surreal moment was to follow when the eyes of the world were trained on the balcony of St Peters, that small narrow space where dramas have unfolded for centuries as pope after pope, inevitably shell-shocked and cautious, was introduced to the millions and now billions of Catholics and Christians, those of faith and no faith and all who were captivated by the extraordinary event emerging before their eyes. And then, as the first actors in the holy frame emerged from the shadows, and the cardinal designated to announce a new pope to the world cleared his throat and, as tradition demands, proclaims in Latin  the official language of the Catholic Church  the same words Habemus Papam (We have a pope) and revealed the new popes own name and his chosen name as pope.

Then Cardinal Prevost emerged as Pope Leo XIV on the balcony of St Peters and spoke in English, Italian and Spanish, first slightly faltering words as if the emotion of the occasion was in danger of overwhelming him, then extraordinarily confident words to the massed thousands in St Peters Square and to the billions around the world.

His first words to the crowd gathered in St Peters Square were words of peace, directed to all the world: Peace be with you all! Beloved brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the Good Shepherd who has given his life for the flock of God. I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, reach your families, to all people, wherever they may be, to all peoples, to all the earth. Peace be with you!

In the 100 days that followed, his calmness and his confidence indicated a serious man with a clear sense of the balance needed in his new role. If Leo appeared to be deliberately walking a tightrope by reaching out to both the liberal and conservative wings of the Church, it was fully intended.

If the question hanging in the air was whether Leo was a pope like Benedict XVI or Francis I, the answer Leo was proposing was that he was a bit of both. So, the first image of him was in the traditional vestments that Benedict loved, and this was balanced by a clear statement that the Francis reform would continue. In Irish-speak, he is going to bring both sides of the road with him.

Another example of that balance was the publicity given to two churchmen he invited to meet him. One was the Jesuit priest and LGBTQ+ advocate, Fr James Martin, with whom he echoed Pope Franciss words that everyone is welcome in the Church and encouraged Martin to continue his ministry. The meeting and the message, as one commentator expressed it, reassured progressive circles of continuity in pastoral inclusion.

He also invited Cardinal Raymond Burke, a staunch traditionalist, to celebrate the Latin (Tridentine) Mass at St Peters Basilica  a practice restricted under Francis. The gesture is seen as an olive branch to conservatives, helping to reassure conservative Catholics who felt marginalised during Franciss reforms.

Two other straws in the wind encourage confidence in Leos leadership. One is his measured and assured touch in calmly arguing for peace in a world at war. Gaza and Ukraine, in particular, have elicited a focus on the need for hostages to be released from Gaza, the plight of the exhausted civilian population in Ukraine and for immediate humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

The other is his repeated identification of himself as a son of Augustine. He sees himself as an Augustinian friar, thus highlighting the importance of fraternity and community, indicative of his commitment to shared leadership in the way of Francis.

Colm McCann of the Sunday Independent, who spent some time with Leo, reached this reassuring verdict: One thing is clear; he (Leo) doesnt want to be the centre of attention . . . he realises that if you want to speak out, first you have to listen.

A listening pope is surely a good omen for the building of a synodal church, a Peoples Church.
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Netflix is teaming with Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and Frances prestigious Gobelins Paris on a new partnership to build a stop-motion studio aimed at developing the next generation of animation storytellers and propelling the medium forward.

Located on the Gobelins campus in Paris, the studio  co-funded by Netflix and del Toro  will function as a creative laboratory for research, education, and collaboration between students, mentors, and master filmmakers.

The initiative, which will enter a planning phase during the 20252026 academic year, is envisioned as a training ground and a hub for innovation. It will serve as a tribute to the late Mark Gustafson, a stop-motion legend whose work shaped the art form. Over his career, he collaborated on iconic projects such as The California Raisins with Will Vinton, Wes Andersons Fantastic Mr. Fox, and Guillermo del Toros Pinocchio.

Though based in France, the project shares the spirit of El Taller del Chucho in Guadalajara, a stop-motion studio co-founded by del Toro, the University of Guadalajara, and the Guadalajara International Film Festival. Since its 2019 founding, El Taller del Chucho has become a cornerstone of Latin American stop-motion, with multiple production stages supporting up to 25 animation units.

For Netflix, the Paris partnership builds on a growing global investment in animation, following collaborations with studios such as Fortiche (Arcane), TAT (Asterix: Le Combat des Chefs) and Blue Spirit (Blue Eye Samurai).

UPDATE: On Bluesky, Guillermo del Toro further clarified:

This workshop will initiate with people from Mexico, Latin America and Europe to strengthen the ties of stop motion and collaboration and, in exchange, education will be provided for free for one Mexican / Latinamerican student for the first ten years also.
12/11/2025

Signal Mountain has come to an agreement with three of the youth sports leagues that will cover some of the costs incurred by the town for using its facilities. The Memorandums of Agreement establish ... more
(From right) President Donald Trump delivers a speech during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on September 29, 2025. | Screenshot: YouTube/ FOX 5 Washington DC

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took effect early Friday, as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began withdrawing their troops following the formal approval of the deal by the Israeli government, proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

According to All Israel News, The IDF is expected to complete its withdrawal within 24 hours, leaving control of approximately 53% of the Gaza Strip, including a border perimeter that encompasses the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border.

Once the withdrawal is finalized, Hamas is anticipated to release all 48 remaining Israeli hostages within the next 72 hours.

At around 12:30 a.m., after hours of discussions and deliberations, 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 specify the number of votes in its statement; however, Israeli media reported that all ministers from the Religious Zionism and Jewish Power parties opposed the deal, with the exception of Immigration Minister Ofir Sofer.

U.S. President Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, along with his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, participated in the cabinet meeting for about an hour.

Witkoff has been the primary U.S. mediator in ceasefire negotiations since the beginning of Trumps second term, and he and Kushner, who joined the negotiations more recently, arrived in Egypt on Wednesday shortly before the agreement was reached.

Later, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the cabinet, noting that the goal of releasing all of the hostages, the living and the dead, was nearing realization.

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, Netanyahu said.

According to The Times of Israel, several countriesincluding Turkey, Israel, the U.S., Qatar, and Egyptwill collaborate in a joint multinational task force aimed at locating the remains of the deceased hostages in Gaza.

The task force was established during negotiations held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, which also resulted in a peace agreement and a deal to release the hostages, the outlet reported.

During a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Trump discussed the peace plan and stated that the remaining hostages, who are still alive and held by Hamas in Gaza, are expected to be released on Monday or Tuesday.

He also mentioned plans to attend a signing ceremony in Egypt for the agreement.

Last night, we reached a momentous breakthrough in the Middle East, something that people said was never going to be done, Trump told reporters. We ended the war in Gaza, and really, on a much bigger basis, created peace.

The president also acknowledged the challenges in securing the release of the 28 deceased hostages, noting that some of their remains are a little bit hard to find.

But we have the hostages for the most part, and I dont think its going to be an overly big situation with the bodies , But were going to do the best we can, Trump said.
Home Video Bible on trial: Finnish politician's battle over sharing scripture takes shocking turn

Finnish parliamentarian Paivi Rasanen has spent more than six years battling the courts over Bible verses she shared on social media and a booklet she penned defending traditional marriage.

In this powerful conversation with Billy Hallowell, she recounts the shocking interrogations she experienced, the international implications of her case, and why she refuses to apologize for standing on Gods Word.

With her trial now headed to Finlands Supreme Court this October, Rasanen explains why the stakes are bigger than her own freedom. She believes this is about protecting religious liberty for believers across Europe and beyond.
Home News Leaked US documents expose secret military ties between Israel, Arab states during Gaza war

The Arab world has publicly repeatedly condemned Israel during the war against Hamas. However, The Washington Post revealed on Saturday that at least six Arab states secretly cooperated with Israel during the Gaza war. Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates reportedly all maintained close intelligence and military cooperation with Israel during the war.

The Arab-Israeli cooperation was coordinated with the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and is part of a security network known as the Regional Security Construct. The purpose of the Washington-led regional security architecture is to counter the threat from the Islamic Republic of Iran and its regional terrorist proxies Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. The report is based on leaked documents that the paper obtained together with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).

All defense meetings between senior Israeli and Arab security officials and U.S. military personnel were defined as sponsored and confidential and media was deliberately kept out of the picture with bans on photography.

One document reveals that joint military training was held in September involving troops from the U.S., Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the U.K., India and Jordan.

The documents reveal that Saudi Arabia, a country with no official diplomatic ties with Israel, played a central role in supplying intelligence to the Jewish state but also to Arab countries like Yemen and Syria on ISIS operations.

Last year, when Iran fired hundreds of missiles and drones against Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia were reportedly involved in an international alliance that intercepted some of the Iranian projectiles fired at Israel.

The unprecedented Israeli strike on Hamas headquarters in Qatar last month reportedly led to a crisis in the security cooperation between the Jewish state and the involved Arab states, especially Qatar, a country with close ties with Hamas leaders. This reportedly prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to apologize to Qatar for the Israeli aerial strike on Hamas leaders in Doha, where at least one Qatari security official was killed.

The leaked documents reportedly specifically mentions that the security cooperation between Israel and the Arab states does not constitute a new alliance and stresses the need to keep a discreet profile.

The same Arab states have publicly accused Israel of war crimes and even genocide in Gaza.

The Washington Post cited security analysts who assessed that the Arab states that depend on U.S. security guarantees fear Israels military power.

The Gulf states fear an unrestrained Israel but depend on the U.S. and worry about Irans growing strength, Prof. Thomas Juneau of the University of Ottawa explained.

While the Arab states have publicly embraced Trumps Gaza peace plan, none of the involved Middle Eastern states have so far confirmed that they are prepared to send troops to maintain security in a post-war Gaza.

Despite ups and downs in the Arab-Israeli security ties, the documents indicate that there are already future plans for a Middle East Cyber Center and a regional Information Fusion Center that would optimize sharing of real-time defense data training for Arab and Israeli security experts.

This article was originally published at All Israel News
Home News Nigerian Anglican communion opposes leftward drift of CoF with election of Sarah Mullally 'Bishop Mullally has repeatedly promoted unbiblical and revisionist teachings regarding marriage and sexual morality'

The Church of Nigeria has publicly rejected the election of a woman as the new archbishop of Canterbury, saying it marks a deeper shift by the Church of England away from biblical teaching. The appointment of Bishop Sarah Mullally, the first woman to hold the role, was criticized as both theologically and structurally damaging to the unity of the global Anglican Communion.

In a statement, the Church of Nigeria described the Oct. 3 appointment as a devastating decision that ignored longstanding doctrinal tensions over female leadership and the blessing of same-sex unions.

The statement, issued by Archbishop Henry C. Ndukuba, said the appointment showed disregard for the convictions of the majority of Anglicans who are unable to embrace female headship in the episcopate, and expressed deeper concern about Mullallys support for same-sex marriage.

The Nigerian leadership called the move a double jeopardy. They cited Mullallys 2023 comments following a vote to allow prayers for same-sex blessings, in which she described the outcome as a moment of hope for the Church."

The Church of Nigeria said such positions were incompatible with Scripture and worsened the ongoing crisis in the Anglican Communion.

This election is a further confirmation that the global Anglican world could no longer accept the leadership of the Church of England and that of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the statement said, reaffirming the Nigerian churchs alignment with GAFCON (Global Anglican Future Conference), a traditionalist Anglican network.

Gafcon, which includes bishops from Africa, Asia and Latin America, issued a parallel statement through its Primates Council, calling the announcement a source of sorrow and warning it would deepen divisions within the 85 million-member Communion, Christian Daily International reported.

Its chairman, the Most Rev. Laurent Mbanda, said the Church of England had chosen a leader who will further divide an already split Communion.

Mbanda said Mullallys appointment closed off the possibility of Canterbury serving as a unifying office and described her theological stance as a departure from her ordination vows. He cited her support for prayers blessing same-sex relationships and her 2023 comment suggesting some of those relationships could be blessed, which he argued violated the Churchs historic teachings.

She took an oath to banish and drive away all strange and erroneous doctrine contrary to Gods Word, he said. And yet, far from banishing such doctrine, Bishop Mullally has repeatedly promoted unbiblical and revisionist teachings regarding marriage and sexual morality.

Mbanda referred to Anglican Article XX, which states that the Church may not ordain anything contrary to Gods Word, and argued that Mullallys votes and comments had placed her in violation of that standard. He also pointed to the Jerusalem Statement adopted by Gafcon in 2008, which calls for leadership that maintains the plain and canonical sense of Scripture.

The Gafcon leadership said it had hoped the CofE would appoint someone capable of healing longstanding fractures, but now sees Canterbury as no longer viable as the Communions center. Mbanda said the authority to guide the global Anglican body would now fall to leaders who uphold the truth of the gospel and the authority of Scripture in all areas of life.

The Church of Nigeria, which is one of the worlds largest Anglican provinces, said it would continue to uphold biblical doctrine irrespective of the ongoing revisionist agenda. It also urged Church of England members who reject same-sex marriage to remain steadfast and contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints.

Mbanda said Gafcons next step would be to consolidate leadership among orthodox Anglican bishops at its G26 Bishops Assembly, scheduled to be held in Abuja from March 36, 2026. The gathering is expected to be the most significant since the movements founding in Jerusalem in 2008, he said.
Home News Pastor falsely imprisoned 13 years dies 3 days after acquittal on blasphemy charge

Zafar Bhatti, a Christian pastor in Pakistan who spent 13 years in prison on a false blasphemy conviction, died of cardiac arrest just three days after his acquittal. He had returned home after being cleared by a high court, but collapsed before his family could make arrangements for medical care.

Bhatti, 62, founder of the Jesus World Mission Church, was arrested in July 2012 in Rawalpindi, Punjab province, after a local cleric accused him of sending text messages that insulted the mother of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He was charged under Article 295(C) of Pakistans Penal Code, a provision that carries the death penalty for defiling the name of the Muslim prophet.

His lawyer, Saif ul Malook, told UCA News that Bhattis health had sharply deteriorated during his time in Adiala Jail. He suffered from diabetes and heart disease and had two minor heart attacks while in custody, the U.K.-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide said, reporting on his death.

Malook had repeatedly petitioned for bail on medical grounds, arguing that prison conditions were inadequate and had worsened Bhattis condition. Bhatti, who maintained his innocence from the outset, was reportedly tortured in custody to confess.

In 2017, he was sentenced to life in prison, but his case remained in appeal limbo for years.

According to Church In Chains, at least 47 hearings were scheduled between his conviction and his final release, with each one adjourned without resolution.

Despite medical warnings, including a 2019 doctors note that a third heart attack could be fatal, Bhatti remained in custody until his acquittal last Thursday.

Three years earlier, in January 2022, a sessions court had escalated his punishment to a death sentence, though this was never carried out.

Voice of the Martyrs reported that Bhattis release was met with celebration by his family and supporters. Reunited with his wife, Nawab Bibi, the pastor was said to be hopeful and in relatively good spirits, though still physically weak.

His death came as a shock to the Christian community in Pakistan, which had long campaigned for his release.

During his imprisonment, Bibi had repeatedly spoken of the psychological toll it took on them both.

She said in a 2017 interview with British Pakistani Christian Association reporter Shamim Masih that her husband faced daily threats and beatings inside the jail. There have been numerous attempts to kill my husband  he is bullied every day and he is not safe from inmates and prison staff alike, she said. Every day I worry that I will receive word that he is dead.

She said they would pray together during prison visits, hoping for divine intervention. I know God will free him one day, but ask for Christians across the world to pray for him and to challenge their governments to help him.

The couples church work had drawn the ire of local residents, she said, particularly because his congregation had grown despite opposition. I wish our persecutors would see that Christians are not evil creatures. We are human beings created by God, the same God that created them, although they do not know this yet, she said.

Pakistans blasphemy laws have been widely condemned by international rights groups.

Open Doors USA and other watchdog organizations have said that the laws are often used to target minorities, settle personal vendettas, or incite mob violence. Convictions are frequently based on little or no evidence, and appeals can drag on for years.

CSWs chief executive, Scot Bower, said the case showed how the law can be manipulated to punish innocent people. He called for reparations to Bhattis widow and demanded a full repeal of Pakistans blasphemy provisions.

Bower said blasphemy laws are vaguely worded and frequently misused to settle personal scores or target members of religious minority communities.
Home News Spanish public broadcaster apologizes for calling growth of Evangelical churches dangerous

Spains public broadcaster RTVE has apologized for a program that described the growth of Evangelical churches as worrying and portrayed them as dangerous, promising to handle religious issues with the utmost care following a wave of complaints from Evangelical organizations and viewers.

According to a report by Evangelical Focus, the controversy began after the Sept. 22 episode of RTVEs afternoon program Directo al Grano aired a segment that singled out Evangelical churches, using footage of congregations without consent and presenting them in a negative light. The show referenced a pastor who was not representative of the wider evangelical community in Spain.

The segment prompted widespread criticism from individuals and Evangelical bodies, including the Federation of Religious and Evangelical Entities of Spain (FEREDE), which filed a formal complaint with the RTVE management.

Beatriz Arino, the audience ombudswoman for RTVE, acknowledged viewers concerns and apologized in a letter sent to those who had complained. We are very sorry for your disappointment, and we fully understand your anger, she wrote, according to Evangelical Focus.

Arino cited RTVEs internal mandate, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion and instructs journalists to avoid prejudice and bias when addressing matters of belief. She said the broadcaster had taken note of the mistake.

The Directo al Grano team admitted that the segment was pulled after producers realized it incorrectly referred to the Evangelical Church instead of to false pastors or cults. In a later broadcast, presenter Marta Flich issued an on-air correction:

Last week, we ran a headline warning about the worrying growth of the Evangelical Church in Spain. We would like to clarify that we were talking only about the spread of cultish messages by some pastors acting on their own, not about the Evangelical Church as a whole, which has been in our country for 150 years. We apologize to any viewers we may have offended, acknowledge the error, and will treat issues related to religious freedom with the utmost care.

In an earlier opinion piece published by Evangelical Focus, journalist and Protestante Digital Director Daniel Hofkamp said the episode reflected a biased and manipulated view of the reality of evangelicalism in Spain.

Hofkamp noted that several major media outlets had recently reported on the growth of Evangelical churches, often misunderstanding their language and traditions. Media discourse is not free from prejudice towards Evangelical Christians, he wrote, whether inherited from the Catholic tradition  which previously described Protestants as heretics  or from new prejudices that paint Evangelicals with political or esoteric overtones.

He warned that such coverage risks stigmatizing a growing faith community that now represents one of Spains largest religious minorities. What a pastor declares is taken as representative of the entire Evangelical reality, Hofkamp wrote, without consulting more authoritative or expert voices, such as the Spanish Evangelical Alliance or FEREDE.

He added that Spains Evangelical community, which has grown steadily in recent decades  partly through immigration from Latin America  has often reported being misunderstood or misrepresented in mainstream media.

Hofkamp argued that the RTVE controversy marked the culmination of a gradual media stigmatisation and urged Spanish journalists to apply the same rigor and respect when covering Evangelicals as they would for any other faith. The Spanish public broadcaster would do well to consider whether this is the way it wants to inform its viewers, he concluded.

This article was originally published at Christian Daily International
Home Opinion The silent crisis: Rising suicide rates among Gen Z

Did you have any idea a staggering percentage of young people were emotionally suffering between 2014 and 2024? Thats a large span of time, I know. Yet, shocking, nonetheless. Heres the headline: Suicide claims more Gen Z lives than previous generation.

A Stateline analysis brought forth this reality. For Gen Z adults, the outlet wrote, the oldest of whom are now reaching their late 20s, suicide is taking more lives than 10 years ago when millennials were the same age. Breaking it down further, black and Hispanic men, mostly in southern and midwestern states, make up roughly 85% of the increase, with suicide becoming the second-highest cause of death for young Hispanics. For Asians, suicide became the number one cause of death.

Reportedly, the states with the highest rates were Georgia (up 65%), North Carolina and Texas (up 41%), Alabama (up 39%) and Ohio (up 37%). As Stateline further emphasized, The highest rate is in Alaska, which was also highest in 2014, up 34% to a rate of 49 suicides per 100,000 population, followed by New Mexico and Montana. The lowest rate was in New Jersey, with a rate of 6.9, a decrease of 31% since 2014, when it was ranked No. 47 behind California, New York and Massachusetts.

The data also put a spotlight on a sobering reality for 2025: Gen Z suicides have continued at a fast pace this year, with 1,148 in January and February, the latest months available from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about the same as in 2024. The CDC bases its data on death certificates.

The analysis explained what some states are doing in response. North Carolina and Minnesota, among others, have reportedly released action plans that coincide with a federal initiative designed to reduce suicides among Black young people and children, with 15 states and the District of Columbia chosen to make state-specific policy plans, Stateline wrote. Over the years, suicide rates have risen and fallen. Right around 2000, they allegedly started rising even despite decades of lowered rates. Even then, rates for middle-aged people deflated, while the suffering of young people persisted.

And so, the question, then, remains: what is causing this? Stateline put it this way: Experts disagree on the root causes of the growth in suicides, but they see a wave of untreated depression that can lead to suicidal thoughts, one that affected all age groups after the Great Recession but lingers on among young adults, especially non-white men. Theories behind the increase range from bullying on social media, since Gen Z was the first generation to grow up with the internet, to economic despair, to cultural resistance to seeking help for depression.

The list of possibilities only continues: Is it social pressures? Men trying to be tough? Untreated trauma? Dave Marcotte, a professor at American University in Washington, D.C., claims theres no one magic answer. And, honestly, hes probably right. How could we pinpoint every single reason why someone would feel miserable enough to choose to end their own life? Some leave behind notes, others have counselors or therapists they confided in before the tragic decision. But for so many precious image-bearers, they leave this earth with many left wondering: Why? Why did they do it? I thought they were happy.

Ill never forget the day my sister got a phone call from someone, letting her know that a friend of hers had committed suicide. For some reason, we were both hanging out in our brothers room  without my brother present. I dont know why she was up there, nor do I know why I was up there, but Im glad I was there for her. Im glad I was able to give her a hug, and, as best as a little sister could, tell her it would be okay.

Our entire family attended the funeral. The room was heavy with grief, not a dry eye among us. A young man, brimming with potential, was gone, and no one could fully grasp why. Even I, who never knew him, found myself tearing up. It was a stark reminder of a reality so many endure. As years have gone by, I can say that I myself am no stranger to the valley. So, reflecting on this crisis and the endless possible reasons behind it, one truth stands out: sin.

We live in a fallen, broken world. But who actually needs that reminder? Its so evident it hardly needs stating. Pain, death, sickness, and the ugliness of sin stain nearly everything around us. As someone immersed in politics, I understand why many avoid the news or feel overwhelmed by its weight. Were locked in a spiritual battle, one that feels more palpable now than in recent memory. Sin is relentless, heinous, and destructive, with a singular aim: to kill and destroy.

I dont know why my sisters friend chose to end his life, and it seems neither did those closest to him. But I know he lived in the same broken world we all do. While we remain here, the harsh truth is that sins grip wont loosen. Well continue to feel the crushing weight of the world, the sting of failures that pierce our souls, and the heartbreak that threatens to tear us apart. I wish it werent so, but it is. For those without a guiding light or hope for peace, life can feel like an endless, desolate tunnel of despair. If thats all there is, why go on?

Our hearts should break for those trapped in such darkness. Yet, amid this pain, there is a radiant truth: there is a reason to live. There is meaning to life. In Christ, we have a purpose that transcends the shadows and offers hope to those who answer the call. In all my conversations with unbelievers or skeptics, I try to make it a point to address the elephant in the room: the secular worldview offers no satisfactory answers to lifes biggest questions. Tell me, apart from God, why youre here or where youre going. Tell me, apart from God, why its worth it to persevere through suffering. Im not saying the secularist cant provide an answer, but they cant provide one that satisfies.

Christians, through the Bible, can. Albeit not perfectly, why else would there be so many in-house debates? But one truth all Bible believing Christians must agree on is that were sinners, we need saving, Christ died on the cross to save us, and because He rose again, eternal life is granted for all who repent and trust in His name. This is the Gospel, which is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16).

Were facing a silent crisis thats gripping Gen Z  and others  where despair and untreated pain claim far too many lives. But there is a beacon of hope. The Gospel offers a transformative truth: we are not alone in our struggles, and our lives have profound purpose. Christs love and sacrifice provide a path out of the darkness, a reason to persevere, and a promise of eternal hope. When we read these sobering statistics, may our reaction be to rally together  families, communities, churches  to share this message of salvation, to listen with compassion, and to shine light into the lives of those who feel lost.

Every life is precious. Were called, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to point this generation  this world  toward hope. Were called to evangelize, stand firm in truth, and radiate Gods glory to a world that is so clearly desperate for a lifeline. We have that lifeline. What are you going to do with it?

Originally published at The Washington Stand.
A reading program at the Warrensville Heights branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, the Cleveland Metroparks' Acacia Reservation and the Cleveland Public Library's branch in the Buckeye-Woodhill neighborhood are all supported by property tax dollars. (File photos) Lisa Dejong, The Plain Dealer; John Kuntz, cleveland.com; Steven Litt, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio  Imagine if almost overnight, two thirds of the money coming into your household evaporated and you had to find a way to pay your bills with what remains.

Thats a strong possibility that Northeast Ohio libraries and the Cleveland Metroparks are grappling with as the day comes ever-nearer when voters could abolish all property taxes in the state.

The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com analyzed the budgets of various government entities to determine what percentage of their budgets derive from property taxes, and the numbers are big. And remember, these are all taxes that voters approved after considering the value the agencies provide.

Until now, a petition drive aimed at eliminating property taxes in Ohio  along with a series of less sweeping but still significant changes from the Statehouse  has largely focused on the biggest share of the property tax bill: school funding.

But the conversation is also raising alarms among other local institutions that have long enjoyed broad voter support and account for relatively small portions of the overall tax bill.

For places like the Cleveland Metroparks, the Cleveland Public Library and the Cuyahoga County Public Library  three organizations whose most recent tax increase requests all passed with 60% to 77% of the vote  the stakes are enormous.

The potential elimination of property taxes would have a devastating and immediate impact, Cleveland Metroparks CEO Brian Zimmerman said. Property tax revenue typically accounts for 60% of Cleveland Metroparks annual budget  $98 million out of a total $177 million.

The most sweeping proposal is a state constitutional amendment that would abolish property taxes entirely, ending a tax that has existed in Ohio for more than 200 years. A group called Citizens for Property Tax Reform began a drive to place the measure on the statewide ballot after their petition language was approved earlier this year by Attorney General David Yost.

At the same time, lawmakers are pursuing less dramatic but still consequential changes.

The General Assembly earlier this month overrode Gov. Mike DeWines veto of multiple provisions in this years budget, including one that will now ban the use of replacement levies  a common tool for renewing expiring taxes at higher rates, with voter approval.

And on Wednesday, the Ohio House approved a bill that would give county budget commissions new powers to reduce local property tax rates deemed unnecessary or excessive. Currently, these commissions primarily ensure that tax rates comply with state tax law. Other potential changes are still being debated.

The Cleveland Metroparks completed renovations of the Garfield Park Reservation in 2024. (File photo) Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com

Local ramifications

Particularly frustrating to local officials is that these decisions and proposals at the state level could override local decisions made by local residents and patrons.

The voters have spoken, said Greg Cordek, chief financial officer for the Cuyahoga County Public Library, whose last tax increase was approved in 2020 with a 60% yes vote.

They have voted to fund our library system. These property taxes are levied at the local level. That is certainly a frustration.

If property taxes were abolished, as backers of the petition drive suggest, Cordek said the county library system that serves 47 cities, villages and townships with its 27 branches would be out 69% of its operating money  or roughly $65 million a year, based on this years budget.

We would have to shutter branches. Theres no way we could operate with that kind of funding cut, Cordek said.

The library system said it had 3.9 million visits last year, lending out 11.5 million items and putting on 13,000 programs.

Similar concerns were raised by the Cleveland Public Library, a 156-year-old institution that operates 30 branches.

Losing more than half of our funding would be devastating to the librarys staffing, collections and the programs and essential services our community relies on every day, a spokesperson said. It would be challenging to keep our buildings open and continue our planned facilities improvements.

Local property taxes raised $41 million for the Cleveland library last year, representing 57% of total revenue.

Young children listen in during story time at the Cuyahoga County Public Librarys Maple Heights branch. (File photo) John Kuntz, cleveland.com

Another library funding concern

For the libraries, uncertainty over the future local tax revenue is layered upon another concern. This past summer, DeWine signed into law a change in the states longstanding commitment to set aside a certain percentage of state income tax collections for the Local Library Fund.

Now this money, the second largest source of revenue for the two big local libraries, is dependent on state budget decisions.

Cordek said the new state budget already has forced the county library system to revise its expectations from the Public Library Fund down by $400,000 to $25.9 million for this year, and likely will reduce expectations by about $1 million for next year.

PLF funding came under attack in 2025. Its now a line item, Cordek said. It takes away some financial stability. My concern would be in future budget discussions in the state of Ohio, what are they going to do with PLF.

This is money that is sent to the counties and divided among local libraries. In Cuyahoga County, in addition to Cleveland and the county system, libraries in Cleveland Heights, East Cleveland, Euclid, Lakewood, Rocky River, Shaker Heights and Westlake also receive shares.

The Cleveland library received $27 million from that state money last year  a big chunk of its $72 million in total revenue  helping to allow the library to go longer without asking voters to increase their property taxes.

The Cleveland library last sought a tax increase in 2017. It won approval with 69% of the vote.

The last tax increase for the Metroparks was in 2022, winning with 77% of the vote. Metroparks officials told voters the money was needed to continue their standards in operating its many green spaces, trails, nature centers, zoo and more.

The Cleveland Public Library this year honored the Cleveland heritage of Superman with a Superhero Homecoming event. (File photo) John Kuntz, cleveland.com

What these taxes cost

These library and parks taxes are a small portion of the overall tax bill that range across the county from $1,700 per $100,000 of home value in Cuyahoga Heights to $3,900 in Shaker Heights.

Of this, the Metroparks portion amounts to $74 a year per $100,000 of home value.

Taxes charged to the 47 communities in the Cuyahoga library system total $71 a year per $100,000 of home value. And residents of Cleveland pay a rate of $136 a year for their library. This extends to suburban areas within the Cleveland school system.

Yet these property taxes are the primary source of revenue for these institutions.

We are monitoring this statewide issue with great concern and attention, and we are committed to keeping the public informed about how their support of Cleveland Metroparks directly impacts their quality of life in Northeast Ohio, Zimmerman said.

Use this database to see how the tax bill breaks down in your area. Some mobile users may need to use this link to view the database.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trumps deployment of National Guard troops to cities across America from Los Angeles to Chicago, often over governors objections  has thrust the nations oldest military organization into the center of a constitutional clash over state versus federal authority.

But who exactly are these National Guard members being ordered into American cities? And how does this centuries-old force, which answers to both state governors and the president, actually work?

The National Guard traces its origins to 1636, predating the U.S. Army itself. When the Massachusetts Bay Colony formed three militia regiments to defend against threats and provide security for early settlements, it created what would become the nations oldest military organization.

We predate the Army. We predate the Navy, explained John Goheen, communications director for the National Guard Association of the United States. The oldest units in the United States military are in the National Guard.

Today, the Guard comprises approximately 430,000 personnel nationwideabout 325,000 in the Army National Guard and 107,700 in the Air National Guard, according to Pentagon statistics. Eighty-one percent of the Army National Guard are part-timers, as is 66% of the Air National Guard.

Unlike other military branches, the Guard serves a dual mission, answering to both state governors and the president. That unique structure led to the standoff over Trumps decision to federalize and deploy National Guard troops to Democratic-led states over their governors objections. Federal courts are expected to rule on the legality of Trumps actions.

Most of the Guard members at the center of these deployments arent full-time soldiers. Theyre teachers, airline pilots, police officers, and college students, among other occupations, who typically serve one weekend per month while maintaining civilian jobs. Yet theyre now finding themselves on the front lines of a political battle.

National Guard personnel deployed on federal missions face an additional hardship because of the current government shutdown: They wont receive their mid-month paychecks on October 15, despite being required to report for duty.

Ohios contribution to the force

Ohio maintains one of the larger state Guard forces in the nation, with a total workforce over 15,000. The states Army National Guard includes 9,712 soldiers, while the Air National Guard comprises 4,668 airmen, according to Ohio Adjutant Generals office

While we continue to fulfill our two main directives to support our state and nation, we also must position ourselves to be ready for emerging missions, Brigadier General Matthew S. Woodruff, who serves as Ohio Adjutant General, said in his yearly report to Gov. Mike DeWine. We now live in a world of great power competition with known adversaries.

The Ohio Guard operates from 55 facilities across 42 locations in 35 counties, providing the infrastructure necessary to train and equip these citizen-soldiers. In September, DeWine deployed 150 Ohio National Guard members to Washington, D.C., through November 30 as part of the broader nationwide activation that has sparked controversy.

DeWines office said the troops he sent to the nations capital are military police, none of whom currently serve as law enforcement officers in Ohio.

Woodruff said in an interview that since 9/11, Ohios National Guard regularly deploys to the capital to assist with its air defenses. When the latest deployment was extended by several months, Woodruff said only 15 guardsmen with previous commitments requested replacements.

Woodruff said Ohio has not been approached about sending troops to other U.S. cities, and he believes DeWine is content with where were at right now.

The DC mission was very manageable, said Woodruff. Weve consistently sent troops to DC, whether its inaugurations or other events. His philosophy is, we do assist other states ... To him, there was a request, and we could fulfill the request.

Ohios Guard keeps busy. During the reporting period covered by the states most recent annual report, a total of 3,204 personnel were deployed. The Ohio Army Guard soldiers accounted for 2,273, with deployments on federal missions to locations including the Middle East and U.S. Southwest border. Another 931 Air Guard airmen also were deployed.

The Guards role extends beyond combat and emergency response. Ohio Guard members volunteer for community support activities, providing military bands, color guards, and speakers for hundreds of events annually. The 180th Fighter Wings F-16 Fighting Falcons flew 100 flyovers during the reporting period for patriotic holidays, air shows, and sporting events.

The Ohio National Guard also provided military funeral honors for 3,584 veterans during the reporting period, ensuring fallen service members received dignified final tributes.

Beyond traditional military support, the Ohio Cyber Reservea civilian volunteer force of cyber professionals organized under the states defense structure  responded to cyberattacks on Ohio municipalities. In one case, 10 cyber reserve members helped a local government identify, assess, and eradicate network threats, saving the entity from paying a $4 million ransom.

Woodruff says Ohios National Guard units have a diverse set of responsibilities that include everything you can imagine wanting to do to either be in the military or build job skills that translate to the civilian workforce.

Woodruff says that on average, between 400 and 2,000 Ohio Guard soldiers deploy overseas annually to locations including Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, and Qatar.

Beyond overseas missions, he says a unit is preparing to deploy to the southern border for a year-long assignment. And during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2,500 Ohio Guard members spent three years supporting state operationsworking in food banks, hospitals, and nursing homes across communities where they live.

I think most of them would look back on that mission as a real source of pride, because you live here, you serve here, and youre actually bettering the communities that you come from, said Woodruff.

The deployment process: Skills, not politics

When asked directly whether Guard members are chosen for deployments based on political ideology, Goheen was unequivocal: No.

For missions requiring specific expertise, the Guard seeks personnel with appropriate backgrounds. When youre putting together a mission like this, the people youre asking is people that have some law enforcement background, he said. The Guard includes military police units (Army) and security police units (Air Guard), many of whom work as full-time law enforcement officers in their civilian jobs.

Many current deployments rely on volunteers rather than mandatory orders. Guard members volunteer for various reasons: some earn more on federal orders than in their civilian jobs, college students may need income, some want to visit a new city, and others believe in the mission, Goheen says.

You might have a few that saw the mission and believed in the mission, Goheen acknowledged. However, he emphasized the diversity of motivations: It runs the gamut.

When not seeking volunteers, the Guard can order deployments. As one state adjutant general recently reminded troops, Guard members take a dual oath  to both their governor and the president.

I know some of you may have strong feelings about this mission, Oregons Adjutant General, Brigadier General Alan R. Gronewold, wrote to his troops when they were sent to Portland over objections from the states governor. Thats OK.

You are citizens first, but youre also service members who took an oath to support and defend the Constitution and follow the orders of the President and the Governor, his September 29 letter continued. That oath doesnt come with an asterisk that says, only when I agree with the mission. We dont get to pick and choose. We execute lawful orders with professionalism and honor, period. Thats what sets us apart. Thats what makes us the National Guard.

Goheen stressed that National Guard members are politically diverse.

We have Republicans and Democrats, he said. We have people that feel very strongly about issues. What unites us is wanting to serve our state and nation.

Legal gray areas and current disputes

Recent tensions between the White House and some governors have raised questions about presidential authority over state Guard units. Can the president order one states Guard to deploy to another state against the governors wishes?

These are good questions that are going to be determined by the court, Goheen said. The law doesnt cover every contingency, and were in a contingent now where theres certainly some disagreement.

Historical precedent offers mixed guidance. The Posse Comitatus Act, passed after the Civil War, limits military involvement in law enforcement. However, the Insurrection Act, an amalgamation of different statutes enacted by Congress between 1792 and 1871, lets presidents deploy military forces domestically if they determine an active insurrection exceeds law enforcements capacity.

In 1963, President John F. Kennedy federalized the Alabama National Guard to enforce desegregation at the University of Alabama, overriding Governor George Wallace, who wanted to keep Black students out of the school.

More recently, in 1992, President George H.W. Bush deployed National Guard units to Los Angeles during riots that occurred after a jury acquitted police officers accused of beating Rodney King. Californias governor and the citys mayor had requested the troops as multiple days of rioting caused extensive damage in the city and left dozens dead.

In 2025, President Trump deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to protests over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Los Angeles. His actions were over California Governor Gavin Newsoms objections, making it the first non-consensual Guard deployment since the 1960s.

Courts are currently weighing the legality of Trumps actions.

A part-time force with full-time standards

National Guard members typically serve 39 days per year  one weekend per month plus annual training of 14-15 days, according to Goheen. However, the commitment often extends beyond these minimums, particularly for those in leadership positions.

If youre an NCO, like a sergeant or a little higher or an officer, youre going to put more time in, Goheen said. Leadership requires just more attention.

Despite their part-time status, Guard members must meet the same standards as active-duty military personnel in marksmanship, physical fitness, and height-weight requirements. The Guard provides this combat-ready force at a part-time cost, Goheen noted.

Who joins the Guard?

Guard members come from two primary pathways: some join directly without prior military service, while others transition from active duty when they want to continue serving without the demands of full-time military life, Goheen says.

Goheen himself joined after active duty service, initially thinking he would show these guys how public affairs PR is done in the military. Instead, he found accomplished professionals who taught him. You get people that are very accomplished in civilian life. They just want to serve, he said.

Many Guard pilots, for example, are commercial airline pilots who completed their active-duty obligations and chose to continue flying military aircraft part-time while living in one location rather than moving frequently for the Air Force.

The Guard offers training in virtually any military specialty.

Just about anything you can do in the Army, the Air Force you can do in the guard, Goheen said. This includes combat units, military police, linguists, public affairs, engineers, and aviation units flying everything from fighters to bombers.

The federal-state funding balance

The Guards dual mission is reflected in its funding structure. The federal government provides approximately 95% of National Guard funding nationwide, even for routine weekend drills. For Ohio specifically, the federal-state funding ratio is even more pronounced: approximately $21 in federal dollars supports every state dollar spent on the Guard.

During federal fiscal year 2024, Ohio received $657.6 million in federal funds to support its Guard operations, while state appropriations totaled approximately $31 million. This federal support covers everything from personnel pay to equipment and facility maintenance.

However, when Guard members serve on state active dutyresponding to purely state emergencies like natural disasters the state pays the costs, says Goheen. These missions can be expensive: when Ohio sent Guard members to assist North Carolina after Hurricane Helene in September 2024, the state spent $466,785 for 17 deployed personnel. A subsequent deployment to Florida for Hurricane Milton cost $74,448 for 40 airmen.

Education benefits: A key recruiting tool

One major incentive for joining the National Guard is education assistance. Ohio offers one of the nations most generous state-level scholarship programs. During the past year, the Ohio National Guard Scholarship Program provided $16 million for 3,501 scholarships to 2,103 members.

The program covers 100% of tuition at Ohio public universities and colleges for courses leading to associate or bachelors degrees, nursing diplomas, or approved trade certifications. At private institutions, it covers 100% of the average state public college tuition rate.

The six-year enlistment contract that comes with Guard service ensures members can use the scholarship throughout their term. Members who use only part of their educational benefits before their six years end still receive coverage for what they completed during service, though they must find other funding if they separate before completing their degree.

Beyond state benefits, Guard members can access federal education programs including the Post-9/11 GI Bill. In federal fiscal year 2024, Ohio Guard soldiers received more than $30.7 million in combined federal education assistance, including GI Bill benefits, tuition assistance, and student loan repayment programs.

These education benefits helped Ohio Guard members earn 55 bachelors degrees, 20 associate degrees, and 2 professional certifications during the period covered by the latest adjutant generals report.

Pay and health care

Guard members compensation varies by status. During federal duty, they receive the same pay as active-duty personnel of equivalent rank and experience, based on standard military pay tables.

A significant issue facing the Guard is healthcare access, says Goheen. Part-time Guard members receive no healthcare coverage unless serving on orders exceeding 30 days.

A lot of people dont understand this, dont realize this, our part-time force is not provided health care, Goheen said. This creates challenges for short-term state activations and for maintaining the fitness required for readiness.

The National Guard Association of the United States, which represents about 42,000 current and former Guard officers, advocates on Capitol Hill for improved healthcare access and better equipment.

The Pentagon doesnt always fund the guard the way the guard needs to be funded, Goheen said. We tend to have older equipment than our active component counterparts.

A combat-tested force

The Guard has participated in every major American conflict. During World War I, the Harlem Hellfighters  the 369th Infantry Regiment composed of Black guardsmenearned the French Croix de Guerre for their heroism. Harry S. Truman, the only modern president to serve in the Guard, fought as a Missouri National Guard captain in France.

More than 800 National Guardsmen died in the Global War on Terror. Guard members currently serve in the Middle East, Kosovo, the Horn of Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Sinai Peninsula, Goheen says.

The United States Army and the United States Air Force cant do what they do every day without contributions from the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard, Goheen said.

The Guards role in American societyas both a military combat reserve and a domestic emergency response forceplaces its members in a unique position. They must balance civilian employment, family obligations, military duties, and physical fitness requirements.

Our people are jugglers, and theyre good at it, Goheen said. These citizen-soldiers, he emphasized, just want to serve, their country, regardless of the political controversies swirling around their deployments.
Given the unprecedented value of property tax delinquencies in Cuyahoga County this year, the county wants to sell up to $40 million in delinquent tax liens to a private firm so they can try to collect on the debt. The deal would come with certain guardrails, including a requirement that a payment plan be offered the delinquent homeowners. John Pana, cleveland.com

Cuyahoga County faces an unprecedented $60 million-plus in unpaid property taxes this year  threatening local revenue and health and human services needs. Thats prompted a proposed sale of up to $40 million in delinquent lien certificates to NAR Solutions, with proceeds split 61% to school districts, 22% to the county, 12% to municipalities and 5% to libraries.

The proposal, now before County Council, would require that NAR offer repayment plans. Property owners in historically red-lined, poor and health-challenged neighborhoods would be excluded (about 46% of the countys population).

County notices were expected to start going out to impacted homeowners late last week, cleveland.com reported, giving residents about a month to either pay their taxes or set up a payment plan before the county sells the liens to NAR on Nov. 14, if council approves.

Meanwhile, recently introduced bipartisan Ohio House Bill 493 seeks to bar counties from selling such liens after January 2027. Backers cite abuses, including an elderly Ashtabula County property owner who ended up with a liability nearly three times what he originally owed after the county sold his lien to a different private firm.

So what does our Editorial Board Roundtable think about what Cuyahoga County is contemplating?

Leila Atassi, manager public interest and advocacy:

The county has to collect whats owed, and this plan seems like a reasonable way to do it. Theyre carving out protections for vulnerable neighborhoods and requiring the buyer to offer repayment plans  essentially giving homeowners more chances to make good before losing their property. Its not ideal, but its pragmatic and far from the kind of predatory behavior seen elsewhere.

Ted Diadiun, columnist:

People should pay their taxes. Thats not debatable. But this is not the solution, as the above example from Ashtabula warns. The question is, what can collection companies do that Cuyahoga County, with the law, the courts, and the enforcement arm of the justice system, cannot? If an outside agency can make a profit collecting debts, why cant the county fund its own process, and protect citizens from potential abuse?

Thomas Suddes, editorial writer:

No! Private collectors are unaccountable to elected officials, all but guaranteeing that abusive and exploitative collection methods will be used against Ohio homeowners, especially older Ohio homeowners who are, like many other Ohioans, vulnerable to legal doubletalk and high-pressure collectors. Whats worse, the real issue isnt past-due property taxes as such but Ohio property-tax laws gobbledygook, a fundamental problem the General Assembly  Statehouse PR aside  has refused to thoroughly address.

Eric Foster, columnist:

You know who will suffer the most from this sale? Tenants renting properties from corporate property owners. Owners will allow foreclosure and leave tenants to figure it out. Those tenants will not know of laws like the Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act, which could offer protection. Until municipalities can determine how to compel these owners to comply with local laws, a difficult task indeed, property tax delinquency will only rise.

Lisa Garvin, editorial board member:

Theres no doubt that unpaid taxes are a burden on county finances and that reduced staffing levels make it harder to collect without help from an outside vendor. However, collections agencies like NAR Solutions have a reputation for aggressive methods. The county should have a dedicated staffer oversee implementation of the contract to ensure transparency. I really wish they could prioritize absentee landlords over owner-occupants for immediate payback.

Mary Cay Doherty, editorial board member:

Counties collect taxes not foreclosed properties. Selling delinquent tax liens gets the revenue to Cuyahoga County and shifts collection and foreclosure burdens to NAR Solutions. The affected property owners are receiving fair notice, and the NAR Solutions contracts guardrails will prevent predatory collection practices.

Elizabeth Sullivan, opinion director:

Cuyahoga County definitely needs this relief, but its not clear how much oversight (if any) the county will retain over NARs collection practices and adherence to contractual terms once the sale goes through. Id prefer to see a bifurcated deal that starts small and promises the rest if NAR implementation can objectively be shown to be compliant with all terms.

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Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Sunday, October 12, reiterated Afghanistans preference for a peaceful resolution to its ongoing conflict with Pakistan, but cautioned that alternative measures could be considered if diplomatic efforts fail.

Speaking at a media briefing at the Afghan Embassy, Muttaqis remarks came amid rising tensions between the two neighbors following Pakistans air strikes in Kabul on Thursday and recent border clashes.

The situation is under control now. We want a peaceful resolution of the situation, but if the peace efforts dont succeed, we have other options, Muttaqi said.

He emphasised that Afghanistan maintains good relations with the people of Pakistan and the government, but noted that some elements in that country are trying to create problems.

Afghanistan and Pakistan clashed along their shared border over the weekend, with both sides reporting casualties and closing key crossings. The escalation comes amid long-standing tensions over militant groups operating across the frontier.Afghan authorities said on Sunday, October 12, that their forces killed 58 Pakistani soldiers, wounded 30 others, and captured 25 army posts in overnight operations.Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said these operations were in retaliation for repeated Pakistani violations of Afghan territory and airspace, adding that the situation on all official borders and de facto lines of Afghanistan is under complete control, and illegal activities have been largely prevented, the Associated Press (AP) reported.The Taliban Defence Ministry described the operations as retaliatory and successful and warned that Afghan forces are prepared to respond to any future incursions.According to Reuters, Pakistan confirmed that its troops returned fire after Afghan forces opened fire late Saturday. Pakistani security officials said several Afghan border posts were destroyed during the response, though there was no immediate comment from Kabul on the extent of damage or casualties.Following the exchanges, Pakistan closed its two main border crossings with Afghanistan at Torkham and Chaman, as well as at least three smaller points at Kharlachi, Angoor Adda, and Ghulam Khan. Intermittent gunfire continued on Sunday in parts of the Kurram area, local officials and residents told Reuters.The clashes follow Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul earlier this week targeting the leader of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a banned militant group operating against Islamabad. Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of harbouring TTP members, a charge Kabul denies, according to AP.Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the Afghan assault, stating that the army destroyed several of their posts, forcing them to retreat. Regional powers also expressed concern: Qatar urged both sides to prioritise dialogue and diplomacy, while Saudi Arabia called for restraint and dialogue to maintain regional stability, the AP reported.The two countries share a 2,611-kilometre (1,622-mile) border, known as the Durand Line, which Afghanistan has never formally recognised, according to media reports.
China says it is ready to develop its relationship with North Korea to strengthen strategic cooperation in international and regional affairs, North Korea's state media KCNA reported.Chinese President Xi Jinping made the comment in a letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday (Oct 9), KCNA said, adding that this was a reply to Kim's message celebrating China's anniversary of the foundation of the Communist Party.China and North Korea are "good neighbours, good friends", sharing destiny and helping each other, and the friendship is growing stronger, Xi was quoted as saying.The two leaders prepared "a blueprint" for the development of relations at the meeting during Kim's visit to China in September, Xi said in the letter quoted by KCNA.
On the third day of New York Comic Con 2025, Disney held a Bobs Burgers panel to honor the shows recent 300th episode and offer sneak peeks at the shows current season. It was led by the shows creator, Loren Bouchard, who was joined by the entire cast. During the celebration, Bouchard revealed why one of the greatest sitcom characters of all time was exactly what he didnt want for his show.

During the panels Q&A segment, a fan dressed like Nat the Limo Driver asked Bouchard why he went for a more wholesome family dynamic than other adult cartoons. Bouchards answer made it clear that its something hes thought a lot about.

When we first started talking about the show, we used Archie Bunker as kind of a negative example. Its like the grumpy guy whos annoyed with his wife, and it just felt so done  so played out  and weve seen all iterations of it, Bouchard responded, referring to the All in the Family patriarch who, incidentally, was the direct inspiration for Eric Cartman on the not-so-wholesome South Park.

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As nice as most of his characters, Bouchard went on to explain his anti-Archie stance while also leaving room for fans of All in the Family, saying, Youve got to do what youve got to do when getting your comedy off the ground, and if youre writing a family sitcom, there is the dynamic of a husband who hates his wife and, I guess, you can start there if you want. But it felt, to us, like it just wasnt funny  to us, I should say. So, we just took it off the table. Then, once you do that, youre sort of free to just think of funny things that they can do, and you dont have to have this dynamic where theyre anything but a normal family. And, of course, they love each other; of course, theyre going to take care of each other. Theyre still going to squabble, and (theyre) still going to disagree, but you just dont need it as much as (we thought) for several generations of television.

Doing away with such a sitcom staple obviously worked for Bobs Burgers as its 300-episodes-and-counting run has proven, especially since the tight, loving family dynamic is a big reason why fans love the show.

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Not to get too sentimental, though, when the voice of Louise, Kristen Schaal followed up by asking the audience, Most families do like each other, right? the reliably surly voice of Bob, H. Jon Benjamin, quickly responded with a simple no.
Who came out on top in the fake news battle?

Several Weekend Update alums showed up on Saturday Night Live this weekend, with host Amy Poehler teaming with old anchor-mates Tina Fey and Seth Meyers to take on Michael Che and Colin Jost in a good old-fashioned Joke-Off. But relative new kids Che and Jost were having a great night firing off wisecracks before their SNL forerunners joined the fray.

Who landed the most punchlines, Che or Jost? You make the call

Jost Don't Miss Well, it is nice to start Update with some good news for once. There is peace in the Middle East. The only downside is theres war in Chicago. Only Trump could Freaky Friday Chicago and Gaza.

Che President Trump has reportedly become concerned with Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene criticizing Republicans on key issues, with Trump asking, Whats going on with Marjorie? Little advice, bro? Let her go. You cant change her. God knows Ive tried.

Jost I know Trump is upset that he didnt win the Nobel Peace Prize, but the last guy to send heavily armed men into an American city was Bane from Batman. Bane, who was also snubbed for the Peace Prize.

Che Many leaders in the Middle East are crediting President Trump with brokering the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, but it makes perfect sense to me because sometimes crazy people only listen to other crazy people. Like, when you see a guy jacking it on the subway, you dont just ask him to stop. No, you gotta take off your pants, too, and now we can negotiate.

Jost The actual Nobel Peace Prize was awarded this week to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. Or, as Fox News reported it, Trump Robbed by Deranged Hispanic.

Che The U.S. Treasury is planning to release a silver dollar with President Trumps face on it, and then on the other side, he has Harriet Tubman in a headlock.

Jost The Trump administration is also rolling out a video at airports in which Kristi Noem will blame Democrats for flight delays related to the government shutdown. Lets take a look.

Che Advertisement OpenAI has updated its video-generating app, Sora, to allow users to create cameos of themselves in video. And theyre pretty realistic. I mean, I made this one before the show.

Jost A growing number of Gen Z men are moving back in with their parents, taking over household chores and calling themselves Trad Sons, replacing the old name, Failures.

Che Arbys announced that they are adding a new item to their menu: steak nuggets. Although you can make your own steak nuggets by eating a bunch of Arbys.

Jost President Trump issued a proclamation ending Indigenous Peoples Day and calling Christopher Columbus the original American hero. So while Trump is rounding up people with ICE, hes praising Columbus, a guy who literally brought boatloads of Hispanics to America.
Say what you will about Donald Trump, but he has succeeded where many others, including his predecessor Joe Biden, have failed.

How long this peace will endure is anyones guess. But for the people of Gaza, who have paid such a terrible price, it could not have come soon enough. Together with the families of the hostages, both alive and dead, they may now start to rebuild their shattered lives.

It has been a very long and painful two years. The world has watched with growing concern as Israel has exacted a truly Biblical revenge for the atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023. Far from strengthening his countrys position, Benjamin Netanyahus response has alienated Israels friends and given ammunition to its enemies.

But whatever Netanyahus misjudgments, we must not forget who ultimately is to blame for this latest bloody chapter in the conflict between Israel and Palestine: Hamas and its supporters throughout the Islamic world.

It is they, not Israel, that must ultimately bear responsibility for the thousands of dead in Gaza.

Im not an idiot. I understand the political and religious complexities in that part of the world.

I know that Israel, as a nation, is far from perfect. I dont deny, even as I support its right to existence, that it has blood on its hands.

But then so does any nation state that has ever had to defend its borders  including the newly recognised state of Palestine.

'This country has changed, and not for the better,' writes SARAH VINE

War is war  ugly and bloody. And the conflict in the Middle East is one of the oldest, ugliest and bloodiest. But what happened on October 7 went far beyond what might be considered reasonable in any theatre of conflict.

It was not an act of defence. It was a sadistic, unprovoked assault. It was not a military operation, army against army, soldier against soldier. It was a wanton massacre, an act of extreme cowardice visited on vulnerable civilians  elderly people, festival-goers, families, children. And it was done for no other reason than the fact that they were Jews.

If genocide is an act of violence committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group (as defined by the UN), then that is exactly what happened on October 7. To me, and to many others, that is obvious. And yet, astonishingly, that is not how it is seen by many who live in this country.

Britain has always been a nation broadly accepting of all cultures and creeds. But what has really struck me about the past two years, about the nature of the demonstrations against Israel, about the way our politicians and media have responded, is that this is no longer necessarily the case. This country has changed, and not for the better. There are many here who do not share our traditional values of tolerance. And over the past two years they have not only become more visible, but also increasingly outspoken.

It began almost immediately. At the time of the attacks, reeling in shock and horror at the atrocities committed, I wrote in disbelief about the twisted response from certain groups and individuals in Britain. Rivkah Brown, for example, commissioning editor at the hard-Left Novara Media website, proclaiming on Twitter/X that the actions of Hamas were a celebration for supporters of democracy and human rights worldwide.

War is war  ugly and bloody. And the conflict in the Middle East is one of the oldest, ugliest and bloodiest. But what happened on October 7 went far beyond what might be considered reasonable in any theatre of conflict

Or Dr Mennah Elwan, an NHS neurology registrar, who posted a series of abhorrent messages online, mocking the Israeli victims and accusing them of cowardice for fleeing the gunmen. Others, unnamed, marched on the Israeli embassy in Kensington and celebrated in the streets of west London, joyously sharing footage of atrocities as though they were nothing more than holiday videos.

It made me sick to the stomach.

I just couldnt understand it, how anyone  regardless of their faith, politics or affiliations  could condone, on a basic human level, such suffering. How  as women were being kidnapped and raped, as families were being massacred, children executed in front of their parents, victims set alight, as the terrorists were gleefully filming themselves defiling and mocking their targets  anyone in their right mind could possibly feel anything other than deep sadness, revulsion. Let alone delight.

I remember in particular the footage of Shani Louks broken body being driven around the streets of Gaza, crowds jeering and spitting on her.

I remember the picture of Naama Levy, her tracksuit bottoms stained with blood, confusion and pain on her face, being bundled into the back of a truck by men with guns. I thought at the time, and I think it now: what kind of coward does that to a defenceless woman, what kind of a pathetic excuse for a man thinks that makes him a hero?

More to the point, what kind of person celebrates such actions? What kind of woman condones the rape of another woman just because she belongs to a different tribe, how can any parent rejoice in the death of a child?

I imagined how I would feel if it were my daughter broken, raped, defiled, if it were my son tortured and set alight at a music festival. I felt a kind of helpless rage, one that I assumed would be felt the world over.

I was wrong. Even before the killing had stopped, the victim-blaming had begun: these people had brought it upon themselves, it was Israels fault, they knew this was going to happen, they failed to stop it, what were they doing there in the first place. And so on.

And its not just certain fringe elements, like that silly girl who was filmed cutting up yellow ribbons the other day, or that horrible Dr Rahmeh Aladwan, who talked about Jewish cesspits and made a throat-slit gesture at Jews. Its also our institutions (including the police, who only yesterday arrested someone at a pro-Palestinian rally for holding a sign saying We stand with Britains Jews), our teachers, our university students, our politicians, our doctors  and, most worrying of all, our young people, the next generation of leaders and policy makers.

So many of them seem to have been captured by this toxic narrative that all Israelis are devils and all Palestinians saints, all Jews evil, all Muslims good.

The sad truth is, Britain is in the grip of an ugly sectarianism that is entirely dominated by one highly vocal side that goes almost entirely unchallenged for the simple reason that it accuses anyone who dares to of Islamophobia.

Over the past two years this bloody, seemingly irresolvable conflict thousands of miles away has come to dominate the cultural landscape of this country. Many Jews  quite correctly given the terrible attack on the Manchester synagogue earlier this month, in which two people were killed and many more might have died  no longer feel safe or welcome in Britain.

And how could they when, barely hours after that attack, people were on the streets marching in support of Hamas?

Lets face it, this country  which once offered a safe haven to all religions and which fought a war to defeat anti-Semitism  is in danger of becoming a charnel house for the Jews.

And yet, as I wrote last week, how many Jews have blown up stadiums full of teenage pop fans, how many have strapped bombs to their bodies and detonated them on Tube trains and buses? None. So why is it they, and not the hard-line Islamists responsible for these atrocities and others, who find themselves in the dock?

Anti-Semitism and extreme Islam are not just bedfellows, they are one and the same.

I used to think there would be widespread outrage and condemnation if people started voicing outright support for the actions of Isis or the Taliban on the streets of this country. But given the levels of naked anti-Semitism we are now seeing, Im not so sure.

Perhaps that is why there seem to be so many dismayed by this peace deal, angry at the thought of a ceasefire. Instead of rejoicing in the end of violence, they are angry that someone (especially a Republican president) has interfered with their agenda, which is to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth and then to come after the rest of us.

These people dont want peace. Hate is the air they breathe, conflict is what feeds them. And the more we tolerate their vile beliefs, the less any of us are safe.
The three great Abrahamic faiths all require that guests should be honoured and treated generously. The rules in each religion are remarkably similar.

Christians are told, rather movingly, that when they welcome strangers they should bear in mind that they may be entertaining angels unawares.

Judaism, Christianity and Islam also stipulate that those guests should repay such hospitality with respect and good manners.

These rules are basic to civilisation. They provide a good moral foundation for the way we behave if we go to live in other peoples countries and cultures, or if migrants come to live in ours.

A country is very like a home. And our national home has in the last 60 years undergone a huge transformation through immigration.

In most cases we have achieved a reasonable level of friendliness and civilisation, not least because the much-maligned British people are outward-looking, kind, patient and tolerant, and have sought to make the best of changes they did not, in most cases, ask for.

Now the growth of the Muslim faith here has led to a new difficulty. Some Muslims hold to views on the treatment and conduct of women which are sharply different to what we are used to here.

In many cases these are matters of private life in which a free state does not and should not intervene.

MAIL ON SUNDAY COMMENT: A country is very like a home. And our national home has in the last 60 years undergone a huge transformation through immigration. Pictured: Migrants preparing to attempt a Channel crossing from France yesterday

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Take, for example, the burqa or niqab full-face veil; much as some people here may be opposed to such garments, a democracy such as ours ought not to get into the business of telling people what they should or should not wear, once the basic requirements of modesty have been met.

But when they spill over into society as a whole, then we are entitled to debate them.

The Mail on Sunday today reports on the remarkable decision of the East London Mosque to exclude girls over 12-years-old, and adult women, from taking part in a Muslim Charity Run today.

Women who do not wish to join in for religious reasons are  of course  free to stay away.

But what of Muslim women and teenage girls who would very much like to take part?

Baroness Shaista Gohir, head of the national charity Muslim Womens Network UK, suspects that the veto may well be a breach of the Equality Act. And so it may. But in this case will the woke establishment stand up for their own favourite law?

A very interesting conflict arises here. Many on the supposedly liberal Left have long decried conservatives for their views on immigration and their arguments against multiculturalism.

They have also claimed that the same conservatives are hostile to womens rights, though it would be hard to find a British traditional conservative under the age of about 150 who would object to women running alongside men in a charity race.

And the Equality Act is the very embodiment of the Left-wing ideology those same Leftists seek to pursue.

Multiculturalism and a pretty mainstream version of feminism have collided. Who will win? To make modern Britain work, everyone has to show a bit of respect for everyone else.

But isnt it time that the politically correct liberals did their part, in this case by showing respect for their own principles and making it clear that our new citizens would do well to adapt a little to the rather wonderful country where they (or their parents or grandparents) understandably chose to live?
While getting to portray a princess or character at a Disney theme park may seem like a dream come true to some, a 'leaked' document has seemingly revealed just how hard the job really is.

According to files that have been circulating on X, formerly Twitter, the performers have to memorize every single detail about the person they're portraying and the movie they came from.

They should be familiar with the ins and outs of the character's world, so they can come up with clever responses and stay in character while chatting with guests, no matter what comment or question is thrown their way.

There are also said to be very strict rules about what the actors can and cannot talk about while in character, and should a guest bring up something that is on the list of prohibited topics, there are specific responses workers should have memorized to steer the conversation elsewhere.

In addition, a former Disney actor spoke exclusively with the Daily Mail about the 'unwanted touching' she was forced to endure while portraying one of the beloved characters in the theme park.

She also laid bare the alleged 'unrealistic expectation' that is set 'for women's bodies,' claiming that actors are often 'chosen based on their looks' and will get called in by casting if they 'look too overweight in their costume'.

The woman, named Melanie, worked at Disney World from 2014 until 2020.

She portrayed Cinderella's 'wicked' step-sisters Anastasia and Drizella Tremaine as well as Mrs. Incredible and Joy from Inside out over the years, and said that despite the downsides, getting to make amazing memories for the guests made it all worth it for her.

While getting to portray a character at a Disney theme park may seem like a dream come true to some, an alleged new document has seemingly revealed how hard the job is (stock image)

According to alleged files that have been circulating on X, performers have to memorize every single detail about the person they're portraying and the movie they came from (stock image)

But the job certainly came with some difficulties. Melanie said there were regulations regarding how actors kept their nails and hair 'even if guests never see your face'.

In addition, she claimed that there was immense 'pressure' to stay thin, which she alleged led to 'many performers developing body image issues or eating disorders during or after their time as a character.'

'Disney princesses are famously thin, which adds a lot of pressure to all the girls,' she explained.

'You dreaded getting a call from casting over a "silhouette issue," meaning they thought you were looking too overweight in your costume.

'This was extra frustrating because girls were almost never wearing even the largest dress sizes.

'If the dress is available and they fit their costume, why are women punished for size? Many performers have developed body image issues or eating disorders during or after their time as a character due to a warped sense of self.'

She slammed the 'unrealistic expectation' that Disney 'sets for women's bodies,' adding you could also be let go if you start to look too old.

'Disney look-a-like characters are chosen based on height and looks, with minimal talent required and no experience necessary,' she revealed.

'It is a requirement to look as much like a teenager as you can, which means you can "age out" of characters at any time.'

In addition, a former Disney actor named Melanie (seen here in costume) spoke exclusively with the Daily Mail about the 'unrealistic expectation' that is set 'for women's bodies'

The Daily Mail has reached out to Disney World for comment.

A separate performer who asked to remain anonymous previously told Inside the Magic that she was 'disapproved' because of a 10-pound weight gain.

She alleged that 'if you cannot fit into the costume, or if you fit into the costume but casting does not like the way that the costume looks on your body, you will be "disapproved" from your role.'

'The costumes can squeeze certain areas on your body, so if you gain a little fat in your arms, things get tighter, and Disney does not like that,' she said.

'There is a body dysmorphia culture that comes with working for Disney and the Disney parks as a performer.

'You are constantly comparing yourself to others, and every shift, your body and face are looked at to see if they are up to Disneys standards to step outside, it becomes all you think about.'

Melanie admitted that she often dealt with 'general unwanted touching' and said guests would call her 'nasty, mean, or ugly' while portraying Cinderella's evil step sisters, which took a toll' on her 'after a while'.

According to Melanie, who goes by @magicalgirlmelanie online, the character performers are taught tactics to handle rude or unruly guests.

'It's about prevention, for example, asking men to hold their arm out "like a prince" to take away the chance they may touch your waist etc.' she shared.

'Since Cinderella's step-sisters are trying to find someone to marry, too often the dads would joke "that they are available." That was always gross and weird,' she added of some of the worst things she endured.

'And I hated it when parents would tell their kids I was mean or really bad and scary, and then they would act confused when the kids didnt want to talk to me or take a photo.'

An X account known as Cynical Disney recently shared screenshots of the extensive instructions that are allegedly given to actors hired to play Princess Tiana, Prince Naveen, and Dr. Facilier from Princess and the Frog in the amusement park.

While it's unclear where they originally came from or if they are real, many former Disney employees have claimed on X that they are legitimate.

An X account known as Cynical Disney shared screenshots of the extensive instructions that are allegedly given to actors hired to play Princess Tiana, seen here in the park

It lists a slew of 'topics to avoid' while chatting with guests, which ranged from Tiana talking about her dad's time in World War I to her wealth. Tiana is seen at Disney World

The lengthy document notes that characters should 'view their story as true events from their lives'.

It lists a slew of 'topics to avoid' while chatting with guests, however, which ranged from Tiana talking about her dad's time in World War I to her wealth.

It reminds performers portraying the princess: 'While Tiana may comment on her father's service, she should not mention him fighting in World War I or specific military actions he was a part of.

'She might share that he served along the 369th and then redirect the conversation.'

As for her wealth, it explains that while 'Tiana's parents worked hard to provide for their family but had what they needed, Tiana never focused on status or wealth.'

'She does not comment on the financial standing of her family or others, or discuss money or wealth with guests,' it says.

'Should a guest mention it, Tiana focuses the conversation on working hard to make your dreams come true.'

The performers are also told not to discuss 'past or current world events' with guests inside the theme park.

'Tiana grew up in the early 1900s in a city that has experienced great changes over the years,' it explains.

'Although she talks freely about New Orleans and the things she does there, she does not discuss the 1920s or place herself in a specific time period.

'Tiana also does not comment on current places, events, or people associated with New Orleans or elsewhere.

'If asked about something specific to modern-day New Orleans or events, Tiana redirects the conversation to an element of her life.'

The alleged document also states that Tiana should avoid talking about some of the biggest events from the movie: including Dr. Facilier's voodoo powers, Ray's death, and even her transformation into a frog.

Other rules for the actors include not 'encouraging guests to buy merchandise' and not talking about Splash Mountain, the ride that was closed to make way for Tiana's Bayou Adventure

If someone tells her that 'Splash Mountain was better,' the actress playing Tiana should respond with, 'Change can be a tricky thing.' Tiana's Bayou Adventure is seen

'To many communities, it's disheartening to see a character of color, especially a titular character, transformed with their faces and features obscured, hiding the diversity and authenticity of the character's journey,' it says of the latter.

'Although Tiana came to enjoy her time in the bayou and fell in love with Naveen while they were amphibians, she limits how much she discusses her time as a frog, preferring to focus on the life she shares with Naveen as humans.

'If a guest mentions the pair's time while transformed, Tiana may share a playful comment about her adventure as a frog before redirecting the conversation to focus on the bayou, her friendship with Louis, or Mama Odie's magic.'

When it came to what Melanie could and couldn't say in character, she dished, 'Theres some things in the movie that are funny or important to the story but it still makes them awkward to bring up in real conversation.

'Kids love to bring up Anna and Elsas parents dying for example, and the characters [are taught to] handle that with grace.'

She said one thing she was told not to bring up while playing Anastasia was the fact that the character 'falls in love with a baker in the second movie' because 'most people aren't familiar with that story line.'

'But I'd always love when guests would bring him up to me,' she added.

Other rules listed in the document for performers portraying Tiana include not 'overly encouraging guests to buy merchandise' and not talking about Splash Mountain, the ride that was closed to make way for the attraction Tiana's Bayou Adventure.

'Tiana would not talk about or mention Splash Mountain by name,' the file states.

If someone tells her that 'Splash Mountain was better' or they 'preferred the old ride,' the actress should respond with, 'Change can be a tricky thing. I run into that whenever I adjust a recipe. I've found as long as there's plenty on the table, everyone can find something they like.'

It also lists what to say if someone asks Tiana how it feels to be the first African-American Disney Princess.

She should reply with, 'Well bein' a princess doesn't really feel any different. I'm still me. I'm just lucky to have someone to share my dream with now.'

According to the alleged documents, playing a villain comes with its own set of difficulties, as there is an extra set of guidelines for those portraying Dr. Facilier.

Actors should be familiar with the ins and outs of the character's world, so they could come up with clever responses and stay in character while chatting with guests (stock image)

There are also very strict rules about what the actors can and cannot talk about while in character (stock image)

According to Melanie, who goes by @magicalgirlmelanie online, the character performers are taught tactics to handle rude or unruly guests (stock image)

It includes instructions on how the actors should handle 'rude or heckling guests.' They should tell the guest, 'Haven't you heard the stories, my friend?

'Even the walls have ears. In other words, we never know who's listening, so perhaps silence would suit you better. That bit of advice is free of charge.'

They are also allowed to say, 'They say wisdom is silent and arrogance is loud. Something to think about.'

'Redirect the conversation. Do not show frustration,' the document adds.

In the end, Melanie said getting to be a part of making magic for families across the globe outweighed the downsides.

'Its amazing to think how many peoples Christmas cards I might be in,' she concluded.

'There was never a day I did not enjoy my job as a character and I miss it every day. I never got tired of interacting with the guests, even on days when it was less fun. It was really the pay and backstage culture that made it a tough place to work.'
The King and Queen of Denmark are both making headlines at home - but the narratives surrounding them couldn't be more sharply contrasted.

King Frederik X, like most royals, is typically treated with deference by the Danish press - but even the traditionally respectful media can no longer overlook his string of absences from royal duties.

As reported by Daily Mail last month, King Frederik, 57, has quietly taken multiple private breaks from royal life throughout the year.

Now, Danish outlets such as Ekstra Bladet have taken notice, even publishing a running tally of Frederik's days off.

The schedule is snarkily headlined: 'Freds Great Holidays in 2025'  and includes an itemised list of dates when Frederik was 'on vacation again'.

But it's not just Frederiks absences that have caught the attention of the local papers.

Its the fact that the position of regent has been passed between his 85-year-old mother, retired monarch Queen Margrethe, and his 19-year-old son, Crown Prince Christian, who is busy with lieutenant's training, while Frederik has been 'on holiday'.

Both Queen Mary and King Frederik were present for one of the most significant dates on the royal calendar  the opening of parliament on October 7. But recent reports continue to highlight Frederiks frequent absences from official duties

According to the tally, the King has taken 45 personal days off in 2025 - leaving either an octogenarian or a teenager to keep the throne warm in his absence.

Frederik has even coined his own term for these personal breaks - referring to them as 'timeouts'.

The term first surfaced in Frederiks biography King's Words, published in 2024 to mark his ascension to the throne. The book outlined the monarch's goals and vision for the years ahead.

It also foreshadowed Frederik's ongoing desire to maintain a private life alongside his public responsibilities.

'Timeouts are important because we will probably have even more to do,' Frederik wrote.

'Mary and I have areas of interest that will increasingly require our presence in widely different forums at home and abroad.'

This particular passage has resurfaced amid revelations that the King has taken eight separate breaks in 2025 - some of them where his whereabouts were unknown.

The optics arent ideal  especially with images from a certain late-night outing in Madrid with a Mexican socialite in 2023 still lingering in the public's collective memory...

Queen Mary has just appeared on the cover of respected Danish magazine Ud & Se, which features an in-depth piece documenting her June visit to Nigeria

In contrast, Queen Mary, 53, is receiving glowing coverage in the local press - further cementing her image as a strong and steady leader of the royal family.

Just this week, the Australian-born royal featured on the cover of Ud & Se magazine, accompanied by a detailed interview.

The timing of this is curious, as the respected outlet is only now chronicling Queen Mary's trip to Nigeria - which occurred back in June.

Perhaps sensing shifting tides and growing questions around royal leadership, she saw now as the ideal time for a bit of positive PR.

The article detailed Mary's visit to the African nation, which included stops at hospitals, meetings with diplomats and ambassadors, and several public addresses.

A key focus of the trip was Mary's patronage of the '10 Million Safer Births Initiative' for women in Nigeria.

In the article, Queen Mary spoke confidently about the trip's overarching goal: 'to promote Denmark's interests and strengthen our partnership with Nigeria.' She also reflected on the excitement of 'meeting committed people with drive'.

Queen Mary is pictured on October 8 attending the Queen Mary's Centre Advisory Committee meeting, with the royal frequently praised for her leadership qualities

King Frederik is pictured on October 8 attending a network meeting and dinner hosted by the association DenmarkBridge

She told the publication she tries to carve out downtime on royal trips 'to retreat and disappear' - whether through impromptu outings or by snapping her own photos like any other tourist.

What makes the glowing narrative all the more intriguing is how easily it could have taken a different turn.

After all, she too has been enjoying moments of personal freedom.

Last month, Mary attended the 50th birthday party of longtime friend and socialite Caroline Fleming.

The celebration drew the Who's Who of Danish society, with Mary's attendance inadvertently revealed after she was spotted in the background of several guests' Instagram posts.

Following her appearance at the 'Out of Africa'-themed celebration, Mary's inner circle swiftly closed ranks.

Danish outlet BT reported that Caroline openly shared details of the lively celebration - except for one key element.

When a reporter asked Caroline about her royal friend's presence at the event, Caroline's team swiftly shut down the inquiry.

King Frederik has taken numerous days off this year - including in July, when he was spotted at Wimbledon

Queen Mary was inadvertently outed as a party guest at Caroline Fleming's party when she was spotted in the background of social media posts

King Frederik's mother, Queen Margrethe (left), is pictured at a royal engagement on September 15. His eldest son, Crown Prince Christian (right), is shown on August 14 as he commenced military training. Both have stepped in as regents during Frederiks absences

'We don't comment on that,' Caroline Fleming's publicist Elisa Lykke replied, while Caroline herself remained silent.

Shes not the only one keeping quiet.

Musician Sazeline Dreyer, also a party guest, abruptly shut down a line of questioning about the Queen of Denmark's attendance. She offered a curt 'no comment' and gestured with her arms to signal she wouldn't be sharing any further details.

Let's be honest - everyone needs time to unwind and enjoy themselves, even royalty.

But what's striking is the growing attention on King Frederik's efforts to balance work and leisure - and the court of public opinion is beginning to question just how many 'timeouts' one monarch truly needs.

By contrast, Queen Mary continues to cultivate a dependable reputation as a working royal - and even when she takes personal downtime, it is closely safeguarded.
But she has alleged that the lodge scammed her out of $500

A traveler has issued a stark warning to others after she claimed a popular New York City hotel 'scammed' her out of $500.

The woman, named Rhay, explained in a recent TikTok video that she flew to Manhattan over the weekend for a 'girls trip' and stayed at the luxurious M Social Time Square Hotel.

She described the chic lodging, which costs around $500 a night during the month of October, as 'really cute' and said she was drawn to its central location.

But Rhay claimed that was hit with a shocking $500 smoking fee during her stay - despite that fact that she never smoked in the room.

In fact, she insisted that she had 'proof' that she wasn't in the room at the time that smoke was detected, and alleged the management on property refused to even listen to her when she tried to fight it.

She took to social media to share her frustrations, while warning others to stay away from the lavish hotel.

'We are staying at the M Social Time Square Hotel, and we were gone today all day,' she said in the now-viral video, which was viewed more than three million times.

'We came back around 5pm to find something stuck to my door that said they were charging my room $500 for smoking.'

A traveler staying at the luxurious M Social Time Square Hotel (seen) has issued a stark warning to others after she claimed she was 'scammed' out of $500

She claimed on TikTok that she had been falsely accused of smoking in the room but had proof she wasn't even in the hotel at that time (stock image)

Rhay said she 'immediately' went to the front desk and asked to speak to the manager, who presented her with a 'smoke report' that said smoke was detected in their room between 4pm and 4.30pm.

But she said they weren't in the hotel at that time and showed photos with time stamps that seemingly revealed they were busy exploring the city until around 5pm.

'We came back around 5pm, so how can a smoke detector pick up smoke coming from our room when we weren't even here?' she questioned.

'I told the manager, "Look at your records. Look at the time stamp on the key cards we used to gain entry to the room or look at the cameras in the elevator. We weren't in the room."

'All he could tell me was that it's done. He said there's nothing he can do and that he's not going to check or pull any records and I could dispute it with my bank.'

The Daily Mail has reached out to the M Social Time Square Hotel for comment but has not heard back.

Rhay added that she had contacted the hotel via email to try to appeal the charge.

'I just wanted to let everybody know this is f**king bulls**t, this is a scam,' she scathed.

In an update, Rhay said she had gotten a new bill from the hotel that had the charge removed - but she said she was not satisfied with the hotel's response to the situation (stock image)

'Don't stay at this hotel. We were having a great time staying at this hotel [but] now they're trying to scam us out of $500...

'I really hope we can figure this out but until we do that I don't recommend anyone stay at this hotel.'

Under M Social Time Square Hotel's reviews on Google, multiple other people have made similar accusations.

The hotel responded to one with, 'In all of our guest rooms, there is a device that is constantly monitoring the air quality to ensure that the room and the hotel is an absolute smoke free environment for all of our guests.

'These devices accurately report when detecting any smoke particles from smoking or vaping activities. They can also accurately differentiate among steam, shower, aerosols, hair spray, candle, cooking and etc.

'The device in your room collected and analyzed smoke particles from your room and confirmed they were smoke particles that violate the hotel and NYC indoor smoking policy, which is why you were charged.'

In an update video shared on Thursday, Rhay said she had gotten a new bill from the hotel that had the charge removed.

Even so, Rhay said she was not satisfied with the hotel's response to the situation.

'I received absolutely nothing else from the hotel; no attempt of communication, nobody reaching out to me to speak to me about my experience or apologizing for the confusion or for this mistake and for the stress and the time that went into dealing with it and getting it resolved,' she added.

'I truly believe I wouldn't have had this charge removed if it wasn't for all the noise that you guys made and all the attention this video got.

'What I want to know now is, what about all the other people who have been commenting and sharing similar experiences with your hotel?

'If this is a real mistake and you have faulty equipment and this is not a scam, what are you going to do moving forward to prevent this from happening to your next guests?'
The father of a man who went on a shooting spree that left one dead and two seriously injured has revealed his heartbreaking regret in a new documentary.

Raoul Moat killed one person and wounded two others before managing to evade the police for days by camping out in the Northumbrian countryside in 2010.

Before going on the run after his two-day rampage, the 37-year-old bodybuilder had been released from Durham Prison on July 1, having served an 18-week sentence for assaulting a nine-year-old child.

After he embarked on the violent shooting spree, which ended in a six-hour police stand-off, Moat shot himself. He was rushed to Newcastle General Hospital and was pronounced dead by doctors.

Speaking in an upcoming Prime Video documentary, Raoul Moat: Inside the Mind of a Killer, his father - who had a distant relationship with him - recalled the day of his funeral and guilt for never reaching out to his son.

Peter Blake said: 'We went up for the funeral and I went into the church and I couldn't believe it. It was packed and people started coming up to me. I was told when he got to 18 years old age, he demanded to know who his father was and his mother wouldn't tell him anything.

'I got this in my mind [and thought] "Wait for him to come to you" and it never occurred to me that he couldn't.

'But if I had contacted him when he was 18, I think I could've turned his life around. It never happened and that was a massive mistake. Probably the biggest of my life.'

Raoul Moat's father, Peter Blake, has spoken out about his distant son in an upcoming Prime Video documentary

Peter split from Moat's mother when she was pregnant and never met his son.

It is claimed that his final words before taking his own life were: 'I've no dad, no one cares about me.'

While in prison, his girlfriend Samantha, who is 15 years his junior and mother to his daughter Chanel, told him that she had a new partner, Chris Brown.

Knowing Moat has a violent temper, Samantha tried to protect them by saying that Chris was a policeman.

Moat wrote on Facebook: 'Gonna lose my home and lost my Mrs of nearly 6 years to a copper. Like they haven't f****d my life enough over the years. I've lost everything... watch and see what happens.'

Two days after he came out of jail, he went to his ex-girlfriend Samantha's house in Birtley, Gateshead, when she was with Chris and shot the couple.

He killed the 29-year-old karate instructor and wounded Samantha. She was rushed to hospital in a critical state before being discharged 12 days later.

Less than 24 hours after shooting Samantha and Chris, the gunman crept up on unarmed PC David Rathband as he sat in his patrol car by a roundabout in Newcastle.

The 37-year-old old bodybuilder killed one person and wounded two others before managing to evade the police for days in 2010

The 37-year-old former nightclub bouncer shot the father-of-two twice in the face. In March 2009 PC Rathband had interviewed Moat under caution in the back of his police car for driving a van that was uninsured to carry scrap metal.

The officer was left blinded for life after the attack and took his own life two years later, aged 44.

After killing one person, leaving one person with life-changing injuries and another in a critical state, Moat went on the run for a week, assisted by two accomplices.

Northumbria Police organised a mass manhunt which included 160 armed officers and was thought to cost 1.4 million, putting the town of Rothbury, Northumberland, on lockdown. Moat was later located by a riverbank before killing himself.

Samantha's sister, Kelly Stobbart, also recalled his manipulative ways and how she views them today - before explaining that his violent nature became clear from early on.

'I believe he has split personality... he could be a nice person, but he could also be a horrible person,' she told the documentary.

'When Samantha first met Raoul, she was a good hairdresser. It must've been tough because she gave up her hairdressing job, and all of a sudden, she was just in the house all the time.

Samantha was just 15 when she first met the head bouncer at Newcastle's Liquid & Envy club. A year later, the pair began a relationship when he was almost twice her age at 31.

Moat is pictured with his much younger girlfriend, Samantha Stobbart, who he met when she was just 15 (pictured together)

Kelly continued 'Raoul was keeping her away from people. I don't believe she had any friends when she was with him.

'I remember at one point, they had a disagreement, and he had slapped her or something, and she wanted out, she wanted breathing space, so she had come to mine.

'And that's when the phone calls started. It was non-stop, like every time she'd put the phone down, he would ring again.

'One time when Sam was with my nana, he went to my nanas, and he had a gun. He threatened her with a gun. It showed me what he was capable of doing.

She concluded, 'I think the only way she broke free from him was when he ended up going to prison.'

Samantha had spent six years with Moat before he gunned her down.

Describing the horror in court in 2011, Ms Stobbart said: 'It all happened so quickly. Chris walked in front of me. Raoul then shot him. Chris went down on to the grass. Raoul was shouting. He then went to point the gun at my legs.

'I ran back to the house. I couldn't see anybody. I was panicking because my daughter was upstairs. I couldn't find the keys (to lock the door).

'Jackie was hiding in the kitchen, Karl was hiding in the bathroom and my mum was upstairs.

'She had the children and was getting them in the loft. I looked out of the window and it was done.

'I just remember Chris slouch down on to his knees and then from what I remember I got shot. I didn't fall to the ground straight away. It took 20 seconds and then I just collapsed. I remember blood pumping out of my arm and my chest.'

She claimed doctors said that she 'would have died' if her arm had not blocked the shot, according to reports at the time.

The shotgun cartridge penetrated her left arm and entered her abdomen. Samantha was rushed to the nearby Queen Elizabeth hospital in Gateshead, where she was left fighting for her life.

On July 5, 2010, she was declared to no longer be in a critical condition following the attack, and left hospital on July 17.

On the same day, she issued a direct appeal to Moat, who was in hiding having gone on the run. She said: 'Please give yourself up. If you still loved me and our baby you would not be doing this.'

Raoul Moat: Inside the Mind of a Killer explores how Moat's troubled upbringing and how actions continue to impact the community today.

Raoul Moat: Inside the Mind of a Killer is available on Prime Video UK & IE from 12th October.
Most holidaygoers jetting off to warmer shores this autumn will be packing away swimsuits from the likes of Primark or M&S - but socialite Lady Mary Charteris was glamorous in a $182 (136) cheetah print bikini from supermodel Liz Hurley's beachwear brand.

The blonde DJ, 38, showed off her enviable figure in a video shared by the company, thanking them for the summery collection.

A classic stringy number was elevated with opulent golden chain in place of normal straps, and according to the website, uses Liz's 'very favourite' feline pattern, featuring adjustable ties at the back and neck.

The top and bottoms retail for $91 (68) each, but other items online go for upwards of $200 (150).

It's not known where Mary's sunny getaway was, but it's possible she was holidaying with her family in Dubai - where she had been pictured at events over the last weekend.

It Girl Lady Mary is no stranger to Europe's hottest trends events, as she is part of many different social circles and was this summer seen backstage with her pal Charli XCX before her Glastonbury set.

Her father is James Charteris, the 13th Earl of Wemyss and her mother, Catherine Guinness, once worked for Andy Warhol. As a teenager, the Earl was Page of Honour to the Queen Mother.

As a child, Lady Mary was educated at Francis Holland, an all-girls private school in west London, which counts Poppy and Cara Delevingne, Emilia Fox, The Ecclestone sisters and Jemima Khan among its alumni.

Most holidaygoers jetting off to warmer shores this autumn will be packing away swimsuits from the likes of Primark or M&S - but socialite Lady Mary Charteris was glamorous in a $182 (136) cheetah print bikini from supermodel Liz Hurley 's beachwear brand

It was in her teens that she got into modelling after being introduced to the world famous agency Storm Models by the magazine editor and fashion muse Isabella Blow, who was an old family friend.

The agency also has also represented big names such as Kate Moss, Cara Delevingne, Jourdan Dunn and Lady Kitty Spencer.

In her early twenties, Lady Mary met Robbie Furze from the band The Big Pink and the couple quickly became joined at the hip.

Soon she was joining the group on their tours, selling T-shirts and helping with lighting.

Then in 2012, the couple married at her family estate in Stanway in Gloucestershire, in a bespoke Pam Hogg dress that featured cutaway panels to her midriff.

Among the A-list guests were Lily Allen, Keira Knightley and Jerry Hall, while Sean Lennon acted as the wedding photographer and Florence Welch sang Love Song by the Cure as the couple signed the register.

At the end of the evening, guests had partied so hard that some didn't make it to their own beds and Lady Mary and Robbie found the model Georgia May Jagger and a couple of other friends asleep in their marital bed.

In 2021, she gave birth to a daughter, Wilde Jessie, who is now four.

The blonde DJ, 38, showed off her enviable figure in a video shared by the company, thanking them for the summery collection

It's not known where Mary's sunny getaway was, but it's possible she was holidaying with her family in Dubai - where she had been pictured at events over the last weekend. Pictured with her husband

It seems Mary is not ready to let go of this summer, after earlier this year dancing the night away with a number of star-studded guests on a sunny Spanish island .

In August, the socialite who is based in London, was pictured at an exclusive event, thought to be in Formentera, an island near Ibiza, where she partied with a large list of celebrities and aristocrats.

The blonde model and DJ opted to wear a black lacey mini dress for the occasion, which showed off her slender frame.

She paired her chic ensemble with a heart-shaped diamante choker necklace, pointed boots and a black sunglasses.

Mary was pictured posing outside the venue with high-society sisters, Lady Lola Bute and Jazzy de Lisser.

The siblings - who are the daughters of fashion designer Serena Bute - were dressed in typically stylish attire, with Lola sporting a baby pink satin party dress and Jazzy opting to wear a simple black floaty mini frock.

Mary posted a snap of the trio on her Instagram story and wrote: 'Thank you for having me gals,' suggesting that it was perhaps the sisters who were in charge of organising the glitzy bash.

She was also seen pouting for a photo next to makeup artist and entrepreneur, Charlotte Tilbury, 52, who was wearing a shimmery dress for the occasion.

Elsewhere, she also took a snap of Rita Ora's filmmaker husband, Taika Waititi, who was pictured with a drink in his hand sporting a back shirt adorned with red and white tigers.

The 49-year-old actor - who has been married once before to Chelsea Winstanley- tied the knot with Ora, 34, in 2022 after they had been dating for four years.

Lila Moss, the daughter of Kate Moss, also appeared on Mary's Instagram story sporting a red strappy dress.

The 22-year-old smiled for the photo barefoot alongside her two friends, as they all held up their drinks.
Last week, I wrote about the signs that you might be drinking too much. It generated a lot of interest and I was contacted by a number of people saying how much they struggled with alcohol and didn't know what to do about it.

This week, as we reach the middle of Sober October, I want to share the strategies you can use to drink less  even if going totally sober seems too much of a stretch. Let me be clear about why this matters.

We know that alcohol can have a disastrous impact on our health. If you regularly drink more than 14 units a week  that's roughly six pints of average-strength beer or six medium glasses of wine  your risk of developing liver disease, certain cancers, and cardiovascular problems increases significantly.

Drink 35 units a week, for example, and your risk of liver cirrhosis is around five times higher than someone who stays within the guidelines.

But the good news is that if you reduce your intake  ideally down to 14 units or fewer  those risks start to fall. It's not all or nothing. Even cutting back by a third can make a real difference to your long-term health.

There's an important caveat to this, though. If you're drinking very heavily  we're talking a bottle of spirits or two bottles of wine a day or equivalent  and especially if you've noticed your hands shaking in the morning or you've experienced withdrawal symptoms when you've tried to stop before, please speak to your GP before making drastic changes.

Alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous and, in severe cases, even life-threatening. You may need medical support to cut down safely.

For everyone else, here's what I suggest to patients who want to cut back.

Even cutting back on alcohol by a third can make a real difference to your long-term health

Set specific limits before you start

This sounds obvious, but it's surprisingly effective. Before you go out or pour that first drink at home, decide exactly how many you're going to have. Not a vague 'I'll take it easy', but a concrete number. Two pints. Three glasses of wine. The key is deciding that number when you're sober, not after you've had a couple and your judgment is already impaired. Some patients find it helpful to tell someone else what their limit is  it adds a layer of accountability.

Alternate alcoholic drinks with soft

This is one of the most effective techniques I know, and it works on multiple levels. Firstly, it slows your drinking. Secondly, it keeps you hydrated, which means you'll feel better the next day. Thirdly, it gives you something to hold and sip on, which satisfies that hand-to-mouth habit without the alcohol. Have a posh tonic water with lime, a ginger beer, whatever appeals. Most bars and pubs do non-alcoholic spirits and beers. Make it feel like a proper drink, not a punishment.

Delay your first drink

There's something about having that first drink that opens the floodgates. If you normally pour a glass of wine the moment you walk through the door after work, try pushing it back by an hour. Have a cup of tea first, go for a walk, cook dinner. You'll often find that the desperate need for a drink was more about ritual and stress-relief than an actual desire for alcohol.

Lower-strength options

This isn't about switching to alcohol-free beer. It's about being cleverer with your choices. If you usually drink wine that's 14 per cent alcohol, try one that's 11 per cent instead. You're still having wine, but you're consuming significantly less alcohol over an evening. Same goes for beer  many craft IPAs are pushing 6 or 7 per cent, whereas a standard lager is more like 4 per cent.

Avoid your triggers

Everyone has situations where they drink more than intended. Maybe after a stressful day at work, or when with a particular group of friends, or when you're home alone on a Friday evening.

Work out what your triggers are and plan around them. That might mean suggesting a cinema trip instead of the pub with those heavy-drinking mates, or making sure you've got plans on Friday evenings that don't revolve around the sofa and a bottle of wine.

Keep a booze diary

This might sound a bit tedious, but it's genuinely eye-opening. For two weeks, write down everything you drink and when.

Most people who do this are shocked by how much they're actually consuming. That glass of wine while cooking dinner, the pint after work you barely think about, the drinks on Saturday that somehow turn into seven rather than the three you remember  it all adds up. Once you can see the patterns in black and white, it's much easier to identify where to make changes.

Have drink-free days

If you can't manage a whole month off booze, try building in regular alcohol-free days each week. Two or three days where you don't drink at all. This proves to you that you can enjoy an evening or get through a stressful day without alcohol. It gives your liver a bit of time to recover. And it prevents drinking from becoming such an ingrained daily habit that you don't even think about it any more.

Be honest

This is perhaps the most important strategy of all. Before you pour a drink, ask yourself why you're doing it. Do you genuinely fancy a nice glass of wine with dinner, or are you trying to avoid feeling anxious? Are you celebrating something, or are you bored? There's no judgment here, but the answer matters.

If you're consistently using alcohol to manage difficult emotions, that's a sign you need to find better coping strategies. You might need guidance from a psychologist to do this, but you won't realise you need help until you're honest with yourself.

Victoria's brave confession

Victoria Beckham at the premiere of her Netflix series in Mayfair this week

Ive always liked Victoria Beckham. I loved her as a Spice Girl and have been impressed by her fashion career. And now, having watched her eponymous Netflix series, in which she details her battle with an eating disorder, I have even more respect for her.

Its still rare to admit to an eating disorder. Ive worked in this area of medicine for more than ten years and come across a number of well-known people  indeed, household names  who had one, yet none of them have ever spoken publicly about it. Such is the shame attached to it.

And yet we must talk about it  eating disorders have the highest mortality of any psychiatric condition, with about five per cent dying within the first four years of diagnosis. Good for Victoria for speaking so honestly and shining a light on the condition.

The NHS is crying out for more doctors. Just in mental health, the Royal College of Psychiatrists estimated that in 2023, 28.3 per cent of consultant psychiatrist posts were either vacant or filled with locums.

Yet according to the BMA, of the more than 10,000 doctors who applied this year to become psychiatrists, fewer than 500 were able to get a place. This is enraging. Surely it makes sense to increase the number of training posts in line with the number of young doctors who need to progress to further, higher, training? If we dont, theyll simply go abroad.

A STUDY has found that prostate cancer awareness campaigns have resulted in harmful over-testing as more men ask their doctors for a PSA blood test. Its a difficult balancing act and clearly we desperately need a more accurate test.

Dr Max prescribes: Family dinners

The Princess of Wales (seen in Lincolnshire earlier this month) said that too much screen time can harm family life in an essay titled 'The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World'

Last week, in an essay, the Princess of Wales warned that too much screen time is harming family life. We are suffering an 'epidemic of disconnection', Kate said, and encouraged us to make a 'conscious effort' to be present for the people we care about, perhaps by having regular family dinners. She's absolutely right. Family dinners promote self-esteem and reduce stress.
Allison Dashow says people often tell her to play the lottery, and after being diagnosed with a six in 1 million cancer, she agrees.

The native New Yorker thought nothing of the 'intermittent' pain in her left eye that developed in April 2022 because she was used to having dry eyes.

'I just thought, probably nothing serious. It'll probably go away,' Dashow, 29, told the Daily Mail.

Two months later, the 26-year-old had just earned her doctoral degree in psychology and off handedly mentioned her pain to her therapist, who urged her to see a doctor.

'[My therapist] said "It's your eye. You should definitely take that seriously." And what was kind of ironic is that I'm someone who's always been on top of my medical issues. I'll go to my appointments, I take my health seriously.

'I do what I can. But this was the one time in my life that I actually wasn't taking it seriously. I think because it was so intermittent and it wasn't that uncomfortable.'

She called her local optometrist looking for an upcoming appointment, but they told her to come in right away after hearing her symptoms. While her doctor said 'everything looked fine,' he noted there was fluid buildup behind the retina and referred her to specialist.

Dashow told the Daily Mail that the retina doctor performed several scans of her eye, including an ultrasound.

Allison Dashow, pictured above in 2025, was diagnosed with a rare eye cancer three years ago at 26 years old

Pictured: Dashow before undergoing treatment for her ocular melanoma, which consisted of a surgery to insert a radioactive plaque into the back of the affected eye

'The doctor came in, he took a couple looks at my scans, and he said, "This is very interesting. I want to bring in my colleague."

'So at that point, I thought: "Oh gosh, I don't want to be an interesting patient." So the colleague came in, and they were just grilling me with a bunch of questions about family history and symptoms.

'And they ended up saying, "The good news is it's not eye cancer." And I was like, "Great; I didn't even know that was something we were considering, but I'm glad to know it isn't."'

Dashow was initially diagnosed with choroidal neovascularization (CNV), a condition in which abnormal blood vessels grow in the choroid - the layer of tissue underneath the retina. This can damage the retina and lead to vision loss.

CNV is typically caused by old age, degeneration of the eye, nearsightedness, complications from diabetes or other retinal diseases - none of which Dashow had.

The doctors recommended injectable treatments be started right away, but Dashow sought a second opinion.

A week later, she underwent more scans with a new doctor.

Pictured: Dashow, now 29, after her surgery with a covering over the affected eye - she wore it for seven days

Ocular melanoma, a type of eye cancer, is one of the only cancers that can be diagnosed without a traditional biopsy. Based on the scans, her new doctor diagnosed her with the disease - specifically, choroidal melanoma.

'That was obviously a huge shock because I didn't go into that appointment expecting to hear that,' Dashow said.

There are about 2,000 new cases of ocular melanoma every year, according to the Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF).

It is an extremely rare cancer, affecting six in one million Americans annually, but the second-most diagnosed form of melanoma. Melanoma of the skin is the most common, with about one case in every 50 Americans annually.

Like skin cancer, the eye variety begins in the melanocytes - cells that produce the pigment that colors the skin, hair and eyes, and also form moles.

Dr Tate Kirk (pictured) is being honored at this year's MRF gala, receiving the Cure OM Vision of Hope Award

Dashow's specific type of ocular melanoma, choroidal melanoma, begins in the layer of blood vessels - the choroid - beneath the retina.

It is the most common type of ocular melanoma, according to the Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF).

Still, Dr Tate Kirk, an interventional radiologist who works with ocular melanoma patients, told the Daily Mail that many people have never heard of it.

'Everybody has heard of skin cancer melanoma, but ocular melanoma is very, very rare... and the cause is not very well known or understood,' Kirk said.

He explained that the disease is known to more likely be diagnosed in fair-skinned, blue-eyed people. Dashow has a fair complexion but does not have blue eyes.

While sun exposure is a commonly known cause of melanoma of the skin, the role it plays in ocular melanoma is unknown.

After her diagnosis, Dashow's doctor recommended a laser treatment plan. But again, she sought a second opinion.

'I did some research,' Dashow said. 'I saw just how fatal this cancer can be if it spreads.'

Kirk told the Daily Mail that the cancer spreads in about half of ocular melanoma patients. A 2009 study found the spread typically happens within 10 to 15 years of diagnosis.

Most often, the cancer travels to the liver where it becomes difficult to treat.

'That's the worst thing that happens and the thing that leads eventually to demise,' he said. 'You get metastatic disease in your liver and it grows - it's difficult to treat.'

While there are no definitive cures for ocular melanoma, patients can be treated with a specialized laser therapy or plaque brachytherapy. These treatments kill the tumor and while doctors don't declare patients 'cured,' they are considered to be what is called NED, no evidence of disease.

Dashow decided to look into treatment options herself.

'This is a very serious cancer, and when I was diagnosed, I really didn't understand the severity of it and what this meant for my life moving forward,' she said.

'And so then I listened to Dr Paul Finger's podcast. He's an ocular oncologist in New York City, and he does not recommend that laser treatment because it doesn't get all the margins of the cells, and there's a higher rate of recurrence.'

She went to Finger for a second opinion regarding treatment, and ended up getting plaque brachytherapy instead on June 30, 2022.

Dashow (right) with her medical oncologist Dr Richard Carvajal (left) at the 2023 MRF gala

Plaque brachytherapy has been used since 1915 and became the standard treatment for ocular melanoma in the '90s. The treatment consists of sewing a radioactive plaque into the back of the cancerous eye for seven days to kill the disease. Patients are considered radioactive and must social distance, but the treatment yields a lower rate of spread and recurrence.

At the end of the week, the plaque is removed and the tumor is considered dead.

About six months after Dashow's plaque was removed, her oncologist declared her tumor was dead. She continues to be considered NED, and sees Dr Richard Carvajal for checkups.

However, in 2023, she developed radiation retinopathy, which occurs in 50 percent of patients who receive plaque brachytherapy. It is a slow progressive eye disease in which blood vessels in the retina become damaged from radiation therapy. It can eventually lead to other diseases of the eye like glaucoma, cataracts and blindness.

There is no cure for radiation retinopathy, but Dashow undergoes injections every five weeks in her left eye to slow the progression and preserve her vision.

Now, three years after her diagnosis, Dashow is working to raise awareness for the rare cancer. She is this year's recipient of the Melanoma Research Foundation's Courage Award, which she will receive at the foundation's annual gala later this month.

Dashow first became involved with MRF when she began working to raise awareness of ocular melanoma, and credits the organization with helping her find a 'community' of other patients.

'It's such an incredible organization... and without them, I don't know if I ever would have met anyone with this cancer because it is so rare, and it's really helped me sort of find a community,' she said.

'There's just something really special about it. and I feel so much gratitude for the MRF.'

Kirk is also being honored at this year's gala, receiving the CURE OM Vision of Hope Award for his groundbreaking work with ocular melanoma patients who have had their disease spread to the liver.

Dashow told Daily Mail about how her diagnosis has impacted her: 'I try and remind myself that I have this awful thing that I was diagnosed with, and there's a lot of uncertainty and fear as to what will happen.

'And at the same time, I have an incredible life and family and friends and job.

'So I think I really just try to not ignore the bad. Unfortunately, these were the cards I've been dealt, and I can suffer and be mad at the world and be bitter, or I can accept sort of what's happened, and try to just live my life day to day.

'So I do think it's helped me be more present in the moment in my life... and a little bit more level-headed. That's the silver lining.'
You might not hear about it at the footy or the pub, but erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, and urinary incontinence are on the minds of many more men than you'd think.

In my clinical practice, I meet all sorts of people dealing with these issues and plenty more keep it to themselves out of embarrassment or simply not knowing what to do about it.

Approximately one in five men over the age of 40 is affected by erectile dysfunction, one in three men are affected by premature ejaculation, and one in six Australian men are affected by urinary incontinence. The shame and stigma is real - and it can take a massive toll.

It's a bit like the way women's health issues - such as vaginismus, endometriosis or even menopause - have been brushed under the carpet for years. The silence around male sexual health is just as deafening, and it's about time we brought these conversations out into the open.

Erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation

Erectile Dysfunction (ED) and Premature Ejaculation (PE) are two of the most common sexual health challenges for men. ED - where it's difficult to get or keep an erection - is especially common in men aged 45 years and older, while premature ejaculation (orgasming too quickly) can affect men of all ages.

Both conditions can be embarrassing, making intimacy more stressful than it really needs to be. They can even stop some men from trying to have a sex life altogether.

A number of factors contribute to these conditions. The likelihood of erectile dysfunction increases as people get older, due to the gradual blockage of blood vessels and the deterioration of nerve fibres over time.

GP and DailyMail+ columnist Dr Brad McKay (pictured) speaks to many men in his clinical practice about issues with erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation and incontinence

Nerves and blood vessels in the pelvis are also affected by smoking, alcohol, recreational drug use, low testosterone, diabetes, some neurological conditions, prostate surgery and pelvic radiotherapy.

Anxiety and stress can also play a role in ED and PE.

Pelvic floor weakness is often overlooked in men. It's usually associated with urinary incontinence, but also plays a crucial role in issues like erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation.

Just as women experience weaker pelvic floor muscles with age, so do men - but pelvic health advice frequently focuses on women. Pelvic floor exercises can improve continence and sexual function, but most men are never shown how to do them.

Pelvic physiotherapists are amazingly skilled, but most clinics are targeted toward women's health, leaving men feeling left out. When blokes finally muster up the courage to to walk into a clinic decked out in pink, it's common to discover they've been exercising the wrong muscles for years - unsurprisingly with zero benefit.

Most medical solutions for erectile dysfunction involve pills, vacuum pumps, or penile injections. While these approaches can be helpful, they may not be suitable for everyone. Men's pelvic floor strength is often left out of the conversation, and other practical approaches to treatment are rarely discussed.

Erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation can be embarrassing, making intimacy more stressful than it really needs to be (stock image posed by models)

Pills, pumps and injections: what to know

The most recognised treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED) is Viagra (sildenafil), a medication that enhances blood flow to the penis, helping maintain a firmer erection for longer periods of time. Many users report improved erection firmness; however, common side effects include facial flushing, headaches and dizziness.

Another option is tadalafil (Cialis), which lasts longer and is available in both daily (low-dose) and 'as needed' (higher-dose) formulations. Urologists often recommend taking tadalafil daily after pelvic surgery to promote blood flow.

However, tadalafil isn't suitable for everyone. Some men struggle with side effects or find the ongoing cost prohibitive.

If tablets are unsuitable or ineffective, then penile injections are sometimes suggested. However, many men understandably don't want to inject medication into their penis, which can be painful, and can cause bruising or even scarring.

Both pills and injections come with a small risk of priapism, a tight erection that won't go down. After a few hours, this can become more painful and is considered a medical emergency, requiring urgent medical attention.

Embarrassment is another big hurdle. Some men are too shy to talk to their GP about their sexual health and seek medication online. Medication posted to your front doorstep may be convenient and discreet, but it's impossible to know if the medicine you've received is the one you've been expecting.

Fake medicine may be ineffective or dangerous.

Online clinics can offer convenience, allowing men to avoid potentially uncomfortable in-person conversations with their regular GP. However, some of these clinics take advantage of vulnerable patients by charging steep prices for treatments that are typically quite affordable.

It's worth noting that medications commonly used for treating erectile dysfunction are often not effective in treating premature ejaculation.

Emsella: a new approach for ED and PE

A new non-invasive treatment designed to strengthen pelvic floor muscles was approved for use in Australia in 2018 and is gradually becoming available around the country. This treatment utilises High-Intensity Focused ElectroMagnetic (HIFEM) technology to stimulate the pelvic floor muscles without the need for medication.

The device, known as Emsella, is non-invasive, and resembles a futuristic toilet where the patient sits fully clothed on the 'throne'.

Most people start with a protocol of 30-minute sessions, three times a week for two weeks. During a 30-minute session it delivers over 11,000 powerful contractions that mimic pelvic floor exercises. These contractions are classified as supramaximal, meaning they are stronger than those a person could produce on their own.

Additionally, the sheer number of contractions far exceeds what you could realistically achieve by yourself in the same time period. Evidence suggests Emsella helps to strengthen key pelvic floor muscles, encourages better blood flow, and can support both getting and keeping an erection for longer.

The Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) states that, 'In Australia EMSELLA is intended to provide pelvic floor muscle strengthening for treatment of genitourinary system diseases/disorders such as urinary incontinence, urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy, female sexual dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction and pelvic pain syndrome in male and female patients.'

Emerging evidence also suggests that Emsella can provide symptomatic relief for men with premature ejaculation, helping them gain better control over their pelvic floor, delay orgasm, and enhance their sexual enjoyment.

There's no pain - just a sensation of the muscles tightening and relaxing. Many say they notice a difference even after one session, and for some, it's the first time they've ever felt their pelvic floor muscles working.

After the initial protocol period of two weeks, maintenance treatment is required to keep the muscles strong. 'Top-ups' can be performed weekly, or monthly.

Cost

Emsella does come at a price - the first round of sessions usually costs $1,500 to $2,500, with maintenance treatments around $75 to $150 per month thereafter. Unfortunately, this puts it out of reach of many people who could benefit from it.

When might Emsella be considered?

Emsella may be an option for men who can't or don't want to use medication or injections, and there are minimal side effects.

It's mainly being used by patients wanting to treat urinary incontinence, but research has increasingly shown benefits for patients with erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation - an area with very few effective treatments.

Some patients have even used Emsella before and after prostate cancer surgery to help keep their pelvic floor strong. It's not recommended for people with an implanted pacemaker or fitted with other internal electronic devices.

There's no one-size-fits-all answer here, but just knowing what your options are - and having an open chat with your doctor - is a really good starting point.

Every bloke's situation is different, and your GP can help you work out which approach feels right for you.

Brad McKay is a medical practitioner, author, TV host, and media commentator. Since his role as the host of Embarrassing Bodies Down Under and the release of his book Fake Medicine: Exposing the wellness crazes, cons, and quacks costing us our health, he's emerged as one of the leading voices in Australian healthcare

This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Therapeutic goods and treatments mentioned, including medications and medical devices, may not be suitable for everyone. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any treatment.

This content complies with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) guidelines by avoiding misleading claims, ensuring accuracy, and encouraging consumers to seek appropriate medical advice.

Emsella is included on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) for specific indications. Outcomes may vary depending on individual circumstances.
It's not just a hangover. It's a pounding headache, only quietened by waves of nausea and the voice in your head that replays every event from the night before in meticulous detailat least the ones you can remember.

While alcohol temporarily boosts feel good hormones, increasing levels of serotonin and dopamine in the brain, once their levels drop many of us will be susceptible to a phenomenon dubbed 'hangxiety'a feeling of existential dread the morning after.

This state is a common side effect of drinking more alcohol than the body can handle, though some of us seem to be more prone to it than others.

And it seems most prevalent among women who have a particular taste for white wine.

Whilst experts don't know for sure whether there's something about the wine itself that triggers this fragile emotional state, or if it's simply a reflection of the psychological well-being of the people drinking it, there has been a number of theories put forward.

'Hangxiety is a mixture of hangover and anxiety,' explains David Nutt, a professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London.

'They go together very well because the nature of a hangover at a chemical levelthe changes in neurotransmitters brought on by heavy drinkingare the same changes that you find in anxiety disorders,' he told The Telegraph.

Simply put, hangxiety is a direct consequence of the chemical reactions that happen in the body when we drink alcohol.

Whilst a glass or two may help you relax drinking too much white wine can send up spiralling into a bottomless pit of hangxiety

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Common symptoms include feelings of guilt, self-hatred, restlessness, fear and worry about your actions and behaviour the night before, upset stomach and trouble sleepingall of which could be put down to physiological changes in the brain.

'When we drink, it suppresses our critical parent ego-state which is our voice of reason that helps us discern good from bad,' leading UK psychotherapist Nick Davies explained.

'The stronger the alcohol, the quicker and more it is suppressed, often leading to behaviours and communication that can embarrass us when sober.'

Because wine is typically stronger than drinks like beercoming in at around 10 to 13 per cent ABV, whilst the average alcohol content of beer is generally between 3 and 7 percentand often drunk more quickly, this effect is often more pronounced in wine lovers.

White wine is often cited as a reason for wildly bad behaviour, with some circles even referring to the golden-hued alcohol as 'b***h diesel'.

And while there is no official reason why white wine seems to bring the worst out in some people, over the years, some have pointed the finger at sulphitesused to preserve the wineand the extra sugar content in white compared to red varieties.

Roger Corder, professor of experimental therapeutics at Barts and the London School of Medicine, told the Daily Mail in 2014: 'Sulphites won't affect the rate at which a person gets drunk or change their personality.

'I've also heard it suggested that it could be down to there being more sugar in white than red, but there's nothing to suggest the amount of sugar in a drink will affect behaviour, otherwise people would go crazy after a glass of orange juice, which has far more.'

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Instead, he suggests people are just in denial about how much wine they are drinking.

He said: 'Problems arise as a result of the amount of alcohol being drunk. What they need to do is reappraise those levels.'

Another potential cause of hangxiety is the downregulation of glutamate levels in the brain when we drink, Prof Nut explains.

Glutamate is a powerful neurotransmitter which essentially excites the brain and nervous system, to help us stay focused and alert.

To begin with, alcohol has a prohibiting effect on this neurotransmitter, which usually starts to kicks in around the fourth drinkbut this can happen more quickly when the drinks are stronger, potentially pointing to why we associate white wine with the phenomenon.

In order to compensate for a lack of glutamate, the body will start upregulating, producing more and more of the neurotransmitter as we drink.

Once the alcohol has been processed by the liver, it takes a little while for the delicate balance of chemicals in the brain to level out, with too much glutamate and too little GABAtriggering anxiety.

On top of this, all the symptoms of a classic hangover seem to feed anxiety. So while any drinker can be hit with hangxietythere is some evidence that white wine can make symptoms worse.

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However, according to experts. there's not a lot you can to avoid the phenomenon, other than drinking less, and perhaps resting up the next day.

'The only sure fire way to avoid anxiety, is to avoid drinking altogether,' Ms Karen Tyrell, chief executive officer at Drink Aware said.

'Our advice would be if you're struggling with anxiety, think about other ways there are to unwind that don't involve alcohol.

'But if you have drank alcohol, and you're experiencing anxiety, tackle your physical symptoms first. Rehydrate, rest take some paracetamol. Don't go down the hair of the dog roadthis will only make things worse in the long run.

'In the future you can try things like zebra striping, which involves swapping between non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. Or download an app and track how much you drink.

'If you're still feeling anxious when the hangover has passed this could be a tell-tale sign that you need to reassess your relationship with alcohol.'

It comes as experts have warned that no amount of alcohol is 'safe'. Whilst research has long suggested that the occasional tipple could boost brain health, experts now say drinking any level of alcohol could increase dementia risk.

The NHS recommends people drink no more than 14 'units' of alcoholaround six glasses of wine, or pints of beerper week.

Some experts say that the fizzy stuff could leave you feeling more anxious the next day, because it is absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream

What about bubbles?

Champagne and prosecco may be the world's first choice when it comes to celebrating milestones, but according to Prof Nutt, it could send anxiety levels skyrocketing.

'Alcohol causes an adaptation in the brain, and it's not just about the amount of units consumed, but when that alcohol 'peaks' in your body,' he told The Telegraph.

'Champagne, because it's carbonated, is absorbed very quickly into the bloodstream, making our bodies adaptreactmore quickly.'

However, as Prof Nutt explained, this reaction doesn't happen immediately, and often outlasts the effects of alcohol.

'So whilst the alcohol is gone from your body overnight, you've still got the neuroadaptation saying "stay awake!". That's why we can wake up at four in the morning with a pounding heart and feeling anxious after drinking,' he explained.

And it is thought this effect can last well into the next day, if not longer.
The next pandemic will begin with the death of a single baby in Africa  and go on to kill more than seven million Americans, with 20 times more fatalities worldwide.

That's the chilling conclusion of a 'thought experiment' carried out by leading US epidemiologist Michael T Osterholm.

More horrific still, this catastrophe is currently unavoidable. 'The Big One,' he says, 'is not optional.'

Professor Osterholm, one of the most strident voices in favor of vaccines to combat COVID during the last pandemic, is the founding director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

So alarmed is the 72-year-old medic, who is also credited with helping to contain the 2014 outbreak of Ebola, that he is using apocalyptic language more usually heard from religious fanatics than from doctors.

In his new book The Big One, he says the next global epidemic will be 'like a biological bomb going off... The world will once again be on fire.'

If that sounds like the prediction of a nuclear holocaust, Osterholm warns the impact of a full-scale pandemic, something that makes COVID look like a dry run, will be worse than any atomic blast.

'We spend many billions of dollars every year,' he says, 'on national defense and security in the United States, but pandemics have killed more human beings in modern times than all the wars in history.'

Osterholm says we have to be constantly alert for new and lethal strains of disease making the leap from the animal kingdom (pictured: a wet market in Hong Kong)

The most likely sources of infection are not only bats but pigs and poultry, says Osterholm

Disinfecting a wet market in Huzhou City, China, in December 2021

'It is no exaggeration to say that each of us remains in far greater constant danger from microbial enemies than from human ones.'

Osterholm refuses to commit himself on the question of what triggered the COVID-19 explosion  whether it was a zoonotic disease that crossed over from bats and possibly other animals, or a man-made contagion that escaped from a lab at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China, where scientists were supercharging viruses with 'gain-of-function' powers.

Whatever the truth of that case, he says, we have to be constantly alert for new and lethal strains of disease making the leap from the animal kingdom. The most likely sources are not only bats but pigs and poultry.

Monkeys, too, could harbor sicknesses as yet unknown in humans, to which we will have little or no resistance. One emerged nearly 80 years ago in Uganda's Zika forest, a flavivirus that at first seemed comparatively harmless.

It caused mild rashes, conjunctivitis and muscle pains  but 10 years ago scientists discovered it was capable of setting off Guillain-Barre syndrome, a paralyzing autoimmune disease.

One outbreak in Brazil also caused babies of infected mothers to be born with microcephaly, their heads abnormally small with brains that did not develop properly.

As an illustration of how varied the dangers of zoonotic diseases can be, Osterholm begins his 'thought experiment' with a respiratory infection transmitted to humans from camels.

This is not fanciful. In 2012, a coronavirus outbreak dubbed Middle East respiratory syndrome [MERS] appeared in the Arabian Peninsula  spread by camels.

MERS was terrifyingly deadly. Osterholm believes COVID-19 had a fatality rate around 3.4 per cent. But the death rate of MERS was 10 times higher, about one in three.

Thought experiments, a favorite device of Albert Einstein, are a way of testing hypothetical ideas. In military circles, they are also known as 'war-gaming.'

The purpose of the exercise is to emulate a pandemic from first infections to mass lockdowns, and discover the best responses so that, when we are next faced with a potential international medical emergency, the world is better prepared to cope.

One thing we learned from COVID is that some people may get ill yet never pass the virus on to anyone else. Others are 'super-spreaders'  entirely by accident, they convey the disease to dozens, perhaps even hundreds or thousands of other people.

Professor Osterholm was one of the most strident voices in favor of vaccines to combat COVID during the last pandemic

Osterholm begins his 'thought experiment' with a potential respiratory infection that is transmitted to humans from camels

In his nightmare scenario, the children of poor farmers are first to be impacted by the mysterious, flu-like illness

In the worst case scenario, they will transport the virus to another continent. This accelerates the rate of spread far beyond anything that was imaginable even 100 years ago.

Osterholm's imaginary outbreak starts on the border of Kenya and war-torn Somalia. Subsistence farmers, scratching a living from the drought-stricken land and constantly at the mercy of marauding gangs of soldiers, frequently see their children die of cholera, measles and dengue fever.

But the sickness that spreads through one community is different, more like flu. It brings chills, a hacking cough, aching muscles and a persistent, dull pain in the head.

The local health worker can do little except advise sufferers to drink plenty of water and rest as much as they can. For the farming families along this parched borderland, both those notions are impossible.

To make life more difficult still, several are seeing their camels sicken and die. These animals not only help to grind corn and pump the wells, and carry produce to market, but also provide milk. Their loss is a terrible blow.

As she visits each village, the health worker has no idea that she is carrying the virus herself. She is the first super-spreader. Many of the mothers whose babies she helps deliver, and the children she vaccinates, will catch the contagion from her.

But the mysterious illness is already moving beyond the village. One family whose crop has failed decide to make the arduous trek to a refugee camp on the other side of the border, 50 miles away. On the way, their baby develops a constant, racking cough. Three days after they arrive at the camp, she dies.

This imaginary scenario is all too plausible. The virus, so far undiagnosed, is a variety of MERS. How it arrived in the village can hardly be guessed, but perhaps it came from the wild, with contact between domesticated and untamed camels.

It was then transmitted to humans through dung or saliva (camels are great spitters). Viral crossovers like this are probably not uncommon but rarely spread. The difference in this hypothetical scenario is that the contagion mutated, becoming transmissible through the air  not necessarily in droplets or by touch. People were becoming infected simply by breathing the virus in.

The hypothetical health worker unknowingly picks up the virus and spreads it across villages

Mask precautions during COVID, says Osterholm, were largely useless

The only effective protection, says Osterholm, is via a certified N95 respirator

It was this, Osterholm believes, that made COVID-19 so virulent. For a long time, most doctors refused to believe the coronavirus was being passed from one person to another through the air.

They thought it was a contact disease, caught from particles of spittle when people stood and talked too close to each other. During the early stages of the pandemic, official advice was for everyone to wash their hands frequently, to reduce the risk of infection by touch, and to wear paper masks, to prevent airborne droplets from being breathed in and out.

Both these precautions were largely useless. Osterholm urges that the only effective preventative is to wear a certified N95 respirator, a plastic breathing apparatus similar to gasmasks worn during World War II.

He recognizes how extreme this will seem to most people, including those working in hospitals and any place where large numbers of people are gathered  such as a refugee camp.

'You can change your behavior and cut back on bad habits to promote health,' he says, 'but you can't cut back on breathing  so the idea of catching something just by inhaling is terrifying.'

In his 'thought experiment', of course, no one at Hagadera Refugee Camp in Kenya has access to N95 respirators.

The disease brought into the city of tents by one desperate family with their dying baby quickly spreads, with the hospital as its epicenter.

Several of its doctors live in the capital Nairobi, in its Eastleigh district.

They take the virus home with them, and soon it is rampant throughout the city. The hot, crowded buses making the seven-and-a-half hour journey between Eastleigh and the refugee camp act as petri dishes for the disease.

And it is becoming more deadly.

The terrifying vision of the 'Big One' pandemic spreads to the crowded Hagadera refugee camp in Kenya

An infected aid worker heads home to the US - but a warning from authorities about the danger of the new virus comes too late, says Osterholm in his 'thought experiment'

Meanwhile, a businessman heads back east, setting the stage for what the author describes as 'a biological bomb'

Highly contagious during its incubation period when it is undetectable, it then rapidly becomes very serious.

Nairobi's hospitals are quickly overwhelmed. In up to a third of cases, the disease is fatal.

By now, the mysterious sickness has a name: sudden acute respiratory distress syndrome, or SARDS.

European and American health authorities start warning of the consequences if SARDS goes worldwide. They are already too late.

One French aid worker is at the end of his stint in Hagadera when he contracts SARDS. Without knowing he is infected, he travels back to Europe, passing first through Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris and then across the national rail network  spreading a trail of disease that infects hundreds of people.

At the same time, an Indonesian businessman concludes his deal in Nairobi and jets home, via Istanbul. Within hours, this highly infectious disease is spreading across the Middle East and south-east Asia.

Before US authorities can take action to limit international travel, a man presents at the emergency room in Minnesota.

Horrified medics diagnose SARDS. The man is placed immediately in an isolation room, but the hospital's protocol does not mandate for N95 respirators. Staff and patients are inevitably exposed to the disease at its most virulent and contagious.

But that's far from the worst of it.

The man describes his recent journey from Somalia to the US: 300 miles by truck to the capital Mogadishu, then flights from three successive airports, taking him to Qatar, then to Dallas Fort Worth, through US Customs and Immigration, and finally to MinneapolisSt. Paul.

In crowded queues for security, boarding, customs, and immigration, he has stood close to more than 1,000 passengers bound for the US.

SARDS has arrived. Before the epidemic is over, it will have killed as many people in the USA alone as died on all sides on the battlefields of World War I.

When Professor Michael T Osterholm says this is The Big One - he means it.

The Big One: How we must prepare for future deadly pandemics, by Professor Michael T Osterholm and Mark Olshaker, is published by Little, Brown Spark
Fears are mounting that Vladimir Putin-backed hackers are behind the crippling cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) which shut down its production line and put 200,000 jobs at risk.

The car maker has just restarted production after receiving a 1.5billion government loan guarantee, having had its manufacturing plants and delivery systems shut since September 1.

Operations ground to a halt in the UK, Brazil, India and Slovakia and the government intervened following concerns about the devastating impact on smaller suppliers.

The sophistication and extent of the hack, which could cost the company billions of pounds, has led investigators to probe whether the Kremlin was involved.

While no final assessment has been made, the involvement of the Russian state remains an active line of enquiry, with the National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ, assisted by the National Crime Agency.

Intelligence chiefs have warned that Putin is targeting the UK with cyber attacks.

Richard Moore, the former head of MI6, last year warned Russia was waging a 'staggeringly reckless campaign' of sabotage in Europe, with Britain seen as a top target.

And Labour minister Pat McFadden also said that Russia is ready to carry out attacks on the UK and allies to weaken support for Ukraine.

The car maker has just restarted production after receiving a 1.5bn government loan guarantee

He warned of Putin's capacity to 'turn the lights off for millions of people', as well as its willingness to target British businesses 'in pursuit of its malign goals'.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves last month admitted Russia is behind some recent cyber attacks, adding the government and businesses needed to 'step up' their efforts to combat danger.

'We also need to deal with this at source. It's coming from hostile states, states like Russia  and that's why we are doing what we are doing.

'A number of these attacks originate in Russia by Russian-backed entities, and we are getting a grip of that.'

Companies including Marks and Spencer, Harrods and Co-Op have all been disrupted by cyber attacks.

All 800 of the computer systems used by JLR were knocked out. But it appears not to have been a ransomware attack - where hackers make demands for payment.

A GCHG spokesperson said an investigation into Russian involvement over the JLR attack is 'ongoing' but they would 'caution against speculation'.

On Tuesday, JLR announced that its assembly line workers were returning to its engine plant in Wolverhampton and its battery assembly centre in Coleshill, Birmingham after 37 days.

Fears are mounting that Vladimir Putin-backed hackers are behind the crippling cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover

It also restarted its stamping operations in Castle Bromwich, Halewood in Merseyside, and Solihull, along with key areas of its Solihull vehicle production plant, such as its body shop, paint shop and its logistics operations centre, which feed parts to the group's global manufacturing sites.

On Wednesday, JLR global manufacturing director Luis Vara said: 'There is a strong sense of unity and momentum as we get back to doing what we do best, building quality luxury vehicles for our customers.'

JLR has been contacted for comment.


Britain's housing market is not working. Families are desperate for more space, first-time buyers struggle to get a foothold, and older people are trapped in homes that no longer suit their needs.

One of the biggest reasons for this logjam is too often overlooked: the system has failed to provide the kinds of homes people actually want to downsize into.

The evidence is striking. More than 1.2 million over-55s have abandoned plans to move in the past two years, according to the HomeOwners Alliance. A third say the lack of suitable properties has put them off entirely.

Savills calculates that the over-60s now own 2.95 trillion worth of property  but this wealth is frequently locked up because there's nowhere to move and no way to release it.

The knock-on effects are obvious. Couples rattling around in family-sized houses remain where they are.

The four-bed property they no longer need is unavailable to the young family that's desperate for more space. The starter home that family might vacate never reaches the first-time buyer. Chains stall; the market seizes up.

This is why downsizing is not simply a lifestyle preference but one of the fastest ways to unclog the housing market. One retired couple moving into a smaller property can trigger two or three other moves down the line. Multiply that effect nationally and the results are transformative.

On the move: Downsizing is not simply a lifestyle preference but one of the fastest ways to unclog the housing market

The trouble is, we're moving in the opposite direction. Consider bungalows. For decades they were a familiar part of Britain's housing mix: practical, manageable and adaptable as people age.

They are exactly what millions of people say they want. Single-storey living is easier to maintain, safer, and helps people remain independent for longer. Retirement communities built around such homes also provide something else: the chance to stay connected to neighbours, shops and services.

Yet supply has totally collapsed. National House Building Council figures show bungalows accounted for 11 per cent of new homes in 1990. Last year it was 1 per cent. Since 2010, the figure has never risen above 2 per cent. All the while, demand has grown: nearly five million older people say they would like their next move to be to a bungalow, while nine million want more of them built.

Some developers are starting to respond. At McCarthy Stone, for example, we now have 22 bungalow developments comprising over 500 units either sold out or on sale, making us one of the largest builders of retirement bungalows in the country. But this is still only part of the solution.

The shortfall is partly a function of how the housing system is structured. Planning rules rarely prioritise later-living homes. Land allocation tends to tilt towards other tenures.

Local demand for retirement housing is too often under-assessed. The result is a mismatch between what people need and what actually gets built.

The opportunity is clear. By treating later-living housing as a national priority, on a par with homes for first-time buyers, we can unlock vast amounts of under-used stock. Local authorities should be required to assess demand and allocate sites accordingly. Developers, planners and policymakers can then build homes, including bungalows that meet changing needs, not just demand from first-time buyers.

Britain's population is ageing fast. But with the right focus, downsizing can become a catalyst for renewal: freeing up family homes, helping first-time buyers, and giving older people the chance to live in places that suit their lives. Far from being a niche reform, this is one of the most powerful opportunities we have to get the housing market moving again.
LVMH will hope to build on its shows at Paris Fashion Week at the start of the month when it updates investors in the coming days.

Analysts at Deutsche Bank said that while times are tough, there may be light at the end of the tunnel.

One said: 'Consumer confidence faces less obvious geo-political challenges in 2026, stock markets remain robust and housing wealth should recover.'

Stylish: LVMH's Louis Vuitton brand modelled by Naomi Campbell (pictured)

LVMH (its Louis Vuitton brand modelled by Naomi Campbell) is anticipated to post sales of 13.6billion for the three months to the end of September  a 1 per cent fall compared to the year before.

Investors will be hoping for signs of green shoots after sales plunged earlier this year amid deepening gloom in the luxury world.
A hardworking pillar of the community says his life was ruined after asking a mother on a motorized shopping cart for help while visiting Walmart.

Mahendra Patel, known to loved ones as Mick, was arrested by SWAT and hurled in prison for nearly two months over a March 18 encounter with Caroline Miller, 27, at a Walmart store in Acworth, Georgia.

Now, Patel says he plans to sue the county for $25 million.

Miller stands accused of concocting an unfounded tale of child abduction that saw Patel, a 57-year-old father of two, falsely branded a pedophile and fear for his life in jail, while a district attorney's blunders made his ordeal drag on.

Patel, an engineer-turned-landlord, says he was on the hunt for slow-release Tylenol for his elderly mother when he asked Miller, who was riding a motorized shopping cart in the store with her children, for help.

'I saw this woman in a motorized scooter,' Patel told the Daily Mail. 'And I certainly thought right away that she's handicapped with two kids. When I approach her, I ask her, "I'm looking for Tylenol, do you know where it is?"

'"Yeah, I'll be happy to help," she said. I started following her. And in fact, I told her that you can just point me. You don't need to come there.'

Patel says Miller appeared to be having problems with the motorized shopping cart, which kept stalling.

Mahendra Patel is pictured walking into Walmart in Acworth, Georgia, on March 18 this year

Caroline Miller (pictured) went on TV to claim Patel had tried to abduct her two-year-old son

'A couple of times I told her, "Don't worry about, just show me where it is." But she was still taking me along,' he continued.

'And then when she come to a corner, we were turning right. When she turned, she clipped that corner and I felt one of her kids was going to fall. So I instinctively I grabbed the kid. Prevented him from falling down the floor.

'When she had a grip over the kid, I handed over to her.

'I quickly told her that, you know, thank you. Don't worry about it. I'm sorry if I scared you. And I said, I'll find another employee and don't worry.'

Surveillance camera footage appears to show Patel's attempt to stop Miller's son Jude from falling to the floor. But days later, Miller appeared on TV to claim that Patel had only asked for help finding the Tylenol to distract her so he could try and abduct her 2-year-old son Jude.

Miller told WSB-TV: 'When I pointed my arm out this way to say this is where it was, that is when he reached down, put both of his hands on Jude, and grabbed him out of my lap.

'I'm like, "No, no, not a, what are you doing?" He pulled him. I pulled him back. We're tug of warring.'

Miller claimed Patel fled the store, saying: 'Before we could do anything, he was gone.'

Patel denied the allegations, telling the Daily Mail that, after he returned Jude to his mother's lap, Miller 'was pointing towards the Tylenol.'

Surveillance camera footage appears to show Patel's attempt to stop Miller's son Jude from falling to the floor

Miller, pictured by the Daily Mail in May, was using the motorized shopping cart the day of the March incident

Miller told WSB-TV: 'When I pointed my arm out this way to say this is where it was, that is when he reached down, put both of his hands on Jude, and grabbed him out of my lap'

'And I didn't see her visibly scared or upset or nothing,' he said. 'It was a very brief couple of seconds interaction. I hand the kid back to her and that was it.

'There was no tug of war. In fact, there was another guy in that aisle pretty close by. We didn't argue. We weren't loud or anything.'

He claimed that Miller had even given him a 'thumbs up' after he'd found the medicine and held it up to show her, before walking away.

Surveillance footage showed Miller looking relaxed as she continued to shop while Patel paid for his Tylenol and exited.

Patel said he thought nothing more of the encounter, until three days later, when his car was surrounded by a police SWAT team as he drove home from work.

'They're calmly driving behind and then I go maybe 100 yards or so. No lights.

'They accelerated and they cornered me. All the three cars surrounded me. They got out of the car with a gun pointing at me and said, hey, drop the keys. So I pull over. I'm like, "Oh my God, they're after me."

'And still I had no idea. I was thinking, "Any wrong move and I could be dead here." I was so panicked.'

Patel was cuffed as he lay on the ground, lifted by his collar and put into the back of a police SUV.

He was so stressed, his blood pressure rose to dangerously high levels, forcing cops to take him to a local emergency room. There, they handcuffed him to a bed as he pleaded for medicine for his hypertension.

Patel was taken to jail after his blood pressure returned to normal.

Surveillance footage showed Miller looking relaxed as she continued to shop

Patel was accused of fleeing the store after, but was filmed paying for his Tylenol and exiting

Miller is pictured going to the supermarket in May

He recalled being told he was charged with kidnapping: 'My heart just stopped.'

'Kidnapping. I started shaking. I was like, oh my God.

'I was scared to my death. I was scared for my life and death.

'I had no idea. And because, you know, kidnapping charges in Georgia carry a life sentence.'

Quickly realizing that the charge he faced could see him targeted by other inmates, Patel kept his head down while his friend Melanie Bolling got to work alerting his family and planning a fightback.

Meanwhile, the lack of vegetarian food saw Patel lose 17 pounds during his 46-day stint in jail.

But the worse was to come. Miller's TV appearance had been seen by an inmate who was booked after Patel - and word got around the jail that he was a suspected child snatcher.

'Next morning, the new inmates come in,' Patel said. 'And one of the guys, right in front of 10, 15 people, said I saw this man. He tried to kidnap a small child.'

'Next thing you know, everyone had found out that I'm accused of kidnapping,' he added.

'From that point onwards I couldn't sleep at night. I would wake up from having a nightmare. Multiple times. People want to jump on you because of anything to do with kids.'

Patel branded Miller 'evil' and said: 'She made the whole thing worse by going on television.'

Patel (pictured at a court hearing in May) said he thought nothing more of the encounter, until three days later, when his car was surrounded by a police SWAT team as he drove home from work

Patel (pictured before he was arrested) lost 17 pounds in prison and feared for his life

Back in the outside world, he says his family was being harassed.

His lookalike brother was unable to leave the house over fear he'd be mistaken for Patel. His two daughters - one pursuing an MBA at Columbia, the other training to be a doctor at the Mayo Clinic - were both beside themselves with worry about their father.

But a glimmer of hope for the family came when they hired Ashleigh Merchant, a defense attorney convinced of Patel's innocence.

She was the one who uncovered the smoking gun: the Walmart surveillance footage. Despite the seemingly contradictory tape, however, Cobb County District Attorney Sonya Allen refused to free Patel.

He spent three more weeks in prison, and was finally granted bond in May. The charges against Patel were only dropped in August.

It later emerged Allen had not shown the Walmart surveillance footage when seeking a grand jury indictment against Patel, claiming technical difficulties.

Her failure to do so is now set to cost Cobb County dear, with Patel intending to sue for $25 million for libel and slander, false arrest, invasion of privacy, emotional distress and other damages, according to local news outlet WSB-TV.

Allen's office released a statement claiming it was 'satisfied the ends of justice have been met' and 'pleased to have facilitated a resolution and encouraged by the willingness of both parties to engage in a constructive dialogue.'

Allen's office added that the charges were dropped because Miller and Patel 'wanted to put the incident behind them.'

But Patel insisted the DA's statement was misleading and said he demanded an apology and justice from Miller and the officials who prosecuted him.

'The people in power, including police and all, when they make a mistake instead of rectifying the mistake, they double down, triple down,' Patel said.

It later emerged Allen had not shown the Walmart surveillance footage when seeking a grand jury indictment against Patel, claiming technical difficulties

Patel's lawyers noted that Miller has previously sued other companies. She went on TV after claiming she had been raped by a driver working for ride-share company Lyft

He told the Daily Mail of how his property business was badly damaged by his time in jail, with invoices left unpaid and tenants going without hot water because he was unable to help them.

'I repeatedly demanded a public apology from all the parties that did the wrong thing to me,' Patel explained. 'Nobody did anything.'

He added: 'They indicted me. They denied giving me a bond they dropped charges silently, and they think that this thing should go away. No, justice has not been served.

'This is not about me anymore. This affects far beyond one person,' Patel said. 'it affects your families, friends, acquaintances...

'My wife, she has a heart problem. She would not speak to anybody for a long time.

'She would go out of a house even to do basic shopping... My daughter who is in medical school started failing her classes.'

Patel's lawyers noted that Miller has previously sued other companies. She went on TV after claiming she had been raped by a driver working for ride-share company Lyft.

'This looks like it's a full-time job she's doing,' Patel alleged of Miller's accusations against corporations.

He added: 'My advice to her is karma, what goes around comes around. And go find a real job in life.

'Stop putting your kids on national TV. They are not your toys. If you genuinely worried about your kids, you should be protecting them, not showing up on a national TV.'

Miller did not respond to the Daily Mail's repeated requests for comment.

The Daily Mail repeatedly reached out to both the Acworth Police Department and the Cobb County District Attorney.

The City of Acworth said it could not comment on pending litigation.
Somethings gone badly wrong in Victoria - and everyone can feel it.

Just 29 days after Premier Jacinta Allan's much-touted machete ban came into force, another teenager was death - allegedly hacked to death in Morwell on September 27.

Yet moments before offering condolences to the victim's family, Allan praised the very ban that was supposed to stop the bloodshed.

To mention both in the same breath was striking, as Melbourne's violent teen gangs continue to fuel a brutal crime wave driven by social media notoriety.

Since the ban was first announced in March, Melbourne has been rocked by at least half a dozen high-profile machete attacks and alleged murders.

In March, a 24-year-old man was allegedly killed in Lyndhurst after a gang of 10 machete-wielding thugs ambushed him in a shopping centre car park. An 18-year-old was later charged with murder.

Two months later, a machete brawl at Northland shopping centre led the nightly news, four men were arrested, weapons seized, and Allan fast-tracked her ban.

More machete violence followed, brawls in Melbourne's west in June and July, and the fatal stabbing of a man outside a Dandenong service station on August 18.

Then, on September 6, two boys, Dau Elbino Akueng, 15, and Chol Achiek, 12, were hacked to death by a machete-wielding gang in Cobblebank, reportedly due to a case of mistaken identity.

Just three weeks later, 18-year-old Kaiden Morgan became the third teenager killed in a machete attack this month after he was stabbed to death in Morwell. Two suspects, aged 16 and 19, have been charged with his murder.

Dau Elbino Akueng, 15, was allegedly murdered in Melbourne in September

12-year-old boy Chol Achiek was also allegedly murdered

Violent crime is out of control in Melbourne

Allan's machete ban commenced on September 1, and since then, three teenagers have been killed by the very weapons it was meant to outlaw.

Meanwhile, violent crime in Victoria continues to spiral. A pregnant woman and her partner were allegedly murdered in Glen Waverley in August, his decapitated head reportedly placed on a stake, and suspected Porepunkah cop-killer Dezi Freeman, accused of shooting two officers, remains on the run.

Throw in countless home invasions, armed robberies, vicious assaults, and high-speed stolen car chases, and it's clear Melbourne is enduring one of its worst crime waves in decades.

Knife crime in Victoria jumped 11.5 per cent in 202425, with police seizing almost 11,000 bladed weapons in the same period.

The surge helped drive a 15.7 per cent rise in overall crime, while hospital admissions for stab wounds have doubled in the past decade.

Youth offending among 10 to 17-year-olds spiked 18 per cent in early 2025, with children increasingly involved in armed robberies and aggravated burglaries.

The number of youth gangs has soared 30 per cent since 2019, and repeat child offenders now account for 40 per cent of all crime in the state.

If you've ever seen footage of a teenager caught with a machete in a stolen car, often already out on bail, that's one of them.

Kaiden Morgan, 18, became the third teenager killed in Septmber by alleged machete-wielding attackers

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan priased her government's machete ban just after a teen was allegedly murdered by a machete-wielding killer

A machete brawl at Northland made headlines

Just last month, terrified Melburnians were reminded of the Bourke Street Mall massacre when a group of youths in a stolen BMW tore through the CBD at high speed before abandoning the car and fleeing into the Emporium shopping centre.

Police arrested four teens, two 16-year-olds and two 17-year-olds. Two were charged with theft of a motor vehicle and conduct endangering life, while the others faced aggravated home invasion and aggravated burglary charges.

Two were remanded in custody. One has already been released on bail. That phrase again - released on bail.

Frontline police are exhausted, locking up offenders only to see them back on the streets within days.

Even retail crime has exploded, with brazen ram-raids on high-end boutiques now commonplace. In one viral video, a woman smashed through the doors of a designer store, stole several items, and walked out without anyone stopping her.

Some questioned why the bystanders did nothing but others said it wasn't their responsibility to catch a criminal not knowing if she was armed with a knife or any other weapon and if she was prepared to use it.

Veteran crime reporter John 'Sly' Silvester told 3AW shared his own theory on why.

'We were such a compliant state during Covid, and now we're lawless,' Silvester told said.

'The vast amount of people now, are use to being bullied by crazy people because of the fear of sharp instruments.

Youths drove a stolen BMW into Bourke Street Mall before fleeing on foot

Tylah 'Melmzy' Malachowski allegedly led a Fagin-style child burglary ring

'What if you approached a person and they stabbed you?'

So why is crime, especially youth crime, so bad?

Bail is lenient. Sentences are weak. Many teenage crooks don't fear a night in lock-up, if anything, it adds to their infamy.

Social media has made it easy to record and share their crimes for instant notoriety. A teen who films a servo robbery or machete attack can go viral within hours, basking in the online attention.

As forensic psychologist Tim Watson-Munro said earlier this year.

'They see other people committing crimes on social media and they start aping that sort of mentality, they see gang activity, they want the bravado.'

'They video the crime then post on social media to get the kudos, they also use social media to congregate and commit crime, it's powerful tool to do that.'

The result? A generation of thrill-seeking youth offenders who treat violence like a game, and don't realise the party's over until they're in an adult prison.

Service station robberies are now expected to occur in Melbourne on a daily basis

A woman furiously smashes through the glass doors of a designer clothing store in the city

Police walk past a machete disposal bin

Teen crooks can still buy weapons online despite the government's crackdown.

So how many more bodies will be left on our streets, and how many more families must live in fear, before this nightmare ends?
Tourism in Las Vegas and Los Angeles drastically declined this summer, with each spot down millions of visitors.

Las Vegas recorded 4.56 million passengers for August - an almost six percent drop compared to the same month last year, according to numbers from the Harry Reid International Airport. Vegas has been losing around 300,000 visitors a month this year.

New York University hospitality professor and travel business expert Jukka Laitamaki told Daily Mail that the large reason for the tourism drop in once popular US cities, was a lack of international visitors.

He said that thanks to the political climate, crime, and economic instability, international travelers are taking their vacations elsewhere.

Laitamaki said: 'People are concerned to come to the United States because of horror stories of being detained at the airport.

'There's a lot of uncertainty and then this whole trade war is also impacting this thinking.'

He explained that while 80 percent of US tourism is domestic, in many US cities international travelers make up for most of the tourism revenue.

For example, he said international visitors equate to 20 percent of New York City's visitors but rake in up to 50 percent of the revenue.

Las Vegas saw 4.56 million passengers visit in August which was a drop of 6 percent compared to the same time last year. Women dressed as showgirls wave to visitors walking along the Las Vegas Strip

Las Vegas has been losing more than 300,000 visitors per month this year. Visitors watch the fountain show at the Bellagio

Visit California has predicted that international visits will decline by 9.2 percent for 2025 and also attributed the impact of higher tariffs on the global economy and negative sentiment toward the US due to trade policies.

Tourist heavy cities like Vegas and LA rely heavily on Canadian visitors with Canadians making up a quarter of visitors to the US overall.

But Canadian visitors to the US have fallen by 17.7 percent from 9,914,672 last year to 8,162,134 as of June, per the U.S. International Trade Administration.

Most visitors, Canadians included, are finding what they'd usually look for in the US elsewhere, Laitamaki said.

And as Canadians ditch US destinations, Laitamaki said Americans are looking to Canada to spend their vacations.

Laitamaki said: 'Visitors who want a sort of North American nature go to Canada. They welcome you.

'For those wanting to have a beach vacation, they don't go to Miami. They go to the Caribbean islands. Mexico has also taken a lot of those tourists.'

He said that in an increasingly digitized world, online gambling is drawing many tourists away from popular gambling destinations like Vegas.

Visitors to California slumped over the summer. People take photos with the iconic Hollywood sign

Atlantic City is on the decline, with tourists going to more diversified destinations to get more bang for their buck, according Laitamaki

Jukka Laitamaki is a hospitality professor at New York University

He pointed to Atlantic City as another domestic destination that could be past its prime.

He said: 'I think the decline there is mainly because of increased competition and lack of diversifications of their product.'

The expert said the beach town now only offers services that visitors can get elsewhere, and its no longer worth the money for many people.

He said tourists seek something new and novel, an experience that will be worth their money.

The key to keeping visitors interested and shooting back into popularity is adaptability, diversification, and making the vacation worth the money, Laitamaki believes.

That's why he says Vegas may not be down for long.

He said: 'What I see now is people had a perception that it's becoming expensive so Las Vegas [tourism authority] is running campaigns where it is emphasizing that you can find affordable hotels and affordable buffets.'

Las Vegas's decline could be attributed to a lower demand for in-person gambling, thanks to an increasingly digitized world

Much of Los Angeles's tourism dip has been attributed to recent wildfires

Tourism marketers are convincing travelers that their city is more than just gambling. There are sporting events to attend, shows to see, and resorts to stay at.

It wouldn't be surprising if before long those numbers started shooting right back up, Laitamaki predicted.

Laitamaki added: 'There is a cycle which is an economic cycle, but there are also these drastic [environmental] things. But it is an industry that always comes back.'

Much of Los Angeles decline has been attributed to natural disasters like wildfires, which many now popular spots have been able to recover from, with key marketing tactics.

Money from tourism can help cities recover after drastic events. So marketers draw in tourists who are willing to indirectly help them to 'rebuild'.

New Orleans, for example, was able to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina in part thanks to tourists, said Laitamaki.

He said New York City like London and Paris is a 'Bucket List' destination that will always have staying power.

'I think it's probably the best tourism in the world when it comes to creative programming,' he said.

Some tourist destinations are evergreen and don't have to worry about fluctuation as much like New York City

He explained the trick of consistency goes beyond the iconic nature of each of these cities. They work hard to continue to evolve with the global climate, travel trends and marketing tactics.

Even on the off seasons, New York City offers novel experiences that keep people coming.

For everywhere else, Laitamaki said: 'It is dependent on economic cycles or drastic changes in the environment. What we saw during 9/11, the 2008 recession, and the pandemic.'

A tourist spot's 'death' isn't caused by just one factor, and happens all the time around the world he said, but added 'tourism is very resilient industry.'

Overall the US is predicted to lose around $12.5 billion in international tourism dollars this year, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council.

International visitor spending in America is projected to fall to just under $169 billion this year, down from $181 billion in 2024.
Wood burning stoves have become a trendy must-have for people looking to give their homes some rustic charm.

But while many Brits have invested in the appliance, a nurse has called on them to be banned after fumes almost killed her.

Lizzie, 32, was on a riverside walk when she spotted the chimney of a wood-burning stove poking out of a canal boat.

The nurse, who suffers from severe asthma but was without her nebuliser, was quickly struck down by a horrifying attack that left minutes from death.

She told the Daily Mail: 'A lot of people don't understand the seriousness of asthma and how log burners can affect your health.

'We need to firstly raise awareness about the damage they do and then hopefully phase them out.

'It's taken a massive toll on my mental health and confidence - I very often do not go out on my own because of incidents like that.

'It escalated so quickly and I'm just thankful that there were people that came over and helped.'

Lizzie, 32, suffers from severe eosinophilic asthma and has been taken to hospital by ambulance more than 20 times in the past few years

Wood-burning stoves similar to the one pictured above can damage the lungs in a similar way to cigarette smoke, researchers have warned

Recalling the terrifying attack, Lizzie explained how she stumbled back to her car but was barely able to speak to the 999 handlers, only managing to say 'asthma' before losing all speech.

She managed to press her horn to alert passersby and was taken to the resus department for urgent treatement, and spent four weeks in hospital.

However, her health has now deriorated so much she has been forced to leave her beloved job as a midwife and move back in with her parents.

Lizzie told the Mail: 'It left me thinking, what kind of a life am I living?

'I used to do horse riding, running and paddleboarding, none of which I can do anymore.

'I've lost complete independence and people just aren't aware of the severity of asthma. Losing my independence was extremely isolating.

'Most people think it's a blue pump in PE at school, but I've been in intensive care four times and am now on steroids and lots of other medication just to get by.'

Lizzie believes wood-burning caused her asthma to worsen into severe eosinophilic asthma five years ago - a more severe condition caused by high levels of blood cells called eosinophils in the airways that create inflammation.

She was shocked to find a log burner on so early in the day when her asthma attack happened, as she only ventures out early to avoid the risk of potentially encountering one.

Lizzie said the worst thing about her health deterioration was having to give up her beloved job as a midwife

Lizzie used to enjoy an active lifestyle of hobbies including horse-riding, paddleboarding and running

And despite living in Cheshire, in an area outside the city where people assume most air pollution is concentrated, Lizzie says wood burners and lit fires in the home cause dangerous air pollution and health risks - unbeknownst to many.

It comes after a recent study has shown that wood burning stoves can do as much lung damage as smoking.

Dr Andy Whittamore, the lead clinician at Asthma & Lung UK, said: 'Domestic burning is one of the largest sources of fine particulate matter (PM2.5)  an invisible pollutant which is 30 times smaller in diameter than the average human hair and small enough to enter the bloodstream and the lungs.

'Exposure to wood-burning can cause and exacerbate lung conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is linked to a whole host of other health issues, including heart conditions, strokes, dementia, and mental health problems.

'The main reasons people use wood burners are for the aesthetic, or because they believe it is cheaper than other forms of heating.

'Only 1 in 10 of those use wood burners do so because they have no other alternative heating source.

'Many people just aren't aware of the dangerous health impacts, even from so-called eco stoves - which are 450 times more polluting than gas central heating.

'This is why we want the government to launch a public awareness campaign on the health impacts and sources of pollution to empower the public to make cleaner choices and protect lung health, and other people like Lizzie.'

Lizzie's case is just one in a rising number of people presenting health complications from wood-burning stoves, as a new study has shown that the everyday appliances can damage the lungs in a similar way to cigarette smoke.

The study, presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Amsterdam, showed those who used wood stoves lost lung capacity more quickly than non-users  even though they tended to be wealthier, healthier and less likely to smoke.

Scientists examined data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, which tracks the health of thousands of people.

They analysed repeated lung function tests over eight years, measuring FEV1  the amount of air a person can forcefully exhale in the first second of a breath.

In Britain, domestic solid fuel  mainly wood, but also coal burned in stoves and fireplaces  now produces a fifth of the country's most dangerous fine particle pollution

The pollutants - PM2.5s - are said to be worse than all of the UK's road traffic put together

Brighton & Hove City Council produced this startling advertising campaign warning of potential dangers of wood burning stoves - but was accused of scaremongering

Low FEV1 values are linked to higher risks of respiratory disease, disability and early death.

Dr Laura Horsfall, Principal Research Fellow at University College London, who led the study, said: 'Our study suggests that high levels of particulate matter from stoves damage respiratory tissues, causing inflammation in a similar way to cigarette smoke.'

She added: 'We know wood burning at home emits harmful air pollution both indoors and outdoors including known carcinogens.

'Despite this, air pollution from this source has approximately doubled in the UK since 2009 as more people install and use wood stoves.'

The findings suggest that the fashion for wood-burning stoves, often marketed as environmentally friendly, could be driving a hidden health problem.

A recent University College London analysis found that the number of UK homes with wood burners increased from 9.4 per cent in 2022 to 10.3 per cent in 2024, based on Energy Performance Certificates  despite growing concern about their health harms.

In Britain, domestic solid fuel  mainly wood but also coal burned in stoves and fireplaces  now produces a fifth of the countrys most dangerous fine particle pollution, known as PM2.5.

That is five times the amount generated by vehicle exhausts.

Annual emissions from domestic wood burning have nearly doubled in little more than a decade, rising from 3,200 tonnes in 2009 to 6,000 tonnes in 2023.
A police whistleblower says grooming gang victims should not have endured two decades waiting for justice, as their torturers were finally given years behind bars.

Ex-detective Maggie Oliver, who quit Greater Manchester Police after the force failed to act on allegations of widespread child grooming and sex abuse, has welcomed new prison terms totalling 134 years for seven Asian offenders in Rochdale.

But she warned of the lifelong trauma the two girls at the centre of the latest case will still suffer - as well as 'hundreds' of other victims she says have gone neglected.

And she demanded to know why it took so long for abusers to be brought to justice, with sentences coming 20 years after some young girls were first groomed before being used as 'sex slaves'.

Ms Oliver told the Daily Mail: 'The serious question that begs to be asked is, why were they not dealt with at the time?

'I recognise these men's names going back years - it was definitely known what was going on.

'It's been 20 years since these victims were targeted  and every day of their lives since, they've had to suffer. It shouldn't take this long to get justice.

'It's on their minds every single day. I've got the greatest admiration for these women who've stuck with it  but it shouldn't take this long.'

Ex-Greater Manchester Police detective Maggie Oliver, who quit the force over a lack of action against grooming gangs, has questioned why Rochdale grooming gangs went free for so long

Mohammed Zahid, 65, was the ringleader of a sexual abuse gang which was sentenced in October 2025 - including a 35-year term behind bars for himself

Top row, left to right: Kasir Bashir, Mohammed Shahzad; middle row, left to right: Mushtaq Ahmed, Roheez Khan; bottom row, left to right: Naheem Akram, Nisar Hussain

The Asian grooming gang in Rochdale led by a market stallholder dubbed 'Boss Man' were last week jailed for a total 174 years after two white schoolgirls were raped as they were used as 'sex slaves' from aged 13.

Mohammed Zahid, 65, gave free underwear from his lingerie stall at Rochdale Indoor Market to both teenagers, along with money, alcohol and food, in return for the expectation of regular sex with him and his friends.

The father-of-three, now jailed for 35 years, was one of seven Asian men convicted in June by a jury at Manchester Minshull Street Court of committing various sexual offences against the girls between 2001 and 2006.

They were the first Asian grooming gang to be brought to justice since Labour faced accusations of a cover-up for resisting calls for a public inquiry into how a generation of girls were betrayed by police and social services.

Both girls were treated as 'sex slaves', said prosecutors, 'amid deeply troubled home lives' as they were given drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, places to stay and people to be with.

Soon after, they were expected to have sex 'whenever and wherever' the defendants and other men wanted, in filthy flats, on rancid mattresses, in cars, car parks, alleyways and disused warehouses.

The trial also heard how one girl - at the time living in a children's home - was dismissed by social workers as having been 'prostituting' herself from the age of ten.

Girl A told the jury she could have been targeted by more than 200 offenders as her phone number was swapped in the town but said 'there was that many it was hard to keep count'.

Mohammed Zahid, 65, is seen in a police interview - he has now been jailed for 35 years

Mohammed Zahid is seen outside Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court in January 2025

Giving evidence, Girl B said she was living in a local children's home when she was preyed on by Zahid and fellow market traders Mushtaq Ahmed, 67, and Kasir Bashir, 50, who were all born in Pakistan.

She said she presumed various agencies knew what was going on as police regularly picked her up after social workers labelled her a 'prostitute' from the age of 10.

Zahid, of Station Road in Crumpsall, thought he was 'almost untouchable' as he brazenly visited the care home to pick her up and later drop her off, the court heard.

He was convicted of raping Girl A and Girl B, who did not know each other, on multiple occasions.

Jurors also found him guilty of offences of indecency with a child and procuring a child to have sex.

In 2016, Zahid was jailed for five years after he was convicted of engaging in sexual activity in 2005 and 2006 with a 14-year-old girl whom he met when she visited his stall to buy tights for school.

He was one of many men who called her phone number 'out of the blue' and went on to groom the 'extremely vulnerable' teenager.

Now Ahmed, 67, of Corona Avenue in Oldham, and Bashir, 50, formerly of Napier Street East in the same town, have been jailed for 27 years and 29 years respectively after they were found guilty of multiple counts of rape and indecency with a child, in relation to Girl B.

Bashir was sentenced in his absence after he absconded while on bail before the trial got under way. He is believed to be out of the country.

Taxi drivers Mohammed Shahzad, 44, Naheem Akram, 49, and Nisar Hussain, 41, all from Rochdale, were all convicted of multiple counts of rape against Girl A.

Both Shahzad and Akram were jailed for 26 years and Hussain was sentenced to 19 years in prison.

Roheez Khan, 39, also of Rochdale, was jailed for 12 years after he was found guilty of a single count of rape against Girl A.

Ms Oliver now runs the Maggie Oliver Foundation, which was set up in 2019 to offer help and support survivors of childhood sexual abuse and exploitation.

She said of the latest developments: 'I welcome these sentences  they're what we should be seeing all the way along the line.

'Thirty-five years  those sentences recognise the magnitude of the crimes, of this effect. And yet there are gangs who have raped hundreds  no, thousands of girls.

'These two girls in this particular case are a tiny fraction of victims, who have been living with their suffering for 20 years  and we have to improve on how we deal with these cases, going forward.

'There's something seriously wrong with the system, that it takes so many years to investigate child rape.

'Yes, there's finally been another successful prosecution  which took far too long.

'These particular victims have had most of their lives destroyed by abuse, and the failure of the authorities to protect them  they've been seriously let down.

'This case, every case  it's different victims whose lives are tarnished forever. And the victims are still very much an afterthought.

'I hope this isn't just an isolated case. This is what every rapist should be facing.

'I think the tide is turning. The public are demanding change. They're fully aware of the horror of these crimes.'

The failure of law enforcement and social services to address concerns about child sex rings in Rochdale was depicted by BBC drama Three Girls in 2017.

Ms Oliver was played by actress Lesley Sharp and fellow whistleblower Sara Rowbotham by Maxine Peake.

According to one estimate, upwards of 250,000 girls have been attacked repeatedly by street gangs in 50 British towns and cities over the past 40 years.

Social services and police have apologised for their past failings surrounding victims.

The sickening crimes of the gang members sentenced last week only came to light when one of the girls, who was also sexually exploited by another grooming gang, went to police in 2015.

In a victim personal statement, Girl A told how her life had been 'destroyed' by the abuse and her 'childhood was taken away'.

She said: 'I meant nothing to these men - they used me for their advantage only.

'They didn't care how their abuse would have an impact on my childhood and adult life. As long as they got what they wanted, that was all that mattered.'

In her statement, Girl B described her experience as 'horrific' and said her life had been 'on hold' for the past 20 years, adding: 'I have never been able to move on from the abuse.

'This has not just impacted my life and what I could have achieved, but also my children's lives. They have become victims of these men too.'

Guilty verdicts for this particular group, delivered by jurors in June this year, represented the eighth time that a group of men of mainly Pakistani heritage have been convicted of grooming girls for sex in Rochdale in the early 2000s.

Footage revealed the moment two members of the gang turned on each other in a police station - with Naheem Akram and Nisar Hussain coming close to trading blows as they blamed each other.

The pair were both being questioned at Bury police station in 2017 over the serious sexual assault of one of the victims, known as Girl A, when when the fight broke out.

Former taxi driver Akram, who was accused of raping and abusing the girl, pointed at Hussain and called him a grass, before trying to punch him.

Hussain, who filmed a video of the same teenager being abused, later confirmed to police he had been assaulted but opted not to prosecute.

Defending the time it took for cases to come to court, a detective on the case previously told how investigating allegations from 20 years ago was 'massively challenging'.

He said: 'You don't have the golden hour, the initial opportunities that you do in a in the investigation where a crime just happened.

'There's no CCTV, limited phone work. Digital evidence goes out of the window, forensic evidence, it doesn't exist.

'You're relying massively on what the victims are telling you, and you're having to trawl through historical records.

'That's a challenge as well, because they get lost, they get deleted, they get purged - so it's incredibly challenging for the investigation and for the victims.'

Detectives on a special unit tasked with investigating major sex abuse rings worked with specialist prosecutors to split the case into multiple trials  each lasting several months - to make them manageable for jurors.

Senior district Crown prosecutor Christopher Trotter said earlier this year: 'Where we get a result for a victim and we get some justice, we hope that that for another victim it gives them the courage to take that step.

'It's not going to prevent that trauma impacting their whole life, but it may bring some justice and have some impact to being able to move forward.'

However court delays and over-running trials have also slowed the process of securing justice.

A report into the Rochdale grooming gangs scandal ordered by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham last year found a generation of girls had been failed.

Its lead author, child protection specialist Malcolm Newsam, identified 96 men who are still deemed a potential risk to children.

The gang's convictions in full Mohammed Zahid was convicted of ten counts of rape; four counts of indecency with a child; five counts of procuring a girl under 21 to have unlawful sexual intercourse; and one count of attempt to procure a girl under 21 to have unlawful sexual intercourse. Kasir Bashir was convicted of two counts of rape; and two counts of indecency with a child. Mushtaq Ahmed was convicted of four counts of rape; four counts of indecency with a child; and one count of procuring a girl under 21 to have unlawful sexual intercourse. Roheez Khan was convicted of one count of rape. Mohammed Shahzad was convicted of five counts of rape; and one count of assault by penetration. Nisar Hussain was convicted of two counts of rape; and one count of assault by penetration. Naheem Akram was convicted of six counts of rape; and one count of assault by penetration Advertisement

He concluded that two 'lone voices' - Sara Rowbotham, co-ordinator of a young people's Crisis Intervention Team, and Ms Oliver - had flagged clear evidence of 'prolific serial rape of countless children in Rochdale'.

But this was not acted upon, with the children's unwillingness to make a formal complaint repeatedly used as an excuse for not investigating.

Mr Newsam wrote: 'GMP and Rochdale Council failed to prioritise the protection of children who were being sexually exploited by a significant number of men within the Rochdale area.

'Successive police operations were launched over this period, but these were insufficiently resourced to match the scale of the widespread organised exploitation.

'Consequently, children were left at risk and many of their abusers to this day have not been apprehended.'

At the time, Mr Burnham called the report 'a detailed and distressing account of how many young people were so seriously failed'.

Rochdale Council leader Councillor Neil Emmott said the authority was 'deeply sorry' for the 'very serious failures that affected the lives of children in our borough' and how officials 'failed to take the necessary action'.

And Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Stephen Watson said it was 'a matter of profound regret' that victims of child sexual exploitation in Rochdale in the early 2000s were 'failed' by the force.

A series of initiatives have taken place around Rochdale since 2012, including better engagement with potential victims and a scheme encouraging hotel owners and taxi firms to report concerns.

Last year, an Ofsted report into Rochdale Council judged that 'children at risk receive an effective response'.

The Maggie Oliver Foundation was set up to offer help and support survivors of childhood sexual abuse and exploitation and can be contacted via www.themaggieoliverfoundation.com.
A family who moved to Australia for a better life is trapped in a living nightmare after a father-of-two suffered a life-threatening brain aneurysm.

Franco Liebenberg, 38, had been working from his Gold Coast home on June 16 when his wife Eloise and their children discovered him on the bathroom floor.

The senior project manager had been suffering seizures for up to five hours before his terrified wife found him and frantically called triple-zero.

'I went into fight or flight mode. I got the kids to get my phone to call the ambulance,' Mrs Liebenberg told the Daily Mail.

'The kids freaked out, screaming, crying. I just told them, "Don't look, just sit tight".'

Paramedics arrived in 15 minutes and stabilised Franco.

A scan later revealed he had suffered a ruptured subarachnoid brain aneurysm, with his family told by doctors to prepare their final goodbyes.

'They didn't think he'd survive. But Franco did, by the grace of God, he made it through emergency brain surgery, and he's still here,' she said.

Mr Liebenberg's wife of 10 years Eloise found Franco him on the bathroom floor after he had been suffering seizures for the last five hours (the family is pictured)

A scan later revealed Franco (pictured in intensive care) had suffered a ruptured subarachnoid brain aneurysm, which is considered by doctors as the 'most severe kind'

'I couldn't eat for three weeks. I was constantly shaking and did not know what the next steps were, what our life is going to look like.'

In the three-and-a-half months since the aneurysm, Franco has had to relearn how to move, speak and perform daily tasks.

He remained motionless and on a ventilator in intensive care for three weeks before he was transferred to the neurological and rehabilitation wards.

Franco has undergone eight major procedures, including the installation of a permanent brain shunt and eye surgery after being declared legally blind.

'The fact that he's still here is a massive miracle because of the severity of (the haemorrhage). I think that's what's getting us through this, even if it takes years for him to recover,' Mrs Liebenberg said.

The couple's children, Delano, 8, and Ava, 7, were unable to sleep alone for weeks after they witnessed their father's medical episode.

'They couldn't be in the dark. They couldn't go into a bathroom without somebody being there,' their mother said.

'They have their outbursts. It's always going to be tough.

Mrs Liebenberg said it is still 'tough' after the incident for their children Ava (left) and Delano (right), who initially struggled to sleep alone or be comfortable in the dark

Mr Liebenberg (pictured) has undergone eight major procedures, including the installation of a permanent brain shunt and eye surgery after being declared legally blind

'It's hard for them to see their dad like this, because it's not the dad and the personality that he used to have so it is difficult.'

Mrs Liebenberg said before the aneurysm, Franco was a man full of passion, energy, and purpose with a thriving career in construction and a love of the outdoors.

'He is a devoted dad, an incredible one. A loving husband, a cherished friend, and a beloved son,' she said.

'The main areas that were damaged are his cognitive side and his memory.

'Unfortunately, the personality was affected as well, but he's slowly getting there.

'There are still snippets of him in there - the way he says things and the way he talks - but there's not a lot of emotion.'

Franco and Eloise, who are both from South Africa, met 18 years ago in the city of George, in the Western Cape.

They married in 2015, spending the next decade travelling and living abroad in Brazil and then New Zealand where they had their children and gained citizenship.

Mr and Mrs Liebenberg are New Zealand citizens which means he does not qualify for full NDIS support which has led to Eloise starting a GoFundMe page for financial help

The father-of-two has a long road to recovery ahead of him, which is expected to take years

The Liebenbergs moved to Australia in 2023 for a better quality of life.

As New Zealand citizens, Mrs Liebenberg said Franco doesn't qualify for NDIS support, meaning while his hospital care is covered, any future rehabilitation, equipment, transport, and alternative therapies will be at their own expense.

She has set up a GoFundMe, which has raised more than $12,600 so far, to help afford the daily therapy, medical equipment, and specialised care he will need.

'(Doctors) want to see if they can get us even just 10 hours of a carer's time during the week when he gets home but, in terms of therapy, I think it's only six to eight weeks after he gets home that we'll receive it at the community centre,' she said.

'From there, it's on us and, because he still would need therapy for such a long time, that's why I started the GoFundMe page to support him.

'We just want to keep that going and make sure we don't run out of funds to help him get better and be the man he used to be.'
Squatting on an isolated stretch of visibly eroding Suffolk coastline, the small town of Southwold is perhaps a surprising pick as the most popular spot for middle-class Londoners to buy-to-let holiday properties.

The tiny settlement, which has a population of just 950 people, has long been a favourite holiday destination for people who find multi-coloured beach huts charming and love the brewer Adnams - who operate out of the town and own all the pubs.

But the never-ending demand for holiday stays in the increasingly sought-after spot has come at a very real cost - one which some locals have claimed has made their pretty community a 'ghost town.'

The average cost of a home is now over 700k, putting it far out of the reach of most local buyers, meaning just two-in-five properties in the town are occupied all year round.

In the summer months, when the locals and businesses in Southwold make serious money (as much as 35k a year on the average holiday let) - this isn't a problem.

But what happens when the temperatures drop, the high winds pick up and the rain rolls in?

How does a town with less than a thousand residents, the majority of them elderly retirees, function and thrive when over two-thirds of its life is sucked out of it for 9 months of the year?

This week, the Daily Mail visited Southwold or 'the valley of the lockboxes' as some disgruntled locals have taken to calling it, to get a sense of how its real residents feel about their town being sold off as a resort.

Southwold has the lost the battle with DfL's and local people are angry

Just two-in-five properties in the town are occupied all year round

The vast majority are buy-to-let properties which can be rented out for as much as 35k a year

Upon arrival, first impressions of Southwold are mixed to say the least.

Like most of East Anglia, the town is appalling connected with access in and out of the town controlled by one heavily congested through road which links the resort to nearby Reydon (where most people actually live).

As you queue to crawl over the bridge, the eye is naturally drawn to three, squat brown buildings being constructed on the last cul-de-sac in the area.

Ugly and unassuming and in a relatively poor location for the rest of the town's much vaunted amenities they look precisely like the sort of affordable homes that council's build to show they're still engaging with community concerns.

Later searches on RightMove established that the two bed flats inside each block were priced at 425,000 - well out of the reach of most local people and first time buyers.

Still, they offer sweeping views of the grassland and dunes leading up to the town's beloved coastline where the row of colourful beach huts (which can sell for as much as 250,000) loom menacingly.

We parked up close to the shoreline, near a popular watering hole owned and operated by Adnams and set about investigating the area - could it really be as deserted as reported?

Well yes, it quickly became apparent that the vast majority of properties in the area in and around the sparsely operating high street were empty.

Key indicators of buy-to-let homes are easy to spot and can be summarised as following.

Does the property have a lock box for keys (or several) outside the door? Buy-to-let!

Are the lights off and are the blinds drawn for no apparent reason? Buy-to-let!

Is the front door open and can you hear a hoover? Buy-to-let!

Key indicators of buy-to-let homes are easy to spot and most houses in the town have lock boxes

Despite second home owners having to pay double council tax - demand for property is still sky high

Indeed, some properties in Southwold make their status as phantom homes even easier to spot by sticking QR codes on their door signs which take you to a booking page and even placing tacky'Stay Here!' stickers in living room windows.

Everyone in the local pub was clearly a tourist or enjoying their retirement - not a problem per say, but certainly an indicator of where the local economy was at.

But what do the locals think? The ones living on the front line of this creeping change?

In recent years, councilors and politicians have tried to take the fight to the market with varying degrees of success with eye-catching proposals like doubling the council taxes on second homes and introducing a strict quota on the number of second homes allowed in the town.

This tax premium was introduced in April this year, meaning its now twice as expensive to carve out a rental opportunity in the town as it was.

And in 2021, canny councillors voted to withdraw weekly bin collections from the part-time residents to fight a loop hole that allowed second home owners to avoid paying council tax.

But a cursory glance through the windows of the two high-street holiday let companies and real estate agents Winkworths will show demand is still sky high for buy-to-lets with one 550,000 two bed bragging its an 'excellent opportunity for a second home.'

Leading the charge against the DfL invasion has been local councilor David Beavan who has taken up arms against the 43 billion industry and repeatedly railed against the shocking fact that just one in three houses in the town are actually lived in.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: 'The tide might be turning. The double council tax has had an effect, there is a lot of homes on the market and we have a big development in Reydon which should have 220 homes that have to be for full time residents.

'There's a few people trying to dodge the double tax by flipping their homes but HMRC will soon clock on.

'We have offered to take away the double tax if people give their homes up over the winter to be used as temporary accommodation - but haven't had many takers.

'On a winter's evening you walk round in pitch black as nobody is in. It sucks the life out of the place but we're fighting back.'

On the front lines, conditions are similarly bleak.

One pub manager I spoke to under the condition of anonymity, revealed that he has fewer and fewer regulars every year.

They said: 'It goes a lot quieter in the winter - it's a struggle. Around January and February, Southwold is basically a 'ghost town'.

'The proportion of local-local people is the lowest its ever been, most people live in Reydon.'

Another local lady, carrying two bags against the heavy winds, was too busy to stop and speak to us, bar to say 'parking is a nightmare because of all the tourists and people who do actually live here can't get anywhere!'

Enjoying a cappuccino in the drizzle outside one of the few hospitality businesses not owned and operated by the brewer Adnams, two pensioners on a day trip also commented on the sad state of the high street.

'We walked for an hour and this is the only place that wasn't a pub or a hotel we could find', Anna explained, 'It's not good. It's not giving the future generations any chance of living where they want to live. They've been completely priced out and they shouldn't be.

Pamela added: 'It's incredibly sad and its the same in other places like Cornwall, I don't agree with it at all - its nice for the people who can afford to do it.

'The newbuilds they build aren't affordable either.'

As both holiday let shops were closed on the day we visited, I would have to get my answers from local agents Winkworths, whose staff were busy arranging a viewing for a woman looking to buy a property in the exclusive town.

Connor Robsinson has been selling property in the area for years and explained the demand is still very real for both rentals and sales.

He said: 'I don't know the exact statistics, but in the summer we probably have about 5000 people here.

'Roughly 60-70 per cent of properties here are second homes that's true.'

Locals say that during the long winter months the usually bustling town is deserted

Despite many of the high street businesses being available to let, two holiday let companies do good business in the town

Whilst we were chatting, the friend of the prospective buyer spoke up and told us exactly where to get off under condition of anonymity.

She said: 'I moved here twelve years ago and there are more people than there were here now. Most people who buy a second home here think 'Oooh, this would be a good place to retire.''

'The problem with Southwold is that the properties are so expensive here. But the town would be dead without the tourists. The High Street is still alive and there is a nice atmosphere.

'People moan about visitors but we wouldn't be here without them.'

Despite the local anger it can engener, there are no signs the trend in Southwold or across the UK is in decline.

A third of Britons aspire to own a buy-to-let property according to a new survey, despite rising taxes, tougher regulations and reports the market is in decline.

A survey from the lender Market Financial Solutions found that younger people have the greatest desire to become a landlord.

More than half of those surveyed aged between 18 and 34 said they wanted to own a buy-to-let property in the future, compared to just 14 per cent among those aged 55 or more.

A spokesman for East Suffolk council said: 'Ideally, we would prefer a balance of visitors and full-time residents throughout the year, however the visitor economy is essential to the town, and the district as a whole.

'We are proactively and successfully helping Southwold to extend the visitor season so that holiday lets are filled all year round and we are also investing in our caravan site to provide an alternative option for visitors.'
Israel is bracing for the return of the 20 remaining living hostages after over 730 days spent in captivity in underground tunnels in Gaza.

When freed, they will doubtless tell the world of the hardship they endured, with former captives having already spoken about Hamas subjecting them to starvation, psychological games and physical torture.

One of the most sinister aspects of hostage testimony has been details of sexual violence, including rape, forced nudity, and day-to-day humiliation.

While women, such as Amit Soussana and Ilana Gritzewwsky, have been the main victims, Hamas does not discriminate when it comes to the routine degradation of the hostages, and men testified to suffering sexual violence in captivity too.

Such treatment is part of the terror group's wider 'genocidal strategy', according to an all-women group of Israeli legal experts, who argue that Hamas used rape and sexual humiliation during its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and after, to inflict the ultimate damage on the nation.

On that Saturday - the single deadliest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust - armed militants stormed the border and engaged in gang rape and genital mutilation, often tying up naked victims to trees and executing most of them afterwards by gunfire. Some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, were slaughtered.

The sexual violence only continued for some of the 250 hostages who spent hundreds of days trapped in the Strip's underground fortress, where Israeli women were threatened with forced marriage and even forced pregnancy by the militants who had murdered their families.

Now, the lawyers of the Dinah Project - an independent group which operates from the Rackman Centre at Bar-Ilan University - are battling to bring the sex attackers to justice, after claiming the world turned a blind eye to the depths of Hamas' depraved crimes.

Amit Soussana, a former hostage, speaks to the press near her house where she was kidnapped during the October 7 attack on the kibbutz, on January 29, 2024, in Kfar Aza, Israel

Ilana Gritzewsky is comforted after speaking about her experiences as a hostage during a discussion with the House Foreign Affairs Committee on February 12, 2025 in Washington

Hostage Amit Soussana is seen fighting Hamas gunmen as they abducted her on October 7, 2023

Sharon Zagagi-Pinhas, the former chief military prosecutor of the IDF, has convicted countless rapists over the years in several complex and high-profile cases.

Sexual violence shouldn't shock her after 24 years of experience, but two years after the cross-border incursion she still struggles to find the words to summarise the depravity.

'The aim of the attack was to dehumanise the civilian population,' she told the Daily Mail. 'The sanctity of human life was not important to the attackers - they didn't care about it.

'They were part of a lynch mob, and entered a void in which everything was permitted, including rape, sexual assault, mutilation and execution.'

Sexual violence was 'systematic and widespread' across at least six different locations on October 7, according to the findings of the Dinah Project, including the Nova music festival, Route 232, Nahal Oz military base, and Kibbutzim Re'im, Nir Oz, and Kfar Aza.

Such abuse wasn't just confined to attack, but became part of the daily lives of some of those captured to languish in Gaza.

In the group's landmark report in July, they compiled testimony from 15 former hostages who returned from Hamas captivity  including two men.

In the tunnels, a spectrum of violence occurred, 'from rape and severe sexual assault to the threat of forced marriage with [men in] Gaza or to the terrorists themselves,' Zagagi-Pinhas says.

'There is also the forced nudity, with hostages being made to strip and take showers while guards watch them naked.'

Ilana Gritzewsky, 31, was taken from her home in a village near the Gaza border during the October 7 attacks. Her partner, Matan Zangauker (left) remains in captivity in Gaza

Released hostage Ilana Gritzewsky poses for a portrait in her apartment in Kiryat Gat, Israel, on December 15, 2024, with photos of her boyfriend, Matan Zangauker, who is still being held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip

Any numerical figure the lawyers have for how much sexual assault occurred, on October 7 and afterwards in Gaza, is bound to be an underestimate, she says, because many are too traumatised to speak.

That, and the vast majority were shot after being sexually assaulted, 'silencing them forever'.

Amit, 40, was taken hostage two years ago from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, and spent 55 days in Hamas captivity, every second of which felt like an 'eternity'.

CCTV footage of her abduction shows her resisting her seven captors by kicking and writhing as they try and drag her across a field towards the Strip.

She was the first hostage to speak publicly about sexual violence in the enclave, telling the New York Times how she was held alone in a child's bedroom, chained by her left ankle, and subjected to physical and psychological torture.

She described how her guard, Muhammad, obsessively quizzed her about her menstrual cycle. Once, he unchained her, took her to the bathroom and ordered that she bathe.

'He sat me on the edge of the bath. And I closed my legs. And I resisted. And he kept punching me and put his gun in my face,' she told the newspaper. 'Then he dragged me to the bedroom.'

It was in the child's bedroom where she claimed the guard, with his 'gun pointed at me, forced me to commit a sexual act on him'.

Hamas and its supporters have denied that its members sexually abused people in captivity or during the October 7 attack, but Amit and numerous other returned hostages insist otherwise.

Gritzewwsky, 31, also released during a temporary ceasefire in November 2023, is still in hell.

She and her partner, Matan Zanguaker, were kidnapped when militants stormed her home in the Gaza border community of Nir Oz. To this day, Zanguaker remains in the enclave.

During her abduction on a motorbike, Gritzewsky claimed that she was groped beneath her shirt and on her legs. She fainted, only to awaken half-naked surrounded by seven armed terrorists.

In captivity, she claimed one of her captors hugged her and told her, while pointing a gun, that even if there was a ceasefire, she would not be freed because he wanted to marry her and have her children.

Hamas gunman is seen taking a civilian hostage after shooting many others in cold blood on October 7

Hostage Noa Argamani was taken into Gaza from the Nova Music Festival on October 7

A Hamas gunman is pictured storming Israeli positions on October 7

The lawyers at the Dinah Project are battling to prosecute the Hamas terrorists responsible for sexual crimes, but convicting individual perpetrators is close to impossible.

That's because so many of the victims of sexual assault on October 7 were executed after - meaning first-person testimony is scarce.

The chaos of that day - when more than 5,000 terrorists stormed the border, set houses on fire, and burned the residents inside - resulted in the destruction of a great deal of evidence.

But the testimony from witnesses who saw or heard the sexual crimes committed on the day is substantial.

Moshe Weitzman, an emergency medical volunteer, testified to seeing a considerable number of dead girls at the Supernova festival site who were naked in positions that were highly suggestive of rape or abuse.

'A girl without clothes lying on the floorHow did the clothes fall off her? You see one, two, three, four girls without clothes, you say to yourself, Ok, they werent at a party without clothes,' he is quoted as saying within the UK Parliamentary Commission Report on the attack.

Nova attendee Yoni Saadon, 39, hid from the militants beneath a pile of bodies under one of the stages. He described one woman who was attacked and raped by up to 10 terrorists. She pleaded them to stop, and 'when they finished, they were laughing and the last one shot her in the head'.

Despite significant testimony from witnesses describing dozens of cases, it was difficult to preserve forensic evidence in the wake of the massacre, as some of the first responders were religious and felt their first priority was to recover the bodies and bury them in a timely manner, as per Jewish tradition.

That's why the independent group of legal experts is advocating for the notion of joint criminal responsibility, meaning every militant who joined the attack from the beginning will be held responsible for the horrors that unraveled - including the sexual violence.

'The usual way of having evidence to prosecute and to convict perpetrators is not a possibility here,' says Professor Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, another founding member of the Dinah Project.

'Each and every one who joined the attack should be accountable and responsible for everything that could have been anticipated,' she adds, noting that the militants had all been 'indoctrinated with a genocidal intent to bring total destruction'.

'If this theory is not adopted, then we most likely lose the possibility of actually bringing justice.'

The lawyers are also calling on other nations - including Britain- to hold the militants who committed sexual violence accountable, under the principle of universal jurisdiction for crimes against humanity.

'Universal jurisdiction is what allows nations to hold accountable those who commit crimes that are held to be crimes against all of humanity.

'There are crimes that, in their magnitude and characteristics, offend our deeply held principles of humanity - [so] each nation, which is part of humanity, is legitimised in holding [the perpetrators] accountable,' she says.

The UK has universal jurisdiction over a small number of serious offences - including some war crimes, torture and hostage-taking - which means a person accused of committing these crimes in another country can be brought to justice in courts on British soil.

For Halperin-Kaddari, her work advocating for the victims of sexual violence is made all the more vital because of Israel's sense of 'desertion and betrayal' from international feminist organisations such as UN Women.

Sharon Zagagi-Pinhas, founding member and Director of The Dinah Project

Professor Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, founding member of The Dinah Project and founding Academic Director of the Rackman Center, Bar-Ilan University

She was astonished that it took the UN women's agency until December 1 - almost two months after the massacre - to release a statement acknowledging gender-based sexual violence.

Halperin-Kaddari is conscious not to make sweeping generalisations - acknowledging the 'profound and serious' work of the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, among several others in the UN.

But when it comes to UN Women, which is 'supposed to be the leading organisation that protects and promotes women's rights everywhere, I'm sorry to say that they completely failed their mission, they failed us'.

She did some work comparing their reaction to October 7 to other cases of conflict where there were reports of sexual violence, 'and it clearly shows the double standard, when it come them almost eight weeks to say something, and in other cases, it was within a matter of days'.

Two years on from the upheaval of October 7, Israel as a nation is still traumatised.

For the sake of the victims - those who have spoken out, and those who have remained silent - the lawyers of the Dinah Project hope that countries around the world will help bring the Hamas sex attackers to justice once and for all.
It was meant to be the holiday of a lifetime  a glamorous Greek island escape for an elite clique of eastern suburbs parents bound by their daughters' enrolment at the $49,000-a-year Kambala girls' school in Rose Bay.

But the ill-fated 2016 jaunt to Mykonos has instead become one of Sydney's most sordid scandals - ending not with sun-soaked memories but with a shocking rape verdict, broken friendships and a once-inseparable society circle in tatters.

At the centre is disgraced businessman Nicholas 'Nic' Stavropoulos, 50, who was found guilty in May by a Naxos court of raping a prominent woman - whose identity is suppressed - in a nightclub bathroom during the trip.

The saga - now stretching into its tenth year and set to rumble on with Stavropoulos appealing - has sliced through the gossipy Kambala set.

Once a celebrated travel mogul before his business went bust in 2020 owing more than $35million to creditors, Stavropoulos was sentenced to six years' jail after a panel of three judges and four jurors found him guilty. He immediately launched an appeal and is currently living freely in Point Piper, Australia's most expensive suburb.

Under Greek law, an appeal is typically a full retrial, with evidence and witnesses heard again from the start - unlike in Australia, where appeals focus on whether the original court made a legal error, rather than re-examining the entire case.

What has been most shocking to many insiders is not just the incident itself, but the disturbing gossip swirling among former Kambala parents who have followed the fallout of the 'Mykonos trip' like it were some kind of soap opera.

I've heard vile theories implying the attack  which a Greek court has ruled was rape  was something else entirely. These twisted narratives, which I've chosen not to repeat, have been described as deeply insulting to the woman at the centre of the case.

Litsa and Nicholas Stavropoulos (pictured on one of their European getaways) ended their marriage in February

The sordid saga began with a luxury overseas getaway organised by parents of Kambala girls. Kambala (pictured) is a private single-sex school in Rose Bay where fees are $49,000 a year

The chatter hit fever pitch earlier this year when it became clear the long-dormant Mykonos matter was going to be heard in a Greek courtroom - though I'm told the chorus of defenders has grown quieter since the verdict.

I am reliably informed that several ex-Kambala mums have spent the last few months analysing  and in some cases fictionalising  what happened in a nightclub bathroom almost a decade earlier, as if it were an episode of Married at First Sight.

Whatever their version of events, the outcome was the same: the mantra 'what happens on tour, stays on tour' collapsed the minute the group of parents touched back down in Sydney.

Because it was upon the group's return to Australia that the fault lines deepened, with some siding with the woman, some with Stavropoulos.

An anonymous quote from a 2023 article in The Saturday Telegraph that has aged like milk sums up the feelings of the Stavropoulos camp.

'It beggars belief this is still going on. I'd say someone has too much money and time on their hands,' an insider told the paper.

In a fresh twist, NSW Police last week sensationally withdrew an application for an apprehended violence order (AVO) connected to the case in Waverley Local Court.

Meanwhile, the victim's civil case in the NSW District Court  seeking damages for mental health treatment and legal costs  is due to resume on October 16 after being paused since 2022.

After launching an appeal, Stavropoulos was said to be living comfortably in Point Piper. However, I've since heard he is now in Paris, possibly accompanied by his new girlfriend Pembe Bekir (pictured), a former fashion executive

After the Stavropouloses quietly ended their marriage, Nicholas began dating Pembe Bekir (left), the former best friend of his ex-wife Litsa Stavropoulos (right)

Since the verdict in Greece, Stavropoulos remains free. He was a no-show at his Thursday court mention in Sydney - we were told he was instead in Paris.

It's quite possible he's swanning around the City of Love with his new partner Pembe Bekir, having split from his wife and the mother of his two children, Litsa Stavropoulos.

The Stavropouloses' marriage ended around February this year  sparking another round of whispers in Sydney's tightly wound social circles.

Following the split, rumours swirled that Nic had grown close to Pembe, a former fashion executive who had once been the best friend of his ex-wife.

The pairing shocked many in their circle  particularly given that Nic and Pembe's ex-husband, entrepreneur Deniz Bekir, had been close friends for more than 40 years.

What began as a breezy parents' getaway has ended as one of the most sordid scandals that Sydney high society has seen in years. (The Stavropouloses are seen with their children on a separate holiday)

Pictured: The Nammos club at the centre of the incident, which took place on July 2, 2016. The Mykonos holiday was apparently a birthday trip and no children were present

Pembe, once active on social media, has since made her Instagram private.

Litsa, meanwhile, has been posting cryptic memes hinting at betrayal  including one that read: 'When people show you who they are, believe them.'

The fallout has fractured once-close friendships. Designer Lillian Khallouf, once 'thick as thieves' with Pembe, apparently no longer speaks to her.

In another twist, Pembe's ex Deniz has been spotted with beauty entrepreneur Linda Rogan, herself a colourful figure in Sydney high society.

A sideshow to the Mykonos scandal has been the subsequent - unrelated - pairing of Pembe's ex-husband Deniz Bekir (left) with colourful eastern suburbs identity Linda Rogan (right)

Rogan is best known for her legal clash with billionaire WiseTech founder Richard White, in which she claimed he promised her a $13.1million Vaucluse mansion  only to take back the keys after his wife Zena Nasser discovered their affair.

She also pursued him over a $92,000 luxury furniture bill, alleging she had bought the pieces for the house. The matter was eventually settled.

Since getting together with Deniz, the 53-year-old mother-of-three - who owns laser clinics in Double Bay, Cairns and New Zealand - has been photographed with her new boyfriend in Ibiza, where the pair stayed at the exclusive Destino Pacha resort.

Their love story - itself a source of fascination for eastern suburbs gossips - is perhaps the only flicker of light relief in an otherwise sordid saga that's shattered old loyalties, forged new alliances, and left everyone holding their breath for the outcome of Nic Stavropoulos' appeal.

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Legal action over a wild arrest by accused killer cop Beau Lamarre-Condon five years ago has been abandoned ahead of a hearing set down for next month.

A 37-year-old man had sued the State of NSW, seeking compensation for the way he was detained and Tasered by Lamarre-Condon in June 2020 in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

Bodycam footage of the incident appeared to show Lamarre-Condon pointing a Taser at the man's head in a Paddington park while telling him to get down.

The pair grappled and Lamarre-Condon fired the Taser at the man as he was on the ground.

The man was subsequently convicted of offences including intimidating a police officer but was later acquitted of all but one after a District Court appeal.

Police previously investigated the circumstances of his 2020 detention and found Lamarre-Condon's actions were lawful.

The civil case was listed for hearing in the District Court on November 7 but the Daily Mail can reveal that on August 26 the claim was discontinued and withdrawn.

Lamarre-Condon was arrested in February last year and charged with murdering TV presenter Jesse Baird and his Qantas flight attendant boyfriend Luke Davies.

Legal action over a wild arrest by accused killer cop Beau Lamarre-Condon (above) five years ago has been abandoned ahead of a hearing set down for next month

A 37-year-old man had sued the State of NSW, seeking compensation for the way he was detained and Tasered by Lamarre-Condon in June 2020 in Sydney's east (above)

The onetime celebrity chaser is accused of shooting dead 26-year-old Mr Baird and 29-year-old Mr Davies at the former's Paddington home.

Daily Mail is not naming the man Lamarre-Condon arrested in 2020 because he is currently awaiting trial over unrelated charges including assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Lamarre-Condon launched an extraordinary attack on police earlier this month when he formally entered not guilty pleas to the murder charges in the NSW Supreme Court.

The 30-year-old accused police of misconduct who investigated the deaths of Mr Davies and Mr Baird, and claimed he had wanted to plead guilty to Mr Baird's manslaughter.

After entering his not guilty pleas on October 3, Lamarre-Condon delivered an explosive speech from prison via an audio-visual link to the court.

'Can you still hear me?' he asked Justice Peter Hamill.

'I would just like to respectfully say this so the following is noted on the court transcript, so the DPP cannot deny having no knowledge of this.

'Whilst in the local court, I made a formal offer to the DPP of guilty to one count of manslaughter relating to Jesse Baird and Jesse Baird only.

Lamarre-Condon was arrested in February last year and charged with murdering TV presenter Jesse Baird (right) and his Qantas flight attendant boyfriend Luke Davies (left)

'I want this noted on the transcript, so if I'm convicted of this offence at trial it was known I did take accountability.

'I am remorseful and I'm also entitled to my early plea discount.'

Lamarre-Condon said he would 'strongly oppose' any move to have the court closed or evidence suppressed when he faced trial because 'I want the public to know the actual truth of what happened'.

He then accused police who investigated Mr Davies and Mr Baird's deaths of 'serious misconduct and corruption', to which the DPP had been 'partly' complicit.

'The truth will always prevail and I will not be silenced,' he said.

Justice Hamill told Lamarre-Condon he was represented by a 'very capable solicitor' and noted there would be a record of any negotiations which took place in the local court.

'But in any event, we'll proceed,' he said.

Lamarre-Condon was originally charged with two counts of murder, later amended to indicate they were alleged to be related to domestic violence.

Lamarre-Condon is accused of shooting dead 26-year-old Mr Baird (left) and 29-year-old Mr Davies (right) with his Glock service pistol at Mr Baird's Paddington home

He has also pleaded not guilty to aggravated break and enter with intent to commit a serious indictable offence.

That charge relates to an allegation Lamarre-Condon broke into Mr Baird's Paddington house and stole his wallet and phone in August 2023, six months before he and Mr Davies were killed.

Justice Hamill listed the case for trial in September next year.

The court heard there were more than 200 witnesses in the brief of evidence but the Crown did not expect to call 'anywhere near that' number to give testimony.

Lamarre-Condon's counsel John Stratton SC told the court he did not anticipate applying for the case to be heard by a judge alone, meaning it would go before a jury.

At the end of the brief hearing the onetime celebrity chaser told Justice Hamill: 'Thanks for your time, Your Honour.'

Lamarre-Condon, who joined the NSW Police Force in 2017, had reportedly briefly dated Mr Baird before the Network Ten identity began a relationship with Mr Davies.

He was a senior constable when he allegedly shot Mr Davies and Mr Baird with his Glock service pistol on February 19, 2024.

Police allege Lamarre-Condon broke into Mr Baird's Paddington house (above) in August 2023, six months before he and Mr Davies were killed

Lamarre-Condon then allegedly bundled their bodies into surfboard bags and dumped them at Bungonia, about 180km south-west of Sydney, where they were found on February 27.

A day before the bodies were located, Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson revealed an alleged timeline of events leading up to and following the men's deaths.

Mr Hudson said gunshots were heard coming from Mr Baird's rented terrace house on the morning of February 19.

Later that evening, Lamarre-Condon allegedly hired a Toyota HiAce van from Sydney Airport and on February 21, drove the vehicle to Bungonia with a female companion.

Lamarre-Condon allegedly left the property about 4.30am and drove to Newcastle, where he asked a former policewoman if he could borrow a hose to clean the van.

Neither woman is accused of any wrongdoing, and the female ex-cop spoke to police when she allegedly became suspicious about Lamarre-Condon's actions.

About 10.30am on February 23, Lamarre-Condon walked into Bondi police station and was arrested.

The bodies of Mr Davies and Mr Baird were found several hours after detectives spoke with Lamarre-Condon in the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre in Silverwater.

Before becoming a police officer, Lamarre-Condon ran a celebrity blog, posing in photos with visiting celebrities including Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Harry Styles and Katy Perry.

Lamarre-Condon has spent the past 19 months behind bars over the shootings, which were allegedly the result of a months-long campaign of 'predatory behaviour' targeting Mr Baird.

He was sacked from the police force in March last year.
Australia's youngest-ever killer allegedly began planning a horrific mass murder after growing 'bored' over his failure to lose his virginity during a short period of freedom.

Known only as SLD, the monster was granted lifelong anonymity after stabbing a three-year-old girl through the heart at just 13, and was released in March after more than two decades behind bars.

But Daily Mail can exclusively reveal that during his brief release into the community, SLD became 'increasingly frustrated' that his long obsession with finding a girlfriend and having sex remained unfulfilled.

It was then he allegedly plotted an act of extreme violence against an entire neighbourhood of families to relieve his boredom.

Sources close to the convicted murderer said the chilling plan was discovered by chance before it could be carried out, sparking an immediate investigation and his return to custody.

'SLD' was just 13 when he murdered toddler Courtney Morley-Clarke in January 2001 on the NSW Central Coast after creeping into her house to steal her brother's video games.

Prior to his release authorities believed he was at high risk of re-offending because of his obsession with finding a girlfriend and starting a sexual relationship after being locked up behind bars for more than 20 years.

Despite some disturbing concerns and expert warnings, he was still released on a supervision order.

Less than a month later Daily Mail revealed the twisted killer was arrested and charged with five offences - four of which breached his supervision order and one possessing child abuse material.

Australia's youngest-ever killer allegedly began plotting a horrific mass murder after growing 'bored,' over his failure to lose his virginity

Prior to his release authorities believed he was at high risk of re-offending because of his obsession with finding a girlfriend

Courtney-Morley-Clarke was just three-years-old when she was murdered by her 13-year-old neighbour

SLD is due to front court on this matter on December 3, however the previous four charges for breeching his supervision order have now been increased to nine charges.

One order of possessing child abuse material remains in place.

Daily Mail understands that it was during an electronic device check that the disturbing material was found.

It was that discovery that led to an immediate search of his room where a balaclava and a knife were discovered.

According to our sources SLD later admitted to a depraved plan of going house to house in a nearby neighbourhood in Sydney's western suburbs where he would butcher each family member as he went.

He had no plans of stopping until he was caught.

Prior to his release SLD attended a two-day hearing, where psychiatrists said the killer, was fixated on getting revenge for perceived wrongs and could react violently if he felt he was unfairly treated.

But they also said that keeping him in jail would be detrimental to his mental health and his ability to assimilate into the community later on.

During a two day court hearing it was heard keeping SLD in jail would be detrimental to his mental health

Justice Mark Ierace agreed to his release but said the situation was unusual.

'It goes without saying this is a very challenging case,' he said. 'He has only been out in the community for four months since he was only 13 years old.'

Justice Ierace had options to impose a continuing detention order to keep him behind bars for another 12 months, or granting the extended supervision order.

While there are conditions around his release, SLD has previously admitted that he would be prepared to kill again if something 'big' took place.

In a chilling warning, he added: 'If I kill someone, it won't be a child.'

His frightening confession and string of violent offences, which includes choking a nurse while jailed, were all considered by Justice Ierace.

After SLD was last released in September 2023, he was back behind bars after just a few weeks later when he was caught approaching women with young children at Bulli Beach in Wollongong, NSW asking them for a date.

He was also found to be accessing pornography online and psychologists warned he had become obsessed with losing his virginity after growing up in jail.

Justice Mark Ierace said the case was a difficult one

SLD was obsessed with losing his virginity and previously tried to join dating apps

SLD had been adopted at the age of four by a family in Point Clare on the Central Coast, but his murder trial heard he remained 'disturbed' despite his new home.

At age 13 years and 10 months, he snatched Courtney from her bed in the night and stabbed her through the heart before leaving her body in long grass 300m from her home.

He was caught after it was noticed that he had gone missing from his residence on the morning the three-year-old vanished.

He initially lied about the crime, leading police on a wild goose chase before later admitting he killed her.

Psychiatric assessments of the teen determined he'd never become a functioning social adult.

He was sentenced to 20 years behind bars in August 2002 and was first released in September 2023.

On October 25 2023, SLD went to Bulli Beach near Wollongong with a supervisor and was spotted by an off-duty prison officer who noticed his electronic monitoring anklet.

The officer witnessed SLD approach a woman with a young girl, and then approach another mother washing an infant at the beach showers.

He snatched Courtney from her bed in the night and stabbed her through the heart before leaving her body in long grass

SLD had been adopted at the age of four by a family in Point Clare on the Central Coast

Both women picked up their children and walked away from SLD.

He then entered the Bulli Beach Cafe and struck up a conversation with a woman feeding an infant.

He allegedly said to the woman: 'I just got out of jail. Do you come here often?', followed by: 'I've only been here twice.'

Police then arrived and arrested SLD, who told Wollongong Local Court the next day the encounters were 'incidental'.

SLD was found guilty of one count of failing to comply with an extended supervision order, which barred him from having contact with children.

He had also tried to access the internet, dating sites and encrypted chat apps.
Smiling sweetly for the camera in their smart school blazers these two sisters look the picture of childhood innocence and future promise.

But nothing could be further from the truth: the pair were already dabbling in drink and drugs, skipping school, staying out until the early hours - and would soon be attacking random strangers for kicks.

Because, within three years of this picture having been taken, the rapidly escalating criminality of the two sisters would see them kill a stranger - in a gratuitous street attack that has horrified even veteran police officers.

When one sister was first picked up on suspicion of murder, her response to police was: 'My New Year's resolution was not to get arrested this year. It's already done and it's not even f****** March.'

She was 16 years old.

Now a Daily Mail investigation has uncovered disturbing, or perhaps even horrifying details of the two girls' childhoods - and how the malign influence of a terrifyingly violent drug addict father set them on the path to the Old Bailey.

It was at that London court last Friday that the pair - along with another schoolgirl friend - appeared in the dock to plead guilty to having killed frail, cancer-suffering pensioner Fredi Rivero for no reason.

Aged 14 and 16, the sisters, together with a 17-year-old friend, hounded Mr Rivero as he waited for a bus home this February.

Within three years of the picture being taken, the rapidly escalating criminality of these two sisters would see them kill a stranger in a street attack that has horrified veteran police officers

The pair - along with another schoolgirl friend - appeared in the dock to plead guilty to having killed frail, cancer-suffering pensioner Fredi Rivero (above) for no reason

Aged 14 and 16, the sisters, together with a 17-year-old friend, hounded Mr Rivero (above) as he waited for a bus home this February

The girls pushed and kicked at the 75-year-old retired hotel worker, taking his glasses to render him more defenceless, before punching him unconscious to the floor (above)

The girls pushed and kicked at the 75-year-old retired hotel worker, taking his glasses to render him more defenceless, ignoring his repeatedly desperate requests for them to leave him alone.

In a horrible note of irony, Mr Rivero, a practising Buddhist, at one point even made a peace sign - the very same gesture the sisters make in the photo above - in an attempt to calm them down before he was punched unconscious to the floor.

It did nothing to stop the violence.

Mr Rivero was rushed to hospital following the sickening attack on the Seven Sisters Road in North London but died the following day from a head injury.

The incomprehension at how girls this young could become so out of control, was perhaps best summed up by their victim's daughter.

'They assaulted my dad at 11.30pm,' she said. 'My question is - how can girls their age be out at that time?'

Last Friday were jailed for a total of nine years, with the 17-year-old given four years detention, the 16-year-old  who has now turned 17- three-and-a-half years' and her younger sister two-and-a-half years.

The sentence could - and most will perhaps think should - have been considerably longer.

But Her Honour Judge Judy Khan KC said she was taking into account their guilty plea and noted all three - who cannot be identified because of their age - had 'unusually traumatic upbringings'.

The Crown had accepted a guilty plea to a manslaughter charge rather than prosecute them for the much more serious offence of murder - and an order was imposed on the media prohibiting the girls being identified.

The only photograph in the Met Police announcement of their conviction was of a generic 'scales of justice'.

But today the Daily Mail is able - insofar as those legal constraints allow us - to publish pictures of the sisters for the first time.

And we have pieced together details of their escalating criminal careers in the months leading up to that killing.

So how did their lives go so wrong so quickly - and what was the nature of this 'unusually traumatic upbringing?

The pair grew up a short distance from the notorious women's prison at Holloway - where they may even be transferred once they reach adulthood and become too old for youth custody.

In their infancy they lived with both parents and brother in maisonette in North London - a home life that was initially relatively stable compared to what was to come.

This stability was underpinned by the full time job that their father held as an ancillary worker at an airport.

Commuting daily from north London to the airport must have been gruelling and their father wasn't able to sustain his commitment for long - and he began taking drugs.

Inevitably he soon lost that job as he became hopelessly to crack cocaine and his downward spiral was rapid from this point.

He was soon lying, stealing from friends, begging from neighbours to feed his addiction - which began to take over his and the family's life.

Mr Rivero (above) was described in court as being the victim of the unprovoked attack by the three girls

When he resorted to stealing his children's Christmas presents from under the tree to sell to raise cash to feed his habit, one would think he had reached a nadir.

He hadn't.

In 2018 he decided to rob a friend and near neighbour he had known for more than 20-years.

He knocked on the friend's door ostensibly for an impromptu social visit but as soon as that friend's back was turned he hit him over the head with a truncheon before grabbing a knife from the kitchen drawer and stabbing him repeatedly in the back.

As his victim lay sprawled on the floor, he stabbed him in the throat and grabbed what he had come for - his victim's life-savings, amounting to more than 10,000 in cash.

His friend, who had been stabbed eight times, feigned death to stop the attack and it was only for this reason that he survived - but he was left paralysed.

The girl's father was sentenced to 20 years for wounding with intent to be served concurrently with a nine year and six months sentence for robbery, four months for possession of an imitation firearm and seven days for possession of class A drugs.

Criminologists often grapple whether it is 'nature or nurture' which sees people become offenders - but these sisters were disadvantaged on both fronts, the daughters of a violent monster and a mother who struggled to cope.

The absence of any father-figure from the time when they were respectively in Year 3 and Year 5 of primary school - together with the lack of a competent mother - played a pivotal role in the girls turning to crime and anti-social behaviour, it seems.

They quickly went from exuberant and cheerful girls into vodka-swilling and cannabis-smoking yobs who enjoyed violence as a passtime.

One former friend remembered: 'I grew up nearby and used to see them playing in a park behind the flats.

'In those days they were nice kids and the family seemed decent enough.

The school they went to is rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted - but its influence was not to arrest their gravitation towards serious crime.

Their childhood friend continued; 'They changed as they got older and as their house became ravaged with alcohol and hard-drugs.

'Their dad would go round to people who lived nearby and ask to borrow money - saying he needed help in feeding his family.

'It was a lie of course, he needed it for drugs and he never paid anyone back.

'When he went to prison for nearly stabbing his friend to death, I noticed an even bigger change in the girls - they became much more aggressive.

'Despite being only young teenagers they were drinking alcohol and openly smoking weed outside their house.

'Their mum didn't seem to care one bit as the flat by then had become something of a drugs den.

'The family would have loud parties that used to go until the early hours of the morning, even during the week when they should have been getting up for school.

'And the two girls became hostile and threatening to people they saw in the street when previously they'd got on well with everyone.'

It was against this backdrop of drug and alcohol abuse interspersed with routine violence that the two sisters would soon run amok in the streets, beating up rough-sleepers, trashing local shops and restaurants and taunting passers-by, recording much of their 'hijinks' on a mobile phone.

And joining them on many of their escapades was the 17-year-old friend of the older sister.

She too came from a dysfunctional background and had been placed in care in Kent - but returned regularly to the area to see her father in London and to hang out with the two sisters.

And matters came to a head in a chance encounter which was to prove fatal on February 27 this year.

At 11.17pm that night, the two sisters and their friend were getting off a bus on the Seven Sisters Road where Bolivia-born Mr Rivero stood waiting.

The younger sister was clutching an open, half-drunk bottle of vodka as her older sibling deliberately bared into their chosen victim's right shoulder.

What followed was a sickening assault caught on CCTV that left the country horrified that three teenage girls could inflict such ferocity on an older man.

The footage  played in court  showed Mr Rivero backing away and flashing the peace sign to try to break the tension.

However the 17-year-old girl is seen shoving him towards a nearby shop front and pulling his glasses off his face while the older of the two sisters started filming on her phone.

Mr Rivero retrieved his glasses from the floor but was pushed backwards and kicked by both sisters who follow him until their friend, who turns 18 next month, punched him to the floor.

The girls hovered around him as he lay unconscious in a pool of blood on the floor pleading self-defence to those who had run to his aid, falsely accusing their victim of touching one of them inappropriately.

They fled the scene but were later picked up by police. The 17-year-old girl was arrested at her father's flat.

The two sisters, meanwhile, were picked up at a children's playground near the Seven Sisters Road and were both quick to blame their older friend for the death - and to further blaime the victim himself.

In interview, the elder of the two, who has previous convictions for assault, told detectives: 'I'll be so real, that's his fault, he started on us, (the eldest girl) pushed him, and he lost his balance and he fell.'

It was while making these feeble excuses that she let slip that she had broken that New Year's resolution by being arrested - just nine weeks into the new year.

Her younger sister told police as she was arrested: 'It wasn't me. I promise I know who it was, it was my sister's friend.'

Prosecutor Louise Oakley said former Mayfair hotel worker Mr Rivero was an innocent victim who did nothing to provoke the attack and 'simply wanted to get home'.

She added: 'The violence and humiliation they inflicted on him was gratuitous.'

Videos later seized from the girls' mobile phones showed a string of violent incidents against other members of the public previously.

The Daily Mail can reveal that these included one clip showing the younger sister holding a bottle of vodka while assaulting a young homeless woman outside a shop.

Another showed an incident where both sisters and their older friend were drunk and were filmed hitting a man outside a restaurant where tables had been overturned.

There were also videos of the older sister grabbing a woman in the street and hurling her to the ground and chasing after another woman calling her a 'fat f****** b***h'

The 17-year-old girl was also found to have recorded a video where she confronted a man calling him a 'paedophile' and threatening to hit him.

Their attack on Mr Rivero was captured in a 1.52 minute mobile phone clip in which he was heard begging the girls 'I want to go home, I want to go home'

They responded by laughing and mocking him.

The older of the two sisters drunkenly slurred 'Don't f****** touch me, bitch'.

Detective Inspector Devan Taylor, who led the Metropolitan Police investigation, said: 'This was a completely unprovoked attack by three teenage girls, on an elderly man who was just going about his day.

'The fact they filmed the attack and found it funny is even more sickening.'

Mr Rivero's family have been left heartbroken by his death.

In her victim impact speech -which was given from behind a screen so that she did not have to look at or be seen by her father's killers - Mr Rivero's daughter tried to convey her incredulity that such young girls were out so late at night in the first place.

She continued: 'I will never forgive these three offenders for cruelly and maliciously killing my dad.

'He was an ill, elderly person who would never hurt anyone. His death makes the crime irreversible.'

'We should be living in a society where we can have a conversation and even disagree without resorting to violence.'

There is one more person to hear from in this sorry tale - and that is the victim of the girls' father's equally horrifying violence.

Mr Rivero (above) who is originally from Bolivia, spent many years working in a hotel in Mayfair and was described as 'the nicest person' who would not hurt anyone

Now confined to a wheelchair, the victim of that attack and robbery says his former friend destroyed four lives the day he stabbed him.

He told The Mail: 'I've heard about what happened with his daughters and I'm not surprised at all.

'They were lovely girls once - but what chance did they have with a worthless piece of s*** for a dad?

'I'll tell you - absolutely none. Not with that crack-addict scumbag.

'What kind of man robs his own children's Christmas presents to sell for drugs?

'Their mum didn't give them much of an upbringing either - she was all over the place herself and not a fit parent.

'I'd known their dad for over 20-years when he left me for dead. He was after my savings - because he owed a lot of money to Albanian drug dealers.

'But what did he achieve?

'He left me paralysed down one side and in need of a wheelchair, he got himself banged up on a 20-year-stretch and he set his daughters on the same path as him.

'They killed a defenceless old man and are now locked up like him. If you ask me they didn't get nearly a long enough sentence - but with an upbringing like that it's no surprise they've ended behind bars.'

The sort of attack which killed Mr Rivero - in which gratuitous violence is meted out by being filmed - were once widely known as 'happy slappings'.

This was a misnomer as they brought nothing but misery for all involved.

Rarely has this been truer than in this disturbing case.
South Carolina congresswoman Nancy Mace has called for the Justice Department to step in to investigate and prosecute the murder of an aspiring teacher.

Logan Haley Federico, 22, an avid Taylor Swift fan, was killed while sleeping in a fraternity house during a visit to her boyfriend at the University of South Carolina on May 3.

Alexander Dickey, 30, a repeat offender with a long criminal rap sheet, was arrested and charged in her slaying.

Prosecutors say Dickey crept into her bedroom, startled Logan awake and forced her to her knees while she was naked and begging for help.

He is accused of shooting her in the chest with a stolen 12-gauge shotgun. Prosecutors say he then fled in a stolen vehicle. He has not entered a plea in the case.

Logan's father Stephen Federico has demanded Dickey face the death penalty and accused South Carolina prosecutors of not pushing hard enough for the ultimate punishment.

Republican lawmakers have now joined his cause and are urging the Trump administration to take up the case.

Mace told Daily Mail this week that state law enforcement has shown 'unforgivable weakness' in handling the investigation.

The Republican lawmaker has spoken to the Federico family, who are desperate for the case to be taken seriously and 'don't believe they're going to get a fair shake in South Carolina.'

Mace said she has personally contacted White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, urging federal prosecutors to take over the investigation under three Title 18 statutes covering murder, robbery, and illegal possession of a firearm across state lines.

The move would also mean the Trump administration could pursue the death penalty.

A heartbroken Stephen Federico speaks at the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight field on violent crime in Charlotte, North Carolina Sept. 29 as a framed photo of his daughter, Logan Federico, 22, is on display. Logan's mother Melissa and brother Jacob are also present

Career criminal Alexander Dickey, 30, killed Logan by shooting her execution style in May. Logan's family is seeking the death penalty

Mace accused South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson of politicizing the case and jeopardizing the state's ability to pursue the death penalty, claiming he 'got ahead of his skis' with public comments that could allow defense lawyers to challenge any capital-punishment bid.

'Because Alan Wilson politicized the case, he has jeopardized justice for Logan Federico and her family,' Mace told Daily Mail. 'Now we need the Feds to step in.'

Dickey has been sentenced in eight cases involving robbery, drug possession and larceny.

In 2023, he was sentenced to five years in prison for burglary, but was released early with his probation set to end in June.

The case has reignited debate over whether there should be tougher restrictions on potentially dangerous criminals who are freed from jail.

She also took direct aim at Fifth Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson, calling for his impeachment by the state legislature and alleging he has a pattern of leniency toward violent offenders. 'He's been soft on crime.

'He's one of the ones that let Alexander Dickey out,' she said, referencing a previous release that sparked outrage.

'He indicated to the family he would not seek the death penalty. That is reprehensible. That is unforgivable. It's inexplicable that he would do that against the wishes of the Logan family.'

Mace vowed to make Gibson's removal a test case in her wider campaign against 'soft-on-crime prosecutors and judges,' warning that South Carolina's justice system has repeatedly failed victims.

Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC) told Daily Mail this week that state law enforcement has shown 'unforgivable weakness' in handling the investigation

The various mug shots of career criminal Alexander Dickey

Stephen Federico took the microphone and grew emotional when he spoke about the career criminal who killed his daughter Logan in cold blood

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson sent a letter to Gipson on September 30 asking him to 'strongly consider filing a notice of intent to seek the death penalty.'

However, Gipson hit back and told and told Wilson that his office will not make his October 10 deadline to decide about what the sentence his office will seek and that they are 'not in a position to ethically make an informed decision about someting of this magnitude in order to meet your imposed deadline'.

She cited other recent controversies  including the Scott Spivey case, in which the family of a man shot 17 times during a Horry County road-rage encounter say the state turned its back on them  as evidence of a 'systemic problem.'

'I'm uncovering case after case where this has happened,' she said. 'I'm going to ensure this doesn't just happen for Logan Federico, but for every victim across South Carolina  and across the country.'

Mace ended her statement with a pointed call to action: 'Pam Bondi needs to take this case over from the state. Justice has to mean something.'

Stephen Federico told Daily Mail last month that his family has been left in limbo and is still waiting for justice.

The father, who works 60 hcours a week to provide for his family, has described fighting for justice as a second full-time job.

Logan, 22, was a massive Taylor Swift fan and an aspiring teacher

Stephen Federico is seeking the death penalty and will not stop until his daughter, Logan, gets justice

Dickey appeared in court in May accused of killing Federico

He has also faced South Carolina lawmakers in the state capitol, demanding justice for her daughter and others victimized by criminals who should be behind bars.

Federico responded to the letters that were sent by AG Wilson to Solicitor Gipson by saying that the judicial system was responsible for letting Dickey on the streets in the first place.

'What parent in their right mind would want them trying Alexander Dickey's case. They failed Logan once. I cannot let them fail her again or any other innocent people,' he told Daily Mail.

He added that he has a message for Trump: Logan's case is a perfect example of why the death penalty should be on the table when murder is involved.

Dickey is being held at the Lexington County Detention Center without bail and is awaiting trial, a spokesperson for the Columbia Police Department told the Daily Mail.

The Columbia Police Department PIO told Daily Mail, Dickey is 'awaiting trial.'

It is unclear why Dickey was not in custody for previous offenses.
Living comfortably in a major U.S. city now requires a six-figure income in more than half of the country's largest metropolitan areas, according to a new study.

The analysis by by GOBankingRates found that Americans must earn at least $100,000 per year to live comfortably in 26 of the nation's 50 biggest cities.

The financial website analyzed data from the 2024 U.S. Census American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and other sources to calculate the income needed to maintain a comfortable lifestyle.

Using the 50/30/20 budgeting rule - allocating 50 percent of income to necessities, 30 percent to discretionary spending, and 20 percent to savings - researchers determined the salary required not just to survive, but to thrive in each city.

San Jose, San Francisco, and San Diego topped the list as the most expensive places to live comfortably - each demanding salaries of over $200,000 annually.

In San Jose, where the average price of a single-family home exceeds $1.5 million, the study found residents need a staggering $264,946 per year to live comfortably alone - the highest of any U.S. city.

San Jose, San Francisco, and San Diego topped the list as the most expensive places to live comfortably - each demanding salaries of over $200,000 annually. Pictured: An aerial view of San Jose, California

New York City ranked fifth, with researchers estimating that singles must earn $184,420 per year to live comfortably in the city that never sleeps. Pictured: An aerial view of New York City, New York

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The average monthly mortgage payment in the city best known as 'The Capital of Silicon Valley' sits at a whopping $8,563.

Other Californian cities including San Francisco, San Diego, and Los Angeles followed closely behind with 'comfortable salaries' listed at $251,398, $206,353 and $194,920, respectively.

New York City ranked fifth, with researchers estimating that singles must earn $184,420 per year to live comfortably in the city that never sleeps.

Using the same budgeting formula, GOBankingRates found $92,210 is the minimum income required simply to cover basic expenses while living alone in New York.

However, the report notes that the data may be skewed for New York, since it is based on mortgage costs rather than rental prices. Because most New Yorkers rent, the true cost of living comfortably could be even higher - though those with roommates may manage on less.

Overall, California cities dominated the ranking, with nine metros - including Long Beach, Oakland, Sacramento, Bakersfield, and Fresno - all requiring six-figure salaries to live comfortably.

San Francisco earned the second spot with an estimated comfortable living salary of $251,398 and an average monthly mortgage cost of $7,899, according to a study by GOBankingRates. Pictured: The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California

Los Angeles, California ranked fourth with single residents needing to earn a $194,920 salary to 'live comfortably' in one of the Golden State's biggest cities. Pictured: Venice Beach in Los Angeles, California

Meanwhile, in Texas, Austin stood out as the state's priciest city, with residents needing $122,875 per year to maintain a comfortable lifestyle - the only Texas city in the top tier. Pictured: Austin, Texas skyline

Meanwhile, in Texas, Austin stood out as the state's priciest city, with residents needing $122,875 per year to maintain a comfortable lifestyle - the only Texas city in the top tier.

At the other end of the scale, Detroit, Michigan, was named the most affordable major U.S. city. Residents there can live comfortably on an annual salary of $65,733, according to the study.

Other cities to make the list include Seattle, Washington, ranking seventh with an average comfortable living salary of $178,520 and Boston, Massachusetts, ranking eighth, with an average comfortable living salary of $169,155.

Additional metros mentioned include, Washington, D.C., Miami, Florida, Portland, Oregon and Denver, Colorado - among others.
Hillary Clinton marked her decades-long marriage to the former president by sharing a series of rarely seen, almost unrecognizable throwback photos.

On Saturday, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton celebrated 50 years of marriage to her husband, Bill Clinton, by sharing a nostalgic Instagram tribute from the day they tied the knot back in 1975.

'When we got married 50 years ago, we had no idea how our lives would unfold,' the caption read.

'But one thing I knew for certain then, and still know now, is that I wanted to navigate the ups and downs and in-betweens with you,' it added. ' Happy anniversary, dear Bill.'

The post featured six soft-focus film photos of a much younger Hillary and Bill Clinton, all baby-faced smiles and effortlessly vintage 70s charm - a striking contrast to their seasoned, statesmanlike image today.

The first photo captured a tender moment between the pair, Bill smiling softly in a wide-lapel striped suit and polka-dot tie as they gazed into each others eyes.

In the second photo, only subtle details link them to their present-day selves - Hillarys signature blonde hair, worn then in loose curls, and Bills familiar wide smile, framed by a now-unfamiliar full head of thick brunette hair.

Clinton also posted two solo shots, showing her as a young bride caught in the moment.

Hillary Clinton marked her decades-long marriage to the former president by sharing a series of rarely seen, almost unrecognizable throwback photos (pictured)

On Saturday, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton celebrated 50 years of marriage to her husband, Bill Clinton , by sharing a nostalgic Instagram tribute from the day they tied the knot back in 1975

The post featured six soft-focus film photos of a much younger Hillary and Bill Clinton, all baby-faced smiles and effortlessly vintage 70s charm (pictured)

In one, shes mid-laugh - smiling toward someone unseen, her expression radiant and unguarded.

The second, captured mid-pose, showed Clinton glancing to the side with a teasing smirk tugging at her lips. Her eyes retained their familiar shade of blue, and the lace-trimmed puffed sleeves of her vintage dress climbed up her neck.

Two of the remaining images were film shots of the newlyweds, standing beneath the trees and grinning ear to ear while holding on to a few of their smiling, well-dressed guests.

Bill also posted on Facebook Saturday morning, sharing a single photo from their wedding day and expressing his gratitude for Clintons presence over the past five decades - and counting.

'For 50 years, you have kept me thinking, laughing, and growing,' the 42nd president captioned the snapshot.

'You inspire me every day with your boundless determination to do good in the world in ways large and small,' he added.

'Im so grateful for you and the life weve built together. Happy anniversary, Hillary! Heres to many more.'

In the frame, Clinton was photographed standing on a step in front of a brick home, her full dress visible as she held a bouquet of flowers - her eyes locked on her new husband.

Clinton posted two solo shots, showing her as a young bride caught in the moment. In one, shes mid-laugh - smiling toward someone unseen (pictured)

One photo, captured mid-pose, showed Clinton glancing to the side with a teasing smirk tugging at her lips. Her lace-trimmed puffed sleeves of her vintage dress climbed up her neck (pictured)

Two of the remaining images were film shots of the newlyweds, standing beneath the trees and grinning ear to ear while holding on to a few of their smiling, well-dressed guests (pictured)

Bill also posted on Facebook Saturday morning, sharing a single photo from their wedding day (pictured) and expressing his gratitude for Clintons presence over the past five decades - and counting

He looked back at her from the step below, subtly raising a glass of what appeared to be a celebratory champagne.

While Bills touching tribute drew waves of love, countless commenters couldnt resist calling out the former president, pointing to documents revealing his affair with a White House intern decades younger.

In 1997, a long-serving civil servant moved from the White House to the Pentagon and started taping conversations with Monica Lewinsky, who revealed details of her affair with Bill that had started two years prior.

During a sworn deposition in 1998, Bill denied any sexual involvement with Lewinsky - a lie that would ultimately drive the impeachment proceedings against him.

Months later, he testified before a grand jury, admitting to an inappropriate relationship with the intern but insisting that he never asked anyone to 'lie, hide, or destroy evidence, or take any unlawful action.'

'Too bad he didn't think about this when he was out there cheating on his wife. Have to give Hillary credit that she stood by him after all that. Better late than never to realize he had it all right there with her,' one comment read.

Another said: 'Bro's doing everything he can to make her forget about the mid 90s.'

However, the majority of comments praised the couple for consistently presenting a united front amid public controversies and scandals. In less than ten hours, their posts had garnered nearly 10,000 comments combined.

While Bills touching tribute drew waves of love, countless commenters couldnt resist calling out the former president, pointing to documents revealing his affair with a White House intern decades younger (pictured: throwback wedding photo)

The majority of comments praised the couple for consistently presenting a united front amid public controversies and scandals

After saying 'I do,' the pair settled in Arkansas, where Bill practiced law and became active in politics. In 1978, he ran for governor and won, launching their ascent in the nations political sphere

'He is so lucky to have you. You are a real testament to persevering through the storms. Also, gorgeous then and gorgeous now!' one comment under Clinton's Instagram post read.

Another said: 'I love you and Bill. Most couples who are together a long time share your trials and tribulations though ours aren't plastered all over the tabloids. Grinds and lovers. Best sort of coupledom.'

'Omgggggg I'm lovinggggggg these pictures of younger you and Bill. Happy Anniversary,' wrote a third.

The political power couple met in 1972 at Yale Law School, where, according to the Clinton House Museum, she made the first move after noticing Bills wandering gaze.

Three years later, they tied the knot in a cozy, intimate ceremony at home in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Fast forward five more years, and the couple welcomed their only daughter, Chelsea, to the world.

After saying 'I do,' they settled in Arkansas, where Bill practiced law and became active in politics. In 1978, he ran for governor and won, launching their ascent in the nations political sphere.
Protesters battled with police outside an ICE facility in Chicago on Saturday as demonstrators in Oregon hosted a 'laser party' in an attempt to deter federal helicopters from the area.

The streets of Chicago turned chaotic as protesters clashed with cops outside the Broadview ICE facility, leading to multiple arrests after demonstrators breached the perimeter.

Hundreds of protestors flooded the streets around the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement facility earlier in the day for a march against Trump Administration policies.

One person was carted away in handcuffs as others were trampled by officers - wielding heavy batons - in the melee.

The ongoing wave of demonstrations across the nation have grown increasingly creative and confrontational with protestors in Portland advertising a nighttime protest as a game of 'laser tag.'

The Portland protest encouraged locals to shine lasers at aircraft in defiance of what they call 'the federal regime.'

However, armed ICE officers were prepared for the evening demonstration as several agents could be seen sitting atop the Portland facility as a helicopter loomed above.

Residents near the Portland ICE site have complained of nightly helicopter noise, which has persisted for nearly two weeks.

Protesters battled with police outside an ICE facility in Chicago on Saturday as demonstrators in Oregon hosted a 'laser party' in an attempt to deter federal helicopters from the area. Pictured: Illinois State Police and Cooks County Sheriffs move in to detain protesters outside the Broadview ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois

The streets of Chicago turned chaotic as protesters clashed with cops outside the Broadview ICE facility, leading to multiple arrests after demonstrators breached the perimeter. Pictured: Illinois State police confront protesters during a demonstration outside a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Broadview, Illinois, on October 11, 2025

A wave of demonstrations have grown increasingly creative and confrontational across the country as protestors in Portland advertised the nighttime event dubbed 'laser tag.' Pictured: A flier shared around the greater Portland area urging locals to 'fight back'

Law enforcement agents aim their weapons from the roof of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility as a helicopter flies past during a protest on October 4, in Portland

Meanwhile, similar unrest has been unfolding across the country. In Chicago, protests outside the Broadview ICE facility escalated Saturday afternoon, leading to multiple arrests after demonstrators breached the perimeter and clashed with police. Pictured: Increased law enforcement presence after the National Guard were blocked from going on patrol

According to Christine Treadwell, a board member of the South Portland Neighborhood Association, helicopters begin circling the area around 5 p.m. and continue well into the night.

The Portland Police Bureau have since warned that shining lasers at aircrafts is illegal under state and federal law and poses serious risks to pilots, crew, and people on the ground.

Police told KGW that they 'regularly' arrest individuals who target aircraft, including one person detained this week for directing lasers at police helicopters.

While the bureau confirmed it had resources monitoring the ICE facility in Portland on Saturday, officials said staffing levels were not increased despite the heightened tensions.

The escalation follows a Saturday ruling in which judges ruled that National Guard troops deployed to Illinois by President Donald Trump could remain under federal control but could not yet be used to protect federal property or conduct patrols.

The decision followed a Thursday ruling by Judge April Perry, who temporarily blocked the deployment for two weeks, citing a lack of evidence of a 'danger of rebellion' amid the administration's immigration crackdown.

The appeals court has since paused proceedings while it considers further arguments.

Tensions remain high nationwide as immigration protests continue to intensify - from the streets of Portland to the suburbs of Chicago - reflecting deep divisions over federal enforcement and the growing opposition to ICE operations.

A protestor wearing an American flag face covering stands opposite Cook County Sheriffs outside of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Illinois on Saturday

Hundreds of activists, called by the Coalition Espirituality and Public Lidership, attend a demonstration outside the ICE detention facility in Broadview, Illinois on Saturday

Tensions remain high nationwide as immigration protests continue to intensify - from the streets of Portland to the suburbs of Chicago. Pictured: Law enforcement officers clash with demonstrators during a protest near the ICE Broadview facility in Chicago, Illinois on October 11, 2025

Activists attend a demonstration outside the ICE detention facility in Broadview, Illinois

Authorities have not released the total number of arrests or injuries.

'The court's order today keeps the troops off the streets of Chicago, Broadview or any other community in Illinois,' Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a statement after the ruling.

'This is a victory for our state. This is a victory for state and local law enforcement  who know their communities and who protect the right of their communities to speak truth to power.'

Illinois and Chicago leaders, including Democrat Governor JB Pritzker has filed a lawsuit on Monday over what her called 'an 'unconstitutional invasion of Illinois by the federal government.'

'Donald Trump is not a king - and his administration is not above the law,' he said in a statement on the social platform X after Perry's previous decision on Thursday.

Perry had earlier granted Illinois and Chicago officials' request for a temporary restraining order which prevented Trump from sending National Guard troops across the state after some were ordered to patrol around Chicago.

Around 300 federalized Illinois National Guard members and around 200 troops from Texas were deployed to the Chicago area on Wednesday night.They have been activated for 60 days.

The aim of the National Guard in Chicago is to 'to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other U.S. Government personnel who are performing federal functions, including the enforcement of federal law, and to protect federal property,' U.S. Northern Command said in a statement.

Illinois State Police detain protesters outside the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview

Illinois State Police detain protesters outside the ICE facility

Sherrif's police detain a protester outside the ICE Detention Center on 25th Street and Harvard

The on-again, off-again deployments stem from a political and legal battle over Trump's push to send the Guard to several US cities.

The Trump 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 Trump's immigration crackdown.

She followed up Friday with an opinion that cites a mix of law and history, including the Federalist Papers, which were written in 1787-88 to support ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

'There has been no showing that the civil power has failed,' Perry said.

Father Dan Hartnette speaks with Illinois State Police officer as members of a Catholic group take part in a march near the ICE facility

The demonstrations against ICE are rooted in concerns about civil rights, local community safety, and alleged overreach by federal enforcement

Hundreds of activists, called by the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership attend a demonstration outside the ICE detention facility in Broadview, Illinois

There was plenty of media present to cover the protests and conflict with law enforcement

At least seven arrests took place as law enforcement moved in

The police detain a protester who crossed the barrier during a demonstration outside the ICE detention facility in Broadview, Illinois

A visitor, right, engages members of the Louisiana National Guard for a friendly chat on the National Mall in Washington on Saturday

'The agitators who have violated the law by attacking federal authorities have been arrested.

The courts are open, and the marshals are ready to see that any sentences of imprisonment are carried out. Resort to the military to execute the laws is not called for.'

The judge said there was significant evidence that federal agents have been able to carry out their work, noting 'huge increases in arrests and deportations.'

The 500 Guard members from Texas and Illinois were mostly based at a US Army Reserve Center in Elwood, southwest of Chicago.

A small number were sent to a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Broadview.
Adrenaline junkies are flocking to what has been dubbed 'Americas most dangerous rollercoaster,' which officially reopened just weeks after a rider died from blunt-force trauma.

Stardust Racers rollercoaster, a 133-foot-tall thrill ride at Universal Studios Epic Universe in Orlando, Florida, unlocked its gates last week after being closed since September 17.

The sudden shut down came after 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala was discovered unresponsive in his seat and tragically pronounced dead at the hospital.

Investigators revealed that Zavala repeatedly struck his head on the coasters metal bar from the first dip and stayed unconscious for the rest of the ride, according to the familys attorney.

The park president quickly announced the rides reopening on October 4, claiming an internal review confirmed it was 'functioning properly' before the deadly accident, according to Click Orlando 6 News.

Less than three weeks later, the high-speed dual-launch coaster was back in business, and parkgoers quickly gathered outside its gates - completely undeterred by the potential dangers.

Exclusive photos taken by Daily Mail captured the ride in full swing, every seat filled with fearless daredevils raising their hands as it zipped over the entrance, just as dozens of park visitors walked beneath.

In another shot, the coasters nose hurtled down a steep drop, while a crowd below craned their necks to take in the dizzying speed above them.

Stardust Racers rollercoaster (pictured), dubbed 'America's most dangerous rollercoaster,' officially reopened just weeks after a rider died from blunt-force trauma

The 133-foot-tall thrill ride at Universal Studios Epic Universe in Orlando, Florida (pictured), unlocked its gates last week after being closed since September 17

The sudden shut down came after 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala (pictured) was discovered unresponsive in his seat and tragically pronounced dead at the hospital

As the 62mph coaster thundered past, some visitors filmed the high-speed action, while others turned for selfies, the daring riders visible in the background.

Some photos even showed people snapping pictures of the huge warning sign at the Stardust Racers entrance, which advises against the ride for people with heart issues, high blood pressure, expectant mothers and other medical concerns.

The wait was reportedly so long after the reopening that many parkgoers had to give up and plan to ride another day rather than waste their whole visit in line.

'We are planning on going on it. We're going to come here on Monday again and that's probably going to be our first stop,' Luke Jenkins, who witnessed the reopening but chose not to ride, told WESH 2 News.

'We were sitting there eating when they said it actually opened up and we saw a lot of people get up and start running towards it,' he added.

'But within like five minutes of it opening, it was like 150 minutes. We decided that wasn't enough time to do it.'

Another guest shared their excitement, calling the coaster 'probably one of the fastest Ive been on so far,' while acknowledging a few subtle differences since its reintroduction.

'I know they added a lot more requirements, yeah, to get on it,' the visitor told the outlet.

The high-speed dual-launch coaster was back in business, and parkgoers quickly gathered outside its gates - completely undeterred by the potential dangers

Exclusive photos taken by Daily Mail captured the ride in full swing, every seat filled with fearless daredevils raising their hands as it zipped over the entrance, just as dozens of park visitors walked beneath

As the 62mph coaster thundered past, some visitors filmed the high-speed action

But Zavalas family has criticized the park for reopening the ride, with their lawyer referring to the attraction as 'evidence of an active death investigation.'

Carlos Rodriguez Ortiz and Ana Zavala, the victim's parents, released a statement last week, stating: 'By rushing to reopen this ride as if nothing happened, Universal is showing great disregard for Kevins life, our familys pain, and the safety of every rider who steps onto that coaster.'

'We are horrified that Universal would put the ride back into operation so quickly,' they added, according to Click Orlando.

Stardust Racers launched on May 22, 2025, and was one of the most highly-anticipated attractions at the theme park.

However, recent accounts indicate that a number of riders were injured on the attraction even before it tragically claimed Zavalas life.

Famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump revealed that both his office and Zavala's family had received several messages from people who rode the Stardust Racers coaster who said they, too, suffered from injuries in the aftermath.

During a news conference in Orlando, Crump said one woman reached out to Zavalas family through an online fundraiser, recounting spine and neck injuries she experienced shortly after the ride initially opened

Another woman took Universal to court last month, claiming she was hurt on the coaster that rockets along 5,000 feet of track.

In another shot, the coasters nose hurtled down a steep drop, while a crowd below craned their necks to take in the dizzying speed above them

Some photos even showed people snapping pictures of the huge warning sign at the Stardust Racers entrance

Zavalas family (pictured) has criticized the park for reopening the ride, with their lawyer referring to the attraction as 'evidence of an active death investigation'

Crump declared that 'they won't be able to silence everybody,' as he questioned what actions theme park officials took after they received the injury reports.

'We believe there were warning signs that there was something wrong with the design of this ride, and that they tried to blame the victims,' the lawyer said at a news conference, noting that not all of the complainants had preexisting disabilities.

Sandi Streets, 49, who sued the theme park, alleged that the coasters hip restraint left her upper body unsecured, sending her flailing during her ride on April 30, weeks prior to the parks official opening.

She alleged in the suit that her head 'shook violently and slammed into her seat's headrest throughout the duration of the ride.'

The motion caused permanent injuries to her neck that soon led to severe headaches and neck pain that persisted even after medical treatment, according to the court documents.

During the conference, Crump revealed that Zavala suffered a similar fate, which ultimately led to his death.

Zavala, who used a wheelchair due to a previous spinal injury, never let it stop him from enjoying rides with his cousins as a child, his family told the Daily Mail, stressing that his limitations had never caused any harm.

According to Crump, witnesses noticed blood, and part of the seat covering was torn and dangling from the seat where Zavala had been secured.

Investigators revealed that Zavala (pictured) repeatedly struck his head on the coasters metal bar from the first dip and stayed unconscious for the rest of the ride, according to the familys attorney

Zavala's family attorney said that witnesses noticed blood, and part of the seat covering was torn and dangling from the seat where he had been secured

The family and their attorney have denied that Zavala's (pictured) death was related to the spinal disability he had from birth

'All we want is answers regarding my son's death,' Zavala's mother, Ana, said through an interpreter. 'We want these answers so we can be able to honor him. We want these answers so we can have some peace.

The family and Crump have denied that Zavala's death was related to the spinal disability he had from birth, even though Universal Orlando's safety guide shows that Stardust Racers is 'not for guests with back, neck [injuries] or similar physical conditions.'

But Crump argued that, 'If they believed that disabled people should not be on this rollercoaster then why would you assist him in getting on the rollercoaster? Now you can't justify this by trying to blame the victim.'

Universal President and COO Karen Irwin has previously stated in a memo to staff members that the ride functioned as intended during the incident.

She confirmed that Stardust Racers was carefully checked by park inspectors, state officials, the manufacturer and a third-party engineer while it was closed to reach that determination.

Investigators with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services also said their findings align with that of the theme park.

Still, the family's attorneys said they are working with Universal to inspect the coaster and are still waiting to get surveillance footage from the ride.

The law firm is also now calling for greater oversight of large corporations like Universal and Disney.

Universal President and COO Karen Irwin has previously stated in a memo to staff members that the ride functioned as intended during the deadly incident

Famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump (pictured) revealed that both his office and Zavala's family had received several messages from people who rode the Stardust Racers coaster who said they, too, suffered from injuries in the aftermath

The family's attorneys said they are working with Universal to inspect the coaster and are still waiting to get surveillance footage from the ride (pictured: Zavala)

Under Florida law, the state's two largest theme parks are exempt from safety inspections, unlike smaller venues and fairs.

Universal Orlandos president offered sympathy to Zavalas loved ones, pointing out updates to procedures and reinforced signage for rider requirements, according to WESH.

Despite the tragedy, Stardust Racers has run every night since, thrilling guests well into the late hours.

Universal did not immediately respond to Daily Mail for comment.
Pro-Palestine protesters shouted death, death to the IDF yesterday as desperate Israeli families waited to be reunited with their kidnapped loved ones.

Despite President Donald Trump securing a ceasefire deal in Gaza and only hours before the first hostages were set to be freed, thousands of demonstrators descended on central London to call for Palestine to resist.

The angry mob could be heard calling for the eradication of Israeli soldiers and singing the phrase from the river to the sea.

They also held placards with slogans such as globalise the intifada and compared Israels leader Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler.

And, in a sickening display of disrespect, the marchers defaced an RAF memorial by covering it with stickers bearing the Palestinian flag and adorning it with a placard reading: End the siege.

Yet at one point while the crowd roared, police arrested several pro-Israeli counter-demonstrators who had infiltrated the protest.

A small group of people from Our Fight, a pro-Israeli organisation describing itself as mostly made up of non-Jewish Britons, were seen facing off with protesters while holding signs reading: We stand with Britains Jews.

The Met Police confirmed it had made a small number of arrests after breaking up a scuffle between the groups.

Pro-Palestine protesters shouted death, death to the IDF yesterday as desperate Israeli families waited to be reunited with their kidnapped loved ones

Pictured: Police officers lead away a demonstrator from Our Fight, a pro-Israel organisation, ahead of a Palestine Solidarity Campaign march from Victoria Embankment to Downing Street, central London

Other arrests were made for offences including supporting a proscribed group and affray

Fourteen arrests were made, including seven for breaching conditions under the Public Order Act. Other arrests were made for offences including supporting a proscribed group and affray.

The demonstration was the 32nd in support of Palestine since October 2023, according to organiser Palestine Solidarity Campaign. It will not stop protesting until Israels occupation and apartheid is ended, it added.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn walked at the front of the crowd across Westminster Bridge, helping to carry a large banner that read National march. Free Palestine.

He was seen chanting Palestine will be free after a woman with a megaphone shouted Netanyahu you will see.

He was silent as she led a chant of Keir Starmer you cant hide, we charge you with genocide.

Last night cross-bench peer Lord Walney, former adviser to the Government on political violence, said chants of death to the IDF were unacceptable and anti-Semitic.

He told The Mail on Sunday: We are in an alarming environment where the police and political leaders are downplaying the significance of the hatred of Jewish people.

People are using the IDF as a proxy for the Jewish people. They do it because its a Jewish army and that makes it anti-Semitic.

Police may soon be allowed to restrict protests by considering their cumulative impact.
Freed hostage Noa Argamani shared a message of hope yesterday as she flew back to Israel to await her boyfriend's release from captivity.

The 27-year-old, who has campaigned to secure Avinatan Or's freedom, posted on social media: 'It's time to come home.'

She became the face of the October 7 attack after a powerful Mail on Sunday front page caught her final moments with Avinatan before they were separated.

Last week, she pledged to dedicate her 'life to bring my partner, Avinatan, and all the hostages back home' in a speech to political leaders in Washington.

Just days later, Hamas agreed to Donald Trump's peace plan, prompting her scramble back to Israel ahead of the release of 20 hostages, including her boyfriend.

She is now waiting anxiously with three other women who were also kidnapped by Hamas to be reunited with their partners.

Noa and Avinatan  whom friends call 'Romeo and Juliet'  are expected to be reunited imminently.

In a harrowing image that went viral, millions across the world saw her being dragged away from Avinatan, 32, and driven off on a motorbike as she begged the terrorists not to harm him.

Freed hostage Noa Argamani shared a message of hope on social medai as she flew back to Israel to await the release her boyfriend Avinatan Or: 'It's time to come home'

Noa became the face of the October 7 attack after a powerful Mail on Sunday front page caught her final moments with Avinatan before they were separated

She later revealed that she feared every minute that her guards might 'lose control and kill me', and declared heartbreakingly: 'I'm not the same person that I used to be.'

She said: 'I saw it happen in front of my eyes, two of my friends that were with me since October 7 were murdered in captivity.

'Yossi Sharabi and Itay Svirsky were brutally murdered and executed and I survived.

'I asked about Avinatan everywhere. I didn't know if he was murdered or kidnapped, and I was afraid to know the answer.'

Last week, on the second anniversary of the attack, she told US Cabinet members and senior White House officials: 'Avinatan and I came to the Nova music festival just to celebrate our life.

'We found ourselves in the darkest tunnels of Gaza. I cannot even begin to describe those terrible pictures.

Noa Argamani embraced her father, Yakov Argamani, after she was rescued by Israeli forces and brought back to Israel last June

'I dedicate my life to bring my partner, Avinatan, and all the hostages back home.'

Arbel Yehoud, 29, who joined Noa in Washington, will welcome her boyfriend Ariel Cunio, 27, while Ilana Gritzewsky, 32, will be reunited with fiance Matan Zangauker, 25.

Meanwhile, Sharon Aloni Cunio is waiting for her husband  and Ariel's brother  David, 35.

Sharon was held with their twin five-year-old girls, who were separated from her in captivity, before they were all released in November 2023.
Indigenous elders have condemned the Allan governments proposed treaty body, arguing the state used their language in its name without proper consultation.

Victoria's Labor government introduced a treaty bill to parliament last month which establishes the Gellung Warl, a representative body for Indigenous Australians.

Evolving from the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria, the body will have governance, oversight and decision-making powers and will be operational by July 1 next year.

In her second reading speech Premier Jacinta Allan said using First Nations languages is a 'practical way we can show respect'.

But local Kurnai Elder Aunty Cheryl Drayton, from Gippsland in the state's south-east, claims the Kurnai people were not properly consulted in the naming of the Gellung Warl.

'Under our customary law, people just cant come on to country, or do things relating to country without, at least, speaking to the elders and getting consent,' she told the Herald Sun.

'There was no consent given, but they are doing it anyway, and they are just being very disrespectful.'

Aunty Cheryl objected to the creation of the Gellung Warl and added Kurnai elders do not support the treaty.

Local elders claim they were not consulted on the use of their language in naming a representative body proposed by Premier Jacinta Allan's (pictured) government

Kurnai Elder Aunty Cheryl Drayton (right) has called for the treaty bill to be abandoned

Fellow Kurnai Elder Pauline Mullet agreed, writing to the Premier the failure to consult local people on the use of their language is not only inappropriate but harmful.

'To use our language to name a political body that the Kurnai people do not support is not only inappropriate, it is also harmful,' she wrote.

'It misrepresents our stance and risks turning our sacred words into symbols of a process we have not endorsed.'

The First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria, which the government claims was responsible for naming the body, said it consulted with a range of stakeholders regarding the use of language names in the treaty.

Among them it named traditional owner groups, members, elders, knowledge holders and the Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages.

On naming the Gellung Warl specifically, the Assembly said it obtained formal permissions from the relevant Aboriginal corporation.

Ms Mullet told the Daily Mail many Aboriginal corporations are not representative of local Indigenous communities and said the government had failed to get the Kurnai people's 'informed consent'.

Critics have compared the Gellung Warl to a Voice to Parliament, which Aunty Cheryl called on her community to vote against in September 2023.

Dancers perform in front of the Chairs of the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria

'While there's no meat on the bone of how this is going to work, I can't see how any normal person with a brain could vote for it,' she told The Age at the time.

'It doesn't tell them how people are going to get elected [on to the Voice].

'The government has thrown a lot of money at this and it could have been spent developing communities' aspirations.'

Debate over the treaty bill, which has not yet cleared parliament, is expected to take place over the coming weeks.

Once passed, it will pave the way for schoolchildren to be taught about the 'enduring harm' of colonisation since 1788, a formal apology and for more geographical locations to be given Indigenous names.

Victoria is the first state in the country to introduce legislation for an Aboriginal treaty.
A Pakistani asylum seeker who was jailed for using a sham marriage with a teenage girl to bag British citizenship has wed her again in a fresh bid to live in the UK.

Nine years ago, Nasir Khalil, 48, was jailed after he duped a Slovakian child into travelling to Britain for Nikah, a Muslim wedding ceremony, just four days after she turned 16.

The Pakistani national, then 36, had children with the young girl both before and after his 15-month prison stint while living in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.

Following a trial, a jury concluded he was part of a 'mail order' gang which purchased women living in the European Union.

The crooks would then use the women to 'defraud' the Home Office with claims their new spouses had a legal right to remain in the UK.

In 2019, Khalil was deported to his homeland, however, the year after he married the Slovakian woman, who was 23 at the time.

They wed after she had been given indefinite leave to remain in Britain with their children.

Since, his lawyers have issued a fresh application to the Home Office in a bid to return to the UK via a family visa, The Telegraph reported.

Nasir Khalil, 48, who was jailed for using a sham marriage with a teenage girl to bag British citizenship has wed her again in a fresh bid to live in the UK (File image)

It comes as Khalil's 13-year campaign was laid bare following a judgement issued by the upper tribunal - the respective appeal court for cases relating to asylum seekers.

The Pakistani man utilised the legal system in several ways to attempt to stay on British shores.

Now, immigration judges and former Conservative Home Secretaries have agreed with his claims of being in a 'loving and stable' relationship.

Even though the woman who is his visa 'sponsor' is two decades younger than him and was also a victim of his crimes as a child.

And the latest ruling means he can be named, however, his wife has been given anonymity by the courts.

In another surprising turn of events legally, Khalil's lawyers allege he was eligible for a residence card due to his wife being a European Economic Area (EEA) national via EU treaty rights.

But, the judge denied this bid, meaning his legal representatives only have one other option - his pending application for a family visa.

Khalil first landed in Britain to allegedly visit family in Rochdale in 2012, and despite initially being denied 'entry clearance' was permitted to stay for a short time.

But, he didn't leave the UK and 'overstayed' beyond his allotted time.

He then said he had divorced his wife, who was in his home country of Pakistan, before carrying out an Islamic marriage with the schoolgirl in November 2013.

The judge overseeing his case found the Slovakian teenager had received 'little or no instruction' before being religiously converted to Islam, as well as the wedding being carried out in a language she did not comprehend.

It was heard how Khalil then attempted to use the young girl to insist he had a legal right to stay in Britain, citing freedom of movement laws within the European Union.

The following year, when he was arrested, he made another bid for an 'extended family' residence card because his teenage spouse had given birth.

However, the application was rejected on two separate occasions because Khalil had not given the required 'biometric information'.

He previously argued against his deportation to Pakistan in 2016, claiming he feared 'the Taliban in Pakistan'.

BS Solicitors, who have taken up the case, have told The Telegraph that his most recent bid for a family visa was based on a new 'legitimate' marriage.

They also said the application was with the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood.

The Home Office has been approached for comment.
Prince Harry's renewed battle with the government over his need for taxpayer-funded security could risk derailing the chance of a reconciliation with the King.

On Friday, the Duke of Sussex, 41, asked the Home Secretary for increased security but his new plea 'complicates things for the King,' a royal source told The Times.

At the moment, Harry has 'bespoke' protection on a case-by-case basis when he visits the UK after he lost his automatic 24/7 security after stepping back from royal life in 2020.

He has since submitted a formal request to the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures and shortly after her appointment, wrote to Shabana Mahmood.

'It's not going to help matters,' the source said. 'We're back to where we were.'

In September, Harry met with his father for the first time in 19 months over a 50-minute tea at Clarence House.

It followed his pleas for reconciliation with his family after losing his legal battle with the government in May.

A royal source added: 'The King cannot and will not lobby, that's inappropriate. His representatives cannot advocate for policy outcomes, particularly in relation to his own family.

Prince Harry's renewed battle with the government over his need for taxpayer-funded security could risk derailing the chance of a reconciliation with the King

Prince Harry has asked for reconciliation with his family after losing his legal battle with the government in May

'The royal household representative on the Royal and VIP executive committee [Ravec], overseen by the Home Office, is not there to advocate a position for a member of the royal family. They are purely there as a liaison to the household.'

Despite moving to the US and stepping back from royal public engagements, Harry said the decision to revoke his security was 'difficult to swallow'.

Following the appeal, he said he 'can't see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the UK'.

The 41-year-old urged Keir Starmer to intervene and warned that the royal family's power over security means it 'can be used to control' family members.

He also said he would ask then-home secretary Yvette Cooper to 'look at this very, very carefully'.

But last week, a source close to the duke said he had asked Ravec for a risk-assessment alongside the letter to Mahmood.

Ravec, whose members include the Home Office, Metropolitan Police and members of the royal household, oversees the level of protection the royal family and key public figures are given in the UK.

It was reported a female stalker entered a 'secure zone' at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in west London when the prince was attending the WellChild Awards on September 9.

She was reportedly found hiding in a hotel toilet 'mumbling odd comments' about the Duke just 20 minutes before he arrived at a charity event.

She was allegedly pictured next to his car after she was thrown out.

Just two days later she was seen near the prince at the Centre for Blast Injury Studies.

The woman is believed to have followed Harry around the globe, including during his three day trip with the Duchess of Sussex to Nigeria in May 2024.

The prince's letter, which was sent before the two incidents last month.
Keir Starmer is facing a Commons showdown over the collapse of the Chinese spy case, with the Tories set to accuse his national security adviser of perverting the course of justice in order to kowtow to Beijing.

Speaker Lindsay Hoyle is expected to grant an Urgent Question to the Conservatives on the issue when MPs return to Parliament this week, with Jonathan Powell facing mounting scrutiny over his ties to China.

The trial of Chris Cash and Christopher Berry, on charges of passing secrets to China between 2021 and 2023, collapsed last month. Both men were formally declared not guilty and deny any wrongdoing.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has said that the Crown Prosecution Service asked repeatedly for the Government to state that at the time of the offence China represented a threat to national security.

Sir Keir has said that none of his ministers was involved in the decision not to provide such evidence, but sources have pointed the finger at Mr Powell  a frequent visitor to China and an advocate of stronger links between Beijing and the UK.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told The Mail on Sunday that the Government must urgently explain why it chose not to disclose the reams of information it has demonstrating China was a threat to national security in the 2021-2023 period.

Speaker Lindsay Hoyle is expected to grant an Urgent Question to the Conservatives on the issue when MPs return to Parliament this week, with Jonathan Powell facing mounting scrutiny over his ties to China

Sir Keir has said that none of his ministers was involved in the decision not to provide such evidence, but sources have pointed the finger at Jonathan Powell  a frequent visitor to China and an advocate of stronger links between Beijing and the UK.

Christopher Berry and Chris Cash were set to face trial this month, but proceedings against them were stopped after the Crown Prosecution Service said it could 'no longer proceed to trial' due to a lack of evidence

He said: By withholding this information the Government deliberately caused the spy prosecution to collapse, because they care more about China bailing out their economic mess than about national security.

It looks as if Jonathan Powell was behind this decision  and he should resign if he is. Withholding amounts to perverting the course of justice.

'Keir Starmer must also come clean about whether he was aware of this  it seems inconceivable that no one told him about it.

Sir Lindsay, right, is taking legal advice as part of his efforts to mount a private prosecution against Mr Cash and Mr Berry, who were accused of targeting the China Research Group of MPs.

He has asked his legal team to establish whether they could be prosecuted for alternative offences such as theft of data, or gaining illegal access to Parliament  instead of the original charges of passing secrets to an enemy under the 1911 Official Secrets Act.
One of the suspects in the China spy case allegedly had secure communication apps used only by Beijing agents installed on burner phones, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The trial of Christopher Berry and Chris Cash, on charges of passing secrets to China between 2021 and 2023, collapsed last month.

It has since emerged that the Crown Prosecution Service asked repeatedly for the Government to state that at the time of the offence China represented a threat to national security, but it failed to do so. Both men were formally declared not guilty and deny any wrongdoing.

The suspicious apps, which are not available to the Chinese public, were allegedly found on Mr Berrys mobiles after he returned to Britain from China in February 2023.

On his arrival at a UK airport, he was stopped under terrorism powers and all his electronic devices seized.

The alleged discovery was instrumental in the decision to build a case against the two men that they had been passing intelligence to Chinese spies.

Mr Berry, 33, a former teacher in China, was accused of handing about 34 files to his Chinese handler which contained sensitive information apparently gleaned by his friend, Mr Cash, who was working in Parliament at the time.

Mr Cash was working for the China Research Group, which was a Parliamentary group consisting of China-sceptic MPs, originally founded by Tom Tugendhat, the former Tory security minister.

The suspicious apps, which are not available to the Chinese public, were allegedly found on mobiles belonging to Christopher Berry (pictured) after he returned to Britain from China in February 2023

Mr Berry and Chris Cash (pictured) were set to face trial this month, but proceedings against them were stopped after the Crown Prosecution Service said it could 'no longer proceed to trial' due to a lack of evidence

He was also a Commons researcher to Tory MP Alicia Kearns, who was chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee at the time.

Yesterday, the Daily Mail reported that Ms Kearns, now the shadow national security minister, was told she had been targeted by the alleged spying operation.

Ms Kearns, 37, revealed how she feared she might have been bugged during a 2022 trip to Taiwan on a fact-finding trip.

She said: They could have got in that room at any time. 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.

Both Mr Berry and Mr Cash were arrested at their homes in March 2023 and charged under the Official Secrets Act for passing data to China which was prejudicial to the safety and interests of the UK and was directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy.

Both men strenuously denied the charges. The pair allegedly spied for China between 2021 and early 2023, by which time the China Research Group was headed by Ms Kearns.

Mr Cash allegedly passed sensitive information to Mr Berry in China, who in turn sent 34 reports to an individual identified as a Chinese intelligence agent  who was said to have then sent the reports to Cai Qi, the fifth-ranking member of Communist Partys ruling Politburo.

A source familiar with the investigation said British spies first became aware of UK-related intelligence circulating in the Chinese intelligence system, which led them to identifying Mr Berry first, and through him Mr Cash.

Tory MP Alicia Kearns, 37, revealed how she feared she might have been bugged during a 2022 trip to Taiwan on a fact-finding trip

The source said: They found intelligence about British stuff in the Chinese system, and they worked from there, and that took them to Chris Berry.

'And once they found Chris Berry, thats how they found Chris Cash. Chris Berry was the entry point into the Chinese intelligence system.

The MoS understands Mr Berry sent details of the row within government on the Newport Wafer Fab semiconductor factory, which was initially sold to a Chinese company called Nexperia, but which was then blocked by the Conservative government in 2021 over national security fears.

Mr Berry is also suspected of sending details of the hotel and even rooms MPs from the Foreign Affairs Committee were going to stay in during their visit to Taiwan in November 2022.

The delegation was headed by Ms Kearns.

Tim Law, a former British defence attache to Beijing who know works at the charity UK-China Transparency, said: There would have been an excellent case for the prosecution if hard evidence of such clandestine methods was proven.

Charles Parton, a former British diplomat to China and an expert at the Council on Geostrategy research institute, said that the trial was a missed opportunity to demonstrate clearly Chinas espionage efforts.

He added: It would appear this is another example of the British government being unwilling to stand up to bullying.

Mr Berry did not respond to requests for comment.
Dame Jilly Cooper's racy personal diaries are set to cause a bidding war among top publishers.

The Rivals author, who died last week aged 88 after a fall, kept diaries for much of her life and had long warned friends  and even her children  that they were far saucier than her famous 'bonkbuster' novels.

Now publishers are pushing to get their hands on them, believing they will be an instant bestseller.

A source told The Mail on Sunday: 'Enquiries from several publishers have already been made about her diaries.

'They are said to be completely unflinching. There is giddy excitement among those in the industry at the prospect of them being published.'

'Jilly was such a trailblazer and gained a whole new generation of fans since the release of Disney's Rivals series.

'There is going to be a huge bidding war for them and I wouldn't be surprised if it reached seven figures.'

The novelist, who sold more than 11 million books in the UK alone, once said her journal was 'so racy it probably ought to be burned'.

Dame Jilly Cooper's racy personal diaries are set to cause a bidding war among top publishers

The Rivals author, who died last week aged 88 after a fall, kept diaries for much of her life and had long warned friends  and even her children  that they were far saucier than her famous 'bonkbuster' novels

It is understood that Dame Jilly's children, Felix and Emily, would have to consent to publication, while her agents at Curtis Brown would oversee the auction for the rights.

Before her death, the writer revealed she had spoken to her children about the potential publication of her diaries.

She said: 'I've kept a diary for years. The earlier diaries are very, very over the top  they are quite naughty. And I say to my children [about publishing them], 'Darling, would you like to be rich and embarrassed or poor and safe?' And they say, 'Rich and embarrassed.' '

Her long-standing publisher Transworld did once release extracts from her diaries, in a book entitled The Common Years.

Published in 1984, it was a distillation of her life living near Putney Common and explored her failures, financial struggles and neighbourhood conflicts. She often described it as her favourite book that she had written.

The full diaries could shed light on the origins of many of her fictional characters, including rumours such as Andrew Parker Bowles, the ex-husband of her longstanding friend Queen Camilla, being the inspiration for her Riders lothario Rupert Campbell-Black.

Opening the Cliveden Literary Festival yesterday, the Queen affectionately recalled an anecdote about Dame Jilly, saying: 'She came to a party here a few years ago where she uttered her immortal line, 'I'm going to get so absolutely plastered tonight, darling. I love you so much, I want to see two of you.' '

After Dame Jilly's death last week, the Queen said she hoped her friend's 'hereafter would be filled with impossibly handsome men and devoted dogs'.
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A daredevil helicopter pilot has been identified as the owner of the chopper that spiraled out of control and smashed into a beachfront hotel in Huntington Beach, California, on Saturday afternoon.

Eric Nixon - a self-styled aviation enthusiast known to thousands online for his heart-stopping stunts - has spent years posting footage of himself performing jaw-dropping maneuvers across the skies of the American West.

Now, those same videos are taking on a chilling new light following the terrifying crash that left five people injured.

Video from bystanders shows Nixon's helicopter spinning wildly before slamming into palm trees outside The Waterfront Beach Resort scattering debris across the boardwalk and sending beachgoers running for cover.

Witnesses gasped as the aircraft appeared to lose control, its tail rotor apparently failing before it plunged toward the ground.

Huntington Beach Police said both people on board were rescued from the wreckage alive, though their conditions remain unknown. Three bystanders on the street were also hurt, authorities confirmed.

Officials later confirmed the helicopter was participating in the annual Cars N' Copters event - a flashy weekend gathering that draws hundreds of exotic cars and private helicopters to the Huntington Beach waterfront.

The aircraft was flying to join the display when tragedy struck. It's unclear if Nixon was flying the helicopter at the time it crashed.

Eric Nixon, left, pictured alongside wife, Kim, is a self-styled aviation enthusiast known to thousands online for his heart-stopping stunts in his various helicopters

The helicopter suddenly lost control and began spiraling in midair, eventually losing altitude and slamming into a row of palms as stunned sunbathers and beachgoers looked on

Footage on Eric Nixon's Instagram show he is familiar with the Huntington Beach area often showing off as he flies over the beach's parking lot

Friends describe Nixon as a passionate flyer who 'lived and breathed helicopters.'

His Instagram account is filled with adrenaline-pumping clips of low-altitude dashes, tight turns, and desert skims - each one more audacious than the last.

In one recent post, Nixon can be seen hurtling across a desert floor barely 20 feet above ground level with a truck speeding toward him from the opposite direction.

In another, he performs a sweeping low-level fly-by in a Bell AH-1 Cobra - a single-engine military-grade attack helicopter once used by the US Army.

Many of Nixon's videos feature him threading between palm trees, banking over beaches, or roaring past friends on dirt buggies in the Baja Nevada desert, often sometimes just feet from the ground.

Viewers can hear him laughing or whooping as the rotor wash whips up sand and dust.

Despite his daredevil reputation, Nixon occasionally struck a note of restraint.

In a post from May this year, he filmed himself setting one of his helicopters down in on the side of a mountain, explaining that he was waiting out bad weather.

Nixon has spent years posting footage of himself performing jaw-dropping maneuvers across the skies of the American West - occasionally racing trucks across the desert as seen here

In one recent post, Nixon can be seen hurtling across a desert floor barely 20 feet above ground level with a truck speeding toward him from the opposite direction

The videos take on a chilling new light following the terrifying crash that left five people injured

The aircraft was flying to join a special event at Huntington Beach when disaster struck

'Set down and waited it out rather than keeping my original schedule. Safety first!' he wrote in the caption.

Nixon, who has been married to his wife Kim for more than 20 years, could be seen together in lighter moments with hangar photos, and casual flyovers near home - underscoring how deeply aviation was woven into his life.

Saturday's event was meant to celebrate that passion.

Promotional materials for the Helicopter Landing Party, part of the Cars N' Copters weekend, promised a stunning display of 12 aircraft and more than 300 exotic cars at the beachside resort.

Videos from last year's edition show Nixon swooping dramatically over the same hotel, his helicopter skimming the tops of the California palm trees as crowds below cheered and filmed.

This year's celebration ended in horror instead. Within seconds of the mechanical failure, Nixon's chopper plummeted onto the hotel grounds narrowly missing the packed promenade.

Eric Nixon has been married to wife, Kim, for 20 years. He calls her his 'life copilot'

Nixon, together with his wife, Kim, can be seen together in lighter moments with chopper photos, and casual flyovers near their home

Nixon would often fly his helicopter with his wife aboard to visit fun places such as Nevada

The FAA and NTSB are now investigating what caused the crash.

Early reports suggest the possibility of a tail-rotor malfunction, a catastrophic issue that can cause instant loss of control.

By Saturday evening, officials cordoned off the crash site, and investigators began combing through the wreckage for clues.

The twisted frame of the helicopter lay wedged among toppled palms.

The City of Huntington Beach confirmed in a statement that the aircraft was registered to a participant in the Cars N' Copters event.

'Our thoughts are with those injured,' the city said. 'We are working closely with federal agencies to determine the cause.'
Senator Lidia Thorpe has said she may be willing to 'burn down' parliament as pro-Palestine protests take place across the country.

Demonstrators have taken to the streets of Australia's major cities days after Israel and Hamas agreed to a tentative ceasefire.

Free Palestine Melbourne has again taken to the steps of Melbourne's State Library in the latest of their ongoing Sunday demonstrations.

Senator Lidia Thorpe was one of several speakers who addressed the crowd of thousands, reported to be of a 'significant' size.

'So we stand with you every day, and we will fight every day, and we will turn up every day and if I have to burn down Parliament House to make a point I am not there to make friends,' she said, according to the Herald Sun.

'I am there to get justice for our people and I am there to free Palestine from the river to the sea.'

The Independent Senator also cast doubts on the peace agreement reached between Israel and Hamas, taking special aim at the US President.

'How can we trust Trump and these racist Nazis that continue to violate our lives, our babies, our women, our families, our land?' she said.

Senator Lidia Thorpe has threatened to 'burn down' parliament amid nationwide pro-Palestine protests. She is pictured speaking to demonstrators in Melbourne in August

Pro-Palestine demonstrators have turned out nationwide despite a tentative peace agreement between Hamas and Israel. Protesters are pictured in Sydney

'There will be no justice unless Palestine self determines their own destiny.'

It comes nearly a year after Ms Thorpe disrupted parliamentary proceedings, entering the press gallery viewing area of the Senate to yell pro-Palestinian slogans.

The Victorian representative had been suspended from the Senate a day earlier after she ripped up a motion by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson on the chamber floor.

The motion sought to have former Labor senator Fatima Payman, who was born in Afghanistan, investigated for an alleged section 44 citizenship issue.

Sunday's marches come ahead of a peace summit in Egypt on Monday where the Gaza peace plan is expected to be signed. A ceasefire took place on Friday.

In Melbourne, police are escorting protesters through the crowded CBD towards the US consulate, the planned end-point of the march.

Meanwhile, demonstrations have sprung up far-and-wide including in Sydney, Brisbane, Hobart, Canberra and in the regions.

In Sydney, protesters gathered in Hyde Park before making their way down George Street towards Belmore Park.

Crowds heard from Australians who were detained by Israel after attempting to break its naval blockade of Gaza as part of the Sumud Flotilla.

Protesters turned out in the thousands despite Israel recently reaching a ceasefire with Hamas

Sydney protesters met in Hyde Park before making their way down George Street

Among them was Surya McEwen who was held in Israel's Ketziot Prison before being deported back to Australia this week.

'They wanted to scare us, they scuffed us up a bit, we experienced some violence, some sexual violence, some abuse,' he said, according to the ABC.

Earlier plans to protest at the Opera House were scrapped by organisers after the NSW Supreme Court approved a police prohibition order citing safety risks.

NSW Police estimated about 8,000 protesters showed up to march from Hyde Park, well below the expected turn-out of 40,000.

Police said there were 'no major incidents' during the Sydney march but added a 30-year-old man had been arrested at the intersection of George and Liverpool Streets about 3.20pm after being found in possession of an 'offensive implement'.

He will be taken to Surry Hills Police Station and charged.

In Brisbane, protesters are making their way from Queens Gardens into the CBD before returning to the gardens.

Meanwhile, protesters have gathered in Hobart for a planned march from the city's waterfront area to the nearby Parliament Lawns.

Friends of Palestine WA confirmed the rallies would go ahead on Sunday, casting doubts on the longevity of the ceasefire agreement.

'We do not trust Israel and we do not trust Donald Trump,' it said.

'Previous ceasefires were broken by Israel and the genocide has continued apace.'

More to come.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been thrown into chaos after mistakenly issuing layoff notices to some of its most experienced disease experts, including officials leading responses to active measles and Ebola outbreaks.

The layoffs were made as part of a sweeping federal purge ordered by President Donald Trump during the ongoing government shutdown.

More than 1,000 CDC employees received termination emails on Friday in what was the largest mass dismissal in the agency's history.

But just one day later on Saturday federal health officials were scrambling to reverse what they admitted were 'erroneous' pink slips sent to key divisions on the front lines of global health defense, as reported by The Washington Post.

According to multiple individuals inside the agency, the reduction-in-force notices struck without warning, cutting deep into vital departments responsible for infectious-disease surveillance, outbreak response, vaccine policy, and even employee safety.

Entire units were temporarily dismantled including CDC's Global Health Center, its immunization leadership, and the elite Epidemic Intelligence Service, whose so-called 'disease detectives' are deployed worldwide to confront viral threats.

By Saturday afternoon, a senior federal health official speaking on the condition of anonymity confirmed that some layoffs were sent 'in error' and would be reversed, specifically for those working on measles, Ebola, and global outbreak coordination.

The official did not specify how many employees would be reinstated, or how quickly the reversal notices would reach them.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been thrown into chaos after mistakenly issuing layoff notices to some of its most experienced disease experts, including officials leading responses to active measles and Ebola outbreaks

Supporters of the CDC rally outside a CDC campus during a meeting of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in Chamblee, Georgia

'These dismissals included people currently leading critical public health operations,' said Debra Houry, the CDC's former chief medical officer, who resigned in August over what she described as the Trump administration's 'politicization of science.'

Houry said roughly 1,250 employees received notices, adding that many of those emails went to scientists whose work was indispensable to U.S. health security.

'Some of the best-trained epidemiologists in the world were told they no longer had a job,' she said.

Among those who initially received layoff notices, according to multiple agency insiders, was a senior official with nearly three decades of experience overseeing epidemic response efforts involving Ebola, Marburg virus, and mpox in Africa.

The unnamed career public servant who has led multi-agency task forces spanning a dozen outbreaks.

Another dismissed group included the 2023 and 2024 classes of the Epidemic Intelligence Service, who are typically the first responders when a novel disease emerges.

Two were preparing deployment to an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo when their termination emails arrived.

The leadership of CDC's Global Health Center - including the entire office of its director and six international regional offices - was also 'wiped out' before some of those cuts were hastily walked back, according to Houry.

The layoffs were made as part of a sweeping federal purge ordered by President Donald Trump during the ongoing government shutdown

A sign reading 'measles testing' is seen as an outbreak in Gaines County, Texas, has raised concerns over its spread to other parts of the state, in Seminole, Texas

Morale at the CDC has plummeted. Several top scientists also resigned earlier this year, citing political interference

'When you eliminate those teams, you're essentially blinding the country to what's happening overseas,' she said. 'These are the people who spot a threat before it reaches our borders.'

The CDC purge was part of a larger federal layoff initiative announced on Friday, when the Trump administration began cutting more than 4,000 government positions across multiple departments, far exceeding the standard furloughs typical of government shutdowns.

The White House budget office said the mass firings were meant to 'rein in growth' and eliminate 'wasteful and duplicative entities.'

Health and Human Services spokesman Andrew Nixon defended the cuts, saying all employees receiving notices were 'designated non-essential' and that the moves align with the president's 'Make America Healthy Again' agenda.

But even some Republicans recoiled at the scope of the purge.

Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, called the dismissals 'completely unnecessary and reckless,' while Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said they were 'poorly timed' and 'punitive toward the federal workforce.'

The layoffs follow a series of devastating blows to the CDC this year, including the public firing of Director Susan Monarez in August and a violent shooting attack on its Atlanta headquarters, in which a gunman motivated by vaccine conspiracy theories killed a police officer and sprayed bullets into multiple buildings.

People demonstrate outside the main campus of the CDC Atlanta, Georgia. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. laid off thousands of employees across multiple agencies on Friday, as part of an overhaul announced in March

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the blame for the layoffs rested with Trump

Morale has plummeted. Several top scientists including Demetre Daskalakis, former director of the CDC's Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases resigned earlier this year, citing political interference.

Daskalakis compared the agency's latest structural purge to 'deleting the operating system of a computer.'

'The hardware and software are there, but nothing can function without that core,' he said. 'I fear what will happen with the next outbreak or human-generated biological threat.'

His former division, responsible for immunizations, influenza surveillance, and respiratory virus tracking, was among those that received termination notices on Friday.

The firings also hit the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)  the agency's flagship scientific publication that has guided public health decision-making for more than 70 years.

Officials said those layoffs were later determined to be the result of a 'miscoding,' though by Saturday the editor-in-chief and several staff members had not yet received confirmation their jobs were safe.

Cases of Measles are on the rise in the US. More than 1,500 cases have been confirme so far this year. Pictured, Priscilla Luna holds her daughter Avery Dahl, 3, while she gets the MMR jab

The MMWR, which was suspended for the first time ever in January amid the administration's freeze on external communications, is relied upon by hospitals, clinics, and researchers worldwide for up-to-date disease data and policy recommendations.

The disruption comes amid an alarming resurgence of measles across the United States, which has reached its highest level in 33 years, with over 1,500 cases recorded - many in under-vaccinated communities across Texas, New Mexico, and the Arizona-Utah border.

Officials fear that firing epidemiologists at the height of this outbreak could cripple containment efforts.

Even with some layoffs now being reversed, insiders say the damage has already been done.

Many employees fear the rehirings will be selective and politically motivated.

'This was an act of chaos disguised as cost-cutting,' said one senior health policy adviser. 'You can't simply erase the nation's disease defenses and hope to rebuild them overnight.'
An Australian dad has unleashed fury from renters after revealing the home he was 'kicked out' of has sat empty for two years.

Arlo Enemark, 42, shared a video on Tuesday showing the inner-Melbourne home where he and his wife happily lived until 2023 when the owner, who Mr Enemark described as a 'developer', asked them to move out.

'They then proceeded to leave the place empty for 18 months and, being developers, could afford to lose the $50,000 in rent that we would've paid in that 18 months' time,' Mr Enemark said.

'They've put it back on the market empty again. It's just crazy that there are people sleeping in their cars while developers can just buy places and leave them empty.'

While Mr Enemark and his partner were able to buy an apartment, which they live in with their one-year-old child, he shared concern for those who would've been left unhoused by the situation.

'We need to have an empty property tax for homes and commercial properties, because they should primarily be their function of being a home or being a commercial property,' he said.

'They're not like NFTs, they're not just purely speculatory assets. They're actually functional properties and buildings to provide homes and locations for businesses.

'We need empty property taxes immediately so it's not viable to leave these things empty anymore.'

@bossfightpr I wont have anyone tell me that property developers provide housing when they boot people out of their home only to leave it empty for years on end. Lets be honest its the builders, trades people, workers that provide homes. Developers are subsidised by tax payers to put themselves in between the builders and the home buyers. We need to make it unviable to land bank or leave homes empty. Same with commercial businesses. Theres no reason that a high street should have any empty shopfronts. Drop the rent until its viable for business to operate out of them. Otherwise the government should seize these properties on behalf of the taxpayer. #auspol #australianpropertymarket #emptypropertytax #shitrentals #housingcrisis #rentalcrisis #housingaffordability #rentersrights #propertyhoaders #emptyhomes #rentersofaustralia #taxwealthnotwork  original sound - BossFightPR

Arlo Enemark (pictured) and his wife were asked to vacate a property so it could be sold, only for it to sit empty for 18 months

Several Australians have called for Australia to introduce a nationwide tax for owners of empty homes

Victoria currently charges owners of vacant homes an annual tax of one per cent of the property's capital improved value.

The tax was introduced at the beginning of 2025 and is unique to Victoria.

As more Aussies grapple with the ongoing housing crisis, many have called for the tax to be introduced nationwide.

The median cost of weekly rent sits at $650. The high cost means many renters are unable to simultaneously save for a home loan deposit.

Meanwhile, Australia's vacancy rate is 1.2 per cent as of August, which is about 40,000 homes.

The 2021 Census found more than one million homes were empty, however, this figure includes those away only for a short time, houses being renovated, properties available to rent, newly built homes for sale, and homes deemed unliveable.

Hundreds of commenters under Mr Enemark's video agreed with a vacancy tax being introduced.

'Actually, I agree with the empty home tax,' one wrote.

'Investors 'provide' homes in the same way that scalpers 'provide' concert tickets,' another said.

'I don't think anything but individuals should own residential properties. Companies can own commercial properties. But if it's for people to live in it shouldn't be a business,' another wrote.

However, others told renters to stop complaining about the existing system.

'No we don't need more taxes. We need people to stop thinking that people who worked hard and invested for the future owe them a living,' one wrote.

'Their home, they can do what they like,' another said.
This is the moment Prince Harry appears to nervously smile after Meghan Markle seems to ask him to move his hand off her bottom, as more footage emerges from their awkward New York red carpet appearance.

The Duchess seems to look uncomfortable as she quickly breaks away from her husband as they pose for photographers ahead of being crowned 'humanitarians of the year'.

Meghan, 44, glances up at Harry, 41, who nervously smiles before the husband and wife wrap their arms around each other's waist.

The gaffe is the latest of seemingly awkward exchanges between the married couple at the glitzy ceremony at Spring Studios.

Traffic in the Big Apple had meant the Sussexes arrived late for the Project Healthy Minds gala.

And Harry appeared to be in a rush, with royal watchers claiming he tried to hurry along his wife.

The Duke took Meghan's hand and started moving away after posing for photographers  but the Duchess appeared to linger.

Royal watchers claimed Harry may even have gently whispered to Meghan to 'come on now' as she paused.

This is the moment Meghan Markle appears to ask Prince Harry to move his hand off her bottom as more footage emerges from their awkward New York red carpet appearance

The Duchess seems to look uncomfortable as she quickly breaks away from her husband as they pose for photographers ahead of being crowned 'humanitarians of the year'

In another video taken backstage, the Duke 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 wore a 6,000 Armani suit and jewellery worth more than 238,000 for the ceremony. Meanwhile, Harry complemented his wife's look by donning a basic black suit with a crisp white shirt and tie.

The Sussexes arrived hand-in-hand to pick up the gong, which had previously only been handed out once before; Jeff Yabuki and his wife Gail picked up the award last year for their commitment to mental health work after Jeff's brother took his own life in 2017.

Meghan collected the award and was also praised as 'a mother, wife, entrepreneur and philanthropist'. Harry's work with mental health companies and his controversial 2021 memoir Spare were listed among his achievements.

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'.

Their appearance in New York came immediately after King Charles and Prince William put on a united front in London.

Meghan was left waiting when Harry spoke to someone by the red carpet

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

The Duchess 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 this week 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.

Meghan and Harry 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.'

On Friday, the Suits alum jumped to her Instagram stories to post a short reel as she shared a sweet moment with Harry backstage

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.

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.

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?'

On Friday, the Suits alum jumped to her Instagram stories to post a short reel as she shared a sweet moment with Harry backstage at the gala.

Meghan could be seen laughing at something Harry told her as he looked over papers next to a lamp  seemingly proving there was no awkwardness between them.

'Happy World Mental Health Day,' she wrote in text added over the video before gushing, '...to the man who always keeps me laughing.'
The bizarre moment a packed train was forced to a halt in Sydney's CBD by a man who stood on the tracks before allegedly throwing a punch at a cop has been caught on video.

The man, who some witnesses reported seeing at a city pub earlier in the night, was filmed yelling at random pedestrians and banging on the front windshield of the light rail carriage at the Liverpool and George St intersection about 11pm on Saturday.

The footage shows a marked police patrol car pulled up and an officer approached the man. The long-haired man then appeared to take a swing at the officer - who calmly stepped out of the way - before the man stumbled over and hit his head on the car's bumper.

The officer then handcuffed the man as he appeared to attempt to resist, while bystanders cheered.

'Police will allege during the arrest; the man damaged a police vehicle and assaulted a male constable,' NSW Police said in a statement.

'The male officer was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics at the scene for minor injuries.'

The footage showed five other officers arrived shortly after the man was on the ground and helped hold him down while he was arrested.

Bystanders filmed the moment a Sydney train was stopped by a man on the tracks

The man was filmed yelling at bystanders and appeared to take a swing at an officer

The man fell over and was arrested by the officer with the help of more officers who arrived shortly after

Police said the man was then taken to Day Street Police Station and charged.

He was accused of going onto running lines, behaving in offensive manner in a public place, assaulting a police officer in execution of duty causing actual bodily harm, and resisting a police officer in the execution of duty.

He briefly fronted Parramatta Local Court on Sunday where he was refused bail.
Ibiza has been plunged into further chaos after a fresh wave of flooding saw luxury supercars submerged on the island's streets with torrential rain bringing the airport to a close.

Dramatic footage taken on the Balearic party island, which is popular with British holidaymakers, shows locals and tourists trundling across the roads which have been engulfed by water thanks to Storm Alice.

The storm has hit Ibiza after ravaging much of southeastern Spain this week, including Costa Blanca, which saw the country placed on high alert after officials warned of 'extraordinary danger'.

Its devastating effects on Ibiza forced Wayne Lineker to close down his popular O Beach club, from which he shared footage of revellers running to shelter as the tempest battered the lavish beach resort.

He said it was the 'first day in years we've had to close early' as he shared footage showing the high-speed winds on the island whipping up his club's parasols by the pool.

Other videos, which resemble an apocalyptic movie rather than a holiday destination, show six-figure Lamborghinis and motorbikes almost entirely covered in muddy water while four-by-four cars struggle to make their way through the torrent.

The army has even been dispatched to the island for the second time in less than a fortnight to deal with the rescue and clean-up operation after the intense downpours wreaked havoc.

Internal areas of Ibiza Airport - which was entirely out of action for almost 90 minutes - were also closed off to travellers due to power cuts sparked by water pouring into the terminal yesterday.

A luxury Lamborghini supercar found itself submerged as Storm Alice ravaged Ibiza

A row of motorbikes were seen almost entirely submerged in muddy water in Ibiza Town

Wayne Lineker was forced to close down his popular O Beach club, where parasols could be seen being whipped up by the winds

Revellers at the beach resort could also be seen running to shelter as the storm continued

Twenty-four hour flights were also cancelled from late afternoon onwards.

Officials at Spanish airports authority AENA told local press: 'Because of the adverse weather conditions in Ibiza, airport operations were temporarily paralysed between 6pm and 7.20pm.

'During that time the runway was cleaned along with other areas that were affected by the storm.'

Twelve of the flights said to have been cancelled were incoming flights and the other 12 departing flights, with British holidaymakers among those affected.

The main road to the airport was also rendered unusable in a repeat of the September 30 horror floods.

Late last night it was confirmed military personnel from the specialist UME Armed Forces unit were heading back to Ibiza from their base near Valencia following a request from regional governors.

Army chiefs said on X: 'Units from the Third Intervention Battalion BIEM3 have left their base in Valencia to join the emergency services in responding to flood warnings in Ibiza.'

The military reinforcements were due to arrive around 5am this morning.

Ibiza Town's mayor Rafa Triguero, confirming several road closures including main access avenues into the city said yesterday: 'All the council teams and services are working tirelessly to drain water and re-establish normality as soon as possible. The most important thing is that no-one has been hurt.'

Major areas in Ibiza saw the island's roads turn to rivers as a result of Storm Alice's downpours

Internal areas of Ibiza Airport were also closed off to travellers due to power cuts sparked by water pouring into the terminal

Shops were seemingly forced to close early as a result of the devastating effects of the storm

Larger cars struggled to travel down the streets which were covered by the massive deluge

The scale of the flooding was laid bare in footage resembling an apocalyptic movie rather than a holiday destination

Vans and four-by-four vehicles struggled to make their way through the flood-hit roads

He urged people to stay indoors if possible and to be extremely cautious if they had to travel anywhere.

As well as Ibiza Town, the holiday resort of Playa d'en Bossa and the towns of San Jose and Santa Eularia also suffered flooding. The neighbouring islands of Majorca and Formentera also experienced problems.

One local described the situation on the island as 'devastating'.

Tourists reaching Ibiza on ferries were pictured stepping into knee-deep water as they got off the boat.

Before it caused problems in the Balearics yesterday evening, Storm Alice battered areas including Murcia on the Spanish mainland.

Several people had to be rescued from their cars in coastal areas of the province including San Javier and Los Alcazares.

It also brought chaos among Britons holidaying and living in Spain's southeast as they fought over the final supplies of alcohol in supermarkets.

One poster in the La Zenia Facebook group, which is popular with British expats and holidaymakers across Alicante, said: 'If you're thinking about going to Lidl, don't do it. All the British are there to buy all alcohol they can find.

Intense downpours have ravaged south coast resorts popular with British tourists for several weeks

Others have been trapped in cars as roads turned into fast-flowing rivers while schools shut on Friday

Spain's Guardia Civil rescued people trapped in cars on flooded streets late into the night

'Police need to come all the time because they're fighting for the last alcohol.'

On Friday the Foreign Office 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,' it said in a statement.

It continued: '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'.

AEMET, Spain's weather agency, wrote on X: 'Extraordinary danger. Flooding and flash floods may occur. Follow the advice of civil protection.'

Yellow warnings remain in place today from Valencia to the south of Tarragona.

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.

On Friday the Foreign Office issued a warning to Brits planning to travel to Spain, warning of 'severe' weather conditions on its eastern coast

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

Authorities are taking heightened measures as the storm comes nearly a year after widespread flooding in Valencia killed more than 200 people

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.

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.
Keir Starmer has 'full confidence' in his national security chief Jonathan Powell despite mounting fury over the China spying case shambles.

Cabinet minister Bridget Phillipson insisted the PM is still behind the key adviser as MPs demand answers.

The trial of Chris Cash and Christopher Berry, on charges of passing secrets to China between 2021 and 2023, collapsed last month. Both men were formally declared not guilty and deny any wrongdoing.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has said that the Crown Prosecution Service asked repeatedly for the Government to state that 'at the time of the offence China represented a threat to national security'.

Sir Keir has been adamant ministers were not involved in the decision, arguing that evidence could only be based on the Tory government's position at the time covered by the allegations.

However, former officials have voiced bewilderment at the sudden change in the position.

Keir Starmer has 'full confidence' in his national security chief Jonathan Powell (pictured) despite mounting fury over the China spying case shambles

Sir Keir has said that none of his ministers was involved in the decision not to provide such evidence, but sources have pointed the finger at Jonathan Powell  a frequent visitor to China and an advocate of stronger links between Beijing and the UK.

Tories have pointed the finger at Mr Powell, with claims he held a meeting about the case with senior officials shortly before the charges were dropped.

Touring broadcast studios this morning, Ms Phillipson told Sky News that Mr Powell - who was chief of staff to Tony Blair in No10 - had 'no role in substance or evidence'

She refused to be drawn on whether he took part in discussions, while stressing the government was 'disappointed' the case had collapsed.

Asked if Sir Keir had 'full confidence' in Mr Powell, she replied: 'Yes.'

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told The Mail on Sunday that the Government 'must urgently explain why it chose not to disclose the reams of information it has demonstrating China was a threat to national security in the 2021-2023 period'.

Even if ministers do not volunteer to make a statement when the Commons returns from the party conference recess tomorrow, Speaker Lindsay Hoyle is expected to grant an urgent question.

Mr Powell has agreed to give evidence to the national security strategy committee, although it is likely to be behind closed doors.

Sir Lindsay, right, is taking legal advice as part of his efforts to mount a private prosecution against Mr Cash and Mr Berry, who were accused of targeting the China Research Group of MPs.

He has asked his legal team to establish whether they could be prosecuted for alternative offences such as theft of data, or gaining illegal access to Parliament  instead of the original charges of passing secrets to an 'enemy' under the 1911 Official Secrets Act.
New data shows a vast majority of Australians want the nation's immigration intake reduced significantly amid a housing shortage and cost of living crisis.

A Resolve poll published on Sunday found just 15 per cent of Australians were against reducing immigration, while 58 per cent supported a cut to immigration numbers and 27 per cent were undecided.

Across all ages, genders and political beliefs, the majority of Aussies supported reducing immigration.

The poll, published in the Sydney Morning Herald, surveyed 1,800 Aussies from across the political spectrum on October 7 and 12.

Immigration has surged under the Albanese government, which many put down to a temporary correction from border closures during Covid, however, the net overseas migration in the year to March 2025 remained well above pre-pandemic levels.

In the survey, the group were told Australia's current migration policies allow 316,000 people into the country and 185,000 to permanently settle in the country every year.

They were then asked if they 'support or oppose a significant reduction in Australia's immigration numbers?'.

The results showed 57 per cent of Labor supporters, 65 per cent of Coalition voters and 50 per cent of independent voters wanted to slash immigration.

Surprisingly, even the majority of Greens voters wanted the immigration allowance to be cut, with 35 per cent in support, 32 per cent opposed and 33 per cent undecided.

A new poll found 58 per cent of Australians support a reduction in immigration allowances, including 77 per cent of Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party voters (pictured, Senator Hanson at an anti-mass immigration rally in August)

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured with fiance Jodie Haydon arriving at New York in September) suffered a three per cent drop in supporter in the same poll

Less surprisingly, One Nation supporters were the loudest advocates for immigration reduction with 77 per cent backing it.

Australia's population grew by 423,400 in the 12 months to the end of March, boosting the total population to 27.5 million.

However, population growth reached a near three-year low in September after data showed net migration was 17,000 people lower than expected.

Despite the clear signal from Australians that they want less immigration, the Albanese Government last month announced it would keep its 185,000 allowance in place for 2026.

It followed a controversial move from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in August to increase international student places to 295,000 in 2026 which is 25,000 more than 2025.

The decisions could be part of the reason why Albanese's popularity appears to have fallen in the same Resolve poll.

Just 41 per cent of those surveyed thought Albanese was performing 'good or very good', down from 44 per cent last month.

Another 47 per cent described his performance as 'bad or very bad', up from 45 per cent in September.

The majority of Australians supported a reduction in immigration across all political beliefs and ages

Sussan Ley (pictured) suffered a huge 14-point drop in support following in-party fighting in the Coalition

The results found a five per cent drop in Albanese's rating, totalling -6.

Opposition leader Sussan Ley's rating took even more of a hit with only 33 per cent of voters backing her performance, compared to 38 per cent who called it poor.

Her total rating fell an huge 14 points from 9 just last month to -5 in the new poll.

Ley's sharp decline has largely been attributed to instability and in-party fighting within the Coalition.

'It's one of the ironies of politics that leaders do not control unity but they suffer most from disunity,' Resolve pollster Jim Reed said.

'Voters are telling us they don't know who will be leader next year, let alone what their policies are.'

Albanese remained the preferred prime minister between himself and Ley with 40 per cent of voters choosing him, compared to 23 per cent for Ley.

Labor also won the two-party preferred vote 55-45.

Albanese (pictured with Haydon outside 10 Downing Street, London, in September) remained the preferred prime minister over Ley

The party's primary vote fell one point to 34 per cent while the Coalition's vote rose one point to 28 per cent.

One Nation's vote held steady at 12 per cent after rising three points last month.

The Greens' primary similarly remained the same at 11 per cent.

Overall support for parties outside of the two major players, Labor and the Coalition, was 38 per cent.
Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has taken almost $13,000 in potentially illegal foreign donations to fund his campaign, according to the New York Post.

The Democrat politician, who is leading the polls to become NYC's next mayor, has raked in donations from 170 people whose addresses are registered abroad, and so far, 88 have not been returned.

One donation comes from Mamdani's mother-in-law in Dubai, while $2,100 came from James Furlaud, an environmental scientist at Australia's University of Tasmania.

Another $2,100 came from Dubai-based investor Ada Diaz Ahmed, and $250 from Jun-Dai Bates Kobashigawa, according to NYC Campaign Finance Board records seen by the Post.

Federal, state and city laws dictate that only US citizens or permanent legal residents are allowed to contribute to political campaigns.

If a candidate receives an illegal foreign donation, they must return it, and anyone who violates this rule can face hefty fines and even prison time.

However, so far, Mamdani's campaign has not returned 88 of the foreign donations it received, worth a total of $7,190.

The returned donations include $500 from Dubai-based pediatrician Dr Bariah Dardari, who is the mother of Mamdani's wife, Rama Duwaji.

Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has taken almost $13,000 in potentially illegal foreign donations to fund his campaign, according to the New York Post

The returned donations include $500 from Dubai-based pediatrician Dr Bariah Dardari (pictured), who is the mother of Mamdani's wife, Rama Duwaji

A donation of $2,100 came from James Furlaud (pictured), an environmental scientist at Australia's University of Tasmania. The Daily Mail has reached out to Mamdani's campaign

The Daily Mail has reached out to Mamdani's campaign for comment.

They told the Post in a statement that 'we will of course return any donations that are not in compliance with CFB law'.

However, a campaign spokesperson, declined to address why so many foreign donations are yet to be returned.

Mamdani's campaign has collected $4 million in private donations so far from 54,000 contributors, along with $12.7 million in public matching funds.

Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa slammed his rival for the foreign donations.

'Where there's smoke, there's fire, so I would be very concerned,' Sliwa told the Post.

'There is probably a lot more in terms of foreign money.'

It comes two months after Sliwa told Fox Business that he was calling on the US Department of Justice to investigate his suspicions that Mamdani is being supported by 'dark money' which is illegally being funneled into super PACs from abroad.

'It's very problematic, not just for Zohran Mamdani, but anybody who has these kinds of PACs, because it's a license to illegally funnel money,' Sliwa told The Post.

'And foreign countries know you don't have to go to war against America. All you gotta do is manipulate the election.'

One donation comes from Mamdani's mother-in-law in Dubai, Dr Bariah Dardari (pictured)

Mamdani's foreign donations also came from Ugur Macit, of Muhlheim am Main in Germany, who gave $250, and Ahmed Enbya, a physician in Calgary, Canada, who sent $100.

Meanwhile, Nupur Amin Marquardt, a US citizen who works as a consultant in Hamburg, Germany, donated $50 to Mamdani's campaign in August.

Amin Marquardt is a US citizen so her donation is legal. She said that although she has no connection to NYC she wanted to back Mamdani's campaign.

'It's the only campaign I've seen that's not trying to win by convincing a group of people to hate another group of people,' she told the Post Wednesday.

Most of the donations to Mamdani's campaign have come from outside of New York City, records show.

The city's Campaign Finance Board said it is in the process of auditing the campaigns for the upcoming mayoral election in November.

Mamdani's campaign is supported by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, as she revealed in an endorsement for the candidate in a New York Times op-ed.

He is up against fellow Democratic candidate and former governor Andrew Cuomo, and Republican Curtis Sliwa.

The incumbent New York Mayor, Eric Adams, dropped out of the race in September.

Adams said 'the constant media speculation' about the future and his 'finance board withholding millions of dollars has undermined his ability' to raise the funds needed for a serious campaign.
Q: On October 9, the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs published an announcement on imposing export control measures on related rare earth items. What are Chinas considerations behind this?

A: Chinas announcement of export control measures on rare earths and related items is a legitimate action by the Chinese government to refine its export control system in accordance with laws and regulations. In the context of turmoil and frequent military conflicts in the world, China has taken note of the important uses of medium and heavy rare earths and related items in the military field. China, as a responsible major country, employs export controls on related items according to the law, in order to better defend world peace and regional stability, and to fulfill non-proliferation and other international obligations.

Chinas export controls are not export bans. Licenses will be granted for eligible applications. Before the measures were announced, China had already notified relevant countries and regions through bilateral export control dialogue mechanisms. China stands ready to work with the rest of the world to step up export control dialogue and exchange, so as to better safeguard the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.

Q: We have noted that recently the Ministry of Commerce has issued an announcement strengthening export controls on rare earths and related items. Could you please introduce the follow-up measures of implementation?

A: As a responsible major country, China always firmly safeguards its national security and international common security, always takes a just and reasonable principled position and implements export control measures in a prudential and moderate manner. China had made thorough assessment of the measures possible impact on industrial and supply chains in advance and is certain that related impact is very limited. Before announcing the measures, China had notified relevant countries and regions through bilateral export control dialogue mechanisms.

Going forward, the Chinese government will conduct reviews in accordance with laws and regulations, grant licenses to eligible applications, as well as actively considering the applicability of facilitation measures such as general licenses and license exemptions to effectively promote legitimate trade. I want to emphasize that Chinas export controls are not export bans. All applications of compliant export for civil use can get approval, so that relevant businesses have no need to worry. The Chinese government will work with all countries as always, to firmly safeguard world peace and stability in neighboring regions, and jointly maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains.

Q: On October 10 EST, the U.S. announced that, in response to Chinas export control on rare earths and related items, the U.S. will impose a tariff of 100% on China, and impose export control on all critical software. What are MOFCOMs comments on this?

A: China has taken note of the situation. On October 9, China released export control measures on rare earths and related items, which are normal actions taken by the Chinese government in accordance with laws and regulations to refine its own export control system. As a responsible major country, China always firmly safeguards its national security and international common security, always takes a just and reasonable principled position and implements export control measures in a prudential and moderate manner. The U.S. remarks reflect textbook double standard. For a long time, the U.S. has been overstretching the concept of national security, abusing export control, taking discriminatory actions against China, and imposing unilateral long-arm jurisdiction measures on various products including semiconductor equipment and chips. The U.S. Commerce Control List (CCL) covers over 3000 items, whereas Chinas Export Control List of Dual-use Items only cover about 900. The U.S. has long imposed the de minimis rule for export controls, with a lowest threshold of 0%. These measures of U.S. side have seriously harmed the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of companies, severely disrupted the international economic and trade order, and gravely undermined the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.

Particularly since the China-U.S. economic and trade talks in Madrid in September, the U.S., in just 20 days, has introduced a string of new restrictive measures targeting China. It has put multiple Chinese entities on the Entity List and Special Designated National List; arbitrarily expanded the scope of control over businesses with the Affiliates Rule that affects thousands of Chinese companies; and persisted with the implementation of Section 301 measures targeting Chinas maritime, logistics and shipbuilding industries in disregard of Chinas concerns and goodwill. The U.S. actions have severely harmed Chinas interests and undermined the atmosphere of bilateral economic and trade talks, and China is resolutely opposed to them.

Willful threats of high tariffs are not the right way to get along with China. Chinas position on the trade war is consistent: we do not want it, but we are not afraid of it. China urges the U.S. to promptly correct its wrong practices, adhere to the important consensuses of the phone calls between the two heads of state, protect the hard-won outcomes of consultations, continue to use the China-U.S. economic and trade consultation mechanism, and address respective concerns and properly manage differences through dialogues and on the basis of mutual respect and equal-footed consultation, so as to ensure the stable, sound and sustainable development of the China-U.S. economic and trade relationship. If the U.S. insists on going the wrong way, China will surely take resolute measures to protect its legitimate rights and interests.

Q: The U.S. will impose port fees on related Chinese vessels on October 14. We have noted that China has announced countermeasures in response. What is Chinas comment?

A: On April 17, the USTR announced the final action of Section 301 investigation into Chinas maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors and will impose port fees on related Chinese vessels from October 14. The U.S. practice severely violates the WTO rules and breaches the principle of equality and mutual benefit of the China-U.S. Maritime Transport Agreement, and is a typical act of unilateralism. China has repeatedly expressed its strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition.

Since the economic and trade talks in London, China has engaged in consultations and communications with the U.S. on the measures mentioned above, provided a written reply to the groundless accusations against China in the Section 301 investigation report, and made recommendations of potential bilateral cooperation in related industries. However, the U.S. has shown a negative attitude and willfully persists in implementing those measures, issuing a notice on October 3 setting out the specific requirements for imposing fees on Chinese vessels. In order to safeguard its legitimate and lawful rights and interests, China has to take countermeasures and decides to charge special port fees on U.S.-linked vessels in accordance with the Regulations of the Peoples Republic of China on International Ocean Shipping and other laws and regulations. Chinas countermeasures are necessary acts of passive defense and are aimed at maintaining the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese industries and enterprises, as well as the level playing-field of the international shipping and shipbuilding markets. It is hoped the U.S. will face up to its mistake, move with China in the same direction, and return to the right track of dialogue and consultation.

Editor: Xiong Jian
Former Vice President Kamala Harris was confronted by several rowdy protesters who stormed her book tour in Chicago on Saturday afternoon.

Security guards removed multiple people who interrupted a talk as part Harris' tour for her new memoir, 107 Days, amid chaos and screaming from the crowd.

Harris, 60, was discussing her book with journalist Michele Norris when one woman from the audience began yelling while filming on her phone, video shows.

Security guards escorted the woman out and several others as the crowd erupted into a chant of 'get her out'.

Another clip shows a man appearing to shout about 'genocide' before being removed. The motivations behind the protests were unclear.

Norris addressed the interruptions by telling the crowd: 'We encourage people to use their voices, but we want them to show respect for this woman.'

'And please pronounce my name correctly,' quipped Harris, as spectators applauded their responses.

The Chicago event wasn't the first time Harris' book tour was hit by hecklers.

Similar scenes erupted during her appearance in Washington DC, when Harris was heckled about the US response to the Israel-Hamas conflict. When a protester began shouting about Gaza, Harris stood up and hit back at them, shouting: 'I am not president of the United States!'

Hecklers have been removed from several of Kamala Harris' book tour venues amid chaos

Similar scenes erupted during her appearance in Washington DC, when Harris was heckled about the US response to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

When a protester began shouting about Gaza, Harris stood up and hit back at them, shouting: 'You know what, I am not president of the United States!'

The crowd again cheered as the heckler was removed by security.

Harris launched the tour in late September to promote 107 Days, which recounts her 2024 campaign for the White House following Joe Biden's withdrawal from the race.

It offers a look at how decisions were made behind closed doors, and gives insight into tensions between some of the staffers involved in the campaign.

Harris' memoir has sparked some criticism, even from people within Democrat circles.

An advisor to a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender slammed Harris' book while speaking anonymously with Politico last month.

'At a time when people are looking for a vision and leadership and want to see leaders rise to the level of threat facing the country, it's pretty crazy she chose to write a gossip book that prioritizes the pettiness of her politics,' they said.

The advisor added, 'It's embarrassing for her, and for all Democrats, considering she was the leader of the party less than a year ago.'

Former CNN journalist Chris Cillizza also gave the book a scathing review on Substack.

Harris, 60, was discussing her book with journalist Michele Norris when one woman from the audience began yelling while filming on her phone, as shown in the screenshot above

Former Vice President Kamala Harris was confronted by several rowdy protesters who stormed her book tour in Chicago on Saturday afternoon. Harris was speaking with Michele Norris

Norris (right) addressed the interruptions by telling the crowd: 'We encourage people to use their voices, but we want them to show respect for this woman.' 'And please pronounce my name correctly,' quipped Harris, as spectators applauded their responses to the chaos

'Harris' recent media tour to tout her memoir  '107 Days'  has reminded me of something I think I have long known: She is simply not a very good politician. And she hasn't gotten much better over her decades in the business,' he wrote.

Writing on X, Cillizza also said that Harris' return to the stage has shown that 'she's not good on her feet'. 'She speaks in word salads,' he said.

Democratic strategist Gary South also told The Hill that Harris' book was defensive in tone.

'She came out with arms flailing and guns blazing, blaming everyone but herself for her loss,' South said.

'It is a curiously negative and ungracious tome for someone who reportedly thinks she can run again in 2028,' he added.
The identity of a California woman who was found dead in an idyllic orange orchard has been solved.

Ventura County Authorities identified the victim as Maria Belmontes Blancas, who was fatally shot in the orchard near Piru, in January 1981 when she was 24.

Maria's family now finally know what happened to their beloved daughter and sister after she went missing more than four decades ago.

Blancas' lifeless body was discovered fully clothed, wearing several pieces of jewelry, with multiple gunshot wounds, according to the press release.

Her death was ruled a homicide but the case went cold without any leads to her or her murderer's identity.

The investigation reopened in 2023 after the Cold Case Unit requested forensic assistance, according to the Redgrave Research Forensic Unit's press release.

Highly advanced DNA analysis - called Genetic Genealogy- was used to discover critical information about Blancas' family.

Genetic Genealogy utilizes DNA samples that are compared with public databases to find potential biological relatives.

Maria Belmontes Blancas was identified as the victim who was fatally shot in the orange orchard near Piru, January of 1981

Ventura County Authorities discovered her lifeless body in the California citrus orchard and ruled her death as a homicide

The investigation reopened in 2023 after the Cold Case Unit requested forensic assistance to find more information about her identity

Genealogists then created a family tree to pinpoint the DNA results in connection with the person of interest.

The analysis found that Blancas' family originated from Michoacan, Mexico, and discovered a potential mother named Reynalda Blancas Aguilar.

Her potential mother had seven children and this critical detail led VCSO Investigator Ruiz-Acevedo to Blancas' sister, who was unnamed in the press release.

Ruiz-Acevedo spoke with the sister who said she 'had a sister who lived in the US and no one had seen her since 1980.'

A direct DNA comparison was conducted between the two, resulting in a match.

The lead genealogists said Blancas was born in Aguililla on March 2, 1957 and moved to California sometime in 1980.

'Little is known about her time in the United States; her family knew she was residing in California, but they did not know exactly where or who she may have been staying with,' the report read.

Blancas' family received closure after 40 years of uncertainty, but the investigation is far from over.

The killer who shot the 24-year-old still remains unidentified.

'Maria was the victim of a violent crime, and her killer has never been identified. This case remains open,' the sheriff's office said.

'Together, we can bring justice for Maria Belmontes Blancas.'
A nor'easter headed up the East Coast has begun wreaking havoc on the Mid-Atlantic region, with New Jersey issuing a state of emergency and airports delaying flights to brace for alarmingly strong winds and rainfall.

The high-impact storm system traveling from South Carolina is expected to bring flooding, downpours and powerful gusts to coastal regions in the tri-state area and New England.

The nor'easter crept up on the tri-state area on Sunday morning is continuing its movement through southern New England.

Its most severe impact is expected from the afternoon until Monday morning. The Carolinas have already been hit with inhibiting rain and floods.

Meanwhile, seaside communities in Maryland, Massachusetts, Delaware, Virginia, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York are still preparing for the worst.

As the Northeast braces for the harsh impacts of the nor'easter, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has imposed ground delay programs.

These flight restrictions affect flights arriving in Washington DC, Newark, Philadelphia, Boston, John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport.

Boston Logan International Airport have been told to expect up to 86-minute delays due to low ceilings.

Flooding has already begun in areas including Buxton, North Carolina (pictured on Sunday)

AccuWeather hurricane expert Alex DaSilva said he expects three high tides from this nor'easter (pictured: houses a risk of collapse in Buxton on Sunday)

Seaside communities in Maryland, Massachusetts, Delaware, Virginia, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York are still preparing for the worst (pictured: Sunday's forecast)

LaGuardia and JFK passengers are anticipating their flights being pushed back more than 100 minutes.

New Jersey issued the state of emergency on Saturday night. The National Weather Service (NWS) has also issued several flood and wind warnings for various states along the East Coast.

So far, the highest reported winds were about 60 miles per hour in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Inland regions of the affected areas are expected to experience 30 to 40 miles per hour winds, while coastal regions should prepare for 50 to 60 miles per hour winds.

AccuWeather hurricane expert Alex DaSilva told the Daily Mail this nor'easter is particularly concerning due to its slow-moving nature.

'This means a lot of these impacts are going to be prolonged over several days,' DaSilva said.

DaSilva and other meteorologists say the brunt of the storm will hit overnight Sunday into Monday morning, although its impacts could last until Tuesday.

People residing along the coast are at the greatest risk for intense winds, flash-flooding and power outages, DaSilva warned.

'What's going to be remembered from this storm is going to be this coastal flooding,' he predicted.

Pictured: The expected track for the nor'easter

New Jersey issued the state of emergency on Saturday night (pictured: New Jersey tides on Saturday)

Parts of New Jersey saw rain stemming from the storm (pictured: rain in New Jersey on Saturday)

Flooding may cause devastation with the 'greatest potential for major flooding' being from the Outer Banks all the way up through Northern New Jersey (pictured: flooding in Buxton, which is in the Outer Banks)

'I expected at least three high tide cycles where we are going to be seeing some big-time issues during this storm - major flooding.'

DaSilva anticipates the first high tide cycle to hit on Sunday afternoon. The second will strike overnight and the third on Monday morning.

Flooding may cause devastation with the 'greatest potential for major flooding' being from the Outer Banks all the way up through Northern New Jersey.

Acting New Jersey Governor Tahesha Way issued the dire warning on Saturday night, when parts of the state saw rain stemming from the storm.

'I urge all New Jerseyans to exercise caution, monitor local weather forecasts and warnings, stay informed on evacuation protocols, and remain off the roads unless absolutely necessary,' Way said in a statement.

Former NYC governor and Democratic mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo issued an urgent message to New Yorkers on Sunday just before 2pm.

'As a major storm approaches New York City, Im urging every New Yorker to prepare now: secure what you can, check on your neighbors, and stay tuned to official alerts and updates,' he wrote on X.

'Weve seen what can happen when government isnt ready. Ive led through Hurricane Sandy, blackouts, floods, and blizzards - and I know that in moments like these, leadership and experience make all the difference.

'When I say now is not the time for on-the-job training, its times like these Im talking about.'

New Jersey and New York may see anywhere from one to three inches of rain.

The National Weather Service placed New York City, Long Island and southern Westchester County under a coastal flood warning and wind advisory through at least Monday afternoon.

The nor'easter hitting the Northeast puts the region at great risk for flooding, with New Jersey expected to see up to three inches of rain (pictured: people walking in New Jersey rain on Saturday)

Major airports including Newark (pictured) have delayed its flights to brace for the storm

So far, the highest reported winds were about 60 miles per hour in the Outer Banks (pictured: waves crashing from the storm in the Outer Banks on Sunday)

The NWS warned that water levels are expected to rise up to two and half feet above ground level in Brooklyn, Staten Island and Manhattan, causing beach erosion and 'widespread moderate flooding of vulnerable shore roads and/or properties.'

The Carolinas have already experienced high tides and flooding in some regions. Photos captured in Buxton, North Carolina, show water-filled roads and gloomy skies.

The Outer Banks have already seen a significant amount of storm damage this season.

A series of storms that moved well offshore have destroyed 10 houses in the past month and breached dunes. The pilings of some homes in Buxton were already in the waves before the worst of the storm.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has also experienced water-filled roads as the nor'easter's rains show no signs of stopping.

The Ground Delay Program began on Sunday at 12:30pm EDT and will remain in effect through 11pm, according to the Air Traffic Control System Command Center.

In response to the large coastal storm, flight companies have temporarily waived their fees for booking changes.

American Airlines waived its fare differences and change fees for Sunday flights from Portland, Maine, to Newport News, Virginia.

Other airlines including Southwest, Delta and United have adopted similar policies.
A New Jersey school board candidate has come under fire after being caught sending cruel and vulgar texts about his conservative opponent.

Scott Semaya, 38, allegedly sent the jaw-dropping messages about Danielle Bellomo, 38, during a Marlboro school board meeting in July.

They were both among the five candidates battling for the three open seats on the Marlboro Board of Education.

Semaya, who allegedly holds liberal beliefs, took cheap shots at the MAGA mom in a group chat named 'This B**ch Needs to Die,' according to a damning photo shared by former board member Aldo Patruno.

'Bellomo must be cold - her nips could cut glass right n-,' Semaya was allegedly pictured writing to the group.

The vile sentiment was leaked on social media over the past week, sending shockwaves through the school board and members of the well-off Marlboro community.

'When I found out about the messages, I was absolutely shocked, especially with the climate of our country. It sent chills down my spine,' Bellomo told the New York Post, claiming Semaya sent other horrific messages.

'These text messages are the first time I was able to see they dont want me alive.'

Danielle Bellomo (pictured), 38, claimed she was being targeted for her political beliefs

Scott Semaya (pictured), 38, allegedly sent the jaw-dropping messages during a July school board meeting

Semaya, who allegedly holds liberal beliefs, took cheap shots at the MAGA mom in a group chat named 'This B**ch Needs to Die' (pictured)

The group chat allegedly involved five men. A source told the NY Post it included Chad Hyett, the Marlboro school board vice president, and Mitesh Gandhi, whose wife is on the board.

Amid the controversy, Semaya and his running mate, Melissa Goldberg, have dropped their board election bids, citing personal reasons.

'After what has been a grueling 18 months, I would like to share that Melissa Goldberg and Scott Semaya have dropped out of the election,' Bellomo wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.

'Hate has no place in Marlboro, and the actions of Scott Semaya and the other men in that group chat should never be tolerated. I am happy that we have ended this cycle of hate.'

The next day, Marlboros Democratic mayor, Jonathan Hornik, addressed the alleged inappropriate behavior.

He said the texts were 'completely unacceptable' and said 'those responsible are clearly not equipped to hold public office.'

'We can disagree with one another without resorting to hate, anger and violence, and I call upon all those in positions of responsibility, regardless of political affiliation to condemn this inexcusable and outrageous behavior,' he wrote.

Hornik said Marlboro police have launched an investigation into the alarming incident, which Bellomo believes was politically motivated.

Bellomo (pictured) claimed board members have been targeting her for several months

Bellomo (left) felt personally attacked by Semaya, as she was once his daughter's Girl Scout leader

Signs calling for a 'boycott' against Bellomo have also been posted outside of Marlboro schools, including the one her daughter attends, she claimed

'Im a proud and unapologetic advocate for parental rights, for my children, for our town and our state and for that they have this hate for me,' Bellomo told the NY Post.

The mother-of-three took Semaya's allegedly despicable comments against her as a personal blow, as she said she was once his daughter's Girl Scout leader.

'This is heartbreaking for me. This is what he was thinking when I was volunteering with his children - its a hard pill to swallow,' she told the NY Post.

She also worries that her own 12-year-old son will come across the messages.

While public light was shed on the situation when the messages were leaked online, Bellomo claimed she had been the target of vicious online attacks for months and had filed multiple police reports.

Bellomo said she even has a protective order against one of the men who was allegedly in the group chat, Ghandi. His lawyer told the NY Post they are working to dismiss the order.

Based on her social media, she has been publicly feuding with Hyett and other board members for months. In June, she claimed they voted to deny her 'right to attend professional development.'

Hyett had filed a formal complaint about Bellomo, claiming she posted a photo of a private school email on Facebook. But his claim was never substantiated by the commission.

Bellomo (pictured) said the messages made her realize 'they dont want me alive'

Amid the controversy, Semaya dropped his board election bid, citing personal reasons

Signs calling for a 'boycott' against Bellomo have also been posted outside of Marlboro schools, including the one her daughter attends, she claimed.

While Semaya has taken a step back from school politics after the horrendous texts emerged, community members have repeatedly blasted him on social media.

'This guy presents himself as a father and family man to the public only to then conduct himself like a pervert and criminal on a group chat during a BOE Meeting,' former board member Patruno posted.

Current candidate Kerry Ann Jankowski wrote she is 'heartbroken' by his behavior.

'As a mom, wife, daughter, and volunteer, my heart hurts - but not nearly as much as what Danielle Bellomo is enduring,' she said.

Senator Ted Cruz has even reacted to the scandal, calling Semaya's alleged actions 'wrong and evil.'

The Daily Mail has reached out to Bellomo, Semaya, Ghandi and Hyett for comment.
An adored owner of restaurant and community activist in Miami was slain outside his shop in cold blood next to his girlfriend.

Dwight C. Wells was playing dominoes outside his shop, Winning and Won Turkey Legs in Florida, on the night of October 10, when a masked man shot and killed him.

The murderer fled the scene after shooting Wells, who was playing with two people, one of whom was his girlfriend, Lulu, who watched the horrific tragedy, according to NBC Miami.

'He didn't deserve that. He didn't. It wasn't right. He wasn't just an animal,' said Lulu to the outlet.

She added that the 40-year-old was 'a good person. He gave, I'd see him giving to a lot of people and building a lot of people's brands. People respect him in this community.'

As investigators searched the scene, many members of the community were seen watching from afar, according to the outlet.

At this time, no arrests have been made, and the investigation remains active.

The owner was recognized in his city for founding several organizations, most notably his Bikes Up Gunz Down campaign, focused on reducing crime.

Dwight C. Wells was open about his past on his social media, where he explained that he was a convicted felon

Mary Brown, Wells's mother, told Local 10 how she was proud of her son for his activism efforts

Mary Brown, Wells's mother, told Local 10 how she was proud of her son for his activism efforts: 'My son was a pillar for this community. He would always give someone the shirt off his back. I miss him, but he is with the Lord, and I will see him in Heaven.'

His aunt Suzette Hester said to the outlet: 'My nephew did amazing stuff for the community. He didnt deserve this!'

A GoFundMe was launched for the activist which said: 'We watched Screamer come from the mud. A wild, curious boy to a strong man of God. He knew God, he found his way back, and he never let go. His vision was bigger than himself, he just wanted change.'

Wells, who had 10,000 Facebook followers, and many shared their grief on the platform: 'They didn't have to take your life like that.

'You didn't deserve what they did to you right in front of your place of business. You did so much for the people in your community.'

Another added: 'Yall always f*** over the people that care the most. The youth suffer when we lose men who get it. Take your rest, Dwight Wells, you put in your fair share of work.'

A third said: 'R.I.P. Dwight Wells, gone too soon but never will be forgotten, always in our hearts, fly High, Screamer, praying for the family and friends.'

Wells was open about his past on his social media, where he explained that he was a convicted felon.

Dwight C. Wells was playing dominoes outside his shop, the Winning and Won Turkey Legs in Miami, Florida, on the night of October 10, when a masked man shot and killed him

The owner was recognized in his city for founding several organizations, most notably his Bikes Up Guns Down Campaign, focused on reducing crime

When he was 19 years old, he was convicted in 2004 of Second-degree murder, two counts of armed robbery, and an armed carjacking.

He was sentenced to 10 years in prison on May 7, 2007, according to Miami-Dade County court records found by Local 10.

After Wells was out of jail, he launched his successful turkey leg business and launched his faction of the Bikes Up, Gunz Down movement.

Bikes Up, Gunz Down began as a protest for the untimely death of a biker in Philadelphia in 2014, according to the Miami Herald.

Kyrell Tyler, or better known as Dirt Bike Rell, was found dead in a car with multiple gunshot wounds when he was 23 years old.

Since Tyler's death, it has evolved into riders taking to the streets on all sorts of bikes as an act of defiance against crime, especially by the youth.

Anyone with information on Wells's death is asked to call Miami-Dade Crimestoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
Hamas is set to release Israeli hostages from Gaza 'any moment now,' US Vice President JD Vance announced Sunday morning.

The news comes after President Donald Trump's administration brokered a ceasefire in Gaza on Friday, ending a two-year war between Palestine and Israel.

A temporary truce began on Friday, with the remaining 48 Israeli hostages set to be released on Monday following a 72-hour deadline. Israel believes 20 of them are alive.

But on Sunday, Vance said the hostages could be released earlier than expected.

'It really should be any moment now,' the vice president told NBC News' 'Meet the Press'.

'The president of the United States is planning to travel to the Middle East to greet the hostages Monday morning, Middle Eastern Time,' Vance continued.

Trump is expected to fly to leave the White House around 3.30pm today and fly to Tel Aviv, Israel. After meeting with hostages and their families, Trump will deliver remarks and then fly to Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt for a summit to finalize the peace agreement.

'Which should be late, you know, Sunday night, or very early Monday morning here in the United States.'

Although he said the release is coming soon, Vance said it remains unclear 'exactly' when they will be set free but there is an 'expectation.'

Israeli hostages are set to be released 'any moment now,' US Vice President JD Vance said Sunday morning (Pictured: Ivanka Trump at a rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday)

President Donald Trump's administration brokered a ceasefire in Gaza on Friday

Signs of photographed hostages and one that says 'Peace Israel' are seen outside on Sunday in Hostages Square

He added that 'you can't say exactly the moment they will be released, but we have every expectation - that's why the president is going - that he will be greeting the hostages early next week'.

Just yesterday, Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter, stood in front of thousands of Israelis in Hostages Square, celebrating the ceasefire in Gaza.

Ivanka, 43, stood alongside her husband Jared Kushner and lauded the long-lasting peace deal.

'Tonight, we honor the strength of every family waiting, praying, and believing,' Ivanka, who converted to Judaism in 2009, told the crowd. 'We're all praying for Monday and beyond.'

'I am in awe of their strength and conviction in spite of such suffering... As we embark on the next chapter, which, God willing, after far too long, will be a lasting and enduring peace.'

Ivanka and Jared, who is also Jewish, said they were waiting to fully celebrate once the hostages are released.

Phase One of the ceasefire will also see the release of the deceased hostages in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 detainees from Gaza.

Increased aid will also enter the Gaza Strip as Gazans move home.

The hostages were set to be released Monday, but on Sunday, the vice president (pictured October 1) said it could happen sooner

A huge billboard of Trump is seen in Tel Aviv, Israel on Sunday. The president is set to fly to Tel Aviv and Egypt around 3pm EST today

'Each hostage is not only a moment of homecoming and relief, it's a triumph of faith, of courage, and of our shared humanity,' the mother-of-three told the huge Tel Aviv crowd Saturday evening.

It is believed to have been one of the biggest gatherings in Hostages Square.

Ivanka also brought a message to Israelis from her father.

'He sees you, he hears you, he stands with you, always,' she told the crowd to thunderous cheers.

The crowd broke out in 'thank you, Trump' chants as they held signs of the hostages and even one of the president's official portraits.

'We pray this week is one of healing for you all,' she concluded her two-minute speech. 'God bless you all for standing in solidarity together through this dark chapter.'

A woman is seen walking past a banner filled with faces of hostages who were kidnapped during the brutal October 7, 2023 attack

Thousands of demonstrators are seen gathered near the National Palace to express solidarity with Palestinians during an anti-Israel rally in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Sunday

Israel Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel said she also believes the hostages will be released sooner.

'I think [Hamas] might start even releasing them tonight. So, earlier than expected,' she told Sky News. 'We really hope to see them as quickly as possible.'

Shosh Bedrosian, a spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister, told the outlet that after their release from Hamas, the hostages will be transported to forces inside Israeli-controlled parts of Gaza.

They will then be taken to southern Israel.
A teenager who remains in a critical condition after being mauled by a shark in the Torres Strait Islands, north of Australia, was rescued by his friends.

The boy, 14, was fishing from a wharf on Thursday Island, in Far North Queensland, and briefly jumped into the water to cool off near Cook Esplanade about 6.30pm on Saturday.

He was suddenly bitten on the torso by the unseen shark not long after jumping in.

Brave witnesses, understood to be the boy's friends, jumped in the water to help the teenager to shore.

Their intervention likely saved the boy's life.

The 14-year-old lost a significant amount of blood and suffered life-threatening injuries to his abdomen and internal organs.

He was initially taken to Thursday Island Hospital before being airlifted to Townsville for emergency surgery.

The teenager remains in a critical condition at Townsville University Hospital.

The 14-year-old's friends jumped into the water to bring him to the shore, away from the shark

A teenager was attacked by a shark on Thursday Island (pictured) on Saturday

Torres Shire Mayor Elsi Seriat applauded the boy's friends who acted with 'incredible bravery' to save him.

'This incident is very unfortunate, and our hopes and prayers go out to the boy and his family at this difficult time,' she said.

'We strongly encourage everyone to be mindful and aware of the dangers in our surrounding waters and to always use good judgement.'

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli told the ABC his thoughts were with the boy and his community.

'It's obviously very traumatic for the individual, for the family, for the first responders, for those in the Townsville hospital who are administering treatment,' he said.

'I hope everything is okay.'
Donald Trump has replaced a top White House manager with a loyal ally who first served as his caddie.

Sergio Gor director of the Office of Presidential Personnel has become US ambassador to India and will be replaced by Trump's longtime aide Dan Scavino.

The move represents a 'significant promotion and an expansion of his responsibilities, not a removal or demotion,' a spokesman for Gor said.

It comes after Gor clashed with Elon Musk in May over the billionaire's pick for NASA chief, Jared Isaacman.

Musk quit Trump's government days after Isaacman was dumped by the White House.

Trump has in recent weeks met with Isaacman to discuss reviving his nomination for NASA.

Trump wrote on Truth Social early on Sunday: 'I am pleased to announce that the great Dan Scavino, in addition to remaining Deputy Chief of Staff of the Trump Administration, will head the White House Presidential Personnel Office, replacing Sergio Gor who did a wonderful job in that position, and will now become the Ambassador to India.

'Dan will be responsible for the selection and appointment of almost all positions in government, a very big and important position. Congratulations Dan, you will do a fantastic job!!!'

From left: Aide Walt Nauta, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Assistant to the President Sergio Gor, and an aide, wait for US President Donald Trump to board Marine One on the South Lawn before joining him on May 1

Trump and Musk speak before departing the White House on his way to his South Florida home in Mar-a-Lago in Florida on March 14

Political advisor Katie Miller (top left), White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (bottom right), White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino (bottom left) and White House Communications Director Stephen Cheung (top right) during a press conference with US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, in the Oval Office at the White House, May 30

Gor was announced as ambassador to India on September 8, and was confirmed to the post on October 7.

His replacement Scavino first met Trump as a freshman in high school while working as a caddie and bag room assistant at Briar Hall Country Club  today known as Trump National Golf Club Westchester.

In 2004, he returned to the club as assistant manager and became the general manager in 2006.

The New Jersey native continued to work for the Trump family and transitioned to politics in 2015 with the billionaire's first campaign.

Even after Trump left the White House in 2021, Scavino remained as a political advisor at Mar-a-Lago.

Scavino returned to Washington alongside Trump earlier his year as White House Deputy Chief of Staff, and recently got engaged to lawyer Erin Elmore, who works in the administration as the Director of Art in Embassies at the US Department of State.

Ex-White House chief Steve Bannon said: 'Dan is Trump's former caddie, no one knows club selection better.'

Nick Solheim, CEO of the conservative staff training non-profit American Moment, who worked alongside the Presidential Personnel Office during the Trump transition, said: 'Mr. Gor has done a great job revolutionizing the Presidential Personnel Office.

'He will continue to do great things as President Trump's representative to India. This posting to a nation as critical as India reflects the trust Mr. Gor has to carry out the President's agenda.'

Solheim also added that Scavino was the perfect person to fill Gor's shoes, telling the Daily Mail that 'there is no one better than Dan Scavino to head PPO as someone who has worked closely with the President for decades.'

'I believe Mr. Scavino will carry on in Mr. Gors tradition of placing ideologically aligned people in high leverage positions to advance the Presidents agenda,' Solheim concluded.

The Daily Mail reported in June that Gor targeted Musk's NASA nominee Isaacman over concerns about his loyalty. Isaacman is a billionaire tech entrepreneur and commercial astronaut who has flown on Musk's SpaceX rocket.

Gor delivered to the president a list of Isaacman's donations to Left-wing Democrats.

'This was Sergio's 'f**k you' to Musk,' one White House official said.

Trump and Musk spoke about Issacman's record prior to Trump pulling his nomination.

Jared Isaacman and his wife Monica

'After a thorough review of prior associations, I am hereby withdrawing the nomination of Jared Isaacman to head NASA,' Trump wrote on his Truth Social site at the time.

Trump's rollercoaster ride of a relationship with the world's richest man, Musk, captivated the attention of many political observers over the last year.

Musk torched his relationship with Trump over the Big Beautiful Bill and quit the White House in July.

He launched a breakaway political movement, 'America Party,' but remains close to MAGA world, particularly JD Vance.

In a sign of the Musk-Trump feud thawing, the pair were pictured chatting together at Charlie Kirk's memorial in Phoenix last month.

Musk shared a photo of himself and Trump from the event, stating that they had reconciled 'for Charlie'.
A Chinese coastguard ship fired a water cannon at a Philippine vessel before dangerously ramming into it in the disputed South China Sea.

Dramatic footage shows the Chinese ship using its cannon and chasing the Philippine boat, the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, moments before smashing into it near Thitu Island at 9.15am on Sunday.

Alarms loudly blared as shocked crew members film the crash. Slight damage was sustained on the Filipino boat, although there were no injuries.

Both sides blamed each other for the latest escalation of regional tensions, with Manila accusing Beijing of 'bullying tactics'.

The Philippine coast guard said their ship was anchored near the island to protect local fisherman when the Chinese ship approached and 'fired its water cannon'.

'Just three minutes later  the same [Chinese] vessel deliberately rammed the stern' of the Philippine boat, 'causing minor structural damage but no injuries to the crew', a statement said.

'Despite these bullying tactics and aggressive actions we will not be intimidated or driven away.'

'The harassment we faced today only strengthens our resolve,' Philippine coast guard commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said.

A Chinese coastguard ship fired a water cannon at a Philippine vessel before dangerously ramming into it in the disputed South China Sea

Dramatic footage shows the Chinese ship using its cannon and chasing the Philippine boat

But China hit back, accusing the Filipino-manned vessel of being at fault for the collision.

Liu Dejun, a Chinese coast guard spokesperson, said the Philippine ship 'ignored repeated stern warnings from the Chinese side, and dangerously approached' the other ship.'

Thitu Island, also know as Pag-asa Island, is part of the Spratly Island group, a disputed archipelago which China claims as their own territory.

It is the most disputed region of the South China Sea, a crucial trading route, with Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei also laying claim to parts.

Tensions have increased recently, particularly over the Scarborough Shoal and other contested regions in the sea.

China claims almost the entirely sea despite a 2016 international tribunal in The Hague, backed by the US and western allies, which favoured the Philippines.

In August, a Chinese warship crashed into its own coast guard, sustaining major damage to its hull, after chasing a Philippine patrol boat in the sea.
A Ukrainian crypto mogul has been found dead inside his Lamborghini amid one of the biggest digital currency market crashes in history.

Konstantin Galich, who was better known as Kostya Kudo, 32, was discovered on Saturday in the Obolonskyi district of Kyiv with a gunshot wound to the head.

The Kyiv Police Department said a firearm registered under Galich's name was also found at the scene.

Though foul play has not been ruled out, police said Galich 'told relatives that he was feeling depressed due to financial difficulties and also sent them a farewell message' on Friday.

Galich's death was also confirmed via his Telegram channel via a post which read: 'Konstantin Kudo tragically passed away. The causes are being investigated. We will keep you posted on any further news.'

The entrepreneur was a well-known figure in the international crypto industry, and his death has sent shockwaves across the community.

Galich co-founded the Cryptology Key trading academy, and he has a following of more than 66,000 people on Instagram where he shared insights about the industry.

The crypto crash was triggered by Donald Trump's threats to impose 100 percent tariffs on China within weeks.

Ukrainian crypto mogul Konstantin Galich (pictured) has been found dead inside his Lamborghini amid one of the biggest digital currency market crashes in history

Konstantin Galich, who was better known as Kostya Kudo, 32, was discovered on Saturday in his Lamborghini (pictured) in the Obolonskyi district of Kyiv with a gunshot wound to the head

In a span of 24 hours after Trump's announcement, around $400 billion was wiped off the value of the crypto market.

Vice President JD Vance said Trump was committed to protecting America's economic livelihoods while making the U.S. more self-sufficient.

He said the fact that China has 'so much control over critical supply in the United States of America' is the definition of a national emergency and therefore justifies Trump's move to impose tough tariffs.

'It's going to be delicate dance and a lot of it is going to depend on how the Chinese respond,' Vance said on Fox News Channel's 'Sunday Morning Futures.'

'If they respond in a highly aggressive manner, I guarantee you the president of the United States has far more cards than the People's Republic of China.'

'If, however, they're willing to be reasonable, then Donald Trump is always willing to be a reasonable negotiator.

'We're going to find out a lot in the weeks to come about whether China wants to start a trade war with us or whether they actually want to be reasonable,' he added.

Though foul play has not been ruled out, police said Galich 'told relatives that he was feeling depressed due to financial difficulties and also sent them a farewell message' on Friday

'I hope they choose the path of reason. The president of the United States is going to defend America regardless.'

Trump has raised taxes on imports from many US trading partners since taking office in January, seeking to win concessions.

China has been one of the few countries that hasn't backed down, relying on its economic clout.

'China's stance is consistent,' the country's Commerce Ministry said in a statement posted online. 'We do not want a tariff war but we are not afraid of one.'
Christopher Columbus was Spanish. He was also English, French, Portuguese, Croatian, Greek, and even Swiss. Over the centuries, researchers and writers have traced his birth to more than a dozen lands. Esteban Mira Caballos, a doctor in American History from the University of Seville, refutes all these hypotheses, maintaining, indisputably, because the sources and evidence are overwhelming, that the navigator was Genoese. The rest, he insists, are nothing more than fables shaped by individual interests, often fueled by nationalist sentiments, without providing scientific evidence.

This debate  fueled by the silences and gaps left by the navigator himself  is just one of the many myths and half-truths surrounding a name embedded in the collective imagination for centuries. Mira Caballos rescues the historical figure buried among thousands of pages of fanciful, self-serving, ideological, and nationalist literature in Colon. El converso que cambio al mundo (Columbus. The convert who changed the world, 2025), a rigorous biography that debunks several of these falsehoods.

The books title itself offers a first glimpse into the controversy and addresses another enigma: his supposed Jewish origins. The theory, always latent, was revived just a year ago, when Spanish state broadcaster RTVE premiered a documentary  widely criticized by experts  about an investigation by forensic pathologist Jose Antonio Lorente, professor of forensic medicine at the University of Granada, which concluded that Columbus was a Sephardic Jew born in Valencia. Outrageous, Mira Caballos responds: To begin with, he wasnt Jewish, but a convert, which isnt the same thing.

Christopher Columbus, portrayed by Sebastiano del Piombo (16th century).

This same theory has been fueled in various ways. From those who base this origin on the fact that a third of the crew on the first voyage were Christians, to those who attribute it to his profound knowledge of the Old Testament. On the other hand, there is no doubt that Columbus was, at least in appearance, a good Christian, essential if he wanted to garner the support he needed. He observed the sacraments, prayed, and showed devotion to the Virgin Mary and Saint Francis. In fact, the historian continues, he was always hostile toward Jews and converts and even went so far as to tell the Queen that they were enemies of the prosperity of all Christians.

But its also undeniable, says Mira Caballos, that he harbored ideas  such as his conviction that he was a new messiah or over the recovery of the Temple of Jerusalem  that were not characteristic of a Christian, but rather of a false convert or even a Jew. So, what are we left with? He was a convert and held certain Jewish convictions, although perhaps he got away with it in his attempt to appear to be a sincere convert, concludes the author.

Columbus was an experienced sailor and a reasonably well-educated man, a voracious reader. But as a cosmographer and scientist, Mira Caballos explains, he was a disaster. His great project, the one that forever changed the course of history, was a botched job. The Genoese intended to reach Asia via the west, but he erred and manipulated the data to suit his purposes. The biggest error was the calculation of the distance between Europe and Asia, dubbed the most fruitful mistake in history, says the historian.

The painting 'First Tribute to Christopher Columbus' (1892), by Jose Garnelo y Alda, which can be seen in the Naval Museum in Madrid.

To sustain his proposition, he had to overcome a central scientific obstacle: scholars conviction that the distance was unbridgeable with the means available at the time. So, in the presentation of his project, he reduced the size of the globe by a quarter and artificially stretched the Asian continent, relying on authors such as Pierre dAilly and Paolo dal Toscanelli, whose theories were already discredited. It had no scientific credibility, but it reduced the 10,600 miles that separated Europe from Asia to a mere 2,400, the historian notes. And how, despite everything, did he manage to sell his project to the Spanish Crown?

A stubborn man of faith

Columbus always considered himself chosen by providence to accomplish his feat and always tried to demonstrate that his encounter with the new continent had already been foretold in the Holy Scriptures. According to Mira Caballos, it was this mysticism, his aura of a prophet, that aroused the interest and support of the Catholic Monarchs.

That faith was also the basis of a stubborn character that drove him to never give up. Before presenting his project to the Catholic Monarchs  Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon  he had tried the Portuguese monarch John II, who took it seriously enough to refer him to a conclave of the most prestigious experts in nautical astronomy in the world. They dismissed it, of course. Later, he tried again with the same result. The same thing, and by a very similar process, happened the first time he presented it to the Catholic Monarchs, although eventually, years later, he won their approval through his persistence and because it was a relatively inexpensive project that carried little risk for the Crown.

This belief has also given rise to theories claiming that the discovery was actually the work of a protonaut, a pioneer navigator. Mira Caballos is emphatic: Since it was no longer feasible to grant him another nationality, because there is so much evidence that he was from Genoa, Plan B has now been to try to find a pre-discoverer, from a different place of origin, who was the one who told Columbus where the New World was, thus turning him into a usurper. The most popular theory in Spain over such a figure is that of a sailor from Huelva, Alonso Sanchez, who traveled to the new continent and conveyed his knowledge to Columbus before his death.

The historian dismisses these theories simply because there is no historical science for or against them, and the explorers personality did not correspond to that of a fraud, but rather of a perceptive and observant man. For him, Columbuss faith, the collection of testimonies, and his reading of various authors were enough to convince him of the existence of lands to the west.

From wealth and fame to poverty and oblivion?

Finally, he set out on his journey after signing a contract with the Crown replete with benefits. If he accomplished the feat, he would be appointed admiral of all the lands he discovered, as well as viceroy and governor of the territories, and would receive a tithe on all merchandise. Lets not forget that he was an eccentric figure whose great life project was always to establish a noble house, Mira Caballos explains. The King and Queen accepted the conditions because they had no hope that he would succeed.

But Columbus did, and upon returning from that first voyage  undertaken, incidentally, with only two caravels and a nao, a different type of vessel  he was greeted with surprise and admiration, almost like a hero. He returned accompanied by a handful of natives dressed in exotic feathers, bracelets, and pieces of gold in their noses, and with chests full of jewels, textiles, curiosities, and a little gold. That, along with his eloquence, was enough to promise a New World filled with gold and abundance, prompting many to enlist in a second expedition.

But his great promises soon turned hollow. The gold didnt exist in the quantities he claimed  although the Spanish would soon discover that the lands main resource was manpower  and, as Mira Caballos says, he was also a terrible governor. He so disliked those who followed on subsequent voyages that after the third, he returned as a prisoner. He was soon released, but removed from his positions as viceroy and governor, which he would never regain.

Is it true that Columbus died poor and forgotten, as many claim? For Mira Caballos, its just another myth: It is known that in 1504  two years before his death  he received 8,000 gold pesos, and in 1505, another 8,000. He died wealthy, and proof of this is that his descendants lived extremely wealthy lives. And he is hardly forgotten, given that five centuries later he remains a cultural icon.

Its also common to hear that the navigator never realized he had reached a new continent. Mira Caballos book makes it clear that Columbus thought that vast expanse of land was a new world, although he believed it was right next to Asia. He was never able to verify this. I think he eventually learned that it wasnt Asia, says the historian, who affirms that the Genoese had plenty of evidence at hand. But he would never admit his failure. He was determined and had promised to reach Asia, and he wasnt going to back down. That proud and stubborn Genoese will, as with so many other things, always leave us with doubts.

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John Swinney today refused to apologise for raising recognition of a Palestinian state at a vigil for Hamas victims.

The SNP leader was booed by a furious crowd as he spoke at an event at Holyrood to mark the second anniversary of the October 7 atrocities.

But asked whether he regretted making the remarks last week, the Scottish First Minister said it would have been 'hypocritical' not to mention his views on Palestine.

At the vigil, Mr Swinney said believed a Palestinian state was a 'necessary route to securing peace in the Middle East'.

But his address was met with loud chants of 'Bring them home', in reference to the hostages still held by the Palestinian terror group.

Mr Swinney said his job as First Minister was to 'bring our communities together and to ensure that everyone in our society can live in peace and solidarity and safety'.

John Swinney today refused to apologise for raising recognition of a Palestinian state at a vigil for Hamas victims

He added that he stood 'with you in remembrance of those who have lost their lives, I stand in solidarity demanding the release of the hostages and I stand with you demanding peace for all and that we may live in harmony together'.

The SNP leader was booed again as he left the stage outside the Scottish parliament.

Timothy Lovat, chairman of the Jewish Council of Scotland, said he had warned Mr Swinney beforehand that he would be in for a rough ride.

He said: 'He is the First Minister of Scotland and he is expected to attend a vigil like this, I just wish he'd toned down his rhetoric on Palestine previously.'

Mr Swinney was asked by the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg this morning if he wanted to apologise for talking about a Palestinian state at the vigil.

He said he 'completely understood' the distress being felt by the Jewish community over the 'heinous' attacks by Hamas.

'I was there as First Minister to demonstrate solidarity and empathy with the Jewish community and to assure them of their safety,' Mr Swinney added.

'But I think people would accuse me of being a hypocrite if I hadn't set out what is my view about how peace can be achieved in the Middle East.

'I think peace can only be achieved in the middle East if there is a two-state solution involving a sovereign Palestinian state.'

Earlier this month Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy faced chants of 'shame on you' as he appeared at a vigil for victims of the Manchester attack.
Women and girls over the age of 12 were banned by a mosque from taking part in a charity fun run, The Mail on Sunday revealed today.

The 5km event held in an East London park today  billed as 'inclusive' and 'family-friendly'  was open to men and boys of all ages, but organisers insisted that female teenagers and women were forbidden from joining in.

The fundraiser, called Muslim Charity Run and organised by East London Mosque, was held in Victoria Park in Tower Hamlets.

The local authority is run by the Aspire Party, set up by Bangladesh-born politician Lutfur Rahman, a former Labour councillor who was removed from office for electoral fraud in 2015, but re-elected in 2022.

Bordering on trendy Hackney, the area is often frequented by the capital's hipsters and artists.

But the move by East London Mosque to ban females over 12 from the event came amid growing concerns about the rise of sharia values taking precedence over British laws and traditions in communities across the country.

Last night, after being alerted to the Muslim Charity Run's segregation rules by The Mail on Sunday, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said it would assess the case.

In light of this, we are asking Mail readers whether Mayor of London Sadiq Khan should take action against the charity run?

In yesterday's poll, Mail readers were asked: 'Should NHS staff who downplay October 7 Hamas atrocities be sacked?' Out of 9,988 votes, 93 per cent of you said 'yes' and 7 per cent said 'no'.
A Los Angeles restaurant has been thrown into turmoil after an influencer launched serious accusations insinuating that they segregate Asian customers in one seating section.

Cassidy Cho was dining at the Great White in Melrose, California, on September 27, when she claimed she noticed that she and all other guests who appeared to be Asian were seated in one secluded area of the restaurant.

Cho posted a now-viral TikTok video detailing her experience at the establishment and showed that all the Asian customers were seated in the building's corner.

'I don't know if it's just me, but they put all Asians in one corner... everybody is white in the main seating area.'

She added that if the next party seated in the corner were Asian, her theory would be correct. Cho flashed the camera over to the newest guest, confirming they were.

After the TikToker left the restaurant, she shared that she thinks they might be putting all the Asians in one corner because 'they're embarrassed of us.'

The eatery, which originates in Australia, have vehemently denied the accusations - brushing them off as bogus speculation which has derailed their business.

Cassidy Cho was dining at the Great White cafe in Melrose, California, on September 27

Cho noticed that she and all other guests who appeared to be Asian were seated in one section of the restaurant

Other customers who claimed to have visited the restaurant chimed into Cho's story, saying that they were allegedly also placed in the same area of the building.

'My boyfriend is Korean and they put us in the corner both times we went, oh my god, maybe you're onto something,' one wrote.

A second added: 'I am a person of color - I've been to this restaurant one time and will never go back because of that reason.'

A third said: 'I just realized my boyfriend and I have only been sitting in that same area (I'm Indian, he's Chinese).'

Those who had experienced this alleged treatment weren't limited to the TikTok comment section; they also appeared in Google restaurant reviews and on Instagram.

Many also pointed out the irony of the restaurant's name - Great White - given the context. A Great White is a shark found in Australian waters.

Several comments suggested that the name is perfect for the restaurant: 'Great White is racist? No wayyyyyyy' one said.

Another added: 'Come on people. It's called GREAT WHITE.'

However, the owners of the chain restaurant have responded to the allegations of segregation - and also slammed the insinuation made about the brand's name.

Sam Cooper and Sam Trude told The Daily Mail: 'Great White is named after a shark. It has nothing to do with race.

'Any notion that we have mistreated customers or employees or seated people based on their ethnicity is absolutely outrageous and completely false. Everyone is welcome here.'

Sam Cooper and Sam Trude responded to the backlash: 'Any notion that we have mistreated customers or employees or seated people based on their ethnicity is absolutely outrageous and completely false' (Sam Trude pictured)

'Everyone is welcome here, that has never changed, and it never will,' said the owners (Sam Cooper pictured)

The Daily Mail has reached out to Great White for comment.

Great White Cafe originated in Australia, and its Instagram logo features a shark illustration.

The cafe has nearly 71,000 followers on Instagram and has locations in Venice, Larchmont, Melrose, and Brentwood.

The menu does not show prices but features a variety of foods, including but not limited to chicken kebabs, ceviche, and steak frites.

A similar instance of this occurred at the world's most romantic restaurant on the East Coast of the US.

A TikToker named Annie accused One if by Land, Two if by Sea staff of putting Asian diners together on the second floor and treating them worse than others.

The restaurant responded to the claims in a statement. It said: 'The reason people love coming here is the way they're greeted, regardless of religion, nationality and what they look like.'
Ukrainian forces have captured a 22-year-old Indian student who alleges he was coerced into fighting for the Russian army to avoid a lengthy prison sentence following drug charges.

Sahil Majothi, a computer engineering student from Gujarat, has become the first known Indian citizen to be detained in the ongoing war.

According to a video released by Ukraine's 63rd Mechanised Brigade, Majothi claims he was given an ultimatum by Russian authorities - enlist in the army or serve a seven-year jail term on drug charges his family insist were fabricated.

The student's mother, Hasina Majothi, told BBC Gujarati that her son had travelled to Russia in January 2024 to pursue his college education. He completed a three-month language course in St Petersburg before moving to Moscow for college.

While he was working part-time as a delivery driver, she alleges that in April 2024 drugs were planted in a parcel he was carrying, leading to his arrest.

His mother said her son was detained, held for six months and later sentenced to seven years behind bars before the family hired a private lawyer in Russia to defend him.

But they were completely unaware that Majothi had been drafted into the Russian military after they lost contact with him following his sentencing.

'I don't know how he ended up in Ukraine. I only found out through the viral video,' Hasina told the news channel.

Sahil Majothi, a computer engineering student from Gujarat, has become the first known Indian citizen to be detained in the Ukraine-Russia war

In his testimony, Majothi stated he had received just 15 days of military training before being deployed to the battlefield on September 30.

He claims he was separated from his unit after an altercation with his commander the following day.

That was when he came across a Ukrainian dugout and asked them for help, he could be heard saying in the clip, before ultimately surrendering.

On Wednesday, after the video went viral, Gujarat's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) questioned Hasina and her brother in Ahmedabad, western India.

ATS officials confirmed Majothi's arrest and subsequent detention in Russia. They said the family claimed to have had no contact with him since his arrest.

The case has drawn the attention of Indian authorities, with the Foreign Ministry confirming it is now investigating the case.

At his former school in Morbi, Gujarat, teachers who spoke to the news channel anonymously, described Majothi as an 'average student' who was motivated to fulfil his mother's dreams through his education.

Local community leaders have also appealed to the government to intervene and secure his return.

'Many young men like him have been trapped and dragged into the war,' said Kasam Sumra, a community leader who has known the family for several years.

According to a video released by Ukraine's 63rd Mechanised Brigade, Majothi claims he was given an ultimatum by Russian authorities - enlist in the army or serve a seven-year jail term on drug charges his family insist were fabricated

His mother said her son was detained, held for six months and later sentenced to seven years behind bars before the family hired a private lawyer in Russia to defend him

'We appeal to the government to bring back Sahil and other young Indians who went abroad seeking work.'

Majothi's case has also underscored a growing concern over the recruitment of Inidan nationals into the Russian military.

Reports have suggested that over 150 Indians may have enlisted, often on student or visitor visas, with at least 12 confirmed fatalities.

In September, Indian officials urged Moscow to release and repatriate 27 Indian nationals who had been recruited into the army.

Last month, the Indian government issued a renewed advisory, 'strongly urging all Indian nationals to stay away from offers to serve in the Russian army, as they are fraught with danger and risk to life.'
Violent Pro-Palestine protests have broken out in Bern with footage capturing demonstrators hurling tables at police officers amid clashes.

Following the outbreak of violence in the Swiss capital this weekend, 18 law enforcement officers and two protesters were left injured.

The unauthorised protest in the city on Saturday afternoon drew more than 5,000 people, including a large number clad in black and wearing masks, who clashed with cops and vandalised property.

Dramatic footage from the scenes taken from a restaurant named Monnier show armed cops in protective gear battling activists in the middle of the street as some throw outdoor seating tables towards officers.

Helmeted cops can be seen using their arms to protect their faces from the flying furniture as other spray water cannons in an attempt to disperse the crowds.

The 'demonstration escalated into unrest, causing significant property damage', Bern police said in a statement on Sunday.

'Law enforcement officers were also repeatedly attacked with dangerous objects,' including construction equipment, furniture, rocks, bottles, fire extinguishers, fireworks and laser pointers, it added.

Police had responded 'with force', using water cannons, tear gas, rubber bullets and police batons, it said.

Dramatic footage from the scenes taken from a restaurant named Monnier show armed cops in protective gear battling activists in the middle of the street as some throw outdoor seating tables towards officers

Following the outbreak of violence in the Swiss capital this weekend, 18 law enforcement officers and two protesters were left injured

Police had responded 'with force', using water cannons, tear gas, rubber bullets and police batons, Bern police said in a statement on Sunday

'This behaviour... forced the police to use coercive measures,' Michael Bettschen, deputy regional head of the Bern cantonal police, said on Sunday. One person was arrested.

In all, 16 male and two female officers were injured, including four who had to be hospitalised, police said, adding that it was aware of two other people who required medical attention following the clashes.

The property damage was 'extensive', the statement said, describing smashed shop windows and ATM screens, tagged and defaced facades, and nine police vehicles 'heavily damaged or tagged'.

The total amount of damage was expected to be 'in the millions' of Swiss francs, police said.

At least 57 buildings, nine police vehicles and various items of equipment were damaged. Among other things, demonstrators started a fire by setting fire to the contents of a rubble dump, Swiss news site Blue News reported.

A total of 536 people were detained and had their identities checked before being removed from the area.

One of those checked was already the subject of an arrest warrant, the statement said, adding that others risked charges for offenses including rioting, property damage, home invasion, bodily harm, intentional arson and violence or threats against authorities.

In all, 16 male and two female officers were injured, including four who had to be hospitalised, police said

The unauthorised protest in the city on Saturday afternoon drew more than 5,000 people, including a large number clad in black and wearing masks, who clashed with cops and vandalised property

Security Director von Graffenried condemned the violence 'in the strongest possible terms' and said the demonstration had nothing to do with the expression of opinion.

As per Blue News, he described the masked block at the head of the demonstration as 'violent extremists' and a 'bunch of b*******'.

'The political reappraisal will keep us busy for some time to come', said von Graffenried. For now, however, it was a matter of 'picking up the pieces'.

Such confrontations are rare for Switzerland, although a pro-Gaza protest on October 2 in Geneva also led to clashes between police and protesters.
Donald Trump claimed the 20 living Israeli hostages may be released 'a little bit early' as he hinted at the horrible conditions Hamas was keeping them in.

The president said it was still up in the air the exact hour those still alive will be turned over but was optimistic when he spoke to the press on Air Force One as he took off for Tel Aviv Sunday.

'They have the hostages - I understand all 20 - and we may get them out a little bit early,' Trump said.

'Getting them back was amazing because we were involved and they were in places that you don't want to know about,' he added.

The president is headed to the Israeli city, where he is scheduled to arrive just after 9am local time, or around 2am on the east coast of the US.

Hamas plans to release all 20 living hostages this weekend, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press, in exchange for roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza.

Before boarding, Trump described the enormity of the conflict he was hoping to finally solve in the region.

'There are 500,000 people, yesterday and today, in Israel and also the Muslim and Arab countries are all cheering. Everybodys cheering at one time - thats never happened before,' Trump said.

Donald Trump is on his way to the Middle East after securing a peace deal between Israel and Hamas

Donald Trump waved as he boarded the aircraft at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland

Trump addressed reporters just before he boarded Air Force One as he stood beneath an umbrella that shook in the powerful wind

'Usually, if you have one cheering, the other isnt - the other is the opposite. This is the first time everybody is amazed, and theyre thrilled.

'Its an honor to be involved, and were going to have an amazing time, and its going to be something thats never, never happened before.'

Upon arrival, the president will meet with families of hostages who have been in Hamas captivity, before delivering remarks to the Knesset - Israel's parliament.

From there, he will head to Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, to participate in a Middle East Peace Ceremony before heading back to the White House.

Trump announced on Wednesday night that both Israel and Hamas had signed off on the 'first phase' of his proposed peace deal - a substantial step in ending the war in 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 Truth Social at the time.

'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,' he continued. 'BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!'

'The whole world has come together on this one. Israel, every country has come together. This has been a fantastic day,' Trump later told Reuters.

'This is a great day for the world. This is a wonderful day, a wonderful day for everybody.'

Israelis held pro-Trump posters in Tel Aviv on October 11 after the president brokered the peace deal

Ivanka Trump (pictured) spoke at the 'Bring Them Home' rally in Tel Aviv over the weekend

Ivanka Trump (right) reemerged alongside her husband Jared Kushner (left) and Special Envoy Witkoff (middle) during a 'Bring Them Home' rally

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the government will convene on Thursday to ratify the deal and looks forward to the release of the hostages.

'With God's help, we will bring them all home,' Netanyahu said in a statement.

Vice President JD Vance told NBC's Kristen Welker on Meet the Press Sunday morning - correcting NBC's own prior reporting - that the United States will be monitoring the terms of the ceasefire but will not put boots on the ground.

'We're not planning to put boots on the ground. What we already have is a US Central Command. We already have people in that region of the world,' Vance told Welker.

'They're going to monitor the terms of the ceasefire. They're going to monitor, ensure that the humanitarian aid is flowing. They actually confirmed yesterday that Israel pulled back to the agreed-upon lines, which, of course, is the first condition.'

'The second term is for the hostages to be released. So we have people in that region of the world who are going to monitor parts of this peace proposal. But the president is not planning to put boots on the ground in Israel,' Vance confirmed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (pictured with Trump on September 29) said the government will convene on Thursday to ratify the deal and looks forward to the release of the hostages

Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv to celebrate the ceasefire agreement on October 11

Vice President JD Vance (pictured on October 1) said the US will be monitoring the terms of the ceasefire but will not put boots on the ground

An American Flag covered a historic building in Tel Aviv ahead of Trump's arrival to the city

President Donald Trump (pictured on October 10) brokered a ceasefire in Gaza

Trump is heading to join other members of his administration and family already present in Israel.

Ivanka Trump, who holds no formal role in the administration and has been largely absent from most political events during her father's second term, reemerged alongside her husband Jared Kushner and Special Envoy Witkoff during a 'Bring Them Home' rally in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square earlier this weekend.

There, Ivanka Trump told the crowd that she was 'in awe' of the 'strength and conviction in spite of such suffering' of the hostages' families.

She added that the president wanted her to share that he sees 'you personally, he hears you, he stands with you always.'

'The return of each hostage is not only a moment of homecoming and relief, it's a triumph of faith, of courage, and of our shared humanity,' Ivanka also added.
Residents of a Texas city are running out of water due to huge energy plants hoarding the supply, according to officials.

Big name companies, including Exxon Mobil and Tesla, have gone on to call South Texas their home in recent years so they can scoop up cheap energy, land and copious amounts of water.

Over the past 20 years, the companies have shelled out billions of dollars to build massive plants that use up tons of water to turn fossil fuels into gasoline, and other products like jet fuel.

And in recent years, these corporations have pushed further with the move to electric vehicles and batteries. In doing so, they refine lithium to make the batteries and produce plastic pellets.

All of this has severely impacted locals in Corpus Christi, a coastal city about two hours outside of San Antonio.

An active drought has taken over the area that is home to about more than 500,000.

The city anticipates it won't be able to meet its water demand within the next 18 months, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The city's water supply not only serves the big companies, but is also the source for residents across seven counties.

Residents in Corpus Christi, Texas are running out of water because large companies, including Exxon and Tesla, snatching it for their business

The city anticipates it won't be able to meet its water demand within the next 18 months. (Pictured: File photo of pedestrian pushing a cart during a heat wave in 2023)

And the excess use of water is not only affecting locals, but the companies that guzzle it all away.

Soon, they could also see a water shortage that could then trickle down to layoffs and a pause in the industry.

Meanwhile, residents are just trying to do the best they can with what they have while also preparing for the worst.

Many are trying to financially prepare for booming water prices and also keep their lawns from running dry.

According to Mike Howard, chief executive of Howard Energy Partners, the water situation 'is about as dire as I've ever seen it.'

Howard, who runs a private energy company that owns multiple facilities in the area, said his powerful business can't even make it through because of the lack of water.

'It has all the energy in the world, and it doesnt have water,' he said.

Corpus Christi might not be the only location in the state to be impacted by the drought, as its refineries provide products to markets and regional airports in San Antonio, Austin and Dallas, Texas.

They also provide supplies to Mexico, as Corpus Christi sits approximately 150 miles from the border.

Because of the excess use of water, the companies that are taking it, will soon run out as well

The city is also close to a Navy base that holds the world's biggest rotary-wing repair center that services major aircrafts, including Black Hawk helicopters.

When drought previously occurred in Corpus Christi, the area would turn to two reservoirs to get their water. A 101-mile pipeline also acted as a source.

But three years ago everything changed when no rainfall came and water restrictions came into play.

Presently, the drought levels are the lowest they've ever been, and mixed with the boom of companies calling the area home, water is practically non-existent.

In the past decade alone, Corpus Christi has brought in more than $57.4 billion in industrial investment, per the 2024 city report reviewed by WSJ.

Elon Musk's Tesla opened a lithium refinery there while LyondellBasell, a chemical plant, increased its capacity of an ethylene factory there by 50 percent.

On top of that, OxyChem, a chemical maker, and an unnamed Mexican business, built a $1.5 billion ethylene plant.

Exxon and Saudi Basic Industries Corp. have crafted a $7 billion plastics facility in the city.

Presently, the drought levels are the lowest they've ever been, and mixed with the boom of companies calling the area home, water is practically non-existent. (Pictured: People gathered at the Port of Corpus Christi)

That plant uses about 13 million gallons of water a day, an insider told the outlet. That accounts for about 13 percent of all of Corpus Christi's water supply, former CEO of the city's water utility Drew Molly, said.

In total, Molly, who recently resigned, said about eight companies tap into the city's water supply.

Molly said: 'Every city wants to grow. I think the City of Corpus Christi was doing it in a reasonable way, but never had imagined that there would be a drought of this proportion.'

Because the city has long expected the worst could happen, it's been trying to build the first ever large-scale desalination plant in the US.

The plant is meant to take seawater from the Gulf and turn it into 36 million gallons of potable drinking water by 2028.

Initially, the introduction of the plant was meant to buy the city some time, but with the new additions of monstrous facilities and financial fall throughs, it might not be enough.

The city obtained permits for $757 million in low-interest loans from the Lone Star State for the plant, but the entire plan was cut off in September when the estimated cost rose to about $1.2 billion.

At that point, Corpus Christi had already borrowed $235 million from the state. The city also spent around $50 million on the project itself.

Some are for the new plant and others don't see how it could make the situation any better.

'Once desalination is completed, then theres no way of stopping industry,' Sylvia Campos, a local council member who is not for the plant, said.

She believes it would do exactly what the city is trying to avoid - benefit the large companies that are taking over.

Existing industry customers anticipate water cuts will start in November 2026, leading Corpus Christi into a water emergency.

Exxon is trying to pivot to alternative water sources, a company spokesperson told WSJ.

She said the plant was made to recycle water and that it will do everything it can to reduce water use.

Other companies are looking into their very own groundwater to offset possible curtailments, Molly stated.
Hamas has created the 'perfect recipe for civil war' after the terror group vowed to 'cleanse Gaza of outlaws and collaborators with Israel', an expert has warned.

Some 7,000 gunmen have been called on by Hamas to reassert control over areas of the enclave that were vacated by Israeli forces during the two-year-long war.

It comes as Israel expects all living hostages to be released by Hamas within hours - bringing to an end horrifying ordeals that included starvation, torture and being forced to dig their own graves.

However, Israel and Hamas are said to be locked in last-minute negotiations over the release of Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas units have been deployed across several districts, while the militant group has already appointed five new governors, all with military backgrounds.

Fearing of a civil war in Gaza, a retired security officer who served for years with the Palestinian Authority said he feared the territory was heading towards another round of internal conflict.

'Hamas hasn't changed. It still believes that weapons and violence are the only means to keep its movement alive,' he told the BBC.

'Gaza is flooded with arms. Looters have stolen thousands of weapons and rounds of ammunition from Hamas stores during the war, and some groups have even received supplies from Israel.

Palestinians walk among destroyed buildings in Gaza City on Sunday, October 12

Palestinians continue to return from southern to northern Gaza on the third day of the ceasefire

Residents move north along Al-Rashid Street with whatever belongings they managed to carry

'This is a perfect recipe for civil war: weapons, frustration, chaos, and a movement desperate to reassert control over a shattered and exhausted population.'

The mobilisation order was issued via phone calls and text messages that read: 'We declare a general mobilisation in response to the call of national and religious duty, to cleanse Gaza of outlaws and collaborators with Israel.

'You must report within 24 hours to your designated locations using your official codes.'

Images show gun-wielding officers, several of them in plain clothes and others in blue uniforms, patrolling the streets as tens of thousands of Palestinians headed back to the heavily destroyed norther Gaza Strip.

Questions remain over who will govern Gaza as Israeli troops gradually pull back and whether Hamas will disarm, as called for in Trump's ceasefire plan.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted that Israel might renew its offensive if Hamas does not give up its weapons.

But the latest truce marks a key step toward ending a ruinous two-year conflict that was triggered by Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

The fighting has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and displaced around 90 percent of the Gaza population of some two million, often multiple times. Many of them will find fields of rubble where their homes once stood.

The military confirmed the start of the ceasefire on Friday, and the remaining 48 hostages, around 20 of them believed to be alive, are to be released by Monday.

A large crowd gathers for first aid trucks in Gaza on October 12 amid the ceasefire

Civilians in Gaza continue to return from southern to northern Gaza on day three of the ceasefire

Palestinians said heavy shelling in parts of Gaza earlier on Friday had mostly stopped after the military's announcement.

Netanyahu said in a televised statement Friday that the next stages would see Hamas disarm and Gaza demilitarized.

'If this is achieved the easy way - so be it. If not - it will be achieved the hard way,' Netanyahu said.

The Israeli military has said it will continue to operate defensively from the roughly 50 per cent of Gaza it still controls after pulling back to agreed-upon lines.

Meanwhile, the United Nations was given 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.

The aid shipments are meant to address severe malnutrition and famine conditions triggered by Israeli offensives and restrictions on humanitarian help.

The International Criminal Court is seeking the arrest of Netanyahu and his former defense minister for allegedly using starvation as a method of war. Israeli officials deny the accusations.

The aid will include 170,000 metric tons that have already been positioned in neighboring countries such as Jordan and Egypt as humanitarian officials awaited permission from Israeli forces to restart their work.

The Israeli hostages were expected to be released 'any moment now', US vice-president JD Vance said today.

But talks have cast a shadow of doubt on their release, The Telegraph first reported.

Shosh Bedrosian, a spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said earlier: 'Israel is ready... if a living hostage requires any urgent medical attention, they will be brought to a medical facility immediately.'
A Spanish influencer has officially launched his own far-Right 'anti-immigration' party.

Alvise Perez, 35, launched his new Se Acabo La Fiesta ('The Party's Over') Party on Sunday in a further fragmentation and rightward shift in European politics.

The young EU lawmaker, who has a huge following across his social media platforms, shocked the political establishment by winning almost five percent of the vote and three seats at last year's European Parliament election as a fledgling faction.

On Sunday, Perez whipped up thousands of rapturous flag-waving supporters at a launch event in Madrid where he vowed to attack corruption, crime and traditional politics.

Perez vowed 'the biggest deportation plan in Spain's recent history' targeted at immigrants who commit crimes and financed by freezing all foreign aid.

He lashed out at 'a European Union that has betrayed its foundational principles' and serves 'a globalist bureaucracy'.

Saying the bloc harmed Spanish interests in favour of France and Germany, he promised a referendum on membership if the EU did not 'respect' Spain.

Perez, who has more than one million followers on Instagram, also promised lavish tax cuts.

Alvise Perez, 35, launched his new Se Acabo La Fiesta ('The Party's Over') Party on Sunday in a further fragmentation and rightward shift in European politics

Perez vowed 'the biggest deportation plan in Spain's recent history' targeted at immigrants who commit crimes and financed by freezing all foreign aid

Last May, Perez managed to collect the 15,000 signatures needed to run in the European elections in just two weeks through mobilising the hundreds of thousands of followers he has accumulated on Instagram and Telegram

His social media content includes mockery of the European Parliament, tirades against corruption and a video of him travelling on a jet ski to plant a Spanish flag on an islet off Morocco.

Alvise's EU election success rode a wave of conservative gains across the bloc and in a country once considered immune to far-Right surges after General Francisco Franco's fascist-backed 1939 to 1975 dictatorship.

But his insurgent popularity has since waned, with recent polling putting him close to one percent of the vote.

The Supreme Court has opened four cases against him, including for alleged illegal funding as well as harassment of the two EU lawmakers who were elected under his movement in 2024 and have since broken with him.

Last May, Perez managed to collect the 15,000 signatures needed to run in the European elections in just two weeks through mobilising the hundreds of thousands of followers he has accumulated on his Telegram and Instagram channels.

'I decided to start a political party because the alternative was to go and live on a hill. The rotten society in big European cities doesn't encourage you to do anything else,' Perez told Euronews at the time.

'Corruption has many legs: political, media and judicial. There is an open war against everything that has made this system no longer for Spaniards, but for a corrupt elite,' he added.

With more than two million subscribers and up to five million daily views on his social media channels, Perez rested his entire election campaign on the loyalty of his community.

'People have financed themselves in small groups, they have organised themselves,' the lawmaker explained, highlighting the active participation of his supporters in the campaign.

Instead of spending money on traditional mass events, Perez opted for a more austere and direct campaign. He asked his fans to print and distribute their own posters while prioritising social media to reach out to voters.
A senior staff member at a crisis-hit quango was sanctioned after allegedly upsetting Rod Stewarts wife and twerking in front of actor Martin Compston.

The investigation was sparked at Historic Environment Scotland (HES) after the Line of Duty star was left feeling uncomfortable by the womans behaviour.

The incident happened at a work event where the manager is said to have upset Penny Lancaster with a remark about dumb blondes, according to internal HES correspondence.

It is the latest scandal to hit the Scottish Government quango, responsible for the care of sites and artefacts including Edinburgh Castle and the Crown Jewels.

In a separate incident, it was revealed last week that HESs boss had been suspended just a year after taking up the job.

Katerina Brown, who joined in September 2024, was signed off in June on health grounds after an investigation was begun into her conduct.

The 145,000-a-year chief executive had been due to return to work but she has now been suspended.

It is believed HES took action after a condition of Ms Browns planned return was not met. It also emerged senior management created a new pay band to give themselves a salary hike of between 19 and 21.5 per cent.

Martin Compston was amongst guests who witnessed a HES manager twerking at an event

Penny Lancaster was said to have been left upset by the manager's behaviour

Tory MSP Stephen Kerr, who sits on Holyroods culture committee, said: These latest bombshell revelations confirm the complete chaos within Historic Environment Scotland.

Clearly senior figures feel they can reward themselves handsomely or behave in a wholly inappropriate manner without suffering any consequences.

According to documents seen by The Scotsman newspaper, HES bosses arranged a corporate event at Edinburgh Castle for invited guests, hosting Mr Compston and Ms Lancaster.

Witnesses said a senior HES member became drunk and sat on a guests knee before standing up and twerking in front of the guest and Mr Compston.

She is then claimed to have posed for a picture with Ms Lancaster and referred to them both as two dumb blondes together.

Historic Environment Scotland looks after sites including Edinburgh Castle, pictured

Following complaints, HES carried out an investigation

Following complaints about the incident, HES carried out an HR investigation. The complaint against the senior staff member was upheld.

A leaked report says witnesses reported feeling uncomfortable and frightened to speak for the fear of retribution.

Holyroods culture committee heard last month HES directors were handed a pay rise of 16 to 18 per cent in April, despite the body facing a 3million budget shortfall.

It has now also emerged a new band of elite heads of service are in line to receive increases of up to 21.5 per cent.

New Grade 7 positions will mean the earning potential of around ten bosses rises by between 19 and 21.5 per cent.

Mr Kerr added: These latest claims sum up why I have written to the Auditor General urging him to investigate the culture at HES, so that those responsible for some disgraceful behaviour are finally held responsible.

An HES spokesman said: HES does not comment on individual personnel matters. He added: HES is committed to fair pay that is comparable with other public sector organisations. The Grade 7 band was introduced following an independently conducted pay and grading review.
Quiara Alegria Hudes, 48, confesses that what saved her life in recent years has been writing and reading. The playwright of Puerto Rican descent rose to fame for her original soundtrack of Lin-Manuel Mirandas musical In the Heights, for which she was nominated for a Tony. After being nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for theater on three occasions, she won it in 2012 for Water by the Spoonful, in which she tells the story of a Puerto Rican soldier returning from the Iraq war and having to navigate his birth family, addiction and identity crisis. Since then, the writers life has taken many detours, passing through motherhood, caring for sick family members and activism, the latter via her letter exchange project with incarcerated individuals, Emancipated Stories.

From her house in Philadelphia, the city that has long been the anchor to her personal life as well as her stories, she tells how for the first time, she has a project that is not based on the experience of someone from her own community, one that is pure fiction. This is important because, according to the writer, it allowed her to be more honest, darker, more direct and without a doubt, ultimately freer. Her EL PAIS interview took place on the occasion of her literary debut with the novel The White Hot, which goes on sale November 11 and is one of the most-awaited reads of the fall.

Question. How did you decide to try your hand at literature after studying musical composition at Yale and dramaturgy at Brown?

Answer. When my grandmother got sick, I realized that she also had an American story to tell, something that I had never read in school, but that existed in my community. And I felt the need to tell other stories.

Q. Latina stories?

A. We matter, why arent we talked about? Why arent our stories told? Also, I think there is more space for our different communities in literature than in theater. It costs less, and you can get books for free at the library, that makes it easier. On the other hand, in Philadelphia, they dont usually invite Latina playwrights to bring their stories to the stage. This morning, I spoke with Esmeralda Santiago, a writer who is a friend of mine. One of her books was the first I read in English about the diaspora, and it had a lot of influence on me.

Q. Its a critical moment for Latinos in the United States.

A. Its a moment of extreme terror. We have ICE entering into our communities and separating families, which has been the most horrible strategic tool in the history of this country, used in the past to terrorize Native American communities and Black families during slavery. It is a practice that has deep and very real roots. But it is also a moment of pride. We have Bad Bunny, [Sonia] Sotomayor [the first Latina Supreme Court judge] We have genius and suffering, all at once. I am considering writing a book about what is happening.

Cover of 'The White Hot' by Quiara Alegria Hudes, on sale November 11. Penguin Random House

Q. In The White Hot, you narrate the story of a teen mom who abandons her daughter. Why did you want to tell that story?

A. My mother, despite her many misgivings, had to dedicate herself to building a community. And my grandmother spent her life taking care of her children, then her grandchildren and then her great-grandchildren. She even took care of other peoples kids! I asked myself what would have happened if they had escaped that enormous responsibility of domesticity and dared to live the life they wanted. And also, reflect on how when a woman leaves, there is always another woman to provide care in her place. I rebel against that. In my novel, the father provides stability and thats why the woman can go.

Q. You have two children. Did it scare you to take on motherhood, knowing that it was going to limit your freedom, as it does for so many other women?

A. In my case, I became a mother intentionally, out of joy, wanting to show my children a woman who lives her own life. I love them and I also love myself. I have always admired women who, through art, have shown examples of other kinds of motherhood, like Toni Morrison or Jamaica Kincaid. They are women who loved themselves and loved their freedom and their priority was not setting the table so that the family could have dinner or doing what made the rest of the world comfortable, but rather maintaining their curiosity. I wanted to build a character who broke those taboos associated with women and motherhood. Thats how April Soto was born.

Q. What does the title The White Hot mean?

A. The energy that bubbles up inside us, a kind of lightbulb that we can use for good or for bad. April, the protagonist, has anger problems. She gets into fights at school and street brawls, which brings her a lot of problems. This book tells the story of how to channel that energy and honor it, but not in a destructive way, but as a kind of enlightenment.

Q. What have the men who have read the novel said?

A. At first, I thought it was a novel that would only interest women. A novel about women, Latinas, Puerto Ricans, but now I have also discovered that it is a fathers story. Both my husband and my friend, Lin-Manuel Miranda, have told me that its the best thing Ive written so far. I think its the most honest thing Ive ever written. I was a mess when I wrote the scene where April faces her daughters father, and she says, I want 10 years [for herself, away from her daughter]. Its a fair thing to ask, but the important thing is that shes finally asking for what she wants. So few people ask for what they need. After my mom read the book, she called me. She said, It makes me think of all the women in our community who actually did leave. The dads had already left, but the moms left too. And there is a secret and a quiet of history of that in the community.

Q. During Donald Trumps first presidency, you organized gatherings of artists to discuss mental health. How are you doing in that regard now?

A. At the time, I was not in a good point of my life, so I asked some women friends if they would be interested in getting together to talk about mental health. They all accepted and brought other people with them. All women, all Latinas, all artists. The connecting thread was how we were feeling that Trump hated us, and how that sensation was destabilizing. We wanted to recognize ourselves and lift each other up. We did ceremonies, cleanses, we sang songs, we shared our work. I should organize another soon. Many of the programs that have supported my work and are dedicated to visibilizing the voice of Hispanic, Latina artists are on the chopping block.

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For centuries, their mysteries remained unraveled in the depths of a French library.

But now coded messages written by Mary Queen of Scots have finally been deciphered after more than four centuries thanks to a trio of amateur codebreakers from Germany, Israel and Japan.

The contents of notes, sent to the French ambassador, were finally revealed and linked to the Stuart monarch using state of the art cryptoanalysis software.

In the letters, Mary complains about headaches, gaining weight and her unhappiness at being confined to her living quarters by guards.

Suspicion around her son, the future James VI and I, is also laid out in Marys letters, as she wrote: If my son pursuits, I will evoke the curse of God against

him, disinherit and deprive him as an unnatural, ungrateful treacherous and disobedient son.

The letters contained long cryptograms composed on tiny pieces of paper with a system of symbols and dots devised during her long years in captivity.

A new BBC documentary, The Secret Letters of Mary, Queen of Scots, tells how George Lasry and Satoshi Tomokiyo discovered and decoded Marys personal letters.

A new BBC documentary tells the fascinating story of the coded letters

Mary, Queen of Scots,sent the mysterious letters to the French ambassador

Mr Tomokiyo came across a batch of 26 letters, filed as Italian in origin, that were stored at the National Library of France.

He said: Deciphering secret codes is a fascinating thing. Its like solving a puzzle, where little by little, an incomprehensible text makes sense. Everything was in code.

In Tel Aviv, computer scientist George Lasry found the letters online and decided to try a new computer algorithm that he had designed to analyse and crack complete codes.

He said: Its software that is really dedicated to the decryption of historical codes and allows not only numerical entry but also cryptanalysis. At the time, there were no tools like that. I had to develop it myself.

The code had about 200 distinct types of symbols, most of which were meaningless.

Mr Lasry teamed up with Berlins University of the Arts Norbert Biermann and between them, the trio discovered that some of the symbols were a complex system designed to erase the meaning of the previous word of phrase.

Over the past few years the trio have found more of Marys writings. They have now identified 50 previously unknown letters from her, totalling almost 50,000 words.

Mary was a captive of her cousin, Elizabeth, after being forced to flee Scotland. Her son James VI, who she had last seen as an infant, was reaching adolescence and she hoped to gain her freedom through what became known as the association proposal in which she would renounce her claim to the English throne to secure her freedom and rule alongside her son.

Yet for all her careful coding and secret letter drops, there was almost nothing Mary wrote that was not intercepted, read by spymasters, then sent on to the French ambassador.

When this was revealed at her trial Mary was devastated as her words were turned against her and built the case that resulted in her execution.

The Secret Letters of Mary, Queen of Scots is on BBC Scotland at 9pm on October 18 and on BBC iPlayer.
A Delta Airlines flight was forced to turn around and land back at Heathrow Airport after smoke reportedly filled the cockpit.

The plane was heading to Boston Logan International Airport and made the emergency landing following reports of fumes from staff.

The 10am flight DL-59 had an eight-hour journey ahead to the United States but had to return to Britain one hour and 35 minutes after takeoff.

The plane was off the west coast of Cornwall 36,000ft in the air when smoke started to fill the cockpit due to a reported 'unidentified mechanical issue'.

Emergency vehicles surrounded the plane once they returned and fire officials boarded the aircraft as the 250 passengers were sent back in shuttles to the terminal, it has been reported.

A Delta Airlines spokesman said: 'Delta flight 59 from London-Heathrow to Boston on October 5, 2025, landed safely after returning to LHR due to reports of smoke in the aircraft.

'Delta's customer team is assisting customers with accommodations and rebooking. We apologise to our customers for the delay, but safety for our customers and crew will always be Delta's top priority.'

A Delta Airlines flight was forced to turn around and land back at Heathrow Airport after smoke filled the cockpit (stock photo)

Following the incident the major airline is now replacing the auxiliary power units on its fleet of Airbus planes to address toxic fume leakages.

It comes after an American Airlines plane has been surrounded by emergency services vehicles at Heathrow Airport after it suffered a suspected malfunction.

The Philadelphia-bound service from west London had made it just beyond England's south coast when it had to turn back.

It is understood the plane landed safely, but the vehicles were ushered to the tarmac as a precautionary measure.

The Daily Mail have contacted Delta Airlines for comment.
A rogue surgeon who harmed patients in a series of botched operations has pocketed around 1million of pension payments since fleeing the country.

Professor Sam Eljamel, who was head of neurosurgery at Dundees Ninewells Hospital, has banked the astonishing sum from his combined NHS pensions over the past 11 years.

The disgraced medic was suspended in December 2013, resigned from NHS Tayside the following year, and then removed his name from the medical register in 2015.

Campaigners fear he harmed more than 200 patients in Scotland. He is now back in his native Libya, where he continues to operate on patients at hospitals which promote his work on social media.

Eljamel retired from his job in Dundee in June 2014, which earned him upwards of 100,000 annually, and began receiving a pension of at least half that.

It has also been reported that he receives a pension from the time he spent working for the NHS in England. His lucrative index-linked retirement pot will have continued to grow even after he fled to North Africa.

Pat Kelly, the former Radio Tay presenter who was harmed by Eljamel in 2007 during surgery to supposedly correct spinal issues, told The Sunday Post: Its an utter disgrace that he has been paid a fortune every single month by our own government.

Eljamel was head of neurosurgery at Dundee's Ninewells Hospital

Professor Eljamel has picked up around 1m in pension payments over 11 years

Ive been unable to work since Eljamel butchered me, and I was forced to draw down money from my pension just to keep going.

I know many others who have had to do the same thing.

And Dougie Pymm, whose wife Annemarie was left paralysed and unable to speak properly after an Eljamel operation, told the newspaper he was beyond rage knowing that the medic has been paid a pension for the past 11 years.

He said: All the claims the Government didnt know where he is are an utter sham when theyve been paying him his pension all this time.

Eljamel must be laughing his head off at us all.

A public inquiry is investigating the shamed surgeons tenure with NHS Tayside from 1994 to 2014, but earlier this year it was told that he had snubbed proceedings. Jamie Dawson, KC, senior counsel at the Eljamel Inquiry, warned it was inevitable the probe would contain substantial criticism of him but all efforts to contact him had failed.

When the scandal began to emerge, NHS Tayside accepted Eljamels retirement request, and the General Medical Council allowed him to voluntarily withdraw his registration.

It meant he was allowed to walk away with no black mark on his record so he can work elsewhere.

Meanwhile, his former patients say they are still being blocked from claiming justice because of a three-year time bar on claims.

NHS Tayside yesterday said: NHS Tayside does not provide a pension scheme. Pensions are administered by the Scottish Public Pensions Agency to NHS employees on behalf of the Scottish Government.

The pensions agency was approached for comment.

Eljamel is also subject to a Police Scotland investigation into his conduct called Operation Stringent, which began in 2018.
JOHN Swinney has claimed he will not quit even if he fails to secure his target of an SNP majority in next years election  despite his deputy saying he has staked his leadership on it.

The First Minister yesterday came under fire for putting his party before country after he stepped up the SNPs claim that a majority in next years election would be a mandate for an independence referendum.

He slapped down SNP deputy leader Keith Brown after he claimed on Saturday that Mr Swinney had staked his premiership on achieving a majority next year.

During a series of television interviews on the second day of his partys conference in Aberdeen, Mr Swinney also refused to apologise for mentioning recognition of a Palestinian State at a vigil for victims of the October 7 attacks on Israel, and ruled out any prospect of following Kemi Badenoch by scrapping the tax on people buying their home.

After party members overwhelmingly backed the election strategy on Saturday, SNP deputy leader Keith Brown said Mr Swinney had staked his premiership on the issue.

Asked by the BBCs The Sunday Show if Mr Brown is right and he would resign if he fails to win at least 65 seats next year, Mr Swinney said: It would be kind of funny if I won the election and then I resigned.

Im giving leadership to the Scottish people and to the Scottish National Party.

What Im saying is that to make progress on the independence question, weve got to have 65 seats in the Scottish Parliament.

Thats what Im working to achieve and Im here for the long haul to lead the SNP and deliver for the people of Scotland.

John Swinney says he will not step down even if the SNP fails to win a majority at Holyrood

It came a day after SNP Deputy Leader Keith Brown said Mr Swinney had 'staked his reputation' on winning a majority

But it came as the latest push for a mandate to secure a rerun of the 2014 referendum was rejected by Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander.

Mr Swinney added: Firstly, Im working for victory, Im not anticipating defeat.

Secondly, Im not going to indulge in his game, which is to divert attention from his horrifically bad record on Scotlands public services by trying instead to provoke an argument on the constitution.

I was elected on a very clear manifesto in July 2024 that said Labour does not support independence or another referendum, thats the mandate on which I was elected, and Ill adhere to that mandate.

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: John Swinney is still desperately pushing his obsession with independence to distract from the SNPs failures in government over almost two decades.

Hes been at the heart of a government thats decimated frontline services and made Scotland the highest taxed part of the UK. He has the brass neck to complain about falling living standards as if they werent a direct result of his abysmal record.

Swinney, as usual, is putting party before country, by fixating on breaking up the UK, rather than fixing the damage done to our NHS, schools, jobs and economic growth by his government.

In his keynote address to the SNP conference today (MON), Mr Swinney will claim that revulsion at Westminsters race to the right will lead to independence.

He will say: The race to the right at Westminster is one reason why independence is so urgent and necessary.

He will also claim rising bills are down to Westminster, and that energy bills have increased despite the Labour Government claiming that GB Energy would lead to them falling.

Mr Swinney will say: For Scotland, Great British Energy is fast proving to be the Great British Rip-off.

Nicola Sturgeon hogged the limelight at the SNP conference despite her intention to step down as an MSP

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: John Swinney is desperately playing to the nationalist gallery to distract from his partys atrocious record in government.

Former SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon yesterday admitted that it would be an exceptionally hard task to secure a majority, which she failed to achieve in the 2021 Holyrood elections.

She told journalists that she thinks the SNP will win a majority and pledged to do everything I can to support Mr Swinney.

Ms Sturgeon said: Its an exceptionally hard task, I know that from experience. But I also know from experience that if you dont set your sights high then you dont deliver big things.

So I think hes right to aim for a majority, I think its important we get behind him in achieving that because I think it would be not just good for the SNP, more importantly I think that would be good for Scotland.

You can take nothing for granted in politics and nobody ever should take anything for granted but I think hes right to set that ambition and I feel confident in his ability to achieve it.

Asked if it would be a failure of Mr Swinneys leadership if he doesnt get a majority, Ms Sturgeon said: Youre such doom and gloom. Be a bit more positive.

John has rightly set the ambition for a majority. I think the state of politics not just in Scotland but UK, globally in fact right now, is that we really need hopeful, optimistic voices putting forward a better future for the country. Thats what John and the SNP will do and I think they will reap the benefits.

On the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme on the BBC, Mr Swinney acknowledged the SNP did not win a majority in 2016 and 2021 and said he is relying upon the precedent of 2011 when the SNP won a majority and it led to an independence referendum.

He was also asked if he would apologise for talking about recognition of the Palestinian state at a vigil outside the Scottish Parliament commemorating the October 7 attacks on Israel, which led to heckles and booing from the crowd.

But he said: I completely understand the distress that is felt by the Jewish community in Scotland at this moment, there are families who were present at that event who lost loved ones in the heinous attacks by Hamas, and I was there as First Minister to demonstrate solidarity and empathy with the Jewish community and to assure them of their safety.

But I think people would accuse me of being a hypocrite if I hadnt set out what is my view about how peace can be achieved in the Middle East.

In a separate interview on the Trevor Phillips on Sunday programme on Sky News, Mr Swinney urged the Home Office to respond positively to calls from Glasgow City Council for more support to deal with asylum seeker application  but said it doesnt have to be necessary for the number of people coming to Glasgow to be stopped.

He also said he would not support scrapping land and buildings transaction tax in Scotland, after Ms Badenoch pledged a Tory government would abolish stamp duty south of the border.

Mr Swinney said LBTT is an important measure. He said: Property taxation and land and buildings transaction tax is part of public finances and of course that supports our public services into the bargain.

He also yesterday refused to expand on what his secret plan is if the SNP wins a majority next year.

Scottish Labour constitution spokesman Neil Bibby said: John Swinneys car crash interviews seem to suggest he has a super-secret plan for separation, he just doesnt want to share it with us.

But as his inability to answer even the most basic questions makes painfully clear - he doesnt have a plan at all.
An image of Gus with a man was shared on social media

A sick theory about Gus Lamont, 4, who went missing in the Australian outback, has spread online - however, the image which sparked the update was AI-generated.

August 'Gus' Lamont was last seen playing in a mound of dirt near his grandparents' homestead on a sheep station 40km south of Yunta, in eastern South Australia, at about 5pm on Saturday, September 27.

He had vanished by the time his grandmother went to call him in, some 30 minutes later.

Police began searching the 60,000ha property shortly after Gus disappeared but found no sign of the little boy.

An extensive land and air search was launched, with hundreds of people scouring the surrounding area in the intervening days, including police, SES volunteers, and members of the Australian Defence Force.

However, despite their best efforts, the only trace of Gus was a single footprint found about 500 metres from the homestead - which police have since cast doubt on.

Despite authorities providing updates about the search for Gus, fake images have been used to spread misinformation about his disappearance.

One of the fake updates, which was shared some 24,000 times on social media, claimed eyewitnesses had seen a boy matching Gus' description with a man.

Four-year-old August 'Gus' Lamont (pictured) went missing on Saturday, September 27

A fake AI-generated image of Gus being bundled into a vehicle by an 'unfamiliar man' has been shared thousands of times online

Along with the claim was an AI-generated image showing the 'unfamiliar man' holding Gus as he bundled him into a vehicle.

'An eyewitness reports seeing a boy matching Gus Lamont's description with an unfamiliar man in a car about 100km from Yunta,' the post read.

Expert in missing persons, Dr Sarah Wayland, explained technology was adding a new dimension to information about missing persons.

Dr Wayland said developing technology, such as AI, was creating an additional layer which blurred the lines between credible and non-credible information.

'The challenge of stories that have shown to be newsworthy or share-worthy means that the continual push for clicks is blurring the lines between credible and non-credible updates,' Dr Sarah Wayland told The Advertiser.

'When the community engages with these sites, pause and consider who is sharing the information, whether it's verified by SAPOL, and what the usual focus of that page is.'

Dr Wayland added AI generated content was sometimes easily believed as factual and cautioned social media users to verify the information before sharing it online.

'We need to question where is this information coming from and is this the most accurate information at this stage,' Dr Wayland told The ABC.

Gus was last seen playing in a mound of dirt near his grandparents' homestead on a sheep station 40km south of Yunta, in eastern South Australia , at about 5pm (pictured)

'If we can't verify that, then maybe pause, rather than commenting.'

It comes after some social media users were given false information about Gus' disappearance while using Facebook's Meta AI search.

One Meta AI search summary claimed Gus was 'found alive after a massive search operation in the South Australian outback.'

Another result provided information from South Australia's police website and an online news article, which explained Gus was still missing despite the search effort.

A spokesperson for South Australia Police urged anyone looking for information about missing persons, emergency events, or investigations to visit official websites or reliable social media pages.

'Police urge caution when using artificial intelligence in internet searches and recommend cross-referencing the information with trusted sources,' they said.

Another vile conspiracy falsely claimed Gus' loved ones are responsible for foul play.

Hundreds of police, SES volunteers, members of the Australian Defence Force and specialist divers who checked water tanks and dams and used infrared cameras, tracking dogs, ATVs, and drones in their search for the four-year-old.

Hundreds of people scoured the surrounding area in the intervening days including police, SES volunteers and members of the Australian Defence Force, in the search for Gus

Police searched the 60,000ha property shortly after Gus disappeared but found no sign of the little boy (pictured, volunteers at the property)

However, On October 3, just hours after a photo of Gus was released by the family, police made the difficult call to scale back the search from a rescue to recovery.

South Australian Assistant Police Commissioner Ian Parrott announced the search would be scaled back, with the sad admission that it's unlikely he will be found alive.

'While we've all been hoping for a miracle, that miracle was not eventuated,' Commissioner Parrott said.

'And in the last 48 hours, despite the professional advice it being unlikely that Gus would have survived, we have maintained and in fact increased the effort to try and locate him and bring him back to his family.

'We're confident that we've done absolutely everything we can to locate Gus within the search area.

'But despite our best efforts, we have not been able to locate him, and unfortunately, we are now having to scale back this search for Gus.

'We won't stop, we will continue to investigate and follow any lines of inquiry that we currently have.'

The tough call was based on scientific and professional advice on how long a four-year-old could survive alone in remote terrain in freezing overnight temperatures in the clothing Gus was last seen wearing.

Despite the search team's best efforts, the only trace of Gus was a single footprint found about 500 metres from the homestead (pictured)- which police have since cast doubt on

Gus was last seen wearing a grey broad-brimmed hat, a blue long-sleeved shirt with a Minion picture from Despicable Me on the front, light grey pants, and boots.

Police believe that Gus wandered off and was not taken, as the only people who travel on the nearby road are station owners.

'Everything that we have found to date, every piece of information and evidence that we have explored to date, indicates that, as best as we know, Gus has wandered off from this property and we have not been able to locate him,' Parrott said.

Locals believe the four-year-old may have fallen into a disused and unmarked mine.

The state is dotted with mines and wells from more than a century ago.

The mines were used as water sources for livestock and those hunting gold, with many being invisible to the naked eye.
Sir Keir Starmer has arrived into Egypt ahead of the 'signing ceremony' to finalise a truce in Gaza - after Israel dismissed Britain's claims it played a 'key role' in the deal.

The PM is in the Arab Republic as one of approximately 20 world leaders who will attend a peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday.

At that meeting Sir Keir will witness the signing of the Gaza Peace Plan, which Downing St called 'a historic turning point for the region following two years of conflict and bloodshed in Gaza'.

At the Sharm el-Sheikh summit Sir Keir will thank Egypt, Qatar and Turkey for 'bringing us to this point' as well as Mr Trump, before calling for continued coordination to secure 'swift progress towards phase two' of the truce.

In a round of interviews on Sunday morning, education secretary Bridget Phillipson insisted the UK had played a 'key role behind the scenes' in achieving the deal.

But Benjamin Netanyahu's deputy foreign minister Sharren Haskel hit back by condemning the decision last month to recognise a Palestinian state. She said the move - made even though there is no functional Palestinian government or agreement on borders - had actually made a deal harder.

The idea was also ridiculed by shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel, who accused Sir Keir of seeking a 'photo opportunity'.

In a Sunday evening post on social media platform X, Sir Keir said: 'Im in Egypt, where Ill meet with international leaders to mark the first, crucial step towards peace in the Middle East.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (pictured) arrives at Sharm El Sheikh International Airport in Egypt ahead of a world leaders' summit on ending the Gaza war

At a meeting on Monday Sir Keir will witness the signing of the Gaza Peace Plan, which Downing St called 'a historic turning point for the region following two years of conflict and bloodshed in Gaza'

Sir Keir Starmer (right) is expected to acknowlegde US president Donald Trump (left) at the 'signing ceremony'

'The UK stands ready to support rebuilding Gaza and we will work with partners to secure a stable future for the region.'

Mr Trump's 20-point 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 the enclave.

The Israeli military has said it will continue to operate defensively from the roughly 50 per cent of Gaza it still controls after pulling back to agreed-upon lines.

The first phase of the plan is expected to see remaining hostages returned to their families and Palestinian prisoners released by Monday morning.

The UK is also set to play a significant role in the post-ceasefire plans for Gaza by hosting a three-day conference on the territory's recovery and reconstruction, Downing Street revealed.

Run by Wilton Park, an agency of the Foreign Office, the summit will bring together a coalition of representatives from businesses, civil society and government to discuss crucial planning and coordination efforts for postwar Gaza.

Discussions, which also begin on Monday, will also cover efforts to support the Palestinian Authoritys own transformation and reform programme to ensure it can support Gazas recovery.

In a round of interviews on Sunday morning, education secretary Bridget Phillipson insisted the UK had played a 'key role behind the scenes' in achieving the Gaza peace deal

Reconstruction will be Palestinian-led, with absolutely no role for Hamas in its future governance.

The conference will be attended by a range of international partners including Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority, as well as private sector and international development finance and financiers, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank.

The Prime Minister is expected to say: 'We stand determined to seize this opportunity to deliver a lasting peace, and a stable, secure future for the whole region.

'Today is the first, crucial phase of ending this war and now we must deliver the second phase, in full.

'The UK will support the next stage of talks to ensure the full implementation of the peace plan, so that people on both sides can rebuild their lives in safety and security.

'At the summit, attendees will also discuss how best to mobilise private sector resources to address the scale of reconstruction required, after more than two years of conflict have damaged or destroyed 92 per cent of homes.'

The education secretary's comments on Sunday ruffled feathers after suggesting Britain had an outsized role in proceedings leading up to the signing ceremony.

Ms Phillipson told Sky News: 'We have played a key role behind the scenes in shaping this.'

Asked for details of the contribution, she said: 'These are complex matters of diplomacy that we are involved in but we do welcome and recognise the critical role that the American government played in getting us to this point.'

However, Sharren Haskel, deputy minister of foreign affairs in the Israeli Knesset, criticised the decision to recognise Palestinian statehood and accused Britain of diminishing the prospect of peace by emboldening Hamas.

'The Government of the UK, Macron's plan, the whole conversation about declaring a Palestinian state  we disagree with you,' she told Sky News.

Asked about Ms Phillipson's characterisation of the UK's efforts, the minister said: 'Well, I have to contradict her words, unfortunately.

'Unfortunately, with the declaration of the Palestinian state during a very sensitive time two months ago when the teams were already around the table negotiating, when we truly believe we are able to reach a deal; the message that the UK Government sent Hamas was the message that the longer they continue this war, they will be rewarded.'

US envoy Steve Witkoff told Israeli officials on Friday that Washington would establish a centre in Israel to co-ordinate issues concerning Gaza until there is a permanent government, according to a readout of the meeting.

The readout said no US soldiers would be on the ground in the enclave, but there will be people who report to the US and aircraft may operate over the strip for monitoring.

A different official said that a group, including the US, Qatar, Egypt and other countries and organisations, would be part of a mission to locate and identify hostage bodies and avoid issues with misidentification.

It was unclear if the 200 US troops coming to Israel would be part of that group or a separate initiative.

Shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel said the UK government 'had no role whatsoever' in the Gaza ceasefire.

She told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: 'I think we have to be honest [about] the fact that Britain has had no role  no role whatsoever  under Keir Starmer's Government, in even getting to this very seismic and momentous moment.

'I think it's extraordinary that Keir Starmer apparently is going to Egypt tomorrow when we've got plenty of domestic issues that he should be resolving.'

'I think it's a photo opportunity for him, to be very candid', she added.

The Gaza war was triggered when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.

In Israel's ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the deaths were women and children.

The United Nations and many independent experts consider the ministry's figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.
With the eyes of the world on Gaza, 20 Israeli men who have survived two years as Hamas captives are expected to be freed on Monday morning.

They are the last living hostages snatched during the Islamist terror attacks that triggered two years of appalling warfare.

There will be no handover ceremony, with the Red Cross sending ten vehicles into Gaza to whisk the men back to safety.

As Donald Trump set off for Israel to see the realisation of his peace deal, Hamas were under orders to also release the bodies of 28 hostages  but there is growing concern some have been lost.

The President flew to Tel Aviv after helping secure peace between Israel and Hamas, two years since the terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023.

He will first arrive at the Israeli city on Monday afternoon, scheduled to land just after 9am local time.

Onboard the Air Force One, Trump said he was hopeful the hostages may be released earlier than expected, adding: 'They have the hostages - I understand all 20 - and we may get them out a little bit early.

'Getting them was amazing actually, because we were involved, and they were in places that you don't want to know about.'

Donald Trump is on his way to the Middle East after securing a peace deal between Israel and Hamas

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer arrives at Sharm El Sheikh International Airport, ahead of the Sharm El Sheikh Peace Summit in Egypt

Palestinians walk among destroyed buildings in Gaza City on Sunday, October 12, 2025

People listen to songs played on a piano at Hostages Square on October 12, 2025 in Tel Aviv, Israel

He also addressed reporters just before boarding the plane at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, as he stood beneath an umbrella that shook in the unrelenting wind.

'There are 500,000 people, yesterday and today, in Israel and also the Muslim and Arab countries are all cheering. Everybody's cheering at one time - that's never happened before,' he said.

'Usually, if you have one cheering, the other isn't - the other is the opposite. This is the first time everybody is amazed, and they're thrilled.

'It's an honor to be involved, and we're going to have an amazing time, and it's going to be something that's never, never happened before.'

Trump then waved goodbye as he stepped onto the aircraft. When he arrives in Tel Aviv, he will meet with families of hostages who have been in Hamas captivity, before delivering remarks to the Knesset - Israel's unicameral legislature.

Speaking on Sunday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday marked 'the beginning of a new path'.

He told the relatives of the remaining hostages that their release was a 'historic event that some people did not believe would happen'.

He added: 'Together we will continue to win, and with the help of God, together we will guarantee the eternity of the country and land of Israel.'

Hamas confirmed on Sunday night it had moved all the living hostages into three different locations in the Gaza Strip ready for release.

Special forces were on standby to intervene if mobs tried to attack them, while the Israel Defence Forces warned it would respond to any provocations or deviations from the plan.

After 738 days in captivity, the hostages were expected to be taken to the Re'im military base in southern Israel where medical teams could assess them before they met their families.

The most unwell were to be taken by helicopter to hospitals near Tel Aviv.

Trump gives a thumbs up while boarding Air Force One as he departs for Israel

The President waves as he boards the aircraft at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland

Trump greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) as he arrives at the White House on September 29, 2025 in Washington

An American Flag covered a historic building in Tel Aviv ahead of Trump's arrival to the city

President Trump is due to arrive into Israel on Monday morning to give a historic speech to mark the end of the war.

Sir Keir Starmer will also attend a peace summit in Egypt where he is expected to heap praise on Mr Trump and the diplomatic efforts of Egypt, Qatar and Turkey.

He is also expected to announce 20million in aid for water, sanitation and hygiene services, The Times reports.

Ilan Dalal, the father of hostage Guy Gilboa-Dalal, on Sunday night told Israeli media the first thing he will do on seeing his son is 'hug him, smell him and tell him that the nightmare is over'.

'I don't know what kind of son I'm going to get back, and I hope that he won't be so harmed that he can't rebuild his life,' he said.

Israel said only once all the living are accounted for at Re'im will they 'switch on the engines' of the vehicles taking the first 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and terrorists to freedom.

Meanwhile, Israel's National Institute of Forensic Medicine is preparing to identify the remains of 28 hostages and determine their cause of death.

'We want to understand what happened to bring the families full information, closure and knowledge,' said Dr Chen Kugel.

During the last ceasefire, Hamas cruelly sent back the wrong body for one hostage.

The group is also pushing for the release of high-profile terrorists including Marwan Barghouti, despite Israel ruling it out.

They reportedly offered to free the hostages early if Mr Netanyahu agreed to give them Barghouti  but they were refused.

Mr Trump was due to land in Tel Aviv at 7am UK time before his motorcade travelled along the Route 1 Highway to Jerusalem where he was to give a historic address at the Knesset, Israel's parliament.

He will also meet families of released hostages before rushing back along the same route to Ben Gurion Airport and departing for a summit in Egypt to discuss the future of Gaza.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has announced that he will bestow the American leader with the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honour  the country's highest civilian honour. Sir Keir is among world leaders due to attend as the world hopes the uneasy peace will hold.

He will say: 'We stand determined to seize this opportunity to deliver a lasting peace and a stable, secure future for the whole region ... the UK will support the next stage of talks to ensure the full implementation of the peace plan, so that people on both sides can rebuild their lives in safety and security.'

But Sir Keir will have bridges to build after Israel's deputy foreign minister Sharren Haskel rejected Cabinet minister Bridget Phillipson's claim that Britain had played a 'key role' in the ceasefire deal.

IDF chief of staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir on Sunday declared 'victory' over Hamas as he praised military pressure and a 'complementary diplomatic move' for ending the war.

And defence minister Israel Katz said the IDF has now been instructed to demolish all remaining Hamas tunnels in Gaza.

The terror group has agreed to relinquish all control of the Gaza Strip, a source told the news agency AFP. But yesterday shocking images showed armed gangs engaged in firefights in Gaza City as Hamas reportedly executed rivals in the streets for collaborating with Israel.

At least 27 people were killed in clashes between Hamas and armed militia, the BBC reported on Sunday night.

The 20-point peace plan states that Israel should maintain an open-ended military presence inside Gaza along the border.

An international force, comprised largely of troops from Arab and Muslim countries, would be responsible for security inside the enclave.

The Israeli military has said it will continue to operate defensively from the roughly 50 per cent of Gaza it still controls after pulling back to the agreed-upon lines.

There are no plans to send British troops to be part of the multinational force that will monitor the truce.
Rachel Reeves could impose a 'one-off' tax on wealth to appease militant Labour MPs, according to a report today.

In a major analysis ahead of next month's Budget, the Institute for Fiscal Studies warns the Chancellor against imposing a permanent wealth tax, saying similar attempts have failed around the world.

But the think-tank says a 'one-off' raid would be far harder for the rich to dodge as they would have no opportunity to move their assets.

'While there are serious drawbacks to a recurring wealth tax, a tax based on an unexpected and credibly one-off assessment of existing wealth could in principle be an economically efficient way to raise revenue,' the report says.

The Treasury last night refused to rule out a one-off wealth tax when asked if the Chancellor was considering implementing the proposal at the Budget.

Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride said: 'Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves have no backbone. They are too weak to take difficult decisions and face down the Left of their party  and that means yet more tax rises are coming.

'A wealth tax would drive investors and wealth creators away from the UK, when thousands have already left thanks to Labour's self-defeating tax raids.'

Labour MPs, including some ministers, are piling pressure on Ms Reeves to impose a wealth tax to fill a black hole in public finances estimated at 30billion.

Supporters claim a 2 per cent charge on assets of more than 6million could raise as much as 10billion a year. The Chancellor has signalled she is not in favour of a permanent wealth tax.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, poses with the red Budget Box last October

The Prime Minister (pictured) has been dubbed as 'weak' by Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride

Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride said: 'Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves have no backbone'

Today's IFS report says the idea would 'incentivise' the rich to leave the UK. 'International experience of annual wealth taxes is not encouraging,' it says.

'They have been abandoned in most of the developed countries that previously had them.'

The think-tank suggests the Chancellor should consider other options if she feels the need to clobber the rich. Ideas floated include increasing levies on the dead  the report says ending the current capital gains tax exemption on the assets of the deceased could raise 2.3billion a year.

Raising rates by 1 per cent on inheritance tax, dividends and interest could raise a further 1billion.

Today's report warns that Ms Reeves will struggle to generate substantial sums without breaking Labour's manifesto commitment to not raise income tax, national insurance or VAT.

The think-tank urges her to focus on reform. Director Helen Miller said: 'There is an opportunity to be bold and take steps towards a system that does less to impede growth and works better for us all.

'Muddling through by simply raising rates of current taxes might appear the easier option... but relying on badly designed taxes to bring in additional revenue will bring unnecessary economic damage.'

The analysis suggests extending the six-year freeze on income tax and national insurance thresholds for a further two years could raise 10.4billion.

The move would mean that a tax raid estimated to raise 10billion a year after the pandemic would end up generating five times that amount by the end of this decade, with millions of people dragged into higher tax bands.

Today's report warns that Ms Reeves will struggle to generate substantial sums without breaking Labour's manifesto commitment to not raise income tax, national insurance or VAT

The report suggests Ms Reeves could raise 1.3billion a year by forcing working pensioners to pay national insurance for the first time  but warns many could decide to just give up work.

And it suggests the Chancellor may be considering a new 'levy' on income to fund increased spending on defence and the NHS in a way that does not directly breach Labour's manifesto.

Today's report warns against cutting pension tax relief for high earners, saying the idea 'should be avoided' and that it could hit millions of public sector workers like nurses and teachers.

However, the study says rules allowing people to withdraw 25 per cent of their pension pot as a tax-free lump sum are 'ripe for reform'. Ideas include capping withdrawals at 100,000.

It comes as a Cabinet minister dropped another hint Labour is on the verge of axing the two-child benefit cap. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said she was 'confident' the Government will 'do the right thing'.

Ms Reeves has reportedly signalled the better off will be forced to 'contribute more' as she prepares to raise taxes at the Budget on November 26.

A Treasury spokesman said the Budget 'will strike the right balance'.
This is the end for Prince Andrew  and what remaining life he has left as an official Royal will be haunted by those five words he wrote to Jeffrey Epstein: 'We are in this together.'

Not only was it a repugnant show of solidarity for a convicted paedophile, but it is the first incontrovertible proof that the Duke of York lied to Emily Maitlis during his disastrous 2019 Newsnight interview.

Of course, everyone watching could smell his dishonesty a mile off, not least his insistence that it was 'right' and 'honourable' of him to visit New York in person  and stay in Epstein's 40-room mansion  to break off his friendship with the disgraced financier.

And now we know that, 12 weeks after they were pictured together in Central Park, he was emailing him as if no break in relations had ever happened.

He also told Maitlis that he had 'no recollection' of ever meeting Virginia Giuffre, nor did he remember the photograph of the two of them being taken, even implying that it had been doctored when he said: 'We can't be certain as to whether or not that's my hand on her.'

Yet, in his message to Epstein, which followed this paper's publication of the photo, he did not say 'Who's this 'Virginia Giuffre' everyone is talking about?'

He knew perfectly well that she was one of the underage girls used by Epstein to lure his friends into positions of compromise.

He knew he'd had inappropriate  and, in the US at least, illegal  relations with her.

The leaked email provides definitive proof the Duke lied in his interview with BBC's Newsnight when he claimed he 'never had any contact' with Epstein after the pair were pictured walking together in New York's Central Park in December 2010

In his disastrous Newsnight interview in 2019, Andrew also suggested the picture with Ms Giuffre was a crude forgery - but a 2023 investigation by this newspaper provided incontrovertible proof the photograph is genuine

The MoS has verified the email address used by Andrew, while Epstein's email address has repeatedly appeared in court documents. Prince Andrew declined to comment

Perhaps it was just such relations he was referring to when he promised Epstein: 'We'll play some more soon!'

To my mind 'play', to these predatory, middle-aged lechers means 'we will continue to exploit underage girls'.

We all know what psychological damage this does to people when they are trafficked or forced into unwanted sex.

Virginia's suicide was not an accident and Andrew must accept his role in her death.

So now, the questions that the Palace, and the King, have long tried to avoid are growing louder with each leaked email.

When will they actually send Andrew packing? When will the King, who is his brother's landlord, say that he and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson simply cannot go on living in Royal Lodge, a 30-room mansion in Windsor Great Park? That they cannot attend royal funerals?

That they are not to be lined up with the Royals for church services, Garter ceremonies or anything else? That they are out, completely out?

But royal exile for the Duke could invite even greater problems for the King. The fear is that, untethered from royal protocol, Andrew will become the loosest of loose cannons and his broadsides will splinter the entire Monarchy.

The King and the Prince of Wales cannot be seen to support or underwrite Andrew any more. His very existence as an official Royal is a scandal. PIctured (l-r): Prince Andrew, King Charles, Prince William, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge

It is a major crisis for the Monarchy, perhaps the gravest since the abdication of Edward VIII in 1936. Pictured: King Charles with Prince Andrew at the Duchess of Kent's funeral last month

For a start, he would need to find an income to fund his lavish lifestyle. Fergie, who has enlisted the help of many a poorly-paid ghostwriter to pen her ludicrously bad children's books, will no doubt advise Andrew to sign a book deal.

Any publisher would lick their lips at the vault of Windsor secrets he could open, and pay handsomely for it.

But they would backpedal fast if Andrew continued to deny any involvement with the Epstein crowd.

The only book deal that would be credible is one in which he reveals as much about himself as he does his family, think: Confessions Of A Sex Addict Prince. The Palace must hope that he would not agree to such a memoir as it would be tantamount to admitting criminal offences.

However many millions he was offered to write it, he and Fergie would get through the money in next to no time.

So the pair would have to beg for handouts from monied friends, be they paedophile financiers, oligarchs from the ex-Soviet 'stans or Chinese spies.

So this is a real problem, and not only for the immediate family. It is a major crisis for the Monarchy, perhaps the gravest since the abdication of Edward VIII in 1936.

The King and the Prince of Wales cannot be seen to support or underwrite Andrew any more. His very existence as an official Royal is a scandal.

So they must cast him out, for if they show him mercy, they are themselves implicated, and we are only a hair's breadth away from a republic.
A real-life Willy Wonka has put his perfect mountain retreat on the market, and behind the home's sleek exterior lies a huge candy collection.

Bruce Weiner, the former owner of Dubble Bubble chewing gum, is selling his $15.5 million home in Dillard, Georgia, located at the top of the Southern Appalachians.

Photos of the mountain mansion reveal modern finishes, stunning views, luxury amenities, and a room dedicated to sweets.

Weiner told the Wall Street Journal that he's had an infatuation with candy and colorful things since he was a child, lugging around a flea-market gumball machine between his divorced parents' homes.

'All the colorful gumballs kind of attracted me,' he told the publication.

'I just love bright things. It just puts a smile on my face'.

Weiner built the $15 million home with his wife, Laura, and has prominently displayed his nostalgic collection in a room that took decades to build.

It includes gum dispensing machines, a 1940s candy machine from a Pennsylvania movie theater, a vintage Dubble Bubble machine, a ginormous wooden 'Dubble Bubble' sign, and an original bar of Wrigley soap that's over 100 years old.

Bruce Weiner, the former owner of Dubble Bubble, has just put his sprawling Georgia estate on the market

The homes impressive collection of candy is seen above

The Dillard home features an impressive collection room with relics from Dubble Bubble's past

An array of sweets and treats from years gone by can be found in the pantry

Gumball machines and sweets from years gone by are on display in the room

The room also features a glass pantry with a slew of vintage food items, such as the original boxes of Pop-Tarts and Animal Crackers.

Weiner has collected several vintage signs and advertisements, including one for Wrigley that he purchased for about $2,000 - $3,000 decades ago.

The food and candy stored in his collection room are decades old, but he shrink-wraps the products so they don't attract bugs.

Weiner co-founded Concord Confections, a candy company based in Canada, in 1986. The company then purchased the maker of Dubble Bubble a few years later.

Tootsie Roll acquired the company in 2004, and Weiner has now pivoted to the real estate industry.

He and his wife purchased the sprawling Georgia property when Weiner was working remotely, but he told the Journal that he's now relocating to Atlanta to be closer to the office.

He added that he'd be open to including some of his collection pieces to a buyer for an additional cost.

The property is over 351 acres and is surrounded by forestry, with direct access to the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Chattooga River, and Lake Burton.

Do you recognize your favorite candy from when you were younger?

Weiner said he has always been fascinated by candy and used to lug around a flea-market gumball machine to his divorced parents' homes

The memorabilia from years gone by is displayed in the room and sure to evoke childhood memories

The carefully curated collection is artfully displayed in Weiner's Georgia home

Elliot Davenport, the real estate broker selling the home, noted that the opportunity to own a property of that size is rare.

'Boasting exceptional improvements set within a breathtaking mountain landscape and desired climate, this property delivers both immediate enjoyment and long-term value,' Davenport said.

'Its versatility is unmatched - whether envisioned as a legacy family compound, a private mountain recreational retreat, or an investment through potential homesite development, it offers a canvas for multiple uses without compromise'.

The main house has four bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms and a gym.

The home is completely modernized with an elevator, motorized blackout shades, motion-activated lighting and video surveillance.

The private master wing has a spa bathroom and an entrance to a secluded lawn.

The property also features a second home with three additional bedrooms and an infinity pool.

The front of the main house has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the breathtaking mountains.

The collection room may be a vintage-lover's dream, but the rest of the home has modern finishes

The home's kitchen features state of the art stainless steel appliances and white finishes

The main house has four bedrooms and 4.5 baths. There's also a private master wing with access to a secluded lawn

The property has a second home with three bedrooms and an infinity edge pool

The property sits on top of the Southern Appalachians straddling the Georgia and North Carolina border

Outside, you'll find a sound system, bluestone patios, and a French greenhouse with automatic temperature controls.

There's an equipment barn on the premises that includes tractors and two fuel tanks and 10 acres of fenced pasture with a cattle shelter.

The property is 12 minutes from downtown Clayton and 25 minutes from North Carolina. Wings Group LLC has the listing.
This stage of life, which should be full of opportunity, has become a period of uncertainty and struggle. Heightened mental health awareness, social mediadriven anxiety, and poorer economic prospects than previous generations make it harder to plan a future. How can we turn things around?

Young people are in a bad way; they feel very sad, completely depressed. The worst thing isnt the anxiety, or being glued to their phones, or feeling lonely, or being unemployed, or even knowing that its impossible for them to buy a house; the worst part is that, until just a few years ago, none of them expected to find themselves in this situation.

In August, an article published in the U.S. scientific journal PLOS One reported that there is currently no age group more dissatisfied than young people. Until recently, the curve of happiness followed a clear pattern: it started high in childhood and youth, dipped in middle age, and rose again in old age. Young people, who used to be the second happiest group, are now the only ones whose happiness has dropped. The most affected are teenagers and young adults, between the ages of 12 and 24. The study is based on surveys of millions of people across more than 40 countries. And while its always wise to be cautious with survey-based conclusions, the trend is hard to dispute.

Are young people overly sensitive? The so-called snowflake generation goes to therapy more often than their parents or grandparents did and easily uses terms like OCD, ADHD, burnout, and imposter syndrome. Has this greater awareness of mental health affected their overall mood? Not necessarily, but its clear that the idea of happiness isnt the same for a 20-year-old as it is for their grandmother, says Alejandro Cencerrado, a physicist, analyst at the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, and author of En defensa de la infelicidad (In Defense of Unhappiness). If someone born at the beginning of the 20th century had been asked at some point in their life if they had depression, they wouldnt even have known how to answer. And they were living in very difficult situations.

The world changes, and qualities once considered essential to being intelligent  like having an encyclopedic memory  are no longer the ones that help people navigate and overcome challenges today. Similarly, the factors that defined happiness 50 years ago, such as having a traditional family or a strong relationship with God, differ from those that shape well-being now. Its really hard to compare the responses of a kid who spends his day on TikTok with those of two people who lived through a war. Everyone values things differently.

Happiness only began to be measured systematically in the 1970s. In 1972, Bhutan introduced the concept of Gross National Happiness, and soon after, surveys like the World Values Survey began asking about life satisfaction. The big leap came over the past two decades, with large-scale international surveys  evidence that weve never been so intent on quantifying our own well-being. The paradox is that the more obsessed we become with measuring happiness, the more sensitive we are to mental health problems like depression, says Cencerrado.

However, there are more objective indicators than self-reported happiness surveys. In the United States, the suicide rate among teenagers aged 12 to 17 rose by 70% between 2008 and 2020. The European Union has seen a similar increase, with Spain going from 1.99 to 2.94 deaths per 100,000 young people aged 15 to 19 between 2011 and 2022. Hospital admissions for mental health disorders among minors and the use of psychiatric medications have also risen. In the United Kingdom, for instance, antidepressant prescriptions for teenagers aged 12 to 17 doubled between 2005 and 2017  amid growing concern among doctors about overmedication, not only among young people.

According to the PLOS One report, youth unhappiness began to rise sharply around 2012. What happened then that could have had a global impact that is still felt today?

The first hypothesis links this quarter-life crisis to the rise of social media and smartphones. Sociologist Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, explains via video call that there are now too many studies  of many different kinds  to deny a causal link between these technologies and the deterioration of young peoples mental health. Social media is a substantial cause  not just a small correlation  of depression and anxiety, and therefore of the behaviors associated with those disorders, including self-harm and suicide.

Haidt argues that the problem isnt just the anxiety or isolation caused by platforms like Instagram or TikTok, but that these networks have completely reshaped how young people socialize. Thats why, he warns, if a teenager were to quit social media to protect their mental health, they might actually feel worse  because theyd be cut off from their peer groups social life. Haidt calls this the network and cohort effect: an entire generation trapped in a system where everyone would be better off if they disconnected, but where anyone who does so by themselves ends up isolated.

Something as essential to well-being as sleep has also been disrupted by smartphones. In Spain, 83% of young adults aged 18 to 34 show symptoms of insomnia, and around 13% meet the criteria for a chronic disorder. Only one in four say they sleep well and enough, according to the 2024 report Habits and Prevalence of Sleep Disorders in Spain. Sleep problems have worsened over the past two decades  20 years ago, chronic insomnia affected only half as many people. Those under 35 have suffered the greatest decline.

Sleep expert Dr. Javier Albares, author of Generacion Zombi (Zombie Generation), warns that the overuse of phones and tablets is shaping a generation trapped in a spiral of overstimulation, addiction, and chronic sleep deprivation. Screens, he explains, not only steal hours of rest but also fragment it: They increase the number of awakenings during the night, and as a result, both the quality and quantity of rest decline. He notes that half of teenagers reply to messages during the night, and a similar percentage check their phones at least once in the middle of the night. This lack of sleep translates into fatigue, poorer academic performance, irritability, and greater risk of anxiety or depression.

Haidt acknowledges that such a global trend stems from multiple factors. Another, he argues, is the overprotection of children in the real world. In recent decades, children have lost the freedom to play outside unsupervised, in mixed groups, with a healthy degree of risk something once common and crucial to developing resilience, autonomy, and the ability to handle uncertainty. He sums it up neatly: today there is overprotection in the real world and underprotection in the virtual one. Childrens freedom outside the home is increasingly restricted, while theyre left completely exposed online and on social media, he warns.

The findings on declining happiness dont surprise philosopher and literature professor Jesus G. Maestro, whose YouTube channel enjoys huge popularity among young viewers. He sees it every time he walks into a classroom. But he rejects the idea that millennials are an overprotected generation: Thats false  theyre the most unprotected generation in decades, he says over the phone. You cant call a generation protected when its been deprived of essential knowledge for facing life and left unshielded on the internet and social media, where the psychological pressure is enormous  and many simply cant withstand it.

For Maestro, the author of Una filosofia para sobrevivir en el siglo XXI (A Philosophy for Surviving the 21st Century), the malaise among young people has a very specific cause: their parents idealism. Its a generation that was promised everything and has found nothing.

According to Maestro,the boomers raised their children to face a world that no longer exists. Education should be geared toward making human beings compatible with reality. And reality is that of a predatory world governed by market logic.

Maestro criticizes the harshness with which this generation is often judged: Millennials are spoken of very badly without knowing what theyre talking about. They are portrayed as lazy, stupid, or useless. The worst has been heaped on them. And you cant help a person if youve misunderstood them.

A young man on a street in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on September 9. Michael Nguyen (NurPhoto/Getty Images)

As Maestro points out, many young people grew up with the promise that adulthood would bring a better world than that of their parents, full of opportunities for personal fulfillment and happiness. Yet the reality facing todays high school and university graduates is bleak. Young peoples economic situation is far worse than that of the previous generation.

According to Spains National Statistics Institute (INE), in 2004, those of retirement age were the group at highest risk of poverty (30%); last year, that figure had fallen to 16.8%, while poverty is hitting young people (21%) and children (29%) hardest. At the same time, the average wealth of a young family was cut in half between 2002 and 2022. Youth unemployment, while at its lowest level since 2008, still hovers around 25%.

Theres a sense of discouragement, says sociologist Patricia Castro, author of Tu precariedad y cada dia la de mas gente (Your Precarity and That of Increasingly More People). Our parents generation, even if they came from poverty, had the perception of life moving forward  that if you studied, your life could improve and you could land a better job. To a large extent, that hope has been lost.

Spain is actually one of the countries where the social mobility is the worst: more than 35% of income inequality is determined by background factors  mainly parents socioeconomic level  one of the highest figures in the OECD. This situation has sparked a recent debate between boomers and young people, with the latter arguing that they are living worse than their parents did.

Castro argues that new generations suffer from a light nihilism, having lost faith in the possibility of fighting for a world with better conditions. Moreover, society makes them feel that the responsibility for their precarious situation lies with them. Its a kind of inward self-destruction: you blame yourself for your situation.

She adds that young people live in an increasingly atomized world, where the sense of community has been lost. They dont feel they can achieve anything together, she says. Castro agrees with Maestro that the previous generation has judged young people too harshly: their addiction to new technologies, their difficulty making a living, even the recent rise of conservatism. People who havent even had the opportunity to screw up have been blamed.

Experts propose various solutions to reverse youth unhappiness and make adolescence one of lifes most fulfilling stages again. One of the most frequently mentioned is ensuring access to mental health treatment. According to the White Paper on Psychiatry in Spain, published by the Spanish Society of Psychiatry and Mental Health (SEPSM), there are only 10 professionals for every 100,000 children under 14  a figure significantly below the rates seen in other countries.

Jonathan Haidt suggests delaying access to social media until age 14 and warns that the rise of artificial intelligence could prove even more harmful to young people than social networks themselves. And, though obvious, improving economic conditions  especially in work and housing  would certainly help.

For Patricia Castro, the key is strengthening social bonds: Not all of us are going to have the job of our dreams or live in the city center, but there is no shortage of people in the world.

Jesus G. Maestro, true to his vocation as a literature professor, proposes a very concrete remedy: Read Don Quixote. If anything, it teaches that idealism leads to failure. And he warns: If you dont take care of young people, you ruin the future of society.

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Nashville has always been regarded as the country's music capital, but in recent years, it has become a major metropolitan hub with many flocking to the Southern city.

Developers rushed to meet the demands, and luxury buildings rose in residential areas outside of downtown Nashville.

However, many of those units are now sitting empty, and housing managers are offering incentives to lure renters.

Tennessee-based realtor with Compass, Sam Gray, told Daily Mail that vacancy rates in Nashville have risen to around 10.6 percent, which is the highest they've been in over a decade.

Gray noted that even though rent growth has cooled, the market has yet to collapse. 'What we are currently observing in Nashville is not a rental collapse; rather, it is a market reset,' he explained.

'Rent growth has cooled, primarily affecting newly constructed, high-end buildings that are working to stabilize their occupancy rates.'

As a result, renters may be offered incentives to move in, such as free months in luxury units.

For example, 2010 West End Ave, in downtown Nashville is offering up to two months free for a limited time.

Nashville is seeing a cooling period after luxury rentals started popping up

Vacancy rates in the country's music capital have now reached over 10 percent, which is the highest it has been in over a decade

The luxury building has studios available starting at $1,620 a month with a pool, fitness center, office spaces, and a rooftop deck.

Modera is offering up to 10 free weeks in its units. Certain restrictions apply, but renters can enjoy the perk if they sign a lease by October 31.

One-bedroom units at Modera start at $2,025 a month, two-bedroom units start at around $2,940, and three-bedroom units start at $3,900 a month.

Rosette Green Hills, a luxury high-rise outside of downtown Nashville, is offering up to two months free on select units.

The average rent price in the city is around $1,676 a month for a one-bedroom, according to Apartments.com, while data compiled from HUD and Yardi puts the average around $1,587.

Nashville's rent is on par with the average rent in the US, which is about $1,630 a month. However, the city is still significantly cheaper than other major metropolitan areas.

For comparison, the average price for a one-bedroom in New York is $4,032 a month, and $1,951 for a one-bedroom in Chicago, according to data compiled by Apartments.com.

Gray said that incentives like months of free rent or waived move-in fees were rare a few years ago.

Luxury buildings are now offering incentives, like waived fees and up to three months of free rent to encourage renters

Apartment complexes like Rosette Green Hills (pictured) are offering up to two months free at lease signing on select units

Even though rent has only decreased by about one percent since last year, rent concessions have reduced the total amount of rent paid annually.

'In the broader context, the market is recalibrating after several years of aggressive rent growth and new construction,' Gray noted.

As luxury buildings offer more incentives, the rental market may seem more attractive than purchasing a home.

Gray said that the median home price in Nashville is around $486,000, and mortgage rates have been increasing significantly since 2020.

Monthly costs to maintain a home have now surpassed rent in the short term, making it cheaper to rent than to buy.

Redfin rated Nashville's housing market as 'somewhat competitive,' with average homes selling for around 4 percent below listing price.

Despite the cooling rental market, Nashville still has more people moving to the city than leaving, according to Redfin.

Gray noted that an average of 66 people move to the city daily, and Nashville has gained around 136,000 residents since 2020.

Monthly costs to maintain a home has now surpassed the average rent in Nashville

Despite the complex housing market trends, there are still positive migration trends of people moving into Nashville and staying in the city

'While we are witnessing some selective pressure in the luxury and lease-up segments, it should not be viewed as a sign of weakness; rather, it indicates a normalization of the market,' he added.

'The market is taking a breath, and as supply slows later this year, we are likely to see rent growth stabilize as we head into 2026'.
In less than a month, scientists will embark on an expedition that could finally solve the mystery of Amelia Earhart's missing plane.

Researchers from Purdue University will undertake a threeweek search of the remote Nikumaroro Island, a fivemilelong coral atoll in the Pacific Ocean.

However, Justin Myers, a pilot with almost 25 years of experience, told Daily Mail he thinks the mission is 'barking up the wrong tree'.

That's because Mr Myers believes he knows where Earhart's crashed plane really is.

The Purdue University expedition is aiming to investigate a mysterious metal cylinder known as the Taraia object, which was spotted in satellite imagery in 2002.

Researchers believe that this cylindrical object is the fuselage of the Lockheed Electra 10E that Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, were flying when they vanished on July 2, 1937.

But according to Mr Myers, this object is nothing more than a piece of debris that has been drifting around the reef for years.

He says: 'If I were in their position, I'd rule it out before you go wasting any more money.'

In less than a month, researchers from Purdue University will embark on a threeweek expedition to Nikumaroro Island to investigate the possible site of Emilia Earhart's crashed Lockheed Electra E10

Justin Myers, a British pilot with almost 25 years of experience, says that the researchers are 'barking up the wrong tree' and risk wasting funding that could be put to better use

Earhart was attempting to become the first woman to complete a full circumnavigational flight of the globe when she and Noonan vanished without a trace.

After departing from Lae Airfield in Papua New Guinea, Earhart was supposed to land at Howland Island after a journey of 2,556 miles.

While a popular theory suggests that the pair simply crashed into the sea and were lost, some think that they could have been forced 400 miles north to Nikumaroro Island.

If Earhart and Noonan were pushed north by bad weather, the island's long, flat beaches could have presented a tempting target for an emergency landing.

Departing on November 4, a 15person crew will sail approximately 1,200 nautical miles from the Marshall Islands to Nikumaroro, and then spend several days investigating.

This is based on the strong belief that the Taraia object really is Earhart's Lockheed Electra 10E.

However, Mr Myers says he has evidence to show the researchers are looking in the wrong place.

Based on satellite images taken from Google Maps, the pilot instead points to an apparent collection of debris on the Island's East coast.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Researchers believe that the socalled 'Taraia object' could be the remains of the plane Earhart was flying when she disappeared in 1937

However, Mr Myers believes that he has found parts of Earhart's crashed plane in satellite images on a different side of the island (pictured)

What is the Taraia Object? The Taraia Object is a visual anomaly in the lagoon of Nikumaroro Island in the Pacific Ocean. It is socalled due to its location alongside the Taraia Peninsula on the north side of the lagoon. Researchers searching for Amelia Earhart's missing plane will set out to investigate the Taraia Object. Promisingly, the object is similar in size and shape to an aircraft fuselage and tail. Advertisement

Using digital measuring tools, he found that these 'dark coloured objects' matched the exact dimensions of parts found in the Electra 10E.

Rather than remaining in one solid piece, as the Taraia object would suggest, he Myers believes Earhart's plane has been broken down by over 80 years in the water.

He says: 'Of course, I can't be 100 per cent sure that I've found Emilia Earhart's aeroplane, but I'm confident that it is an aeroplane.'

Mr Myers says that he attempted to share these findings with Purdue University several years ago but never had any response in return.

While he says he is extremely supportive of the upcoming mission and hopes they do find new evidence, he is also concerned that investigating the Taraia object might not be the best use of resources.

'I'm not a scientist or a professor, I'm just a pilot who has an interest in this,' says Mr Myers.

'But the bottom line is that a lot of money is being put into these expeditions that could be dispersed in other ways.

'I would want to look at what I found before you go wasting more money, because there are too many parts that would fit.'

Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, were not scheduled to fly over Nikumaroro Island, but poor weather and low fuel may have forced them to attempt an emergency landing on the island

Mr Myers says that the shapes he spotted in the water by Nikumaroro Island match the dimensions of Earhart's aircraft exactly

Of course, Mr Myers' claim to have found Earhart's plane elsewhere on Nikumaroro Island raises one big question.

He asks: 'If this is likely a plane and it matches all the measurements, then what is the Taraia object?'

According to the pilot, the answer can be found in the wreckage of a British cargo steamship that ran aground almost a decade before Earhart set off on her fateful journey.

On the night of November 16, 1929, the SS Norwich City, a 377foot (121 m) cargo vessel, was sailing from Melbourne to Vancouver when a storm pushed it against a coral reef.

The boat was torn apart in the wreck, which killed 11 crewmen, and the remains of the SS Norwich City remained on the reef for decades.

However, while examining early pictures of the SS Norwich City, Mr Myers noticed an intriguing detail.

'There's a great big white cylinder on the deck of the SS Norwich City, which was either used for offloading certain cargoes or for ventilating the hold,' he said.

However, pictures taken of the wreck decades later don't show this large cylinder at all.

It is commonly believed that Earhart crashed her Lockheed Electra 10E off the coast of Nikumaroro Island (pictured) in the Pacific Ocean after running out of fuel. However, no trace of the plane has ever been found despite decades of searching

He believes that, as the SS Norwich broke up, the metal tube rolled off into the reef where it has been moved around by the weather ever since.

And, after washing up on the island's lagoon, this cylinder eventually became known as the Taraia object and has been mistaken for Earheart's Electra 10E.

He says: 'It's manmade, and they are absolutely right  you could think it was the fuselage of an aeroplane.

'If I hadn't found that old load of debris, I would have been right there with them. But because of what I've found, the Taraia object can only have come off the SS Norwich City.'

While Mr Myers' claims might sound speculative, his scepticism about the Taraia object is not entirely unwarranted.

That is because Purdue University are far from the first to set out to Nikumaroro in search of the missing plane.

In 2019, the explorer Robert Ballard, who found the wreck of the Titanic, led a multimillionpound expedition to Nikumaroro Island to search for Earhart and Noonan's remains.

Mr Ballard scanned the island with sonar and with remotely operated underwater vehicles out to a distance of four nautical miles.

Mr Myers believes that the Taraia object is actually a cylinder that had been resting on the deck of the SS Norwich City, a steamer which crashed near Nikumaroro Island in 1929

In early pictures of the wreck, a large metal cylinder is visible on the deck (left), which cannot be seen in aerial pictures taken after the ship started to subside years later (right). Mr Myers believes this cylinder is the Taraia object

However, despite searching for two weeks, Mr Ballard and his crew found nothing even remotely related to Emilia Earhart.

Likewise, the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) has launched 13 separate missions to the island without finding any success.

Speaking to Live Science in 2019, Richard Gillespie, the founder of TIGHAR, argued that the Electra E10 was a delicate aeroplane that has now likely been reduced to 'pieces of aluminium'.

Mr Gillespie added: 'It's been 82 years and those small pieces have been scattered and grown over [or] possibly buried in underwater landslides.'

That means the Taraia object's surprisingly planeshaped appearance might suggest that it is, in fact, not the remains of an aircraft after all.

Ultimately, even though Mr Myers isn't convinced by Purdue University's choice of target, he remains hopeful that this expedition will help to finally yield some answers.

'I hope that they do find something either way because, let's be truthful, I'm never going to get to go there,' he says.

'If it is Emilia Earhart's plane, then they were right. If it isn't, then they were barking up the wrong tree. Whatever they find, it will finally put a lid on that theory one way or the other.'
The MAGA world was left fuming after Saturday Night Live made a mockery of Donald Trump for not being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Colin Jost kicked off the show's Weekend Update by speaking about the ceasefire in Gaza that was brokered by the president on Friday, before moving on to Trump being snubbed for the prize.

'Well, it is nice to start the update with some good news for once. There is peace in the Middle East. Uh, the only downside is there is war in Chicago,' Jost said, referring to Trump's recent deployment of the National Guard in the Windy City in a bid to crack down on illegal immigration.

'Only Trump can Freaky Friday Chicago and Gaza,' Jost said before saying Trump is 'upset' he didn't win the honorable award.

Trump has been very vocal about wanting the Nobel Committee to award him with the honor, but after it was announced Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Carina Machado got it, he and the Republican party were left outraged.

'I know Trump is upset that he didn't win the Nobel Peace Prize, but the last guy to send heavily armed men into an American city was Bane from Batman,' Cost said.

The comedian chuckled before adding: 'Bane, who was also snubbed for the peace prize.'

Trump supporters were left enraged by the skit comedy's comments on his controversial snub, as one said the network should be ashamed.

MAGA fans blasted SNL for mocking President Donald Trump over not winning the Nobel Peace Prize this past week. Weekend Updates host Colin Jost credited Trump for brokering a peace deal in Gaza, but went on to mention him bringing 'heavily armed men' to Chicago, Illinois

Trump (pictured Friday) and his supporters have been very vocal about wanting the Nobel Committee to award him with the honor

Many people took to social media to condemn SNL's comments on the topic, with one stating: 'Shame on your network'

'@nbc Making fun in your SNL show over Venezuela crisis and our leader Maria Corina Machado that has been awarded with [the] Novel [sic] peace prize, just to mock on President Trump is disrespectful. Shame on your network....,' they wrote on X.

Another said: 'SNL has serious Trump Derangement Syndrome.'

'Trying to mock Trump every 5 seconds gets real old. It's also not funny anymore,' someone else posted.

A user suggested the show's skits are not at all comical.

'Are SNL writers on strike? Who [sic] writing these lousy skits?,' they asked.

Someone else chimed in: 'Can these guys roll off into the sunset already!'

Jost did give the commander-in-chief credit for leading the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, but the praise only went so far.

'Trump deserves credit, I have to say, for brokering the ceasefire in Gaza, but I'm slightly skeptical since Biden also negotiated a ceasefire in Gaza nine months ago,' he stated.

Former President Joe Biden's administration helped broker a ceasefire deal in Gaza in January, but it fell apart in March.

The new deal was finalized by Trump's administration, with a temporary truce beginning on Friday.

The remaining 48 Israeli hostages are set to be released on Monday following a 72-hour deadline, but on Sunday morning Vice President JD Vance said they could be released 'any moment now.'

Israel believes 20 hostages are alive. Approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees will also be freed in Israel.

Jost's credit for Biden was also short lived as he went on to take a jab at his mental wellbeing.

Still talking about the initial ceasefire, he said: 'Remember that? No? Well, neither does Biden.'

He went on to speak of Machado, 58, who he noted was called a 'deranged Hispanic' by Fox News.

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,' Jorgen Watne Frydnes, the chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo, said.

'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.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Carina Machado was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. She dedicated the honor to the US President and her country's pro-democracy movement

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.

After she won, Trump called Machado to congratulate her after she dedicated the prize to the US President and her country's pro-democracy movement.

Trump called Machado, White House sources told Bloomberg, without revealing further details of the conversation.

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.
Riot Women (BBC1)

Rating:

The Sex Pistols screaming HRT In The UK. The Undertones doing Middle-Aged Kicks. And of course there's that Clash classic, Should I Stay Or Should I Go Now (while the loo is vacant and I've got the chance)?

Punk rock was wasted on teenagers. What it needs is a revival by a bunch of narky menopausal women. And that is the vision of Sally Wainwright, the brilliant writer of Happy Valley, Gentleman Jack and Last Tango In Halifax.

Riot Women is a raucous, messy charge through midlife with a bunch of female friends who are bubbling with rage at the injustices of the patriarchy.

If you're allergic to feminism, this drama isn't for you. But it's possible Ms Wainwright's contempt for the male sex is mellowing.

True, all of the men in this opening episode were either spineless, witless, selfish or duplicitous cheats. But so far, none of them has turned out to be a psychotic rapist, so that's an improvement on much of her previous work.

Her perpetually bleak sense of humour isn't softening, though. The opening scene, a typical Wainwright tour de force, saw Joanna Scanlan as Beth, a teacher, preparing to hang herself from the bannisters.

She poured herself a giant G&T before standing on a stool and slipping a noose around her neck. If the phone hadn't rung, twice, the story would have ended there.

The first call is from Beth's feckless brother, complaining about the 5,000 monthly cost of their mother's nursing home. It's swallowing up his inheritance, he complains . . . even though he hasn't bothered visiting for years, leaving all the work to his sister.

Riot Women is a raucous, messy charge through midlife with a bunch of female friends who are bubbling with rage at the injustices of the patriarchy

That's a common theme in the script, how the labour of caring for elderly relatives falls wholly on the womenfolk. We haven't met Beth's mum, but Anne Reid and Sue Johnston play women with creeping dementia  neither of them safe to be left on their own.

There's an ominous, unspoken warning here: if you think menopause is bad, look what might come next. Told you Wainwright was bleak.

Thumbs down of the weekend:

Rob Brydon went Nascar racing on his Honky Tonk Road Trip (BBC2). With the engine roaring, he had to give the driver hand signs - thumbs up to go faster, down to stop. 'I'm glad I've done it,' he whimpered, 'but I don't want to do it again.' Advertisement

But Ruth's second caller, the one who gives her a reason to keep living, is her old schoolfriend Jess (Lorraine Ashbourne), who is putting a band together with pals Holly (Tamsin Greig) and her sister Yvonne (Amelia Bullmore).

The idea is to perform Waterloo at a charity talent contest. But Beth baulks at the suggestion that women should stick to Abba songs. She wants to make a noise.

'I'm in a rock band,' she tells an incredulous pupil. 'We sing songs about being middle-aged and menopausal and invisible. And you thought The Clash were angry!'

A parallel subplot introduces Kitty (Rosalie Craig), a vodka- swilling shoplifter in a fur coat  also menopausal, also suicidal, also very angry.

Ruth sees her doing pub karaoke, screeching out Violet by grunge rockers Hole. Looks like she's found her lead vocalist.
Kylie Jenner used Instagram to tease her latest Kylie Cosmetics collection on Saturday.

The 28-year-old makeup mogul's next output is an ode to her 'King Kylie' era, her late teenage and early 20s years, during which she was known for her flamboyant style.

During that time the TV star-turned-entrepreneur teamed her vibrant-hued wigs with dramatically thick eyebrows, smokey eye makeup, and plump lips.

To build anticipation for the forthcoming drop, Kylie uploaded a brief video in which she wore a tiny black bra, matching micro-shorts and sheer black tights.

She was handcuffed and escorted by police officers while walking through a jail facility in slow motion.

Her post, which has over one million likes from her 392 million followers, was captioned, 'TOMORROW  ON SNAPCHAT @ KING KYLIE.'

Kylie Jenner used Instagram to tease her latest Kylie Cosmetics collection on Saturday

The 28-year-old makeup mogul's next output is an ode to her 'King Kylie' era, her late teen and early 20s years, during which she was known for her flamboyant style

The King Kylie moment came shortly after the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star launched her Kylie Lip Kits in November 2015.

It kicked off the business that would anchor her now-billion-dollar empire.

On Friday Kylie shared a July 2022 tweet in which she asked her millions of followers, 'If I just so happen to do a King Kylie collection, what products would you guys like to see?'

She plastered the note and its subsequent replies over throwback photos of herself from the era.

One person suggested she 'restock Kylie Shop with some newbies.'

And two others were aligned in thinking she should pay homage to the turquoise and other colored hairpieces she used to wear.

'You gotta bring back the teal somehow, maybe a shadow in a palette can be a teal shade,' one wrote on X.

The other person shared, 'A palette with all the hair colors you had at the time.'

Over the weekend Kylie shared a July 2022 tweet in which she asked her millions of followers, 'If I just so happen to do a King Kylie collection, what products would you guys like to see?' She plastered the note and its subsequent replies over throwback photos of herself from the era

Two fans were aligned in thinking she should pay homage to the turquoise and other colored hairpieces she used to wear. You gotta bring back the teal somehow, maybe a shadow in a palette can be a teal shade,' one wrote on X. 'A palette with all the hair colors you had at the time,' another said

To mark the new Kylie Cosmetics products, the mother-of-two also shared a 2016 promotional YouTube video.

The clip showed her driving a silver Rolls Royce convertible while rocking a Louis Vuitton head scarf, long blonde wig, and low-rise pants.

The three-minute ad, directed by Colin Tilley, was in promotion of her glosses and has been viewed more than 16 million times.

Via Instagram Stories, Kylie wrote that it was her 'mood all day,' and added rap group Migos' 2016 hit song Bad and Boujee.

Since debuting her makeup business, the socialite has gone on to create several other companies.

She now additionally runs Khy and Sprinter after quietly shutting down her swimsuit range Kylie Swim.
As close as the Beckhams have traditionally been as a family, there is one secret that Victoria has long kept from her children  and for good reason. But knowing it was about to emerge in the Netflix documentary that would take a deeply personal look at her life for the first time, the former Spice Girl had steadied herself to sit down with them before it was revealed to the world and be completely honest about the eating disorder she had battled for decades.

And it was the conversation with her 14-year-old daughter Harper  who is already navigating the twin pressures of being a teenage girl under the glare of the media spotlight  that Victoria knew would be the most important.

By the time the family appeared together as a tight-knit, glamorous unit on the star-studded red carpet for the Mayfair premiere of her eponymous series on Wednesday, that secret was out.

But as she tells The Mail on Sunday today, in what might be the most candid interview of her career to date, her greatest fear  and the reason she had kept the disorder so hidden from her family  was that history would repeat itself with her daughter.

Describing the moment she sat down with Harper, a few days before the premiere, Victoria, 51, says: We just had a really honest conversation, and I explained that when you have issues with food, it is all consuming.

It is sad. Its a very lonely place.

'I thought it was important that she heard it from me before she saw it at the theatre.

Victoria Beckham sat down with her daughter, Harper, a few days before the premiere of her Netflix docuseries

As well as Harper, the former Spice Girl was supported by her husband David (right) and children Cruz (left), his girlfriend Jackie Apostel and Romeo on the night

It is heartbreaking to hear. This is the first time Victoria  known for years as Posh amid her global girl band fame  has spoken of her fears for her only daughter who has had no choice but to grow up in the limelight because of her parents global fame.

It is, perhaps, inevitable that Harper will garner more attention than her brothers. And this is precisely why Victoria is adamant that her girl wont suffer in the same way she did.

Weve actually talked about food for quite some time, because the one thing that doesnt seem to change is that little girls think a lot about food as theyre growing up, and when their bodies are changing and when theyre going through puberty, she says.

And my wish for Harper is that she has a really healthy relationship with food, and that she eats healthily. We all want to treat ourselves as well, but its about balance. Harpers also very fit and plays a lot of sport, but weve talked about food before, because that is a conversation thats flying around at school.

Victorias admission in the three-part documentary that she struggled with food for years may not come as a surprise to many, given it was widely rumoured.

But the detail shines a troubling light on the pressures of fame and the demands of the music industry during the 1990s and 2000s.

Victoria, now a successful fashion designer and beauty guru whose brand has annual sales revenue topping 100 million, confessed that she was called fat and overweight while at theatre school as a young teenager, and lied to her parents about her eating disorder.

After the Spice Girls hit the big time in 1996 with their first single Wannabe, she was referred to as Skinny Spice. Then there was the time when the late Sir Michael Parkinson asked her on his BBC chat show in 2000 if she was anorexic  which she denied.

The previous year, she was weighed on television by Chris Evans on his Channel 4 show TFI Friday, just two months after she had given birth to her first son Brooklyn, to see if shed lost her baby weight.

Victoria confessed in the series that she was called fat and overweight while at theatre school as a young teenager, and lied to her parents about her eating disorder

This is the first time Victoria has spoken of her fears for her only daughter - who has had no choice but to grow up in the limelight because of her parents global fame

Presenter Chris Evans weighs Victoria, who had given birth to her first child just two months before, for his Channel 4 show TFI Friday in 2000

Victoria admits she was hurt by the stunt  but for her children, such revelations were the first theyd heard of the misogyny their mother endured.

Their reaction, she says, was hard for her to hear.

All of the kids were really, really shocked with what they saw in that documentary, she says of those scenes.

It wouldnt happen now. And the truth is, it really hurt. Words can really hurt people  I always say this to the children.

Words are so powerful, and you really have to choose your words carefully. And Ive never talked about this before.

They may be shocked, but there is pride, too, that she is taking a stand and speaking about these things after holding her tongue for so long.

Those who know Victoria well know this isnt something that comes naturally to her.

When I meet Victoria and David, before the premiere of the documentary, David, 50, beamed as he told me how proud he was of his wife  though confided he was disgusted with the way she had been treated by television programmes back then.

The perfect gentlemen, he helped me down the stairs in my stilettos to meet Victoria, who gave me a warm hug.

She was nervous, and confided that she hadnt seen the full, final cut of the show  and that she almost didnt do it.

I wasnt sure about having a camera crew following me a year, but then I gave in and decided to go for it, she said.

I am a control freak, but now Im a reformed control freak, and that was quite liberating.

I was surprised that anybody was really particularly interested in what I do every day. But David convinced me that it was the right thing to do, and he was so supportive through the whole thing.

So why did she choose to be so candid? And why now?

I never want to look like Im complaining, she shrugs. Ive always just taken it on the chin. I was always told to take the high ground and I think thats something that weve always lived by.

But now seemed like the right time. Its a very different world now, and I think that lots of women can relate to what I was talking about. I was ashamed of it, you know. You become very good at hiding those things and lying.

And I was nervous to talk about it. Of course I was, because people have been talking about my weight since I was really young, even before I was famous. But I now have a young daughter, and I think that talking about things like this are really, really important.

Were so much more aware of mental health. And, you know, I hope people will listen to me.

After watching the first two episodes of the documentary in full with her children on Wednesday, she watched the third episode the following night with Harper and her youngest son Cruz, 20, and his long-term girlfriend, Jackie Apostel, 29, at their family home in Holland Park, west London.

There has been much discussion over their romance because of the age gap between the pair, but this doesnt seem to bother Victoria. Indeed, she has dressed Jackie in her label and collaborated on social media campaigns with her for the brand.

She admits she is a big fan of the Brazilian songwriter, and I ask if Jackie is a good influence on Cruz, who is about to launch his own music career. She is  shes great, she enthuses. Shes a talented songwriter, too.

When I meet Victoria and David, before the premiere of the documentary, David beamed as he told me how proud he was of his wife, writes KATIE HIND

Victoria told KATIE HIND, 'I've always taken the high ground... But now seemed like the right time'

Romeo, 23, who is now single after separating from girlfriend Kim Turnbull earlier this year, is working in fashion. He no longer lives with his parents, but was out to support her at the premiere.

Referring to Cruz and Romeos career decisions, Victoria jokes that her genes must be quite strong.

The heartache is, of course, the absence in all of this of her eldest son Brooklyn. Along with his wife, American heiress Nicola Peltz, he is involved in a well-publicised rift with his parents.

That subject is, understandably, off the table for todays interview, although the situation must particularly smart at times when the family is gathered together like this. After all, as the documentary shows, their day-to-day lives are much like any family  bar a 400 million fortune.

The clan are clearly close. At the premiere, I saw how protective Romeo was of Harper. An arm around his younger sister, he made sure she was comfortable on the red carpet. And the family still have dinner together most nights, Romeo included, where they discuss their day.

We just spend that time talking, says Victoria. There are things that might not seem particularly important to people of our age, but theyre important to the kids, and I think its good for us to talk about whats going on in their lives, whats happening with friendship groups, and what are their plans, and how are things going at school for Harper  I want them all to feel heard.

Harper, in particular, is starting to navigate the perils of social media and has recently joined Instagram. So far, her profile is set to private  much to her parents relief.

But she has been filming online make-up tutorials alongside her mum. What if she wanted to follow in her parents footsteps and take the celebrity path?

I think that Harpers very smart, Victoria says. Shes incredibly funny  oh my God, she has the best sense of humour.

And shes got a little entrepreneurial head on her shoulders. She is a little mini-me.

So it will be interesting to see, but shes a good girl and shes kind. I always say to her thats what is so important. I tell her to be the kind girl in the playground because that really matters.

She and David must have such busy lives, I say. Dont they ever lose track of their brood?

No, absolutely not, says Victoria. We have a family chat group, and we all know where each other are. David and I like to check in with them all before we go to bed at night and check everybodys home. Romeo might not live with us any more but we like to make sure hes home and safe.

You dont stop worrying about your kids, even when theyre grown up. You worry about them as much as you did when they were little, and thats something that will never change.

The same could be said for Victorias own parents, Jackie and Tony Adams. They appear in the Netflix documentary describing their torment at hearing how their daughter was repeatedly treated over her appearance.

How did they feel, watching you go through it all, I ask?

It was a double-edged sword, Victoria admits. It was lovely to share the experiences I was having, but there were ups and downs.

I mean, I know how I feel  if someone is mean about one of my children, it upsets me more than if theyre mean about me. So it must have been incredibly hard for them to see all of those things that were written about me.

Jackie and Tony also had to endure Victoria becoming the target of school bullies for being thick when, in later years, she realised she was actually dyslexic.

She has spoken about this before, describing how the condition doesnt run in our family, it gallops. Recalling the nasty jibes, she tells me: I now realise from watching my children grow up and their academic journeys that I am self-diagnosed dyslexic.

I have to learn differently, but back then those things werent recognised. You were just called thick. And so the bottom line is, Ive always had to work hard. Its never come easy.

That hard work has more than paid off. The documentary soared to the top of Netflixs chart on Friday morning, much to her delight.

Our interview ends because Victoria has to go to another meeting. And this same work ethic is one which both David and Victoria have instilled in their children.

But in this new, kinder era, one thing is certain: Victoria will be making sure they dont suffer, like she did, on the way.
Samantha Armytage has broken her silence on her shock split with her equestrian businessman ex Richard Lavender.

The Channel Nine presenter, 49, told this week's Stellar magazine that she and Richard had tried their best to make their marriage work, before they split in December.

'What I'll say for my marriage is we gave it a go. It didn't work out, so we moved on. Last year was a big year. There was a lot of change and a lot of grief,' Samantha began.

The Golden Bachelor host added it was not a spur-of-the-moment decision and both she and Richard were confident in their choice to part ways.

'I don't think anybody leaves a marriage without thinking it through quite deeply. You don't just decide one day and leave the next,' she said.

'We've all got these thoughts and fears and happy moments we share.'

Samantha Armytage (pictured) has broken her silence on her shock split with her equestrian businessman ex Richard Lavender

In December, the former couple announced their separation on the eve of their four-year wedding anniversary.

They had tied the knot at Richard's 40-hectare property in the picturesque Southern Highlands in NSW on New Year's Eve in 2020.

'Yes Richard and I have separated. All break-ups are hard, but it's somewhat lessened by the fact it's amicable and we wish the best for each other,' Sam told media at the time.

'I appreciate you respecting our privacy. I won't be making any further comment.'

Samantha is no longer followed on Instagram by the 62-year-old equestrian businessman's two daughters, Sascha and Grace, although the former couple still follow each other.

It's understood she moved out of Richard's Southern Highlands home and is now living in her apartment located in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

The former Sunrise host and Richard started dating in April 2019, and announced their engagement in June 2020 before tying the knot at his property in rural NSW six months later.

In a beautiful moment captured by photographer Abbie Melle, Sam was seen holding hands with her new husband as they strolled across his Southern Highlands estate, shortly after saying 'I do'.

She said it was not a spur of the moment decision and both she and Richard were confident in their decision to part ways

'What I'll say for my marriage is we gave it a go. It didn't work out, so we moved on. Last year was a big year. There was a lot of change and a lot of grief,' Samantha said

She captioned the heartwarming picture, which was taken after their wedding ceremony but before their reception, '11.58am on a Thursday. How lucky are we?'

The intimate ceremony only featured a small number of guests due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with Richard's daughters believed to have attended.

The television veteran became the face of Farmer Wants A Wife in 2023 after first appearing as a guest host alongside former presenter Natalie Gruzlewski.

In August 2024, she shocked fans by announcing she was quitting Channel Seven after 21 years.

Describing the departure as 'sad and bittersweet', she said she felt her time had come to an end.

It's been a tough few years for Sam, who recently signed on as host of Nine's upcoming reality TV dating show The Golden Bachelor.

The series is a spin-off of The Bachelor series, but differs in that the contestants of the reality dating show are people in their 50s and 60s.

In February 2024, she lost her beloved dog Banjo while staying with her father near Wagga Wagga.

She shared pictures of herself posing with the six-year-old Labrador Retriever as she looked back on her precious memories with him.
Christine McGuinness has opened up about life after her split from comedian Paddy, admitting she has found single life 'lonely' at times.

The model and TV star, 37, who finalised her divorce from the Top Gear host, 52, last year after 11 years of marriage, spoke candidly about adjusting to her new reality.

Christine revealed that she's still finding her feet when it comes to dating again and discovering more about her sexuality, saying the past year has been one of self-reflection and growth.

The mum-of-three who, describes herself as a 'free spirit' and has dated male and females since she was 15, previously stated that gender does not matter to her.

Earlier this year, she appeared on Celebs Go Dating in a bid to put herself back out there and explore new connections.

However midway through filming she quit the show as she wanted to 'go home to her children.'

Christine McGuinness has opened up about life after her split from comedian Paddy admitting she has found single life 'lonely' at times

The model and TV star, who finalised her divorce from the Top Gear host last year after 11 years of marriage, spoke candidly about adjusting to her new reality

Despite trying to put herself out there, Christine remains single as she recently opened up about how 'hard' it was.

Speaking at the Attitude awards in London on Wednesday she told The Sun: 'It is hard because I'd love to be dating.

'I do get lonely I think that's why I struggle at events, especially at the last few I've been to I've really struggled.'

She added: 'You get to the point where you go "I might as well go home now" but it must be really fun if you are there with someone you love.'

During her time on Celebs Go Dating, in a rare moment, viewers saw Christine open up about her ex-husband Paddy's 'mistakes,' as she claimed 'the trust was broken' in their marriage.

She explained: 'When I met my ex-husband, he wasn't as known as what he is now. I was 19 when I met him. I went to an event where I was modelling.

'My ex-husband was there, someone introduced us. We had a laugh and kept in touch.'

When asked by the experts if she fancied Paddy, Christine replied: 'Yeah, I did. He had a cheeky charm, he made me laugh.'

Speaking at the Attitude awards in London she revealed that since splitting fro her 11 year marriage, she has struggled, found being single hard and feels lonely at times

Earlier this year, she appeared on Celebs Go Dating in a bid to put herself back out there and explore new connections

However midway through filming she quit the show as she wanted to 'go home' to her three children - twins Leo and Penelope, as well as Felicity - who she shares with Paddy

She also described meeting Paddy as 'perfect timing' and said it was 'an easy relationship.'

The pair, who wed in 2011, have three children - twins Leo and Penelope, as well as Felicity.

The experts then asked Christine about the breakup, to which she replied: 'Anyone can make mistakes, but I think the trust was broken.'

'I'll always love him, he's the father of my children and I think he's the only man that I'll ever love.

'A lot of people make mistakes and mess up, and when you're in a couple who is quite well known in the industry, obviously then everyone knows your business.'
A Place in the Sun star Laura Hamilton has said she has no regrets about spending time away from her two children to film the hit Channel 4 series, despite being trolled for it online.

The TV presenter, 43, who shares son Rocco, 11, and daughter Tahlia, 10, with ex-husband Alex Goward, admitted she could never give up her career even though juggling motherhood and travel can be 'chaotic.'

Talking to The Sun Laura said: 'I have every respect for anyone who's a full-time mum, I just couldn't do that. I love my career as well as being a mum and I've managed to find a way to make it work.'

The presenter, who co-parents with her ex, revealed she plans her filming schedule around when her children are with their dad, using that time to focus fully on work.

She credited her employer for allowing her to travel with her kids when possible, describing herself as 'incredibly lucky' to have the flexibility.

But Laura has also been targeted by online trolls who accuse her of neglecting her children while she films abroad.

A Place in the Sun star Laura Hamilton has said she has no regrets about spending time away from her two children to film the hit Channel 4 series, despite being trolled for it online

The TV presenter, 43, admitted she could never give up her career even though juggling motherhood and travel can be 'chaotic'

She dismissed the criticism, insisting social media never shows the full story.

Explaining that people make judgements from what they see online, she said: 'People say, 'She's always away, she's not with her kids.' People have no idea. One: I don't even share my social posts always in real time, and two: just because I don't always post everything that I'm doing with my kids doesn't mean I'm not with them.'

The TV star, who joined A Place in the Sun in 2012, said she hopes to inspire her daughter to believe she can balance family life and a successful career.

'I want Tahlia to see that if she wants her career, she can have her career - and still have children,' she said.

Laura first joined the Channel 4 show 13 years ago after working behind the scenes on programmes including Top of the Pops and Big Brother.

She remains one of its most recognisable faces and said she still feels 'honoured' to be part of the long-running series, which marked its 25th anniversary this year.

Unfortunately it's not the first time that Laura has had to suffer with online cruelty.

Earlier this summer she revealed that she had been told she was 'too old' to wear bikinis as she shared a glimpse from her lavish holiday.

Unfortunately it's not the first time that Laura has had to suffer with online cruelty and earlier this summer she revealed that she had been told she was 'too old' to wear bikinis

As she shared a glimpse from her lavish holiday, Laura sat poolside with her daughter and flaunted her incredible figure in a blue and white swimsuit

'Today I'm wearing a swimsuit, not because of the comment I read but because I wanted to and I feel comfortable in it,' she penned

The blonde beauty had been enjoying a family holiday at Forte Village resort in South Sardinia and uploaded an array of gorgeous snaps as she soaked up the Italian sun.

In the video montage Laura was sat poolside as she flaunted her incredible figure in a blue and white swimsuit.

She lounged on a day bed with her daughter as they waved while the camera panned out.

However, in the caption, Laura made a poignant jibe at the person who had made the comment as she penned: 'Who decides when we're 'too old' for anything?

'I recently read a comment saying I was too old to wear a bikini and it honestly made me stop and think for a second.

'But then I reminded myself, life's way too short to worry about what other people think.

'Today I'm wearing a swimsuit, not because of the comment I read but because I wanted to and I feel comfortable in it!'

'We all have days when we feel self-conscious, but we deserve to enjoy the sunshine, the beach, the pool, whatever makes us happy, no matter our age and whether we choose to wear a swimsuit or a bikini!!

'Live your life and feel good in your own skin'
Diane Keaton's friend Sarah Paulson looked somber as she left the home of the late actress following her shock passing at the age of 79 on October 11.

The Oscar-winning actress was confirmed to have passed in California by a family spokesperson to People on Saturday.

The Los Angeles Fire Department had responded to a medical call at the late star's home at 8:08 a.m. on Saturday, per TMZ. An individual had been transported to a hospital by ambulance, and sources later confirmed the person had been Keaton.

Paulson was seen outside of Keaton's residence on Saturday as she headed to a vehicle parked nearby.

The American Horror Story star appeared distraught during the visit and at one point was seen sharing an embrace with a person outside.

She later sat inside the driver's side of a black car and was seen making her way down the street as she left Keaton's home.

Diane Keaton's friend Sarah Paulson looked somber as she left the home of the late actress following her shock passing at the age of 79 on October 11

The Oscar-winning actress was confirmed to have passed in California by a family spokesperson to People on Saturday; seen in 2015 in Westwood

Others also gathered at the late actress's residence on Saturday, including a woman in a striped outfit.

Paulson and Keaton have had a close friendship over the years - and have been previously spotted spending time together.

Back in July 2021, the Ratched star was joined by partner Holland Taylor as they grabbed dinner with The Godfather actress in Beverly Hills.

The trio were seen enjoying a lowkey dinner outing later that same year as they stopped by Il Piccolino restaurant in West Hollywood.

During a past conversation with Interview Magazine, Keaton had answered questions from famous pals such as Paulson.

'What person, place, or thing makes your heart sing? (You can say me),' Paulson had humorously said.

In response, the Book Blub actress expressed, 'Of course, Sarah, you make my heart sing. My friends make my heart sing.

'My kids make my heart sing. But also, Lillet Blanc makes my heart sing. With lots of ice.'

Paulson was seen outside of Keaton's residence on Saturday as she headed to a vehicle parked nearby

The American Horror Story star appeared distraught during the visit and at one point was seen sharing an embrace with a person outside

She later sat inside the driver's side of a black car and was seen making her way down the street as she left Keaton's home

Paulson and Keaton have had a close friendship over the years - and have been previously spotted spending time together

Back in July 2021, the Ratched star was joined by partner Holland Taylor as they grabbed dinner with The Godfather actress in Beverly Hills

During a past conversation with Interview Magazine, Keaton had answered questions from famous pals such as Paulson

'What person, place, or thing makes your heart sing? (You can say me),' Paulson had humorously said to Keaton

A number of Hollywood stars have paid emotional tributes to the late actress after the news of her passing came to light.

Steve Martin penned a tribute to Keaton - after the pair previously starred in Father Of The Bride together in 1991, followed by a sequel four years later.

The actor jumped to X to share a black and white photo of Keaton while also simply typing out, 'Loved.'

Martin then added, 'La dee da,la dee da,' which is a famous line from Keaton's 1977 movie Annie Hall.

Mandy Moore also remembered Keaton - 18 years after the two stars worked together on the 2007 romantic comedy Because I Said So.

Alongside a photo of them in the movie, the actress wrote: 'They say don't meet your heroes but I got to work with one of mine and even call her "mom" for a few months. An honor of a lifetime.'

Moore added, 'What an incandescent human Di is and was. I am so sad she's gone for all the reasons but also because it felt like she'd be here forever, dazzling us with her talent and charm (and her style, c'mon)!!!

'One of the very best to ever do it. All my love to her children and loved ones,' she concluded.

In response, the Book Blub actress expressed, 'Of course, Sarah, you make my heart sing. My friends make my heart sing'

Others also gathered at the late actress's residence on Saturday, including a woman in a striped outfit

She was seen heading towards a main road after visiting Keaton's home following the Oscar winner's sudden passing

A number of Hollywood stars have paid emotional tributes to the late actress after the news of her passing came to light; Keaton and Steve Martin seen above in Father Of The Bride (1991)





Bette Midler was another who paid tribute to Keaton - and the pair previously starred in the 1996 movie The First Wives Club.

She took to Instagram and alongside a photo of the late star, Midler wrote, 'The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died.

'I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me. She was hilarious, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star. What you saw was who she wasoh, la, lala!'

Piers Morgan, filmmaker Joey Kuhn, Paul Feig and Elizabeth Banks were just a few other stars that remembered Keaton.

Woody Allen - whom Keaton had a past complex relationship with - has reportedly been left 'upset' over the actress's passing.

Woody Allen - whom Keaton had a past complex relationship with - has reportedly been left 'upset' over the actress's passing; the pair seen above in the 1977 movie Annie Hall

Allen is said to be 'extremely distraught and surprised and upset' over the shock news of Keaton's death, an insider told People.

The pair had 'remained friends' after first crossing paths in the late 1960s and having a romantic relationship.

The source further told the outlet that Allen 'appreciated her very much' and was also not aware of her declining health.

'Nobody seemed to know. He was surprised,' the insider expressed.

Keaton worked on eight of Allen's films including his 1977 movie Annie Hall - which earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress.

A friend close to the star told the outlet, 'She declined very suddenly, which was heartbreaking for everyone who loved her'; seen in 2023 in NYC

Keaton never married but adopted two children in her 50s: daughter Dexter and son Duke; the late actress and her children seen in 2017 in Hollywood

A family spokesperson confirmed Keaton's passing at the age of 79 to People on Saturday.

A friend close to the star told the outlet, 'She declined very suddenly, which was heartbreaking for everyone who loved her. It was so unexpected, especially for someone with such strength and spirit.'

They added, 'In her final months, she was surrounded only by her closest family, who chose to keep things very private. Even longtime friends weren't fully aware of what was happening.'

Keaton never married but adopted two children in her 50s: daughter Dexter and son Duke.
Two years after its accelerated entry into NATO, the Nordic country is deepening its defense strategy to ward off a threat that has never entirely gone away

From the bridge of the gigantic patrol boat Turva, Mikko Simola, the commander in charge of the Coast Guard that ensures the safety of the Gulf of Finland, points his finger  almost as a reflex  east, toward the only stretch of sea that, after crossing Helsinki and Tallinn, flows into the Russian city of Saint Petersburg.

In that area, Simola and his crew have been watching Russian warships pass right before their eyes  and their radars  for three years. Their presence is much greater, he notes. So is that of the so-called shadow tankers, the aging fleet the Kremlin uses to evade Western sanctions and whose movement continues, oblivious to these restrictions, at a rate of between 30 and 50 per week.

In the nearly four years since the first Russian bombings of Ukraine, Simola has seen it all. Last Christmas, Turva, under his command, intercepted one of those tankers from the shadow fleet, the Eagle S, accused of severing an underwater electricity cable and four data cables. He senses this wont be the last time: whatever happens in Ukraine, the Kremlin will never stop using this key waterway.

Although Finland is not one of the countries directly affected by the drone swarms and cyberattacks that have threatened virtually all of its northern and eastern EU neighbors in recent weeks, Helsinki and its nearly six million inhabitants are going through a critical moment. This fear is based on its own history and on an objective fact: its border with Russia is, by far, the longest in the entire Old Continent.

We, together with the Baltic countries and Poland, are defending all of Europe. This is where we need solidarity for the sake of [common] security. This is something that must be understood in the rest of Europe, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo argued during the recent visit of European Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius. If we have learned anything, it is that with Russia, nothing is impossible, added Finlands president, Alexander Stubb, last Tuesday in a meeting with EL PAIS and a small group of European media.

The fear is there, latent but evident. Finlands land border with Russia is the longest of all the EU member states at 1,300 kilometers (807 miles), three times longer than the Eurasian giants border with Estonia. Finland also shares a history with Russia, having been part of its empire until 1917, and until February 2022 it maintained a stance somewhere between dialogue and appeasement. More of the latter than the former: for years, decades, it has suffered firsthand the same airspace violations that now affect other countries in northern and eastern Europe. But times have changed: the invasion of Ukraine is seen as more than just a warning.

Faced with the threat, Helsinki took an almost unimaginable step in 2023: it abandoned its historical neutrality and decided to join NATO. It thus sheltered itself under a powerful military umbrella against an increasingly unpredictable eastern neighbor and practically doubled, in one fell swoop, the length of the Alliances border with Russia.

Joining the Atlantic Alliance, almost anathema until recently, enjoyed support from 70% of the population, according to polls. And that backing has remained virtually stable since then, according to Teemu Tallberg, professor of military sociology at the Santahamina Military Academy. He provides an additional statistic: in the latest polls, more than eight out of 10 Finns say that, if the country were attacked, they would take up arms to defend themselves. Even if the final outcome of the conflict were uncertain, Tallberg adds.

The reason behind this social support is clear: after more than eight decades without feeling Moscows breath on their necks  since the 1939-1940 Winter War, when Soviet troops invaded the Nordic country, an episode in which some see parallels with the current situation in Ukraine  unrest has returned to the forefront.

The reasons are obvious. In May, several satellite images confirmed the deployment of thousands of Russian troops across the border. Perhaps to relieve  when peace is achieved  the troops currently deployed in Ukraine, perhaps with other objectives. These maneuvers, in any case, led the Finnish armys chief of strategy, Sami Nurmi, to urge very close monitoring. His job, he said in a phrase repeated by the dozen or so official sources consulted by EL PAIS, is to be prepared for the worst. His latest calculations indicate that the number of Russian soldiers stationed across the border today is between double and triple what it was before the invasion of Ukraine.

Two Finnish soldiers raise the NATO flag at the Alliance's Northern Multi-Corps Land Component Command in Mikkeli. Matias Honkamaa (via REUTERS)

Shelters and military service

For decades, Finnish authorities have been obsessed with one word: resilience. The modern  and slightly spiced-up  version of traditional resistance. They are preparing, in short, for an emergency scenario that fortunately has not yet occurred. This is the only way to explain why the country has a shelter ready for all Finns: 50,000 in total, mostly underground, with everything needed to cover at least the first 72 hours of a hypothetical invasion, the most critical period.

Russia has always been there, and although the probability of war remains low, it is much higher than in 2022, says Tomi Rask, an emergency officer from Helsinki. He speaks from the bowels of one of these shelters, right in the city center, five floors underground and under a network of metal staircases. Surrounded by rock almost on all four sides  it could very well be a mine  his words resonate with a special echo: When a Ukrainian delegation came to visit us, they gave us one recommendation: be prepared. To a large extent, they were already prepared: they began decades ago, in the midst of the Cold War.

The second pillar of Finlands security strategy  which prides itself on being the most advanced of the EU 27  is military service. It has always been compulsory for men, a rarity in the EU but something that has recently gained traction in the rest of Europe.

The small number of professional troops  just over 20,000, compared to Russias million or so  is largely offset by young men who, after six months of training in the barracks, are transferred to the army reserve for life. This adds up to another 230,000 military personnel ready to be activated if things get tough. A million if you add those who have received some form of military training, sometimes lasting only a few days or weeks.

I hope it never happens, but we have to be prepared for anything, admits Holmstrom, a young recruit in his early twenties doing his military service on Santahamina Island, a stones throw from Helsinki. He rests his practice rifle on the ground, in the shade of the enormous coniferous trees that create one of the most classic landscapes in this northern corner of Europe. He will spend almost a year here, like 90% of his school friends who have opted for military service rather than civilian service, the other option.

Border closed

Almost all eyes, however, are focused some 125 miles east, on the physical border with Russia. There, the Finnish government has been working for a couple of years on the construction of a fence that will cover a seventh of the border. Its 4.5-meters of height will not, of course, prevent unwanted aerial intrusion  a new concern in Poland or Romania but an uncomfortable reality here for years. It does, however, aim to stem the flow of migrants from third countries (such as Syria or Somalia), which skyrocketed in the summer of 2023 and for which Helsinki directly blames Moscow.

The economic consequences of the border closure are evident, on two levels. On the micro level, with the crossings between the two countries closed until further notice, the border towns are bearing the brunt, with significant financial losses and an ever-increasing unemployment rate: they lived off the money left behind by those crossing from one side to the other, and no one will cross those borders again for a long time.

On a macro level, because after this closure of land routes, virtually all Finnish imports  and there are a lot of them  have only the sea as their entry point. A commercial island has emerged, so to speak, in the far north of Europe.

Guns or butter

In less than five years, Finland has practically doubled its defense spending: from 1.4% of GDP in 2021 to the 2.8% projected for this year. Still far from the demanding 5% target set by NATO for 2035, but already above the Alliance average, despite Helsinkis recent economic difficulties and its historic penchant for fiscal austerity. The weight of investment in equipment is also the third-highest among NATO countries, earning it the organizations applause. At the expense, of course, of social spending.

Budgets are a zero-sum game: if you increase defense spending, you have to cut it elsewhere, Stubb acknowledged in an interview with this newspaper. The famous dichotomy: guns or butter. A flag bearer of austerity  for everyone else, that is  since time immemorial, Finland is beginning to apply the same rulebook to itself. The consequences are already beginning to be felt: discontent is growing and unemployment is skyrocketing, reaching 10%. And the current conservative coalition is suffering setback after setback in the polls. But all this, the authorities conclude, is for the peace of mind of the nearly six million Finns living under the threat of Russian aggression.

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Thomas Skinner's wife Sinead has sat down to discuss their 'horrendous' past few weeks since news of his affair broke.

The former Apprentice star, 34, admitted that he cheated on Sinead with beauty clinic boss Amy-Lucy ORourke, just weeks after their wedding when a 'moment of madness' saw him almost 'ruin his life.'

Thomas, who was the first celeb to be booted off Strictly Come Dancing, shares son Henry, five, and two-year-old twin daughters, Roma and Darla, with Sinead. They married in May 2022.

His Strictly experience was completely overshadowed by his affair scandal, with Tom and Sinead admitting it has been difficult digging up their past again.

Speaking for the first time about their marriage struggles, Sinead insisted that although his infidelity turned their lives upside down, it has made them stronger.

Sinead told The Sun: 'When he first told me what had happened I made him leave. I was devastated. I will never forget Thomas telling me. I remember thinking, "I never thought this would happen to me".

Thomas Skinner's wife Sinead has sat down to discuss their 'horrendous' past few weeks since news of his affair broke

The former Apprentice star, 34, admitted that he cheated on Sinead with beauty clinic boss Amy-Lucy ORourke, just weeks after their wedding when a 'moment of madness' saw him almost 'ruin his life.

'It was one of the worst days of my life. I only told one friend, nobody else. But we eventually worked it out. I just knew how much I love him and I wanted to work it out.

'He made a mistake. It was a tough time. One of his friends had just died. It was four years ago. Now we are stronger than ever. We have moved on. He has learned from it and we have since had our twin daughters. But then, after he signed up for Strictly, it all came out in public. It has been hell.

'The response from Thomas doing Strictly has been a test for us all. It was horrendous. I cried  everybody knowing about this difficult chapter in our lives nearly four years ago was awful. It was in the past for us.'

Sinead and Tom also discussed the 'horrendous' death threats he has been receiving ever since he stepped onto Strictly.

Tom revealed he has had 'about 200 death threats' and abuse following his appearance on the BBC show.

His political leanings sparked backlash across social media after he was pictured attending a barbeque hosted by US President Donald Trump's number two, JD Vance - something he later called a 'once-in-a-lifetime' event.

Thomas drew strong criticism for X posts saying it is 'not far-right' to be 'flying your flag and loving your country', and complaining 'it ain't safe out there any more' in London, saying the city is 'hostile' and 'tense'.

After making his Strictly debut, Thomas posted another X rant, insisting he won't be cancelled and claiming his marriage is stronger than ever, after he admitted to cheating on his wife just weeks after their 2022 wedding.

His Strictly experience was overshadowed by his affair scandal, with Tom and Sinead admitting it has been difficult digging up their past again (pictured with partner Amy Dowden)

Speaking for the first time about their marriage struggles, Sinead insisted that although his infidelity turned their lives upside down, it has made them stronger

'The response from Thomas doing Strictly has been a test for us all. It was horrendous. I cried  everybody knowing about this difficult chapter in our lives nearly four years ago was awful. It was in the past for us', Sinead said

He shared an impassioned and lengthy message where he claimed he was 'being attacked' and was only getting 'stronger'.

He wrote: 'Life ain't easy. I've been kicked down an called every name under the sun recently and probably some of it I deserve, as yes I ain't always right. But since I got invited to have a BBQ with JD Vance. its gone crazy.

'Certain people are doing everything they can to ruin me. Mainly Faceless accounts givin it large and abusing me, hypocrites making everything political.

'Now I see people are fumin that I'm on Strictly. and the funny thing is that the majority of them got 'be kind' wrote in their bios. You couldn't make it up.'

Thomas, an Essex businessman who found fame after appearing on Lord Sugar's The Apprentice, added that his strong work ethic meant he was able to ignore the controversy and 'graft'.

He added: 'Let me tell you this. I won't be cancelled. I ain't gonna kill myself like some of you want. I'm still here. I'm still standing. Trust me when I say this; I am stronger than people think. Every insult, every lie, every attack.it don't break me, it builds me stronger. [sic]

'I built what I got from nothing. I Slept on a pull-out bed on the floor for years cus I never had a bedroom. [sic] Weirdos write rubbish on Wikipedia about my upbringing that ain't true, but they can't take away what I've built with graft & fight. They call me a grifter, but all I do is work. Day in, day out, graft.'

Thomas confessed to Daily Mail's Katie Hind that the cheating scandal has been 'awful for my poor wife to read it all' as he came clean on the affair.
Amanda Holden has revealed her youngest daughter goes out of her way to avoid being seen with her - insisting the teenager wants 'no connection' with her famous mother.

The TV star, 54, said her daughters Lexi, 19, and Hollie, 14, couldn't be less interested in her showbiz career, despite growing up with one of the most recognisable faces on British TV.

Amanda said she has always encouraged her girls to stay grounded and to develop 'a thick skin' if they ever choose to follow her into the public eye.

Speaking about life at home with husband Chris Hughes, she told The Sun: 'You do have to develop a thick skin and they both know that mummy has one and that we take everything with a pinch of salt in our house. So I hope they've learnt enough from me.'

While eldest daughter Lexi has already signed to top modelling agency Storm, Amanda admitted Hollie has no interest in fame and even dodges being spotted with her mum at the school gates.

The Heart FM presenter said: 'I picked Hollie up from her new school the other day and she does not want any connection with me. I got out of the car, she saw me and literally crossed the road.'

Amanda Holden has revealed her youngest daughter Hollie (L) goes out of her way to avoid being seen with her - insisting the teenager wants 'no connection' with her famous mum

The TV star, 54, said her daughters Lexi, 19, and Hollie, 14, couldn't be less interested in her showbiz career, despite growing up with one of the most recognisable faces on British TV

Her husband music producer, Chris stepped in to defend her, shouting out that their daughter that she should be proud.

But Amanda laughed how her teenager was having none of it, adding: 'She's like, 'mum, please get back in the car!' So they're both very down to earth.'

Despite her children's lack of interest in her fame, Amanda said she was proud they'd grown up with their feet firmly on the ground, describing her family life as 'normal and chaotic' away from the cameras.

Earlier this month Amanda told the Daily Mail that while saying goodbye to eldest Lexi, 19, for university last year was emotional, it's life at home with her youngest Hollie, 14, that's proving tougher.

Amanda said she predicts Lexi will soon be back home after university, inevitably racking up 'debt.'

She also defended Lexi, who is signed to modelling agency Storm, against 'nepo baby' claims, noting her daughter works two jobs alongside her studies.

Amanda said: 'Very sadly, I have a child at university and a 14-year-old who doesn't really want to speak to me.'

It comes after Amanda has added another project to her workload by becoming the host of BBC show Celebrity Inner Circle.

While eldest daughter Lexi (L) has already signed to top modelling agency Storm, Amanda admitted Hollie (R) has no interest in fame and even dodges being spotted with her mum at the school gates

The Heart FM presenter said her husband music producer, Chris had to step in to defend her, shouting that their daughter should be proud of her mum - something Amanda laughed off

The presenter has added another project to her workload by becoming the host of BBC show Celebrity Inner Circle, which premiered on Saturday night before Strictly Come Dancing

Amanda admitted she learned some surprising facts on the BBC quiz show including that slugs have teeth

Celebrity Inner Circle, a mix of The Traitors and The Weakest Link, promises to test relationships as well as general knowledge.

Amanda admitted she is nervous about presenting solo but is determined to make it a success.

She said: 'I do feel nervous because it's been a long process and I have been there through every part of it.

'They asked me to do it before it went to pilot. I did that in a church hall with a load of execs all seeing if this would work.

'There were so many people at the BBC in turn all coming to make sure every single component works. I was in my trainers running around, questioning and talking and because of that process it feels like it's more me and less quiz show host.

'It feels authentic and I care about it, which is why I want it to work. It means a lot to everyone and to me.'
Benedict Cumberbatch joined his wife Sophie Hunter on the red carpet at the London premiere of his latest movie, The Thing with Feathers.

The actor, 49, who plays a widowed father in the upcoming drama, looked dapper in a Prada khaki suede blazer as he posed alongside Sophie, 47, ahead of the screening.

He teamed the look with a chocolate brown button-up shirt layered over a white vest top, paired with smart black trousers.

To complete the ensemble, Benedict stepped out in a pair of shiny black loafers as he cosied up to his elegant wife for the cameras.

Sophie cut a chic figure in a bronze satin midi dress, which featured a high neckline and ruched detailing down the side.

She added height with white mesh slingback heels and styled her brunette locks into a voluminous, flicky blowout.

Benedict Cumberbatch joined his wife Sophie Hunter on the red carpet at the London premiere of his latest movie, The Thing with Feathers

Also making an appearance were Benedict's on-screen sons, played by real-life brothers Henry and Richard Boxall.

Young Henry looked adorable in a blue denim suit, while Richard opted for a smart navy blue two-piece as they joined the actor for a series of sweet snaps on the red carpet.

The movie's director, Dylan Southern, and writer, Max Porter, were also in attendance.

Dylan kept it classic in a black blazer and navy trousers, while Max stood out in a black-and-blue pinstripe co-ord.

An official synopsis for the movie reads: 'A father and two sons struggle to cope with the sudden loss of their wife and mother. As they try to move on with their lives, the family also has to face grief, which is depicted as a large crow.'

The Thing with Feathers is set to hit UK cinemas on October 24.

Benedict's outing at the premiere comes after he and Olivia Colman gave fans an insight into the weirder side of fame as they appeared on an episode of Dish from Waitrose last month.

The Crown star, 51, spilt the beans on some of her oddest fan encounters, including being asked for selfies while on the toilet 'having a wee' - admitting fans even knock on the door when she's in the cubicle.

The actor, 49, who plays a widowed father in the upcoming drama, looked dapper in a Prada khaki suede blazer as he posed alongside Sophie, 47, ahead of the screening

He teamed the look with a chocolate brown button-up shirt layered over a white vest top, paired with smart black trousers

Meanwhile, the Sherlock actor revealed Halloween is his favourite time of year as he can wear a disguise and not be recognised.

Co-stars in Jay Roach's dark comedy drama The Roses, the actors joined hosts Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett OBE to discuss the film, the art of acting drunk, getting into character, and what it means to feel as though you were born to act.

The Lost Daughter actress went on to reveal the trickier parts of being famous, as she recalled being approached by fans in rather bizarre places.

She said: 'Or, having a wee. "Can we have a selfie?" Oh yeah, I've had knocks on the door, in the cubicle door, in the loo. And when you're washing your hands.'

Meanwhile, the Doctor Strange star revealed Halloween is his favourite time of year post-fame as he can move around freely and unrecognised.

'My favourite is Halloween,' he said. 'I went as Chewbacca last year and it was just great.'

Benedict recalled that his mask for the character was so prominent that no one could tell who he was, so he was really able to let loose and enjoy himself.

'I was dancing along to the music that a Michael Jackson impersonator was playing, but I couldn't really see where I was,' he added.

Also making an appearance were Benedict's on-screen sons, played by real-life brothers Henry and Richard Boxall

Young Henry looked adorable in a blue denim suit, while Richard opted for a smart navy blue two-piece as they joined the actor for a series of sweet snaps on the red carpet

The movie's director, Dylan Southern, and writer, Max Porter, were also in attendance

He went on: 'The Michael Jackson impersonator was getting really angry 'cause I was sort of coming towards his cardboard, and people were turning from focusing on him to dancing Chewbacca there.

'And, and he was apparently going, 'Hee hee! Hee hee!' Somewhere someone might have that on-the, the t'interweb.''

The British actor continued: 'But you know, I think, to be honest, when it comes to this sort of thing, or a premiere or just, you know, being in a theatre or something, you're in a theatre, that's the natural habitat of an actor, even if you're the other side of it-and in the audience, and I don't bother disguising myself.

'With my family, I try to because I do not want the attention drawn on them. I want them to have the right to their privacy-and their time.

'But apart from that, I just have to own it. It takes an effort, though.

'It's very weird walking into a room and everyone- well, a lot of people might recognise you, you don't know anyone.'

Elsewhere, Olivia admitted she doesn't go out very much nowadays and discussed her decision to leave London.

Benedict's outing at the premiere comes after he and Olivia Colman gave fans an insight into the weirder side of fame as they appeared on an episode of Dish from Waitrose last month (Seen at The Roses premiere in August)

She said: 'Well, actually moving out of London, and I never fell out of love with London, I love it.

'But, um, it has helped me enormously.

'To be able to go to big spaces where people don't look at you.

'And so now I feel like I can come back years later to London. I'm, I'm a bit braver.

'I've managed to knock some of the fear out of myself.'

Dish from Waitrose is available on all podcast providers.
Australian reality TV star couple Courtney Stubbs and Jack Millar have welcomed their second child, a baby boy.

Courtney, 27, and Jack, 30, confirmed the exciting news to social media on Saturday, by sharing a precious clip in which they introduced their newborn son to his older sister Penelope.

The pair were seen tenderly cradling the newborn before they introduced him to his new sibling in a heartwarming moment.

'This is your little brother,' Jack told his daughter, as the proud parents watched on.

They captioned the clip with some sweet words and revealed their son's precious name.

'The most special moment! Penelope's smile, giggles, grabbing his hand, a perfect introduction, couldn't keep our tears back,' they began.

Australian reality TV star couple Courtney Stubbs and Jack Millar have welcomed their second child

'The final piece to our family puzzle. Paxton Jenkins Millar 06102025.'

Many of their celebrity friends took to the comments section to congratulate Love Island Australia star Courtney and Married At First Sight's Jack on the exciting news.

'Bawling my eyes,' gushed MAFS veteran Ella May Ding.

'A beautiful moment mate! Huge congratulations to you guys,' added Cam Merchant.

In May, the couple announced their exciting pregnancy news in a sweet video.

The pair could be seen cuddling and kissing each other and their daughter Penelope, as they enjoyed a sunrise on the beach.

Revealing that Courtney was 16 weeks pregnant, they said they couldn't wait to expand their family of three.

'Watching the sunrise as a family, knowing our hearts and our home are about to grow even more. Baby boy, you are already so loved, counting down to meet you,' they wrote in the caption.

They confirmed the exciting news to social media on Saturday, by sharing a precious clip in which they introduced their newborn son to his older sister Penelope

The loved-up duo welcomed their daughter Penelope in November 2023

The loved-up duo welcomed their daughter Penelope in November 2023.

They announced the joyous news via Instagram, sharing a gallery of photos showing the pair cuddling up to their newborn baby girl at hospital and later at home.

One photo showed the besotted parents posing in bed with their daughter as well Jack's dog Finn.

'Penelope June Millar. A love so magical words cannot describe! 10/11/23,' they wrote.

Courtney had been dating Jack for eight months when she discovered she was pregnant.
Aubrey Plaza made a surprise cameo on SNL for a humorous The Hunting Wives skit during a star-studded episode.

The 41-year-old actress  who appeared for the show's 50th anniversary special earlier this year  sent the live audience into a frenzy as she took part in a pre-recorded sketch with host Amy Poehler.

The Parks And Recreation alumna played a character in a fictional season two trailer of the Netflix series, which premiered on the streaming site back in July.

A voiceover kicked off the video by saying, 'Millions of Americans tuned in for season one of The Hunting Wives, the straight but lesbian horney Republican murder drama. And now it's back for more.'

SNL cast member Chloe Fineman played a newcomer to the town and could be seen walking into a house.

Poehler portrayed one of the 'hunting wives' and donned a plunging green dress and said, 'Well, look what the cat dragged in.'

Aubrey Plaza, 41, made a surprise cameo on SNL for a humorous The Hunting Wives skit during a star-studded episode

The actress sent the live audience into a frenzy as she took part in a pre-recorded sketch with host Amy Poehler

The clip then showed snippets of the characters, such as them drinking inside a kitchen or spending time outside hunting together.

Fake reviews appeared on the screen, such as from People magazine which read: 'It's like Call Me By Your Name for women who shop at Bass Pro Shop.'

Towards the end of the pre-recorded skit, the voiceover said, 'And things get even crazier when a new, new girl joins the group.'

Plaza then appeared as she strolled up to the women who were sitting outside sipping on mimosas.

'Hey, ladies. I'm new here,' the actress said while removing her sunglasses. 'I just moved from California.'

Poehler explained, 'We're just making mimosas. Pull up a chair.'

'Oh, I've never made mimosas before,' Plaza admitted, which prompted Fineman to offer with a smirk, 'I'll show you.'

The reel cut to Fineman standing close behind Plaza as she poured champagne and said, 'Just take it slow.'

'Hey, ladies. I'm new here,' the actress said while removing her sunglasses. 'I just moved from California'

'Oh, I've never made mimosas before,' Plaza admitted, which prompted Fineman to offer with a smirk, 'I'll show you'

The other ladies joined in and stood in a line behind the pair as music played in the background and wind blew their hair

The group suddenly jumped back and took out their guns. The sketch concluded with the voiceover saying, 'The Hunting Wives season two. Don't watch it on a plane'

The other ladies joined in and stood in a line behind the pair as music played in the background and wind blew their hair.

When asked if she has a boyfriend, Plaza replied, 'I don't have a boyfriend. I have a girlfriend.'

The group suddenly jumped back and took out their guns. The sketch concluded with the voiceover saying, 'The Hunting Wives season two. Don't watch it on a plane.'

The Hunting Wives premiered its first season earlier this year in July on Netflix and has been renewed for a second.

The premise follows a woman who 'moves to deep East Texas and succumbs to socialite Margo's charms. Her life is soon consumed by obsession, seduction, and murder,' per IMDB.

The cast of the first season included Brittany Snow, Malin Akerman, Evan Jonigkeit, Katie Lowes and Dermot Mulroney.

Plaza made an appearance on SNL back in February during the show's 50th anniversary special to introduce musical guests Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard.

It was her first public appearance since the tragic passing of her husband Jeff Baena, who died by suicide at 47 on January 3, 2025.

The Hunting Wives premiered its first season earlier this year in July on Netflix and has been renewed for a second

It was her first public appearance since the tragic passing of her husband Jeff Baena, who died from suicide at the age of 47 on January 3, 2025; Plaza and her late husband seen in 2016 in California

The episode had other surprise cameos from celebrities including Tina Fey and Seth Myers - who had been former SNL cast members

The trio made as many jokes as they could about a woman who delivered a 13lb baby in Tennessee alongside the usual Weekend Update hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che

At the time, the actress also donned a tie-dye shirt that had previously belonged to her late husband.

The latest episode had other surprise cameos from celebrities including Tina Fey and Seth Myers - who had been former SNL cast members.

Poehler joined the Weekend Update segment for a joke-off and both Fey and Myers also took part.

The moment the pair appeared next to Poehler, the live audience erupted into loud cheers and applause.

The trio made as many jokes as they could about a woman who delivered a 13lb baby in Tennessee alongside the usual Weekend Update hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che.

From 2004 through 2006, both Fey and Poehler had hosted the Weekend Update segment - and when Fey departed from the show, Myers took over her spot.

Poehler took part in other sketches throughout night while Role Model was the musial guest.

SNL's season 51 officially premiered over the past weekend - and Sabrina Carpenter is slated to take on double duty as host and musical guest on October 18.
I'm A Celebrity star Iain Lee has revealed he is engaged to his former talkRADIO co-host Katherine Boyle.

The broadcaster and comedian, 52, took to Instagram over the weekend to share that he had popped the question in a romantic proposal during a holiday to Lake Como.

Iain shared the exciting news paired with a snap of himself and Katherine - who was first his producer then co-host on his talkRADIO show, which he was sacked from in 2020.

Sharing the snap, he wrote: 'In case you're wondering, as I'm sure everyone is, I proposed to @katherine_e_boyle on August 12th on Lake Como and for some strange reason she said yes.

'This is seconds after it happened. We received a tepid round of applause from the person you can see faintly in the background.'

Meanwhile Katherine shared another engagement snap showing off her ring, which she captioned: 'BTW this happened.'

I'm A Celebrity star Iain Lee has revealed on Instagram over the weekend that he is engaged to his former talkRADIO co-host Katherine Boyle

Iain commented on the post: 'I love you and can't wait to be your husband.'

It comes after Iain admitted last month that he was 'incredibly obnoxious' while in the throes of his drug addiction as he recalled his breakdown and 'chaotic past' in a candid new interview.

Iain was previously sober for 13 years until he relapsed in 2017 after appearing on I'm A Celebrity.. Get Me Out Of Here. He is now currently nearly five years sober.

He has also spoken openly about his battles with depression, revealing in May 2018 that he was sexually abused as a child.

Despite his TV success with The 11 O'Clock Show, in a new interview with The Guardian he told how he was 'never proud' of his work and 'f***ed up his career' due to his addiction.

He said: 'I'm making peace with my past. I was never very proud of my TV career. I thought it was s**t.'

'If anyone was f***ing up my career, it was me. I was taking loads and loads of drugs and becoming incredibly unreliable and obnoxious to work with an a**hole.'

He added that he 'didn't know what he was doing' for much of his TV career and 'so I took cocaine and it gave me this false bravado. It looked like arrogance but it came from absolute terror.'

The broadcaster and comedian, 52, took to Instagram over the weekend to shared that he had popped the question in a romantic proposal during a holiday to Lake Como

Meanwhile Katherine shared another engagement snap showing off her ring, which she captioned: 'BTW this happened'

Iain commented on the post: 'I love you and can't wait to be your husband', to which Katherine replied: 'It's happening x'

He added that he still finds it hard to take any kind of compliment about his career as it is 'so ingrained that I'm not very good, that I'm a terrible human being'.

Back in 2020 Iain marked 30 days 'clean' after admitting to suffering a drugs relapse the month before following more than two years of sobriety.

The TV personality took to Twitter at the time to reveal he was back on the wagon after he revealed on his show, The Late Night Alternative, he had taken drugs recently.

Discussing the experience, Iain told listeners it 'wasn't his drug of choice', and made him feel a 'little bit buzzy', before giving him a headache and making him vomit.

He wrote on Twitter (now X): '30 days clean and sober.'

Iain spoke about his long-term battle with drug addition during his call-in show the month before, after breaking his sobriety for the first time in two and a half years.

He told listeners: 'So here's the thing, I took drugs. After two and a half years clean, I took drugs. This is awful. It isn't awful, but I feel awful.

'Last weekend, not the weekend just gone, last weekend, I took some drugs. It wasn't my drug of choice and it didn't really do a lot, it gave me a terrible headache, it got me a little bit buzzy and it made me puke.'

Iain was previously sober for 13 years until he relapsed in 2017 after appearing on I'm A Celebrity.. Get Me Out Of Here.

He explained that at the time he didn't reach out to his sponsor for Narcotics Anonymous because he believed he had the situation under control.

For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details
Lindy Klim's daughter Stella recently revealed her battle with epilepsy.

But the 19-year-old model was fighting fit as she stepped out at the Caulfield Guineas in Melbourne on Sunday.

The stunner posed up a storm at the horse racing event, looking chic in a cream trench coat worn as a dress.

She appeared to go without a bra underneath, and showed off her trim pins through the thigh-high split created by the belted coat.

The high fashion look included studded sleeves and an exaggerated collar, as well as a plunging neckline.

The beauty pulled her dark hair off her face and went for a clean makeup look including a matte pink lip.

Lindy Klim's daughter Stella (pictured) recently revealed her battle with epilepsy. But the 19-year-old model was fighting fit as she stepped out at the Caulfield Guineas in Melbourne on Sunday

Stella recently revealed she has been diagnosed with epilepsy after leaving The Amazing Race this year, following her dramatic collapse during a fish-sorting challenge.

In alarming footage, Stella was forced to exit the challenge early after telling producers she felt 'really dizzy'.

She was then seen sitting down and telling a medic her vision had gone 'really dark' and she 'couldn't see anything'.

The model said the symptoms began a few days prior to her shock exit, but they worsened during the challenge.

'I was finding it really hard to breathe. I actually ended up getting diagnosed three weeks later with epilepsy,' she told Chattr.

'I had been feeling kind of off... I just kept getting dizzy spells.'

Epilepsy is a medical condition affecting the brain's ability to function normally and it can cause recurring seizures.

Seizures occur when the brain's electrical signals become irregular, which can cause a loss of consciousness, dizziness, shakiness and even hallucinations.

The stunner posed up a storm at the horse racing event, looking chic in a cream trench coat worn as a dress

The high fashion look included studded sleeves and an exaggerated collar, as well as a plunging neckline. Pictured alongside Olivia May Rogers and Lana Wilkinson

The beauty pulled her dark hair off her face and went for a clean makeup look including a matte pink lip and added gold heels

It can usually be managed with medication, but risk factors such as stress, lack of sleep and extreme temperatures can sometimes trigger a seizure.

After being diagnosed with the condition, Stella has experienced five seizures.

She believes the race's gruelling schedule may have triggered the episodes.

Her mother Lindy agreed, and said her daughter's health condition may have been worsened by the harsh conditions while filming in Sri Lanka's humid climate.

'It was a long stint travelling as well, and that's what happened... that's what brings on her seizures,' Lindy began.

'The lack of sleep, stress, all those sorts of things. I think that's what made that all come about.'

Although Stella was determined to continue, medics deemed it unsafe and she flew home to Australia that night with family and crew.

Since her diagnosis, Stella has faced challenges finding the right medication.

'It's actually been quite tricky. Just since I have been having seizures, I've been on medication, but it just gets worse,' she said.

Stella recently revealed she has been diagnosed with epilepsy after leaving The Amazing Race this year, following her dramatic collapse during a fish-sorting challenge

Lindy (pictured) said her daughter's health condition may have been worsened by the harsh conditions while filming in Sri Lanka's humid climate

'I had a seizure two weeks ago, I was in the back of an Uber with my manager, and I ended up having to go to the hospital.

'My doctor came in and just goes, "That's it, like we're going to have to double your dose and see if that helps." We're just waiting to see what happens, hopefully I'm all good.'

Lindy and Stella said they are relieved to have a diagnosis and are hopeful that treatment will help effectively manage the condition.

Stella is following in her mother's footsteps as a model and influencer and has taken social media by storm.

She has now accumulated an even bigger following on TikTok than Lindy as she engages her thousands of followers with beauty and makeup tips.

The stunning mother-daughter duo also have a professional relationship, and recently returned to Australia to promote the women's clothing brand Effie Kats.
Reese Witherspoon teared up as she paid tribute to her 'mentor' Diane Keaton on stage.

The legendary actress passed away on Saturday at the age of 79 after her health reportedly took a sharp turn in recent months, with even her closest friends unaware.

Reese, who was directed by Diane in Wildflower (1991) at the age of 15, paid tribute to The Father Of The Bride star during a panel at her Hello Sunshine expo.

The Legally Blonde actress, 49, said Diane 'changed the way we all saw women on screen - smart, funny, stylish, and completely original' and shared her gratitude at having her as a mentor at such a young age.

Speaking on stage, Reese said: 'I'm going to try and get through this without tearing up, but, I don't know if you guys heard that Diane Keaton passed today.

'Diane was really important. She was one of my first mentors in this business. I was 15 years old and I was from Nashville, Tennessee, and I didn't know anybody.

Reese Witherspoon teared up as she paid tribute to her 'mentor' Diane Keaton on stage after the actress's death

The legendary actress passed away on Saturday at the age of 79 after her health reportedly took a sharp turn in recent months, with even her closest friends unaware (Seen in 2023)

'And I came in, it was my second maybe third movie audition ever and I came in with this big country accent and I was playing this little southern girl and she goes "Who are you?" And I said "I'm Reese Witherspoon and I'm from Nashville, Tennessee".

'And she said "Are you making that up? That accent that you're doing". And I said "No ma'am I'm from Nashville, Tennessee, and I'm here. And I'd love to be in your movie". And she was like "Well, you're hired. You're hired today, tomorrow and the next day. I don't know who you are but I am so excited to have you".'

Reese continued: 'She is just incredible and indelible and just a truly original person. So for Diane, watch one of her movies.

'And wear like a really cool, interesting outfit. Black and white. Take a picture and just live your dream.

'Just be your unique, interesting self. I think Diane would be really happy.'

The Father of the Bride star Diane had two adopted children in her 50s, daughter Dexter and son Duke, whom she raised as a single mother. She never married.

Diane had put her 'dream home' on the market as her health took a sudden turn prior to her shock death.

While she was privately going through a health battle, she had listed her beloved property in Los Angeles for sale in March.

Reese, who was directed by Diane in Wildflower (1991) at the age of 15 (Pictured), paid tribute to The Father Of The Bride star during a panel at her Hello Sunshine expo

The Legally Blonde actress, 49, said Diane 'changed the way we all saw women on screen - smart, funny, stylish, and completely original' (Reese seen at American Film Institute's 45th Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute to Diane Keaton in 2017)

Many people close to her were reportedly surprised as she had talked about living there permanently, according to the outlet.

The actress had written a book about her beloved home titled The House that Pinterest Built.

After purchasing the home, she started a nearly decade-long project to renovate the house to her taste and preference.

The extensive eight-year renovation was completed and she only moved in back in 2017.

However, earlier this year, she put the property on the market and listed her bespoke five-bedroom, seven-bathroom mansion for $29 million.

In the book she wrote about her home, she revealed that the inspiration to purchase that particular property was the famous children's fable, The Three Little Pigs.

She recalled her mother reading her the story when she was young and decided she wanted to live in the third pig's indestructible home, which was 'made of bricks.'

She wrote in her book: 'I knew I was going to live in a brick house when I grew up.'

Due to her successful acting career in films like The Godfather (seen), Annie Hall, Reds and Father of the Bride, as well as clever property investments, Diane amassed a fortune estimated at $100million

After the devastating news of her shocking death, a friend of the actress revealed she had been quietly facing a progressive health battle in secrecy.

'She declined very suddenly, which was heartbreaking for everyone who loved her,' a friend of the actress told People.

'It was so unexpected, especially for someone with such strength and spirit.'

The source said that 'in her final months,' the star was 'surrounded only by her closest family, who chose to keep things very private.

'Even longtime friends weren't fully aware of what was happening,' they shared.
The Today show could be set for a major shakeup in a bid to win the breakfast television wars.

Nine is in 'secret talks' to replace Karl Stefanovic's co-host Sarah Abo with A-list 'prestige' presenter, Samantha Armytage, according to a new report.

The casting shakeup is a 'desperate bid to wrestle the TV breakfast crown from Seven's rival Sunrise' The Australian reported on Sunday.

Armytage, 49, and Stefanovic, 51, are being slated as the 'dream team' that could see Today topple Sunrise's domination in the morning show ratings.

The network is banking on the 'Armytage effect' which saw Sunrise score a ratings victory when Armytage joined the program in 2013.

Armytage left Sunrise in 2021 and has gone on to helm Farmer Wants A Wife and the upcoming Golden Bachelor.

The Today show could be set for a major shakeup in a bid to win the breakfast television wars. Nine is in 'secret talks' to replace Karl Stefanovic 's co-host Sarah Abo with A-list 'prestige' presenter, Samantha Armytage (pictured), according to a new report

Nine CEO Matt Stanton did little to dispel the chatter regarding Abo's future at Today, giving The Australian a coy response when asked if Armytage was stepping into the role alongside Stefanovic.

'I don't know. I'm not into that level to be honest, I haven't seen that level of detail,' Stanton told the publication this week.

Abo, 39, joined Today in 2023, replacing outgoing host Allison Langdon.

Langdon had announced her departure in 2022. She then stepped into the hosting role at A Current Affair, replacing long-time presenter Tracy Grimshaw.

Abo's reported recent push for a bigger pay packet is part of the motivation for the switch-up, The Australian claimed.

Stefanovic has recently been offered a multi-million, multi-year deal by Nine, but the network is keeping an eye on the ratings under Stefanovic's reign.

The breakfast show host has reportedly landed himself a $3 million per year contract, according to The Australian in June.

Stefanovic's Today co-host Abo makes only $800,000 a year, according to Mediaweek, highlighting a stark gender pay gap between the two.

Armytage and Stefanovic (pictured) are being slated as the 'dream team' that could see Today topple Sunrise's domination in the morning show ratings

Abo's (pictured) reported recent push for a bigger pay packet is part of the motivation for the switch-up, the publication claims

'Nine sources tell us the network's top brass have just finished passing a hat around at their Denison St headquarters in North Sydney and have managed to scrape together enough loose change to offer him a contract worth about $3 million a year,' the paper's Media Diary wrote of Stefanovic's pay packet.

Sitting on a $2.8 million a year contract at the time, Stefanovic was rumoured to see a significant increase in his pay as he continued to front the successful breakfast show.

According to the publication, Nine is said to have given in to the TV presenter's demands after he threatened to walk away if they low-balled on a new contract.

The news came as a shock considering rival breakfast hosts Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington make a meagre $2 million between them.

The Australian's inaugural TV Rich List report claimed in May that Stefanovic was being paid an eye-watering $2 million more than his co-host Abo.

The report collated the 35 highest salaries among TV stars on Australia's three commercial networks - Channel Seven, Nine and Network 10.

It revealed that Stefanovic is the highest-paid small screen star Down Under, bringing home a formidable $2.8 million annually, making almost three times as much as Abo.

This is in stark contrast to his Today counterpart, who came in at tenth place with a salary of $800,000.

Abo joined Today in 2023, replacing outgoing host Allison Langdon

The network is banking on the 'Armytage effect' which saw Sunrise score a ratings victory when Armytage joined the program in 2013. Armytage left Sunrise in 2021 and has gone on to helm Farmer Wants A Wife and the upcoming Golden Bachelor

Meanwhile, Armytage has toppled Bachelor alum Osher Gunsberg as the new Golden Bachelor host, landing a huge payday.

Sam is set to star in Nine's highly anticipated Bachelor spin-off while Osher, 51, served as the franchise's Australian host from 2013 to 2023 until it was axed by Ten.

A source claims Sam has inked a 'lucrative' three-season deal with Nine that puts Osher's old salary to shame, reported New Idea.

While the details of Sam's deal were undisclosed, the publication claimed her pay packet far outweighs what Osher earned at Ten.

The source also claimed the pay disparity, and the 'prestige' associated with the high-profile hosting gig, had created awkwardness between Sam and Osher.

'It's about prestige. Osher helped build the show and now Samantha's eclipsed him completely,' they said.

With The Golden Bachelor set to air straight after The Block, Channel Nine is betting the dating series will be the next big thing on Aussie screens.

Those closest to the production insist Sam is simply doing what she does best.

'It's just good TV,' a production insider told Daily Mail.

'And she's a pro. She knows exactly how to play the part.'

Daily Mail has reached out to Channel Nine for comment.
EastEnders fans were given a rather unique opportunity to snap up bargain from an Albert Square veteran on Sunday morning.

Indeed, visitors to the Norcross car boot sale in Blackpool were surprised to see actress Cheryl Fergison - best known for her former role as hapless Heather Trott - flogging her personal possessions for as little as 33 pence an item.

Fergison, 60, was accompanied by her son Alex Saddiqi while selling a range of old clothes, shoes, trainers and various household effects at the local marketplace.

The actress, now based in Blackpool with Alex and her second husband Yassine Al-Jermoni, appeared to attract quite a crowd during her unexpected appearance.

But many seemed more interested in getting a selfie with the former soap regular, who walks with the aid of a cane after suffering a stroke in May.

Available items included a range of plus size clothing, with a handwritten sign indicating she had sizes up to a 26 available for purchase.

Visitors to the Norcross car boot sale in Blackpool were surprised to see actress Cheryl Fergison flogging her personal possessions for as little as 33 pence an item on Sunday

The former EastEnders star was selling a range of old clothes, shoes, trainers and various household effects at the local marketplace

And potential buyers were in for a bargain, with Fergison offering a number of special deals, including two items for 5, or three smaller pieces for just 1.

The actress played Heather Trott across 386 episodes of EastEnders, but she was killed off in 2017 and has struggled to find meaningful acting work since shooting her final scenes for the BBC soap.

Fergison suffered a further blow after discovering she had been left penniless by her accountant, as detailed by the actress in her recently released autobiography, Behind The Scenes.

'For five years, I paid him. For five years he pocketed the money and didnt pay a single penny to HMRC,' she wrote.

'Everything I had built, saved and worked for was gone. I dont use the word hate very often. Its a heavy word, one you cant always take back, but in this case, I meant it. I hated him.'

She added: 'Going broke when youre famous is the worst, because everyone expects you to have lots of money.

'People assume that youre minted. They don't imagine you're juggling overdrafts, maxed-out credit cards, payday loans and mountains of bills. But that was exactly where I found myself.'

The actress now lives with second husband Al-Jermoni in Backpool, but visa problems initially prevented the Moroccan national relocating to the United Kingdom after marrying Fergison in 2011.

Fergison was accompanied by her son Alex Saddiqi (pictured, left) as she raised some money at the car boot sale

The actress, now based in Blackpool with Alex and her second husband Yassine Al-Jermoni, appeared to attract quite a crowd during her unexpected appearance

Fergison now walks with the aid of a cane after suffering an unexpected stroke in May

The actress is best known for her role as hapless Heather Trott in EastEnders (pictured), a character she played across 386 episodes of the BBC soap before being killed off in 2017

The former soap star sifted through her old possessions with son Alex while a visitor watched

Many car-boot goers seemed more interested in getting a selfie with the former soap regular

Potential buyers were in for a bargain, with Fergison offering a number of special deals, including two items for 5

... or three smaller pieces for just 1, according to a sign taped across one of her cases

Al-Jermoni remained in his native Morocco for nine years, during which a devastating earthquake, its subsequent relief effort and the coronavirus pandemic created additional obstacles .

She told OK! magazine: 'We try to keep our business private but yes financially it can be a strain to get these visas.

'But we're here now, we're in Blackpool - the Vegas of the north! - and we're settled.'

Earlier this year, the actress admitted she is 'not comfortable' financially but 'working my way back up' after being forced to flog tickets to see her perform at a Chinese takeaway opening night.

Speaking to The Sun about how she should not be 'judged for trying to get back on their feet', she said: 'My finances will take a long time to recover.

'Until I have steady work, I'm not rich or comfortable - I'm just surviving. I've been saying yes to everything for no money, but I need to start valuing my work and asking for fair pay. Even my agent insists on it.

'Still, I'll never give in. I want to keep singing. If people criticise me for singing in small restaurants, so be it.'

She added: 'At the end of the day, I'm an entertainer. Community has always been important to me, and I'll perform no matter the crowd.

'If only two people show up, I don't care - I'm still being paid, and I'll still give it my all.'

Available items included a range of plus size clothing, with a handwritten sign indicating she had sizes up to a 26 available for purchase

The actress was attempting to raise some money after admitting she's fallen on hard times
William believed his life was a failure when he was just 16. It was 2021, and he was going through a personal crisis, comparing himself to other people. Id never had a girlfriend, and my classmates made fun of me for being a virgin, he confesses. He felt like everyone had failed him. He went online looking for answers, and the algorithm guided him into incel forums, a digital universe filled with hate speech and threats that operates unchecked. Something similar happened to Javier, who fell into these blogs during the pandemic. He wanted to take advantage of the lockdown to get in shape by looking for exercise routines, but other suggestions popped up instead. Little by little, without realizing it, incel content appeared, he confesses. This movement, which is growing globally, conceals radicalized followers like Lex Ashton, the 19-year-old student who murdered a classmate at his school in Mexico City last week. EL PAIS spoke with three young incels who described the frustration and loneliness that led two of them to consider committing violent acts.

Hopelessness kept William, 20, hooked on forums where misogyny flourishes. For him, those places proved liberating. Finally, I could listen to realities that had been worrying me and making me feel insecure without fear of retaliation, he says. He saw how the Facebook groups he belonged to grew from 4,000 members to tens of thousands in just a couple of years. His thinking has changed today: Im pretty good. I have a girlfriend, Im studying for a degree, I go to parties, something I never did before I was 17, he says.

Javier identifies as a young man frustrated by his inability to make romantic connections. He describes entering that world as a black hole into which its easy to fall when someone feels rejected. He explains that behind the discipline and hegemonic masculinity there lies an extremist ideology. Its easy for misogynistic messages to appear there: Theyre all whores, all acting out of self-interest. No one gives you a welcome to the club badge. You just log into channels and suddenly certain terms appear. When I see violent acts related to this issue, I think: Wow, Im into this. Its hard for me to imagine having anything in common with someone who commits an atrocity, he admits.

Fatalism in the Black Pill

The director of the childhood advocacy group Tejiendo Redes Infancia, Juan Martin Perez, groups this type of sexist rhetoric under the label of the manosphere, an online reaction that opposes feminism. They label these groups stoicism, as in work hard, stay away from those who dont listen to you and dont value you. They isolate them and then sell them [motivational] courses, he says. Within this world, a particular language is used. Chads are attractive, popular men who represent masculine success, while foids is a contraction for female humanoid, a derogatory term used to dehumanize women. They have also given names to the ideologies and social dynamics in which they operate.

I have a hard time imagining that I could have anything in common with someone who commits an atrocity Javier, 30, 'incel'

William encountered one such label, the Black Pill, a movement that promotes the idea that sexual success depends solely on genetics. They tell you that youre not attractive and wont be attractive even with surgery, because there are irremediable issues like height [...] I could say its not all my fault, but that led to despair. It evolves in a very bad way. I thought I would always live a miserable life, he confesses.

This was the stage in which he became more radicalized and considered attacking others and publicly taking his own life. He discussed these ideas on Facebook. He explains that violent attacks are not openly promoted in the groups on that social network to avoid being blocked or investigated, but the sanctions are easy to avoid. You can create groups with a specific subject and control who enters and leaves. The rules are a facade: administrators discuss and even glorify those who have committed something [violent], he points out.

Luis, like William, claims he was close to committing a fatal act. This 20-year-old from the State of Mexico reached that point because of the helplessness he felt. The people who mistreated me werent going to pay if I didnt do something. They stole my self-confidence, my self-esteem, he says. The young man, who is also part of a Facebook group, looked up to one of the members. His ideology, so to speak, was to give up and turn his back on the world, he notes. However, he asserts that not all cases reach that extreme. Ive heard [that we were linked to] terrorism. But not all. We are sad men, whether due to bullying, harassment, or a negative environment. We dont have the best self-esteem, he explains.

The stories of the young people covered in this story all agree that the algorithm led them to the forums through searches for exercise routines or questions about their bodies and relationships with others. Perez explains how relentless this algorithm is: The platforms business is attention, keeping you trapped. An angry teenager who asks what false accusations are will automatically be directed to incel and far-right groups. Bezanilla denounces the lack of greater oversight: The platforms must assume some responsibility, without hiding behind the debate on freedom of speech.

Ashton murdered his 16-year-old classmate Jesus Israel last week at the Colegio de Ciencias y Humanidades Sur in Mexico City. Before the attack, he posted his plans on an incel Facebook forum and shared explicit photographs of the weapons and clothing he used for the attack, a dynamic reminiscent of school shooters in the United States. EL PAIS has contacted Meta, Facebooks owner, to address its position on the issue. We have taken action against content that represents and glorifies Lex Ashton on our platforms since the unfortunate incident was reported, for violating our policy against dangerous individuals and organizations, the company states. Although they do not detail why groups posting threats continue to appear, Meta notes that they are closely monitoring the case and assure that they will take action against content that poses a threat in the real world.

The director of Tejiendo Redes believes that incels already have their own social representation: [They appear in the collective imagination] as teenagers or young men glued to their screens, dirty, angry, mentally ill. And its not like that. Incels, for the most part, go to school, have economic activities [...]. There is no typical profile, he explains.

In the United States and Europe, the movements echo has been heard more strongly, but it has already crossed more borders. Bezanilla explains why its becoming more visible in Mexico and points to several key factors: The social and institutional order constantly violates us: a deficient education and healthcare system, lack of safety, job insecurity. All of this generates frustration, stress, and vulnerability. He insists that institutions must assume their role. Official statements never acknowledge structural responsibility. Its easier to psychopathologize the aggressor than to admit that the context is also failing.

A context marked by violence, a twisted algorithm, and a worsening mental health crisis following the pandemic all come together in a pressure cooker, ultimately revealing societys structural shortcomings. These generations have been almost entirely abandoned by the adult world, and its the responsibility of families, schools, and the country as a whole, Perez concludes. William has let go of the rope that tied him to that digital universe. But not entirely. I havent distanced myself; I relapse and continue to visit these places frequently, whether out of curiosity or because Im nostalgic, he admits.

The names of the members of the incel movement who were interviewed for this story are assumed, in order to protect their privacy.

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Jessica Alba has arrived in Australia to get to work on her new movie.

The 44-year-old American actress, who is shooting her spy thriller, The Mark, Down Under, cut a casually chic figure as she stepped out on Queensland's Gold Coast on Sunday.

Appearing freshly-showered as she stepped out with her brunette locks looking wet, Jessica covered up her tresses in a beige cap.

She shielded her famous face behind sunglasses and appeared to have on minimal makeup but for some pink lipstick.

Jessica wore a sheer, crochet overshirt with a fitted, white top underneath, which showed off some hints of skin.

She completed the look with a loose, black jacket with an army print on the arms for added interest, while also wearing blue jeans.

Jessica Alba (pictured) has arrived in Australia to get to work on her new movie

The 44-year-old American actress is shooting her spy thriller, The Mark, Down Under

She cut a casually chic figure as she stepped out on Queensland's Gold Coast on Sunday

Jessica's movie, The Mark, is an action-spy thriller, helmed by British director Justin Chadwick.

The actress stars as a spy called Eden who uses a case of mistaken identity to expose a corrupt political network.

It comes after Jessica and her new boyfriend Danny Ramirez put on a loved-up display in New York City earlier this month.

The actress looked affectionate with younger Marvel star, 32, as they held hands on a date night.

The couple have been inseparable lately, following high-profile appearances at the US Open and New York Fashion Week.

Alba and Ramirez were showing off their PDA just days after her estranged husband Cash Warren, 46, confirmed his own new relationship.

The movie producer has launched an even more pronounced age-gap romance, as his girlfriend, 20-year-old actress Seanna Pereira, is 26 years his junior.

Alba and her ex Warren's latest outings with their new partners come in the wake of a new report claiming that the two are at peace with each other's age-gap romances.

Alba was oddly carrying a silver bowl full of purple grapes

She appeared freshly-showered as she stepped out with her brunette locks looking wet

Jessica covered up her tresses in a beige cap

She shielded her famous face behind sunglasses

The star appeared to have on minimal makeup but for some pink lipstick

Jessica wore a sheer, crochet overshirt with a fitted, white top underneath, which showed off some hints of skin

She completed the look with a loose, black jacket with an army print on the arms for added interest, while also wearing blue jeans

Jessica's movie, The Mark, is an action-spy thriller, helmed by British director Justin Chadwick

The actress stars as a spy called Eden who uses a case of mistaken identity to expose a corrupt political network

'The age difference [with their younger partners] is not a big deal,' a source dished to Us Weekly. 'They think its common in Hollywood, so theres no issue. They are cool with each other dating.'

The person close to the situation added: 'Theyre happy for each other. Theres no negativity or bad feelings.

'Theyre still good friends and just want each other to be happy. And they arent judging each other.'

Alba and Warren are parents to daughters Honor, 17; Haven, 14; and son Hayes, seven.

But even if they're OK with their new partners, neither Alba nor Warren are ready to introduce their new flames to their brood.

The source explained: 'They are incredibly protective of their kids privacy and well-being, so introducing new partners would be taken very slowly and only once a relationship is stable and serious.'

For now, the entrepreneurs' priority is maintaining a 'stable and peaceful environment for their kids'.

The Honey actress announced her split from her husband of nearly 17 years in January.
Red carpets are usually a cause for celebration, but Sean Penn appeared to miss the memo ahead of his latest in France on Saturday evening.

The Hollywood star looked like he would rather be anywhere else while attending the 17th Film Festival Lumiere opening ceremony in Lyon.

Even the presence of his glamorous younger girlfriend Valeria Nicov couldn't raise a smile as they walked the red carpet hand-in-hand.

Penn was making a rare public appearance with the Moldovan actress, 30, who looked stunning in a midnight blue gown with a plunging neckline.

For his part, the actor looked appropriately smart in a coordinated black two-piece suit and matching T-shirt as the couple took to their seats at the annual event.

Nicov grew up in Moldovan capital Chisinau before moving to France, where she is currently based, and has previously starred in hit Netflix show Emily In Paris alongside Lily Collins.

Red carpets are usually a cause for celebration, but Sean Penn appeared to miss the memo ahead of his latest in France on Saturday evening

The Hollywood star looked like he would rather be anywhere else while attending the 17th Film Festival Lumiere opening ceremony with his girlfriend, Valeria Nicov (pictured)

Her relationship with the older Penn comes three years after his separation from third and latest wife Leila George, 32 - a marriage that lasted for just 15 months.

He went public with Valeria just months after sharing that he was 'thrilled every day' to be single and wanted only the sort of romance that would allow him to be 'free' within it.

'I'm just free,' he told the New York Times. 'If I'm going to be in a relationship, I'm still going to be free, or I'm not going to be in it, and I'm not going to be hurting.'

In a profile with the paper's longtime columnist Maureen Dowd, Penn predicted: 'I don't sense I'll have my heart broken by romance again.'

The actor's first marriage to pop legend Madonna lasted for three years before they divorced in 1989, and although they had an infamously tempestuous romance, the former couple have become friends since their split.

He was later married to Forrest Gump star Robin Wright, with whom he shares daughter Dylan - who at 33 is older than Valeria - and his son Hopper, 30 and the same age as his current girlfriend.

Penn exchanged vows with his second wife in 1996, and the couple had multiple splits and reconciliations before their 20-year romance finally fell apart for good in 2010.

They have also managed to be friendly co-parents, though Penn has confessed it took 'quite a while' and 'a lot of drama' for them to reach an amicable equation.

Penn was making a rare public appearance with the Moldovan actress, who looked stunning in a midnight blue gown with a plunging neckline

For his part, the actor looked appropriately smart in a coordinated black two-piece suit and matching T-shirt as the couple took to their seats at the annual event

Shortly before his latest divorce was finalised, the actor told Hollywood Authentic that he was still 'so in love' with estranged wife Leila, the daughter of Vincent D'Onofrio and Greta Scacchi.

He admitted to having 'f***ed up the marriage,' saying: 'We were married technically for one year, but for five years, I was a very neglectful guy.'

'I was not a f***ing cheat or any of that obvious s***, but I allowed myself to think that my place in so many other things was so important,' he said.

'And that included my place in being totally depressed and driven to alcohol and Ambien at 11 oclock in the morning, by watching the news, by watching the Trump era, by watching it and just despairing.'

He noted that 'beautiful, incredibly kind, imaginative, talented young women who get married to a man quite senior to them in years, they dont actually love it when they get up from their peaceful nights sleep and their new husband is on the couch, having been up since four, watching all of the cr*p thats going on in the world and has decided that 10:30 in the morning is a good time to neck a double vodka tonic and an Ambien and say: "Good morning, honey. Im going to pass out for a few hours and get away from all this s***."'
Her marriage to one of Britain's best known boxers has turned her into a household name, but Paris Fury insists she's happy to embrace her role as a conventional homemaker.

Now a successful TV personality in her own right, Paris, 35, raises seven children with former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury at their sprawling family home in Morecambe.

And she remains committed to living a normal life in the Lancashire seaside town despite her husband's career making him one of the wealthiest boxers in the history of the sport, with a fortune estimated between 160 million and 195 million.

'We're happy here,' she told The Mirror. 'The kids go to a tiny, normal school. People know who we are, but we're not a fascination.

'In other places, it's autographs and paparazzi. Here, we're just Tyson and Paris.'

Away from home Paris has her own business interests, among them a popular Netflix show, various brand collaborations and two published books, but she insists family always comes first.

Her marriage to one of Britain's best known boxers has turned her into a household name, but mother-of-seven Paris Fury insists she's happy to embrace her role as a homemaker

She remains committed to living a normal life in their hometown of Morecambe, despite her husband's career making him one of the wealthiest boxers in the history of the sport

'The work I do has to fit around my home life, because my home comes first,' she said. 'Im in a very privileged position to say I do things because I want to and because I really believe in them, not for payment.

'Ive always wanted a big family and believe if you have one, you should raise them if you can.'

Despite their vast wealth, Paris insists she does the housework herself instead of relying on a team of cleaners - a task that helps her stay in shape.

She said: 'My fitness watch says I rack up 10 or 12 miles a day just in the house -making beds, washing, cleaning, cooking for 10 people. I am very house-proud.'

Paris and Tyson married in 2008 when she was just 19 and he was 21-years-old during a ceremony in Doncaster. They later renewed their vows five years later in New York City.

In August the couple married for the third time, with a ceremony held in the South of France, attended by their seven children.

They are now preparing for another wedding - that of their 16-year old daughter Venezuela to her boyfriend, Noah Price.

She told The Mirror: 'We're all really happy for her and Noah, theyre a great match and genuinely excited about this next chapter in her life.

Despite their vast wealth, Paris insists she does the housework herself instead of relying on a team of cleaners - a task that helps her stay in shape

Paris and Tyson's 16-year old daughter Venezuela is now preparing to marry her boyfriend, Noah Price, following his surprise proposal in September

'Yes, shes young, but as we all know, thats in line with our traditions and values.

'I was engaged to Tyson at 17, so were not far off in age.'

Speaking about her third wedding this summer, Paris said it was an opportunity for she and Tyson to 'reaffirm' their love for one another.

'I told Tyson I wasn't doing it for anyone else this time.

'We did it to reaffirm our love and to embrace the fact that our kids are now such a big part of our life. It was just for us.'

The couple are also parents to Prince John, 13, Prince Tyson II, nine, Valencia, seven, Prince Adonis, six, Athena, four, and Prince Rico, two.
Diane Keaton's close friend Carole Bayer Sager is opening up about her final moments with the actress, who died on Saturday at age 79.

The Grammy-winning songwriter, who penned Keaton's 2024 holiday song First Christmas, told People, 'I saw her two or three weeks ago, and she was very thin. She had lost so much weight.'

Sager also shared that she'd seen Keaton less this year because the silver screen star spent months in Palm Springs following LA's January wildfires.

She explained, 'She had to go to Palm Springs because her house had been damaged inside, and they had to clean everything.

'She was down there for a while, and when she came back, I was kind of stunned by how much weight she'd lost.'

And the musician remembered of her late friend as 'a magic light for everyone.'

Diane Keaton's close friend Carole Bayer Sager is opening up about her final moments with the actress, who died on Saturday at age 79; pictured in August 2024

The Grammy-winning songwriter told People, 'I saw her two or three weeks ago, and she was very thin. She had lost so much weight'; pictured in September 2023

She gushed, 'I just loved her. She was so special, she just lit up a room with her energy.

'She was happy and upbeat and taking photographs of everything she saw. She was completely creative; she never stopped creating.'

Sager paid tribute to Keaton on Saturday on Instagram following the news of her death.

Posting a smiling portrait of the A-list actress, she wrote, 'My forever friend. i will miss you so much. Be at peace now. i love you with all my heart.'

She also shared footage from their recording session last December, with the caption, 'First Chrstmas. The song @jonasmyrin and I wrote for @diane_keaton. Whoever dreams, the lyric could apply to you.. x.'

Sager told People, 'She so loved recording this song. She was almost childlike about it.'

And she remembered, 'She was so authentic when she sang it, I mean, she just sang it like she was singing it, and she was sort of acting it, you know, because she is a great actress.

'And then she'd start to cry when she was singing it. But she did such a beautiful job.'

Sager penned Keaton's 2024 holiday song First Christmas; pictured during the recording session

Sager paid tribute to Keaton on Saturday on Instagram following the news of her death

Keaton's longtime friend, pictured in 2019, gushed, 'I just loved her. She was so special, she just lit up a room with her energy'

Sager additionally praised Keatons one-of-a-kind style.

'She went to the movies always dressed like she was about to shoot another scene for Annie Hall,' her longtime friend said.

'She'd wear her hats and her jackets and her baggy pants, and her belts,' the songwriter added. 'She was a fashion icon of her own making.'

A family spokesperson confirmed to People that the Academy Award-winning actress passed away in California on Saturday.

Her loved ones have requested privacy as they mourn her loss.

Keaton never married but adopted two children, 29-year-old daughter Dexter and 25-year-old son Duke.
The tragic death of Diane Keaton has left superstar Al Pacino dwelling on his biggest regret  that he didnt marry her when he could have.

Keaton, who died at the age of 79 on Saturday, was the one great love of Pacinos life after dating her on and off again from 1971 to 1987.

But the 85-year-old Serpico star never got down on one knee to ask Keaton for her hand in marriage.

And finally, after so many years of togetherness, she gave Pacino an ultimatum: marry me or else.

But the Godfather actor headed for the nearest exit.

Diane Keaton's sudden death has left her former co-star Al Pacino dwelling on his biggest regret: that he didnt marry her when he could have (Pictured: The Hollywood stars in The Godfather)

Keaton (pictured May 2019) died on Saturday. Her cause of death has not yet been announced

Looking back, Al admits the love of his life was Diane who hes always called, "an amazing woman",' a friend of the actor told the Daily Mail.

'I know he will forever regret he didnt make his move when he had the chance.

For years after he and Diane split, Al used to say, "if its meant to be, its never too late for a do-over". But sadly, now it is.

The source said while Pacino romanced a bevy of beauties, his kids have always been the most important thing in his life.

Al adores all his kids, the source said. And although he preferred living in New York, he also purchased a home in Los Angeles just so he could spend more time on the West Coast with his children who lived there.

Though he and Diane both lived in Beverly Hills, only a few miles from each other for years, they never spoke, the insider revealed.

I once asked him why, and he told me, There's no need to talk with each other. We said everything that needed to be said at the time.

Pacino and Keaton met on the set of the hit film The Godfather where he played Michael Corleone and she was his second wife, Kay.

Now the world will see if he will attend her funeral or memorial service.

No cause of death has been announced but Keaton, who was regularly seen out and about in LA, disappeared from the site a few months ago.

One neighbor told the Daily Mail he would regularly see her walking her dog Emma.

Pacino and Keaton met on the set of The Godfather where he played Michael Corleone and she was his second wife, Kay

But I hadnt seen her in months, the neighbor said. Now I wonder if she may have been ill for a while.

The Annie Hall Oscar-winner was always open about her battle with skin cancer when she was much younger.

Her signature look of hats, turtlenecks and gloves was more for sun protection than a quirky style of fashion.

Like Pacino, Keaton never married, but she often admitted privately that she would have tied the knot with him if he had asked.

The late actress also used to say marriage was never something high on her bucket list.

Dianes parents were together, but her father was always away on business, said another source.

So, he might as well not have been there at all. She loved her mother, who managed the home and raised her four children on her own, and Diane admired her strength and independence.

Keaton, whose movies included First Wives Club, Reds, Looking for Mr. Goodbar and a whole slew of collaborations with Woody Allen, also dated actor Warren Beatty.

The stars had an on and off again relationship for nearly two decades, but when Keaton gave Pacino (pictured September 2025) an ultimatum to marry her or walk away, he headed for the nearest exit

She crushed on him for years but their relationship was short-lived.

She also shared a close relationship with Allen for two decades, but it wasnt the same kind of relationship she shared with Pacino.

Still, Allen was said to be extremely distraught over her death.

There was something about Al that reminded her of a lost orphan in need of love, shared the source. And she felt sure he would never try and take her independence, because he needed her to be strong.'

Ironically Keaton had her own regrets.

Al was charming, hilarious and a non-stop talker, she said recently. And oh, he was gorgeous! I was mad for him, and I worked hard on that one, but I guess I went about it in a not so perfect way.

Diane could definitely have seen herself marrying Al, and them having kids together, added her friend.

But after years of on and off romance, she felt the time to marry was now or never. And she eventually told him: Marry me or else!"

'To her surprise, he walked away, insisting no woman was going to push him into doing something he wasnt ready to do. And true to his word, he moved on.

Keaton is seen in her final Instagram photo smiling as she cuddled up with her dog

Like Keaton, Pacino has had several serious relationships. He has a 36-year-old daughter, Julie, with one time partner Jan Tarrant, and 24-year-old twins Anton and Olivia with actress Beverly DAngelo.

Two years ago, he had a son with then-girlfriend Noor Alfallah.

Keaton was childless for years until she entered her 50s and adopted her 27-year-old daughter Dexter, and her 22-year-old son Duke, who now survive her.

According to the source, Pacino has never been a person who does what others tell him.

Al has never been one to be pinned against the wall on anything, they told the Daily Mail.

He has always marched to his own drummer, and no one tells him what to do. His parents divorced when he was two, and growing up without a father in the house was difficult.

'And while he went on to have four kids with three different women, he never walked any of them down the aisle.
Kylie Jenner is facing backlash for her use of cops in her latest Kylie Cosmetics promo.

The 28-year-old makeup mogul has been rolling out content in anticipation of her newest products, a nod to her 'King Kylie' era ten years ago.

On Saturday she uploaded a teaser showing her being escorted by two men, dressed as police officers, down the hall of a jail-like facility while handcuffed.

Now she's being labeled 'out of touch' for casually incorporating police amid the country's ICE raids.

One person wrote on Reddit, 'The countrys boiling over, citizens being dragged off by rogue badge hungry rent-a-cops, and Kylie Jenner drops a handcuffed hot-pants photoshoot to promote COSMETICS. This isnt satire; its American rot.'

Another agreed within the thread, 'She is out of touch.'

Kylie Jenner is facing backlash for her use of cops in her latest Kylie Cosmetics promo

Someone else mentioned her sister Kendall Jenner's controversial 2017 Pepsi ad, in which the model quelled a police confrontation by presenting a can of soda.

'Is she actually trying to recreate the same controversy Kendall went through with the tone-deaf Pespi ad???' the person asked.

The reality television personality's 'King Kylie' era refers to her late teenage and early 20s years, during which she was known for her flamboyant style.

During that time the TV star-turned-entrepreneur teamed her vibrant-hued wigs with dramatically thick eyebrows, smokey eye makeup and plump lips.

There was also a Redditor who pointed out, 'To add to this, does anyone else find it odd that there have been "No Kings" protests around the country, and she drops a shoot called "King Kylie" with the associated imagery mentioned by OP?'

No Kings protests took place earlier this year in objection to an authoritarian government, which many people believe President Donald Trump aims to implement.

On X one person begged, 'King Kylie, read the room!'

The user, @yasyasenia, also asked, 'Can you use your platform for ONCE to bring awareness to the world you EXPLOIT?'

It was added, 'There are No Kings rallies going on across the world and you choose to post this bullshit. I hate this world and the billionaires in it!!'

The 28-year-old makeup mogul has been rolling out content in anticipation of her newest products, a nod to her 'King Kylie' era ten years ago

On Saturday she uploaded a teaser showing her being escorted by two men, dressed as police officers, down the hall of a jail-like facility while handcuffed. One person wrote on Reddit , 'The countrys boiling over, citizens being dragged off by rogue badge hungry rent-a-cops, and Kylie Jenner drops a handcuffed hot-pants photoshoot to promote COSMETICS'

Someone else mentioned her sister Kendall Jenner's controversial 2017 Pepsi ad, in which the model quelled a police confrontation by presenting a can of soda

On X one person begged, 'King Kylie, read the room!'

Someone else wrote on X that Kylie's new promotional material is a 'weird flex when ICE are kidnapping people'

And another critic added, 'King Kylie? stfu. also why are you using the carceral system as material for promo and branding?'

Someone else wrote on X that Kylie's new promotional material is a 'weird flex when ICE are kidnapping people. Poor taste as usual.'

And another critic added, 'King Kylie? stfu. also why are you using the carceral system as material for promo and branding? this white supremacist needs to go away already.'

To build anticipation for the forthcoming cosmetics drop, Kylie uploaded a brief video in which she wore a tiny black bra, matching micro-shorts and sheer black tights.

The original King Kylie moment came shortly after the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star launched her Kylie Lip Kits in November 2015.

It kicked off the business that would anchor her now-billion-dollar empire.

On Friday Kylie shared a July 2022 tweet in which she asked her millions of followers, 'If I just so happen to do a King Kylie collection, what products would you guys like to see?'

She plastered the note and its subsequent replies over throwback photos of herself from the era.

One person suggested she 'restock Kylie Shop with some newbies.'

The original King Kylie moment came shortly after the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star launched her Kylie Lip Kits in November 2015

To mark the new Kylie Cosmetics products, the mother-of-two also shared a 2016 promotional YouTube video over the weekend. On Sunday she revealed she's made a 'part two'

The star said she 'saved this whole fit' to recreate the moment

To mark the new Kylie Cosmetics products, the mother-of-two also shared a 2016 promotional YouTube video over the weekend.

The clip showed her driving a silver Rolls Royce convertible while rocking a Louis Vuitton head scarf, long blonde wig, and low-rise pants.

The three-minute ad, directed by Colin Tilley, was in promotion of her glosses and has been viewed more than 16million times.

On Sunday she revealed she's made a 'part two,' as she announced on social media, 'GLOSSES PART 2: KING KYLIE RETURNS! on snapchat now for the first 24 hours! (obviously). it only felt right to launch my king kylie collection with a part 2 to my video with @colinseyes and @terror.jr from 10 YEARS AGO!'

Kylie added, 'omg omg!!!! and thank you @marateigen and @karinjinsui or joining me again xx and my mommy of course @krisjenner KING KYLIE COLLECTION COMING 10.18.'
Camille Lamb of Below Deck fame has been arrested for driving under the influence.

The television personality was taken into custody around 3am in Mississippi. according to TMZ.

She was released from jail 12 hours later after posting a $1,000 bond.

It's unknown what events led up to the arrest.

Camille appeared on the Bravo TV series during season 10 between 2022 and 2023.

In a January 2023 episode she was fired from the crew by Captain Sandy Yawn after she drank on the job and spent the night partying ahead of an important day.

Camille Lamb of Below Deck fame has been arrested for driving under the influence

Camille appeared on the Bravo TV series during season 10 between 2022 and 2023

Before her stint on reality TV, Camille was a 2021 contestant on American Idol.

She later put out country-driven singles Bad Girl and Cool Like Me.

Additionally, the Mississippi native posts exclusive content on the subscription-based site OnlyFans.

Per Bravo's website, she comes from a family of merchant mariners and has been sailing since she was 9-years-old.

Her 2023 Below Deck ousting followed a blow-out fight she had with another stew, Alissa Humber.

'I don't know how many more chances I can give,' vented a frustrated Chief Stew Fraser Olender in a confessional interview after he was forced to call out Camille's behavior.

Despite calling out Camille, Fraser admitted he still had a soft spot for her.

'I have hope in people, and no one believed in me, ever, and I turned things around for myself. So I feel like I can see a little bit of that in everyone. So I always will give another chance,' he explained.

Camille comes from a family of merchant mariners and has been sailing since she was 9-years-old

Before her stint on reality TV, Camille was a 2021 contestant on American Idol

But Camille showed disregard toward her coworkers when she relaxed with a drink as everyone else readied the ship one day before a new charter.

'You don't drink on the job, Camille,' Fraser said as he confronted her. 'Come on, babe, it's not a holiday. Ridiculous.'

'I love the girl, but she's not doing the job,' said an exasperated Fraser.

When he spoke to Captain Sandy about Camille's behavior, she agreed that the stew was becoming a distraction for the St. David.

'I'm tired of hearing about Camille,' the captain complained. 'She's the common denominator in all of this. Great girl, great personality, but at the same time, we have to do what's best for the boat.'
Elle Fanning put on a dazzling display as she led the arrivals at the Sentimental Value premiere during BFI London Film Festival on Sunday night.

The American actress, 27, pulled out all the stops to celebrate the release of the Norwegian-language film, titled Affeksjonsverdi in its original dialect.

Elle, who takes on a leading role in the movie, oozed elegance in a black sequinned gown which she wore over the top of a pair of black trousers.

She added to her frame in a pair of open toe heels and let her striking outfit do all the talking as she kept her accessories minimal, wearing a pretty watch on her left wrist.

The A Complete Unknown star styled her golden tresses into a high sleek bun, allowing wisps to fall down and frame her face.

Her eyes were highlighted with thick liner and she sported a subtle peach on her pout.

Elle Fanning, 27, put on a dazzling display as she led the arrivals at the Sentimental Value premiere during BFI London Film Festival on Sunday

The American actress oozed elegance in a black sequinned gown which she wore over the top of a pair of black trousers

Star of the film Stellan Skarsgard joined Elle on the red carpet and the pair were pictured having a whale of a time.

Elle beamed as she posed with the Swedish actor best known for his performances in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

In the snaps, the pair look very comfortable together standing in a dancing pose and gripping hands.

As they laughed and joked, Elle's hand on Stellan's shoulder and his on her back, they side stepped and twirled around much to the joy of the paparazzi.

Stellan, 74, looked dapper for the event, dressed in a loose fitting shirt and trousers, paired with a black roll neck jumper.

Affeksjonsverdi/Sentimental Value follows sisters Nora (played by Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (played by Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) as they reunite with their estranged and charismatic father Gustav (Stellan Skarsgard).

A film director, he offers stage actress Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film, but she turns it down and he instead offers it to a Hollywood star, played by Elle.

The American actress is dropped in the middle of their complicated family dynamics as the sisters try to navigate their newly rekindled relationship with their father.

Star of the Norwegian-language film Stellan Skarsgard joined Elle on the red carpet and the pair were pictured having a whale of a time

Elle beamed as she posed with the Swedish actor best known for his performances in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise

In the snaps, the pair look very comfortable together laughing and joking as they stood in a dancing pose and gripping hands

Stellan, 74, looked dapper for the event, dressed in a loose fitting shirt and trousers, paired with a black roll neck jumper, whilst Elle stunned in her shimmering attire

Elle is currently dating Gus Wenner, 34, with the pair making their red carpet debut at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards

Gus was recently named the Executive Chairman of Rolling Stone and the couple often share pictures of their adventures together on Instagram

This year the London Film Festival is running from 8 to 19 October with a series of events.

Elle is currently dating Gus Wenner, 34, with the pair making their red carpet debut at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards.

The couple have been together since November 2023 and often share pictures of their adventures together on Instagram.

Gus was recently named the Executive Chairman of Rolling Stone, after serving as CEO of the magazine co-founded by his father Jann Wenner, 79.

He shared a photo with his dad on Instagram upon his promotion.

'It has been an unbelievable journey leading Rolling Stone,' his caption began.

'At the top of the list, working with and learning from my dad, whose vision changed journalism forever.

'There have been so many brilliant contributors and collaborators who have helped transform Rolling Stone from a magazine into a multimedia powerhouse, all while keeping its mission in tact.

'I am grateful to every single one of them. I look forward to continuing to help guide the ship as Executive Chairman, while embarking on my next chapter. The future is bright,' he concluded.

Elle previously dated Max Minghella from 2018 to early 2023 after meeting on the set of School Spirit.

The actress confirmed the split in an interview with Harpers Bazaar in April 2023.

However, the breakup didn't change her mindset on love.

'Im a hopeless romantic. I believe in love at first sight. Call me crazy, but I believe in those things. I feel that its my destiny,' she said.
Diane Keaton's final moments have been revealed in a 911 call as friends say she was 'very thin' in the days leading to her shock passing at 79.

Further evidence of the sudden nature of Keaton's death emerged Sunday with the release of the 911 call that was made to emergency responders.

The recording, obtained Sunday by TMZ, reveals a dispatcher calling for the LA Fire Department to respond to reports of a 'person down' at Keaton's home address shortly after 8 a.m. on Saturday.

The Oscar-winning actress was transported to a nearby hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

She had been with loved ones when she passed, a relative told the Associated Press, and the family requested privacy. No further details have been released.

But close friends of the Annie Hall, Father of the Bride and The First Wives Club star recall how she had become increasingly reclusive in the past year with one longtime friend, the songwriter Carole Bayer Sager, remarking how shockingly thin Keaton had become before her shock death.

Emergency responders rushed to Diane Keaton's home Saturday morning following a 911 call for a 'person down' at the residence, accrrding to a dispatch recording obtained by TMZ Sunday

'I saw her two or three weeks ago, and she was very thin,' Sager, 81, recalled. 'She had lost so much weight.

Sager explained that Keaton had been affected by the wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles in January.

'She had to go to Palm Springs because her house has been damaged inside and they had to clean everything.'

'She was down there for a while, and when she came back, I was kind of stunned by how much weight she'd lost,' the Grammy and Oscar award-winning lyricist shared.

Sager described her late friend as 'a magic light for everyone.'

'I just loved her,' she said. 'She was so special, she just lit up a room with her energy.'

Another of Keaton's confidantes told People that the actress' health fell off a cliff in recent months, something 'which was heartbreaking for everyone who loved her.'

The insider added: 'She declined very suddenly. It was so unexpected, especially for someone with such strength and spirit.'

'In her final months, she was surrounded only by her closest family, who chose to keep things very private. Even longtime friends weren't fully aware of what was happening.'

Keaton pictured at the TCL Chinese Theatre on August 11, 2022 in Hollywood, California

Another revelation coming out in the wake of Keaton's passing is that her former boyfriend and costar Al Pacino had harbored a lifelong regret of not marrying Keaton when he had the opportunity.

Looking back, Al admits the love of his life was Diane who hes always called, "an amazing woman,"' a confidante of the Oscar-winning actor told Daily Mail Saturday.

The friend added of Pacino, 85, 'I know he will forever regret he didnt make his move when he had the chance' during the former duo's time together from 1971 to 1987.

'For years after he and Diane split, Al used to say, "if its meant to be, its never too late for a do-over". But sadly, now it is.'

Keaton's death was followed by emotional statements from Hollywood stalwarts such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Bette Midler, Francis Ford Coppola and a host of others.

DiCaprio called the Oscar-winning star 'brilliant, funny and unapologetically herself,' adding that 'she will be deeply missed.'

Middler said of Keaton, 'She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star. What you saw was who she wasoh, la, lala!'

The Godfather director Coppola said in an Instagram post, 'Words cant express the wonder and talent of Diane Keaton,' adding, 'Endlessly intelligent, so beautiful...Everything about Diane was creativity personified.'

Keaton had spent some time this year picking up the pieces from the wildfires that ravaged Southern California in January. Pictured 2019 in Las Vegas

Keaton's weight loss was noticeable by the end of the the emotional process, her friend said. Pictured 2023 in NYC

The actress leaves behind an amazing legacy in Hollywood, with some of her performances in the 1970's hailed as the decade's best, including the titular role in the 1977 comedy Annie Hall

The actress leaves behind an amazing legacy in Hollywood, with some of her performances in the 1970's hailed as the decade's best.

They included the titular role in the 1977 comedy Annie Hall, which was written and directed by Woody Allen, who she collaborated with on a number of memorable projects.

Keaton in 1978 would claim the Best Actress in a Leading Role award for her work in Annie Hall, her first of four lifetime nominations.

She would also receive nods for her work in movies such as 1981's Reds, 1996's Marvins Room and 2003's Somethings Gotta Give.

Other notable movies Keaton performed in throughout her decades-long career included 1987's Baby Boom; 1996's The First Wives Club; and the Father of the Bride films in 1991 and 1995.
Bella Hadid shared a deeply personal reflection on her ongoing battle with anxiety and depression with her 61 million Instagram followers on Sunday.

Just days after ringing in her 29th birthday, the supermodel shared a message of empathy and solidarity to fans experiencing similar struggles.

In an attempt to remind her fans to slow down and focus on the present moment, she posted a moving poem, which read: 'When the load feels too heavy, and the future is looking dark, it's okay to take a moment, if you feel you've lost your spark.'

The Kin Euphorics co-founder proceeded to open up about carrying the 'weight of anxiety and depression' for many years and how it has felt 'all-consuming, paralyzing, and invisible to the outside world.'

'It can leave you in tears before starting your day, wondering why your mind feels so heavy when life around you seems so bright,' she wrote in the caption.

Hadid said she has grappled with shame surrounding her mental health, but has learned to view her sensitivity and empathy as strengths rather than weaknesses.

Bella Hadid shared a deeply personal reflection on her ongoing battle with anxiety and depression with her 61 million Instagram followers on Sunday

'It's not a weakness  it's a part of me,' she shared. 'My sensitivity, my awareness, my empathy it's what makes us human. These parts of me have helped me understand myself and others more deeply.'

The model went on to send words of love and support to anyone who struggles daily with mental health, assuring followers, 'You are not alone. And I love you so much.'

Hadid also reflected on her work with UNICEF, saying her experiences meeting children and families who have endured trauma and displacement have deepened her understanding of resilience.

'Beneath those smiles, they hold the same invisible battles with anxiety, PTSD, and fear, but without access to the care and safety we so often take for granted,' she said.

The Vogue cover girl also emphasized that access to mental health care is a 'right, not a luxury' and reminded her followers that they are 'loved, needed, and worthy.'

She closed her message with a compassionate reminder: 'Please don't feel afraid to ask for help. I've been there and I started to understand the workings of my mind by speaking to others.'

Her post comes just weeks after sharing an update on her 13 year battle with Lyme Disease.

In September, the model sparked concern when she was seen getting an IV in her arm as she was breathing through an oxygen tube while in an overseas hospital in a series of alarming images.

Just days after ringing in her 29th birthday, the supermodel shared a message of empathy and solidarity to fans experiencing similar struggles

'It can leave you in tears before starting your day, wondering why your mind feels so heavy when life around you seems so bright,' she wrote in the caption of her mental health struggles

In another photo she appeared to be crying and then she was seen with a bag of ice on her forehead.

'Im sorry I always go MIA I love you guys,' Hadid captioned a collection of photos while getting treatment.

Bella's mother - 61-year-old RHOBH alum Yolanda - also posted an Instagram tribute to her 'bada** warrior' daughter.

'I admire your bravery and your willingness to keep fighting for health despite the failing protocols and countless setbacks you have faced,' Yolanda wrote.

'There simply aren't words big enough for the darkness, the pain, and the unknown hell you've lived through since your diagnosis. You didn't really live, you learned how to exist inside the jail of your own paralyzed brain.

'I am so proud of the fighter that you are. You are not alone, I promise to have your back every step of the way, no matter how long this takes.'

In September, the model sparked concern as she shared photos of herself connected to an Oxygen tank and IV drip in bed

The mother-of-three continued: 'You have fought through another month of treatment and I know god is good, miracles do happen everyday. I pray for your speedy recovery my love.

'This disease has brought us to our knees, but we always get back up. We will continue to fight for better days, together. You are a survivor I love you so much.'

Like Bella and her younger brother Anwar Hadid, the Dutch-born grandmother contracted tickborne illness in 2012 but stopped sharing her personal story because she wanted to stop 'absorbing other people's opinions about my journey.'

Yolanda is 'still determined to find a cure affordable for all' eight years after writing about seeing '106 doctors' and undergoing a Stem Cell transplant, Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, Chelation therapy, colon hydrotherapy, among other treatments in her book Believe Me.
The metropolis in the state of Illinois, where Barack Obama was forged, is rebelling against the deployment of National Guard troops ordered by the White House

The grim Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center at the entrance to Broadview, a small, predominantly African American town about 15 miles southwest of Chicago, has its entrances blocked by concrete blocks and metal fences. Dozens of police vehicles surround it. This huge dark brick block, where detainees report deplorable conditions and where National Guard soldiers were deployed on Thursday, is the focus of protests in the metropolis against Donald Trumps policy of mass deportations. These protests have made it a symbol of resistance by Democratic cities against the presidents attempts to control them with troops.

Olegario Gomez, according to his wife, is one of the undocumented immigrants inside, detained on Thursday as he left his home during one of the mass raids that ICE has been carrying out in Chicago and its surroundings in the so-called Operation Midway Blitz since the US president gave the green light a month ago to the deployment of agents from that agency in the self-proclaimed sanctuary city. Gomez, according to his wife, who went to Broadview to see him on Friday, has a broken arm from the struggle, but has not received treatment.

Gomez and other detainees awaiting transfer to other centers complain of poor sanitary conditions, overcrowding, freezing temperatures, and minimal access to medical services. They have to sleep on the floor because they dont have beds, and they dont give them blankets for the cold. My husband is not a criminal, he is a worker who has been here for twelve years, who pays taxes and has never had any problems with the law, she said.

Since the start of Operation Midway Blitz, in which more than a thousand people have been detained, protests have been held every day in front of the Broadview center. ICE agents have cracked down on them with increasingly drastic methods, including the use of pepper spray and tear gas, even shooting a Protestant pastor in the head who was participating in demonstrations to denounce the agencys excesses. These excesses include the shooting death of an immigrant and a helicopter raid on a family housing building in the middle of the night.

Chicago is one of the Democratic cities, along with Portland, Washington, Memphis, and Los Angeles, against which Trump has ordered the deployment of the National Guard in a power struggle for control of its streets. The National Guard is a military reserve force, usually under state command, but which the president can mobilize in emergenciesa natural disaster, for examplewith the permission of the governor of the affected state. In the five citiesTrump threatens that there may be more in the future and has mentioned Baltimore, New Orleans, and St. Louishe falsely claims that the violence, whether generated by a wave of common crime or by protests against his immigration policy, is such that the deployment of this force is essential, even if the governors oppose it.

Federal agents arrest a man in Chicago Jim Vondruska (REUTERS)

Trump describes Chicago as a war zone, a lawless city in decline, consumed by problems. His animosity is personal: Cook County, where the city is located, voted 70% for Kamala Harris, his Democratic rival, in 2024. It was on its multicultural streets that his great political enemy, his predecessor Barack Obama, trained as a community organizer and then as a politician.

Time and again, Trump has lashed out against Chicago, claiming, going against available evidence, that Chicago has more crime that anywhere else in the world. After threatening to do so since August, he finally ordered the deployment of the National Guard there a week ago. Nearly 500 soldiers from this local force, along with those from Texas and California, were activated on Thursday.

But Chicago and its state, Illinois, have responded strongly. Their authorities, along with those of Portland and Oregon, have taken the deployments to court and obtained a temporary block on the mobilizations. On Thursday, as those soldiers began operating at the ICE center in Broadview, District Judge April Perry imposed a ban on the deployment for a minimum of fourteen days.

Senator Tammy Duckworth, who on Friday unsuccessfully attempted to gain access to the ICE facility in Broadview, denounced the Republican administration for trying to normalize the presence of troops on our streets, across this great nation. Theyre trying to normalize an extension of presidential power. That is not appropriate under the constitution, she insisted.

For Zuli, a 25-year-old telecommunications worker born in the United States but also of Mexican descent, Trumps order to deploy ICE agents first and then the National Guard is nothing more than pure racism. They stop us and question us simply for speaking Spanish, for the way we look, denounces this participant in the Broadview demonstrations vehemently. Donald Trump said they would detain and deport the worst of the worst, the criminals, the sexual predators, but the ones theyre taking away are workers, tamale and corn vendors, people with no criminal record, people like my friend, who came here as a child, without papers, but who has lived here her whole life, and now theyve taken her away.

In areas with large Hispanic populations, such as La Villita, a working-class neighborhood that was initially home to Polish and Ukrainian immigrants and where a large Mexican arch now welcomes visitors, that nervousness is palpable. Groups of citizens have organized to report the presence of ICE vehicles on social media and document the detentions. Restaurants promising fish like in Mexico City and businesses with signs in Spanish report a decline in customers worried about the possibility of being caught in a raid.

One of the fears in these areas is that, following the court setbacks against Trumps orders, ICE will intensify its raids. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Thursday that her department will purchase more buildings in and around Chicago to use for its operations. Were going to not back off. In fact, were doubling down, and were going to be in more parts of Chicago, she warned.
The sudden closure of one of the country's very first Whole Foods stores has rocked the upscale Bay Area town of Mill Valley.

Residents say Amazon has abandoned the beloved neighborhood staple that defined their community for more than three decades and are furious despite there being another store a mile away.

The California store first opened in 1992 and became a local institution where the town's 14,000 residents caught up in the aisles and kids grabbed snacks after school.

But after a rodent infestation and roof repairs forced a temporary shutdown over the summer, locals expected the market to reopen by fall. Instead, Amazon, which owns Whole Foods, pulled the plug, citing high repair costs.

Now the once-bustling market sits behind a chain-link fence, still bearing a 'temporarily closed' sign.

'All of us in the community have supported that store for years and years,' Jana Hildebrand, a Mill Valley resident of 30 years, told SF Gate.

'And now, when the community needs the support of a very powerful company with deep pockets, they are just walking away, saying it's too expensive to fix the building.'

Hildebrand said she bought her home in part because of its proximity to the store, a rare convenience in a town known for winding hillside roads.

The Whole Foods on Miller Avenue in Mill Valley, California, now sits fenced off after closing permanently in late September

Residents of the upscale town are mourning the loss of the store despite there being another Whole Foods just a mile away

Residents have launched a petition urging Amazon to reconsider the closure, calling the market an 'essential resource'

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'I bought my house 30 years ago in large part because of the walkability to the market,' she said.

'I rent out the cottage in the back of my house, and I tell people you can walk to this beautiful park, you can walk to Whole Foods. I have zero scientific information or study, but I believe this affects my property value.'

However a real estate expert told Daily Mail the closure is unlikely to have a major impact on home prices. The median house price in the town is just under $2 million according to Zillow.

'Walking distance to a neighborhood grocery store is nice to have but not a must-have for most buyers,' Scott Kalmbach, a realtor with Outpost Real Estate in Mill Valley, said.

'With another Whole Foods in Mill Valley, the inconvenience with the Miller store closing is minimal from the standpoint of deciding to purchase a home,' he added.

Kalmbach said that while proximity to stores like Whole Foods can influence desirability, in a luxury market like Mill Valley, the overall prestige of the area outweighs the loss of a single retailer.

'In a high-end luxury market like Mill Valley, so much of the home's value is baked into the Mill Valley locale that it's hard to say how much the one store influences the final sale price.'

A Change.org petition has also been launched by resident Liam Mather and attracted more than 2,000 signatures, calling the store an 'essential resource'.

The shuttered store, housed in a distinctive Quonset hut building, had served Mill Valley locals for more than 30 years before being deemed too costly to repair

Locals say the shutdown will increase congestion at the town's only remaining Whole Foods on East Blithedale Avenue

The petition argues that the Miller Avenue location served everyone from families to seniors and was far more walkable and less crowded than Mill Valley's other Whole Foods, located on East Blithedale Avenue.

'It's a drive away for pretty much everyone,' Hildebrand told SF Gate of the other store.

'That parking lot [at the E. Blithedale Whole Foods] will be so crammed, and that store will be so crammed with so many people. The entire neighborhood feeling that the original Whole Foods had does not translate to the bigger market.'

Not all residents, however, share the same level of frustration. Some said that while they preferred the smaller, more familiar Miller Avenue store, the closure wasn't a deal breaker.

'I'm not outraged about losing one of two Whole Foods,' Craig Miller, a Mill Valley resident, told Daily Mail. 'I did like the smaller, more familiar Whole Foods that is shut down, but it had the same 365 brand  the line of affordable everyday items  as the other larger location.'

Kalmbach added: 'Healthy food is very important to people who live in Marin and appreciate a healthy outdoor lifestyle.

'For some foodies where they shop can be extremely important, becoming almost a cult-like following, but fortunately there are other options out there for locals in Mill Valley seeking nutritious options for their families.'

A Whole Foods Market spokesperson told Daily Mail: We value our relationship with the Mill Valley community and look forward to continuing to serve our customers at our nearby Blithedale store.

The average price for a home in Mill Valley is $2 million according to Zillow

Whole Foods says all employees from the Miller Avenue location have been reassigned to nearby stores

'All team members have transferred to roles at one of our nearby Whole Foods Market locations. Our stores remain an important part of our growth strategy, and we currently have more than 100 new stores in the pipeline and continuously explore new sites.

The company confirmed that while the Miller Avenue location had initially closed temporarily in July for maintenance and repairs, further assessments revealed more extensive work was needed than originally anticipated.
Former Nepal speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara was arrested on Sunday for his alleged involvement in gold smuggling.

The 67-year-old vice chair of the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre was arrested by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) from his residence at Lalitpur Metropolitan City, according to a statement issued by Nepal Police.

The former speaker of the House of Representatives was arrested for his involvement in selling gold pieces amounting to Nepalese `85.52 million, which were stored at the Tribhuvan International Airport three years ago, police said. Mahara was found to be allegedly involved in assisting criminal gangs and some airport officials to sell the gold in the market at that time.
Religion and ethnicity are being used to divide societies around the world, Singapore Minister K Shanmugam has said, asserting that the religious harmony enjoyed by the city-states people should not be taken for granted, according to a media report on Saturday. Speaking at an event on Friday, Coordinating Minister for National Security Shanmugam said that Singaporeans are more exposed to happenings around the world, including religious tensions, through social media and the internet, The Straits Times newspaper reported. Around the world, religion and ethnicity are being used to divide societies  and multi-ethnicity Singapore is not immune to these pressures, he said. Still, Singapore has maintained a very precious peace which must be preserved for future generations, said Shanmugam, who is also serving as Minister for Home Affairs.
Retired Supreme Court judge Stephen Breyer carries around a worn copy of the Constitution in his pocket. Somebody might ask me a question. I dont know the answer, Ill look it up, he says. Never mind that he stepped down in 2022, 28 years after Bill Clinton appointed him as one of the nine magistrates of the Supreme Court. Once a judge, always a judge. And this Boston son, former collaborator of Senator Ted Kennedy, is clear on his continuing responsibilities: at 87 years of age, he is still a teacher, giving talks to young people on the importance of the juridical system as a pillar of democracy.

His office, with its wooden coffered ceiling in the imposing Supreme Court, provides its own course in U.S. history. Photographs from each year he served, alongside his judicial assistants; paintings on loan from national museums; antique books, inherited from a relative; and a fireplace that, regardless of the weather, is almost always lit. That being said, on the September Thursday of his interview with EL PAIS, along with a group of other European media, it is so hot that even he has given up on its cheerful blaze.

Before beginning the conversation, he specifies that he is unable to talk about pending Supreme Court cases, or expand on what is already known about past cases. Nor is he able to speak about politics.

Question. The Supreme Courts new term began on Monday and the justices have before them an enormous amount of cases that are fundamental to U.S. democracy. A huge responsibility, given the polarization of the country. How does a judge approach that?

Answer. Paul Freund, who was a great law professor, put it this way: He said no judge  no decent judge  will decide a case on the basis of the political temperature of the day. And of course, I say to the students, do you want a judge looking over his shoulder in a criminal case to see what the public thinks, whether hes guilty or not? Of course you dont. No judge decides a case according to the temperature of the moment. But every judge is aware of the climate of the year. That goes for the Supreme Court as well. You cant say that the judges arent aware of what is happening in the world. But they are judges.

Q. And the political temperature this year is characterized by a Republican president.

A. When you have a president of the same party that appointed a judge to the Supreme Court, youll find some similarities. In what purposes are important, in how things fit together, freedom of speech, perhaps, or due process of law, where it applies and how it applies. Of course you will find some, but that doesnt mean the judge is acting according to politics.

Q. This administration in particular is moving so quickly that the courts can barely keep up, even when it comes to fundamental decisions. Is that dangerous?

A. The difference between the court and Congress is time. Its what British Prime Minister Harold Wilson once said [in parliament]: A week is a long time [in politics]. And somebody said, No, a day is a long time. Nowadays, it is.

Q. Especially in this country, and right now.

A. But that is not the job of a judge. The job of a judge is to think. Read what people have done, find out what the framers or others have thought. Find out what some of these articles are. In the right to die case, we had 80 briefs of up to 50 pages of legal opinions. Briefs I read! In the affirmative action case, 100 were presented. In a year, you can receive between 4,000 and 5,000. The judge has to take their time to examine the different perspectives and decide.

Q. Then there is the confusion that is created when Supreme Court decisions are reversed, as in the case of abortion and Roe v. Wade after that decision was in effect for a half-century. How can a majority suddenly arrive at the conclusion that a decision was in error, after 50 years?

A. Youre talking about a case that I think was wrongly decided. I was one of the three judges who dissented and I wrote a 12-page opinion. But you cant say, never overturn a case. For example, the ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson [in 1896 in this case, the Supreme Court determined that racial segregation based on the principle of separate but equal was constitutional. In 1954, the court overturned that decision by deciding against school segregation in the case of Brown v. Board of Education.] Was Brown wrong? Of course it wasnt.

The U.S. Supreme Court. CONTACTO via Europa Press (CONTACTO via Europa Press)

Q. Does it come back to what you were saying, the political climate of the era?

A. Well that helps, but you cant point to it, exactly. You cant reverse decisions very often, because people rely on the law. You might overdo it, too. You might substitute your values. Im not saying they did, but you might.

Q. How does one know how to judge, the line between honestly examining the laws and being swayed by personal opinions?

A. Seeing that line is what makes a great judge. You have this document [holds up his wrinkled copy of the Constitution], you have what other people think, you have your experiences, in my case, 40 years of it. Does that make me right all the time? No, but it does mean I have been right. The word of compliment for a judge is not brilliant, its sound. Hes written sound opinions.

Q. Amid the tremendous current amount of polarization, the public is losing confidence in institutions, including in the Supreme Court itself. How can it respond?

A. Its a big problem. In his book The Pursuit of Happiness, the author Jeffrey Rosen wrote about philosophical texts the founding fathers read: Cicero, Seneca, Aristotle, some from the French Enlightenment, Scottish Enlightenment. And they came away, says Rosen, with the view that if you want to pursue happiness in your own life, you have to take the classical virtues; temperance, courage, wisdom; put them together; and try to tame your emotions. And they asked themselves, Can we create a country like that? And they thought, We can try to be run not by a king, but by a democracy. But passions will come and complicate the system of government.

Q. That happened 250 years ago. How can we put that in practice today?

A. The United States is a big country, with a complex system of government. These questions keep coming up. Every country is worried about this. How do we maintain democracy? How do we maintain our values? Lincoln said in his Gettysburg address, Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. That is to say, its an experiment. Now, we will see if that experiment will work.

Q. How can it be made to work?

A. I cant tell you that. What I tell the schoolkids I teach is to talk to people who disagree with you. Thats what Kennedy taught me.

Q. At the beginning of the Biden administration, there was a lot of debate about reforming the Supreme Court, expanding the number of justices or setting a term limit. What is your take on such changes?

A. You can play that game, but you have to keep in mind that each party could use it to its own benefit. Im not really looking into it that much. Term limits might be a good idea. It might take a constitutional amendment, which is hard to get. Ive said it has to be long-term, because you dont want somebody in the job worried about what their next job is, within 18, 20 years, something like that. It takes four, five years before you do your best. And there are few rewards, once you get past the fact that anybody you decide for will applaud you.

Q. What will be your legacy?

A. I hope to have contributed to decisions that have helped to create and maintain a better democracy.

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Mike Nesbitt has said he is not a lame duck leader after stating he will decide whether to stand in the next election by next year.

Mr Nesbitt, who also serves as Northern Irelands Health Minister, said he will need to leave time for a new party leader to come in ahead of the election, if he decides not to run again.

The next Northern Ireland Assembly elections are scheduled for May 2027, by which time Mr Nesbitt would be 70.

It is my intention to make that decision in January of 2026, and that timing is important because should I decide not to go again, that leaves time for a campaign for a leader to be elected at the next AGM, which will be March 2026, and that gives that next leader 14 months before the election, he told the BBCs Sunday Politics programme.

I assure you I am not a lame duck leader, and there is no talk within the party that Im aware of about whos going to be next.

He said if he decides to stand aside, he will want to stay on as health minister, saying it is a strain to do the two roles and he has successfully delegated party leadership duties to senior colleagues.

When it was put to him that no-one wants the leadership job, Mr Nesbitt said I dont think thats true.

When highlighted there had been a lack of interest in the role previously, he added: But I think this time, there is prospects of people  plural  stepping forward.

He also ruled out being leader of the UUP for the third time, stating: I am not going to live forever.

He said unionism would benefit from having two parties, a traditional and a progressive party, and he wants the Ulster Unionist Party to be the latter.

Mr Nesbitt was also asked about comments he made at the UUP party conference on Saturday in which he warned against unionists supporting right-wing parties and that English nationalism was a greater threat to Northern Irelands place in the UK over Irish nationalism.

Its based on my own anecdotal evidence of going over to Westminster and seeing people like Nigel Farage, Lee Anderson and Douglas Carswell, he said.

Carswell, when I was there one day, was attacking Scotland for its block grant, so there is this shift in attitude.

The days of Northern Ireland exceptionalism, based on the Troubles, are long gone. Treasury are taking a very, very hard line on Northern Ireland and our finances.

Its a long time since that kind of bond in terms of what Northern Irish people did and the two world wars, their contribution to protecting the United Kingdom, I dont see that being strong anymore.

Asked about a border poll, he added: I see no evidence that a border poll would result in constitutional change.

Asked about Heather Humphreys as a possible future Irish president, Mr Nesbitt said: I think of the two candidates, she is the lesser threat to the union because she is an Ulster woman of Presbyterian stock.

Asked if he was worried about Catherine Connolly presidency, he added: I wouldnt be particularly worried about it, but she reflects a style of politics and an ideology that I dont support.
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming Global Summit of Women, which will be held in Beijing, China, will pave the way for greater international cooperation and promote gender equality towards sustainability goals, according to Malaysia's Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Nancy Shukri.

Nancy told Xinhua in an exclusive written interview that advancing women's causes requires a global effort and expressed her hope that the summit, held to mark the 30th anniversary of the 1995 World Conference on Women, will promote international cooperation and expand development opportunities for women in various fields.

"We know that gender equality cannot be achieved in isolation. Through stronger international cooperation, we can share best practices, mobilize resources, and develop joint strategies to eliminate discrimination, end gender-based violence, and expand opportunities for women in all sectors," she said.

Nancy explained that Malaysia's approach to promoting gender equality is based on the core principles of "non-discrimination, inclusiveness, and empowerment", with the country's constitution guaranteeing equal treatment and prohibiting discrimination based on gender.

Building on this foundation, the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development has launched the National Policy on Women and the Women's Development Action Plan 2025-2030, focusing on four priority areas: women's economic participation, leadership, and safety and well-being.

Nancy also stressed that Malaysia has long been supportive of efforts to uplift women, particularly in economic empowerment, with specific attention to narrowing the gender gap in the economy, strengthening support systems for families and communities, and promoting inclusiveness in trade and innovation to benefit female entrepreneurs and women-led small and medium-sized enterprises.

Nancy commended China's efforts at promoting women's development and its positive role in promoting global gender equality, noting China's successful efforts at poverty eradication and entrepreneurial development as well as effective international cooperation.

"Malaysia and China share a longstanding partnership that extends into the field of women's development. Both countries are committed to advancing women's empowerment through the exchange of experiences, sharing of best practices, and cooperation in areas such as leadership training, entrepreneurship, education, and social protection," she added.

Nancy added that the two countries will continue to cooperate closely, moving forward with an eye on capacity building, women's participation in the digital economy, and women's STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education.

"Malaysia believes that by working closely with China, we can accelerate the advancement of women's leadership, security, and economic participation, and contribute more to the global gender equality agenda," she said. 
The West of Irelands bid to host EuroPride 2028 has been successful with Limerick and Clare selected to host the massive event.

QuareClare, Limerick Pride and The Outing Festival entered a joint 'West of Ireland bid and competed with Manchester Pride to host the celebration.

Ireland has never hosted EuroPride, Europes largest LGBTQIA+ celebration, while Manchester previously held the event in 2003.

Read next: 'Do not eat': Warning issued as popular ready-made meal is recalled amid allergy concerns

Bids were presented at the EPOA annual conference in Barcelona over the weekend, where more than 120 member organisations cast their votes.

The West of Ireland bid secured a decisive victory, earning an impressive 70% of the vote.

In a statement shared on EuroPrides Instagram page, organisers said: The event will give voice and visibility to smaller Prides and LGBTQIA+ communities across Ireland and Europe, ensuring that every community  rural or urban  is seen, heard, and represented.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by EPOA  EuroPride (@europride.info)

The announcement has been welcomed by Mayor of Limerick John Moran who said: "I welcome this landmark event as a recognition of our spirit, our inclusivity, and our commitment to equality. As host, we will welcome tens of thousands of visitors, activists, artists, and allies from across Europe and beyond to our streets, venues, and public spaces. Together we will celebrate diversity, promote visibility, and forge new connections among LGBTQ+ communities and supporters."

He continued: "It is saying to every kid and adult who may be asking the question to themselves, that they are welcoming in the inclusive Limerick and Clare that we are continuing to build."

View this post on Instagram A post shared by EuroPride West Of Ireland (@europride2028)

Read more: RIP: Teenager killed following single-car collision in County Cork
If the president were to go on trade missions it would elevate them to a whole new level, Heather Humphreys has said.

The Fine Gael presidential candidate has pledged to open doors for Irish businesses abroad and to promote investment into Ireland if she were to become president.

She also said she was asking her opponent Catherine Connolly to answer simple questions and was not being nasty.

Actually, the president going on a trade mission, it brings it to a whole new level, she told reporters at RTEs studios in Donnybrook.

Ive actually been on a state visit with President Michael D Higgins, and I see how important it is, and I can see the difference it makes.

Asked if she would raise human rights issues as a pro-business president, she said she spoke to a woman from Gaza who has lost her three sisters, nieces and nephews.

Those are the things that are just so awful and I will never be afraid to speak up, she said.

She said she was not involved in any smear tactics against Ms Connolly, after former Fine Gael minister Ivan Yates said the party should attempt to smear the bejaysus out of the left-wing independent candidate.

I dont take advice from Ivan Yates, and I dont even listen to his programme, Ms Humphreys said, referring to Mr Yates podcast, but I do believe that Catherine Connolly has questions to answer.

She said those questions include asking a woman with a Special Criminal Court conviction what she was going to do with the guns, about using a parliamentary allowance to fund a trip to Syria in 2018 and how it took her 24 hours to say that she would not employ someone who is on the sex offender register to the Aras.

Those are legitimate questions, absolutely legitimate questions. And Ive been asked questions, Ive answered them. Youre entitled to be asked these questions about your judgment, and Catherines entitled to be asked them.

Im not doing it in a nasty way. Theyre very plain, simple questions.

Asked has she read the Irish constitution, she said: I certainly have read the constitution, Bunreacht na hEireann. I have a copy of it, and I have read it. Ive definitely read it.
THE allocation for mental-health services in Budget 2026 was 1.6bn, a record amount and an increase for the sixth year in a row.

However, there needs to be a more comprehensive breakdown of the funds and greater clarity on how they will be spent, say Mental Health Reform, Irelands leading national coalition of organisations that campaign to transform mental-health and wellbeing supports.

As part of the funding increase, which Mental Health Reform did welcome, an additional 300 new staff will be hired in mental health services in 2026, which is 9% of the total growth in health service staffing next year.

There is a particular focus on improving support for people in mental health difficulties, both in hospitals and in the community, with an additional 15m being made available for crisis support and suicide prevention.

Also, Budget 2026 funding will address the high volume of mental-health presentations in emergency departments, which was 50,000 in 2024, according to the Mental Health Commission.

The HSE plans to establish specialist nursing teams in the emergency departments of all model-4 hospitals out of hours, which includes Cork University Hospital, and to also create a new crisis response pathway for children and young people, staffed by specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) doctors.

Ella Arensman, from the University College Cork (UCC) School of Public Health, and chief scientist at the National Suicide Research Foundation, welcomed the increase in mental health funding, which has risen by 50% since 2020.

Prof Ella Arensman from the UCC School of Public Health and chief scientist at the national suicide research foundation, welcomed the increase in mental health funding in Budget 2026.

I think is important, but it is very justified, Ms Arensman said. The positives for mental health are that for the sixth successive year there has been an increase, so that is really encouraging.

Lisa-Marie OMalley, policy and advocacy co-ordinator with Mental Health Reform, told The Echo she is hoping that a more detailed breakdown would be made publicly available as soon as possible.

What we have really called out is the need to get transparency around the actual figure and what the breakdown of the allocation is going to be, Ms OMalley said.

We understand they are still making calculations. But we really think they need to provide a comprehensive breakdown of that figure as soon as they possibly can.

We need to know what the allocation is and how it is being broken down, to make sure that policy commitments are being met.

Ms OMalley added: A lot of the things we had flagged in our pre-budget submission were around things like crisis care, things like early investment and the need to invest in youth mental health. They were all really positive things that we were happy to see.

But, on the other side of things, we had hoped there might be something towards multi-annual funding for the community and voluntary sector.

We havent seen anything on that front yet.

We think that is vitally important, because they are massively important services that those organisations provide.

Professor Patricia Leahy-Warren, from UCC, told The Echo that the investment in digital health, including the HSE health app, national share care record, and virtual wards, is welcomed.

Ms Leahy-Warren said: That will be a gamechanger, in terms of responsiveness to patient care, if we are going to be able to do virtual wards and virtual care.

Here in UCC, in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, we are now developing our digitalisation in terms of how students are going to be able to communicate and give care online, as well as face to face.

Digital health is going to be a big part of health services going forward, in the hope that we are going to have a national share care record as well.

That has been long-awaited and the European Union has legislated that we need to have that in place. So that needs to be pushed forward as well, in terms of the digital health card.

Brian Turner, co-director of the postgraduate diploma/MSc in health economics practice at UCC, added that the digitalisation of the health service in Ireland is crucially needed.

Dr Brian Turner of UCC said that the digitalisation of the health service in Ireland is crucially needed.

There has been talk for years about improving digital health and unique patient identifiers. We still havent rolled it out.

So, I get the impression that is what they are talking about with investment in digitalisation. I think that would be a positive development.

At the moment, if you go to a particular hospital, they need to get notes from another hospital. There is literally a physical file and not a unique patient identifier.

If everyone had a unique patient identifier, then it would be a lot easier to get the health records of a patient.

We do need to make progress on that. I do think it would be a welcome development, if they bring that a bit closer.

Dr John Sheehan, a GP who is also a Fianna Fail Cork city councillor, told The Echo that improving the digitalisation of the healthcare system in Ireland is going to be crucial going forward.

There is significant investment that is happening with that, particularly with the hospitals, to try to bring the electronic health record in, Dr Sheehan said.

Also, there is a big emphasis on co-ordination of care in the community and linking up all of that with hospitals.

So that if a patient is coming out of hospital and they might need some public-health nurse or physio, it is more co-ordinated.

We need one seamless system for patients.

I welcome the increased investment that is happening with the HSE in that regard.

In 2024, the Department Of Health launched a digital health framework for Ireland (2024-2030).

This framework sets out a roadmap to digitally transform health services in Ireland and also to improve access for patients.
A 41-year-old man squared up to a member of An Garda Siochana who had come to the assistance of an ambulance crew who were trying to help the accused, a court has heard.

Kosta Tsveraidze of Ross Park, Killavullen, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening behaviour and being so intoxicated that he was a danger to himself or others.

Sergeant Gearoid Davis said the incident occurred at around 2.30am on September 23 at Washington St, Cork.

The defendant had an injury to his nose. Garda Frank Ryan tried to assist him and to call an ambulance to the area.

But the accused man turned on Garda Ryan and started kicking out and trying to hit him with closed fists.

Pepper-spray had to be used to stop him from this behaviour.

Gardai were able to get medical attention for Mr Tsveraidze, but he refused it.

Over an hour later, he had to be arrested in the same area again, as he was drunk and a danger.

Judge Mary Dorgan imposed a two-month suspended sentence on the accused.

He said he wanted to plead guilty and did not want a solicitor to represent him.
A 54-year-old man caught begging eight times in Cork city was fined 500 and given a total suspended sentence of nine weeks.

Robert Burduja, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to the eight incidents of impeding the passage of pedestrians by begging.

On October 23, 2024, at Grand Parade at 12.40pm, he was arrested for begging and 93 in coins were seized together with 410 in notes.

Judge Mary Dorgan commented:

What is troubling me is that on this occasion he was found with 500 which would have more than paid for accommodation.

He was arrested for begging on November 1 at Daunt Square. On November 4 he was arrested for begging at Daunt Square and had 94 in coins. Judge Dorgan was told that on November 7, 2024, he was begging having been given several opportunities to desist from doing so at Grand Parade. This year on September 13, he was begging on Grand Parade at 10.45am. On September 22 at 4pm he was begging on Grand Parade. On October 1 he was begging at Nano Nagle Bridge at 11am, and on October 6 at Grand Parade he was begging at 11am.

Shane Collins-Daly said the accused had worked in the grocery business and came to Ireland a year ago.

He travelled initially to the UK hoping to stay there but was denied admission to the UK and was returned on a flight to Dublin where he had no connections or family. He came to Cork as he had friends and acquaintances in Cork. Unfortunately, he was unable to secure work and was living on the streets.

He has no English. He does not have social welfare. He resorted to begging to get money to survive. He knows that because of the number of charges he is at risk of prison. He does not want to go to prison.

The judge said: He is entitled to be here. But if he comes before the court again he will get all those sentences [consecutive sentences totalling nine weeks but suspended] so he has to stop. He needs to deal with homeless services.
A man in his 40s has been charged in relation to a stabbing incident in which a man was taken to hospital after he suffered a slash wound to one of his calves.

Romeo Bruma, who is a native of Romania, appeared before a special sitting of Mallow District Court in Co Cork today.

The 43-year-old was charged in connection with a stabbing incident in Mitchelstown in Co Cork on Saturday morning. Mr Bruma was charged with assault causing harm to another man at Upper Cork Street, Mitchelstown on October 11. The alleged offence is contrary to Section 3 of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997.

Defence solicitor, Padraig OConnell told Judge John King that Mr Bruma was not applying for bail at this time.

Sgt Dave Delea applied for the accused be remanded in custody to appear before Mallow District Court again on Tuesday.

Judge King acceded to his request and granted free legal aid in the case. Mr Bruma will also receive the assistance of an interpreter when he is back before the court on Tuesday.

The injured party is being treated for non life threatening injuries at Cork University Hospital.
In the early days of December, 1942, a telegram arrived at the Cusack household at 105, Evergreen Road in Cork city.

Mrs Cusack, a mother of two young children, gave a secret smile. Her husband at sea had a habit of sending telegrams for their childrens birthdays, and their son Vincent was three in a few days time.

But when she read the telegram, her life was turned upside down in an instant.

Her 50-year-old husband, Thomas, was chief steward on the Irish Pine, and she was told the vessel had been out of contact for weeks, with all 33 crew presumed lost.

Thomas left behind a daughter Philomena, aged six, and little Vincent, who would never see their daddy again.

Around the same time, just 3km away, on the northside of Cork city, Jeremiah Carroll must have been hearing the same terrible news and thanking his lucky stars.

Jeremiah, of School Avenue, Gurranabraher, had been signed up for the Irish Pines last voyage, but, by a twist of fate, did not arrive in time to set sail. Did he sleep in? Did his alarm call fail?

In the tragic roulette of life, Jeremiahs last-minute replacement, Kevin Cashin, a 21-year-old Dubliner, also perished on the Irish Pine. Such cruel fate...

******

The largest single loss of life suffered by the Irish merchant navy in World War II occurred off the coast of Canada on November 16, 1942. In the space of three minutes, the entire crew of the S.S. Irish Pine perished at the hands of a German U-Boat.

No bodies or wreckage were ever recovered.

Eight of the 33 who went down near Cape Breton Island were from Cork. Today their names are listed among the 150 men  136 merchant seamen from 16 ships and 14 fishermen from two trawlers who lost their lives between 1939 and 1945, on a memorial on City Quay, Dublin, that was unveiled in 1990.

World War II claimed millions of lives but the loss of this group was particularly poignant given they were from a neutral country during the so-called Emergency.

News of the ill-fated Irish Pine didnt reach the Irish public until Saturday, December 5, 1942, 18 days after the sinking, when a statement from the owners, Irish Shipping Ltd, was published in the national press announcing that the SS Irish Pine is now so considerably overdue at her transatlantic port that she must be presumed lost. Next of kin have been notified.

The following Monday, the flag over the Cork Harbour Commissioners office was flown at half-mast out of respect.

The Irish Pine had been chartered by Cork fertiliser firm W. & H. M. Goulding Ltd, to bring a cargo of phosphate rock from Tampa in Florida, USA. It was her fifth trip across the Atlantic under the Irish flag.

The 33 victims came from across Ireland, but the tragedy was most acutely felt in Cork, Dublin, Limerick, Wexford, Louth and Galway.

The age spread ranged from 18- year-old Eamon Donagh from Galway, to donkeyman  the person in charge of the ships engine room  60-year-old John Nolan, from Fairview, Dublin.

Given that 22 of the 33 crew were under the age of 40, it is no surprise that several were married with small children. The loss of the bread-winner must have made life very difficult for the families left behind in the ration-hit Ireland of the time.

Thomas Cusack, the man who lived in Evergreen Road, had spent almost 25 years at sea, on the SS Innisfallen, SS Ardmore and SS Kenmare, and also had a stint on the U.S liner Manhattan.

The other seven Cork victims were:

George OBrien, 39, of 3, West Beach, Cobh, who left a wife and a baby of six months. The Irish Pines Chief Engineer, he had spent nearly all his working life at sea.

The story of Second Mate Alfie Hartnett, 50, of Youghal, is rendered more heartbreaking by the fact the widower with three children aged 13, 10 and 8 had remarried just two months before departing, on September 18, 1942.

The Assistant Steward, Cork city man Michael OCallaghan, 26, an only son, was a member of Cork Operatic Society and had previously worked in a Cork hotel as a waiter.

Second Engineer, James OConnell, 46, of 26, Parnell Place, Cork, who had already survived one attack at sea two years earlier. In 1940, his ship was sunk in the Mediterranean and he spent four hours in the water before being rescued off the coast of Greece. James left a wife, who was licensee of the White Horse Inn in Parnell Place, Cork, and two sons.

Third Mate William Connolly, 31, of Lower OConnell Street, Kinsale, whose father was also lost at sea, during World War I. William had witnessed the Dunkirk evacuations of 1940.

Kinsale also lost Greaser John McCarthy, 48, and Able Seaman Patrick Sheehan, 38. McCarthy was married with a family who lived on Bandon Road.

******

Irelands shipping fleet was ill-prepared for war when it broke out in 1939. To address this, the Government set up Irish Shipping Ltd in March, 1941, and one of the first vessels procured was the Irish Pine, which had begun its working life in the USA in 1919.

The vessel had already hit the headlines in August, 1942, when it rescued 18 survivors of a torpedoed British ship, the Richmond Castle, off the southern coast of Ireland, bringing them safely ashore in Kilrush, Co. Clare.

Three months later, it was no more  its fate remained unknown for decades, and an Irish Press article in 1952 referred to the mystery of the Irish Pine, but the likelihood of it being sunk by a Nazi U-boat was strong.

The truth finally emerged in 1977. Naval historian Frank Forde, while researching in the Naval Historical Branch of the UKs Ministry of Defence in London for his book, The Long Watch, discovered the secret diaries of U-Boat Commander Rolf Struckmeier, a distinguished operator who had been awarded Germanys military decoration, the Iron Cross in September, 1942.

The diaries revealed that, in the early hours of Monday, November 16, 1942, the S.S. Irish Pine was on its way to Boston for repair works in the midst of a blinding snowstorm.

Struckmeiers U-Boat, U-608, had spotted the 5,621 ton steamer the day before and the Irish Pine adopted zigzag movements to navigate its way to Boston. She was carrying the mandatory neutrality insignia, the Irish Flag and had the word Eire emblazoned on her side, but Struckmeier claimed he never saw this.

He stalked her for eight hours, frequently losing her in rain and snow squalls, and eventually, at 7.15pm, released the torpedo in rough seas, which hit the target. In three minutes the Irish Pine and its 33-man crew were sunk.

Each of the lost had their own personal stories and left grieving family and friends.

The six Limerick victims included Assistant Cook Hector Young, aged 20.

In 2005, it was discovered that Hector was the only one of 16 Limerick Merchant Navy sailors who lost their lives at sea during World War II not to be posthumously awarded the Mercantile Marine Service Medal by the Irish Government.

His sister, Rebecca Clarke, of Ardnacrusha, accepted the medal on his behalf.

The error had been spotted by historian Pat McNamara, who said: During the emergency, Ireland as an island nation was solely dependent on her small mercantile marine and fishing fleet to sustain her with the necessities of life.

These men were volunteers and the service in which they served was a civilian service. These men manned the ships that supplied the country with the food and fuel that helped to sustain this island nation during the dark days of World War II.

In January, 1943, Monaghan poet Patrick Kavanagh added his tribute to the lost seamen.

The Irish Pine

She has harboured in the Unknown

That we all sail unto

And send no message back

No more than this ships crew.

Vain hopes to be remembered 

We brought you wheat.

And two months gone, forgotten

In hall and field and street.
KHARTOUM, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Sudan on Sunday condemned the "international silence" over deadly attacks carried out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the city of El Fasher, located in the country's western region.

In a statement, Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council accused the RSF of "deliberately targeting" displacement camps and shelters in El Fasher, describing the assaults as "a blatant defiance of UN Security Council resolutions."

"These crimes require the international will to assist Sudan in uprooting this militia, holding its leaders accountable, and bringing to justice those who support and assist them in committing these crimes against innocent civilians," the statement added.

On Saturday, Sudan's Foreign Ministry reported that drone strikes by the RSF killed 57 civilians at a temporary shelter in El Fasher. So far, the RSF has not issued any statement regarding the drone attacks.

Violent clashes have been ongoing in El Fasher since May 2024, between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and allied forces on one side and the RSF on the other, with fighting intensifying in recent days.

The conflict between the SAF and RSF, which erupted in April 2023, has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, deepening the country's humanitarian crisis. 
If geopolitics had a medical chart, Turkiyes entry under Treatment Plan for Global Influence would include: one state-of-the-art hospital, a handful of dedicated surgeons, a healthy dose of diplomacy, and an aftertaste of subtle empire-building. Welcome to Mogadishus, where the scalpel is mightier than the sword  and the soft power drip never runs dry.

1. From Ottomans to Operating Rooms

Once upon a time, the Ottoman Empire sent soldiers and scholars. Now, Turkiye sends doctors and dialysis machines  the 21st-century version of We come in peace (and PPE).

Opened in 2015, the Erdogan Hospital looks less like a colonial outpost and more like a gleaming metaphor for Ankaras favorite foreign policy formula: charity plus strategy equals influence.

This isnt just any hospital. Its a 250-bed, multi-specialty diplomatic statement, complete with burn units, operating theaters, and the kind of intensive care ward where even geopolitics might get resuscitated. The message? Were not just fixing your lungs; were fixing our reputation.

2. The Doctors Who Stayed When Others Fled

Meet Dr. Ali Muhammed Varsame, thoracic surgeon, humanitarian, and apparently Somalias answer to McDreamy with a mission.

After training under Turkish professors for six months, Varsame couldve taken his newly-minted credentials and bolted to Europe faster than you can say brain drain. Instead, he chose to stay in Mogadishu. Why? Because, in his words, Somalia needs medical professionals.

Thats not just noble  its radical. Especially in a country where doctors used to have fewer resources than a YouTube DIY surgery tutorial.

Varsame now performs complex operations once unimaginable in Somalia  lung resections, cancer surgeries, trauma reconstructions. His work has literally given people their lives  and their limbs  back.

He even tells the story of a patient whose hand had been crooked for 20 years. After surgery, the mans hand straightened, and so did his outlook on life. Somewhere, a Turkish PR team probably wept tears of joy  this is the kind of story that writes itself.

3. Internal Medicine Meets International Motives

Then theres Dr. Ahmet Muhammed Basr, the internal medicine specialist who doubles as an assistant education coordinator. He oversees a hospital that treats thousands of patients a month, runs Somalias largest dialysis center, and does it all with the calm efficiency of someone whos been mainlining Turkish tea since 2016.

Basr puts it bluntly: While Western countries avoid investing here for security reasons, Turkiye built this hospital.

Translation: While others send drones, we sent doctors.

Its not exactly altruism in a vacuum, though. Turkiyes approach to Somalia isnt just about goodwill; its about visibility. A hospital with Erdogans name on it in the capital of a strategically-located African nation? Thats not just health care  thats branding with a stethoscope.

4. Heart Surgery and the Anatomy of Influence

Cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Abducelil Abdullah takes it further: before this hospital, cardiovascular surgery didnt even exist in Somalia. Now, the operating room hums like a symbol of national revival  with Turkish-trained specialists at the helm.

Over 120 Somali doctors have already completed their education here, Abdullah notes proudly. Every year, more join their ranks, armed with knowledge, scalpels, and a faint accent picked up in Ankara.

And heres the kicker: the hospital doesnt just serve Somalia. Patients from Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia come too  about 40,000 people a month. Thats 40,000 reminders that when you need saving, its Erdogans hospital that answers the call.

5. Humanitarianism, But Make It Strategic

Lets not kid ourselves  this hospital is as much about hearts and minds as it is about hearts and valves. Turkiyes model of engagement in Somalia blends compassion with calculation.

On one hand, its undeniably transformative: medical education, job creation, and genuine improvements in life expectancy. On the other, its a masterclass in what some call neo-Ottoman soft power  the art of reviving influence through goodwill instead of gunfire.

While Western governments hold security summits, Turkiye builds hospitals. While international NGOs spend months drafting impact frameworks, Turkish engineers pour concrete. The contrast couldnt be sharper if it were drawn with a surgical scalpel.

6. The Hospital as a Symbol

Walk through the corridors of the Erdogan Hospital, and youll see more than sterile white walls. Youll see a living metaphor  for resilience, partnership, and Ankaras quiet ambition.

Its not just a facility; its a friendship monument with 250 beds and a foreign policy heartbeat. Every successful surgery, every trained doctor, every smiling patient  all of it becomes evidence that Turkiye can do what others wont.

And for a country thats been building its brand as the bridge between East and West, Somalia is an ideal patient  wounded but willing, fractured yet full of potential.

7. Why Turkiye? Why Now?

Somalias strategic position along the Horn of Africa makes it a geopolitical jackpot: close to Middle Eastern trade routes, within reach of Red Sea shipping lanes, and ripe for long-term partnerships.

Add in shared Islamic heritage, and Turkiyes involvement feels as natural as a pulse check.

But beyond the brotherhood rhetoric, theres a harder truth: this is foreign policy in a white coat. Turkiyes humanitarian projects  from roads to schools to this hospital  create a dependency wrapped in gratitude. Its benevolence with benefits.

The difference? This time, its mutually beneficial. Somalia gets doctors, infrastructure, and dignity. Turkiye gets influence, trade, and loyalty  all sterilized under bright fluorescent lights.

8. The Erdogan Doctrine of Development

Call it the Stethoscope Strategy. Instead of military bases and sanctions, Turkiye builds hospitals, airports, and mosques. Instead of IMF conditionalities, it offers scholarships and medical training.

And instead of pity, it offers partnership  a word Western diplomats only remember right before election cycles.

This strategy has turned Turkiye into a serious player in Africa. From Senegal to Sudan, Turkish Airlines connects dots that old colonial routes never could. And every flight that lands in Mogadishu is a reminder that Ankara has mastered the art of being everywhere without being overbearing.

9. Somalias Second Renaissance

For Somalia, the Erdogan Hospital represents something even bigger than medicine: hope with a pulse.

After decades of instability, this institution provides not just treatment, but trust. Its proof that things can get better  that nations written off as failed states can still host centers of excellence.

Each new Somali specialist trained under Turkish mentorship chips away at dependency, proving that talent doesnt need to emigrate to thrive.

And when patients travel from neighboring countries, they see something powerful  Somalia not as a war zone, but as a regional medical hub.

That shift in perception might be the greatest cure of all.

10. The Critics and the Caveats

Of course, not everyones ready to hand out medals.

Critics argue that Turkiyes aid sometimes blurs the line between assistance and influence. After all, naming a hospital after a sitting president in a foreign country isnt exactly subtle.

And theres the risk of overreliance. What happens if Ankara changes its tune? Or if Somali doctors start expecting Turkish resources indefinitely? Sovereignty and gratitude dont always mix well under pressure.

Still, compared to the Wests cautious bureaucracy, Turkiyes approach feels refreshingly direct  a see patient, treat patient ethos applied to diplomacy.

11. How to Build a Nation (and a Narrative)

Lets be honest: Turkiye isnt just healing bodies  its rewriting narratives.

In a world where Africa is too often portrayed through the lens of crisis, this partnership flips the script. The message is clear: you dont need to be a Western power to do good, and you dont need to be a charity case to receive it.

Its savvy storytelling disguised as surgery. Every headline about Somali doctors trained by Turkish professors becomes a small diplomatic victory. Every successful transplant is a metaphor for cooperation that actually works.

12. Anatomy of a Partnership

The Erdogan Hospital functions on a hybrid staffing model  about 1,100 employees, including 170 Somali and 30 Turkish doctors.

The rest? Nurses, technicians, and administrative staff who keep the place running smoother than most governments.

That mix is the secret sauce. Turkish expertise provides the framework, Somali professionals ensure local ownership, and together they create something neither could achieve alone. Its the medical equivalent of a duet  and so far, its hitting all the right notes.

13. Beyond Bandages: The Bigger Picture

Health care is just one artery in Turkiyes broader network of engagement. The same philosophy extends to infrastructure, education, and trade.

Think of it as the Ankara Accords  an unspoken agreement that stability starts with shared investment, not imposed reform.

By betting on human capital, Turkiye sidesteps the trap of transactional aid. Its not just donating medicine  its building a medical class.

And when those trained doctors rise to leadership roles, guess which flag will hang in their offices as a reminder of where it all began?

14. The Soft Power Prescription

If soft power were a medical chart, Turkiyes vitals would look impressive:

Cultural diplomacy: Check.

Humanitarian outreach: Check.

Strategic visibility: Check, check, check.

This hospital in Mogadishu is a proof-of-concept for something bigger  a global model of influence that heals first and negotiates later.

While others debate boots on the ground, Turkiye quietly shows that white coats can conquer hearts faster than soldiers can conquer territory.

15. What the West Can Learn (But Wont)

Lets face it: if the U.S. or EU had done this, theyd still be in the pre-feasibility study phase, holding donor conferences and arguing about procurement ethics.

Turkiye? It just built the hospital.

While Western nations trip over compliance clauses, Ankara just gets things done. The trade-off? Less paperwork, more presence  and a few raised eyebrows in Washington and Brussels.

But maybe thats the lesson: the world doesnt need another committee on global health equity. It needs partners who show up with scalpels and sincerity.

16. From Aid to Alliance

As the hospital enters its second decade, it stands as both a symbol and a statement. Turkiyes investment isnt just healing individuals  its repairing reputations.

Somalia, once defined by piracy and poverty, now hosts a medical institution attracting regional respect. Turkiye, once dismissed as a mid-tier power, now wields influence through empathy.

Thats not just foreign aid  thats foreign policy with a heartbeat.

17. The Power of Staying Power

The true success of the Erdogan Hospital isnt measured in surgeries performed or doctors trained. Its measured in something rarer: consistency.

For ten years, Turkiye has maintained its presence in Somalia through political chaos, security risks, and global distractions.

While others packed up their NGOs and fled, Ankara stayed  mask on, gloves up, steady hands.

That reliability builds something priceless: trust. And trust, in international relations, is more valuable than any grant or loan.

18. A Future Written in Stitches

If you zoom out, this hospital tells a story not just of health, but of humanity.

Its proof that development doesnt have to come from megaprojects or mega-corporations. Sometimes, it starts with one hospital, a handful of idealists, and a lot of sutures.

And if that sounds idealistic, good  because idealism is contagious. Especially when it comes with an operating manual.

19. Turkiyes Global Health Revolution

As Turkiye expands similar partnerships across Africa and Asia, the model is clear: train local experts, share technical knowledge, and build facilities that outlast headlines.

Its an evolution of foreign aid into co-owned progress. No handouts, no dependency  just collaboration with continuity.

For Somalia, this means an entire generation of doctors who dont just speak Turkish  they speak transformation.

20. Final Diagnosis: Mutual Healing

At its core, this partnership is about reciprocal recovery.

Somalias health care system gets a lifeline; Turkiye gets a legacy. One heals its people; the other heals its global image. And both come out stronger.

So, when history writes the prescription for sustainable diplomacy, it might look something like this:
Arla has marked 50 years in Lockerbie with a 144 million investment that promises more cheese, more jobs and greener energy for one of the UKs biggest dairy sites.

The milestone expansion includes a 34m upgrade to its cheddar facilities, the creation of a new Centre of Excellence for UHT and lactose-free milk, and the near completion of a second anaerobic digestion plant to generate renewable energy.

Together, the projects underline Arlas long-term commitment to Scottish dairy and the local community, where 90 new roles will be created.

Since opening in 1975, Lockerbie has grown into one of the UKs largest cheese-making plants, processing more than 600 million litres of milk each year and producing around 42,000 tonnes of cheese  enough for hundreds of millions of sandwiches.

Fran Ball, senior vice-president of UK supply chain at Arla Foods, described the anniversary as a landmark moment for Lockerbie.

She said the site was not only celebrating its heritage but also unlocking the sites next era with significant investment to power future growth, including 90 new roles and fresh opportunities to the local community.

The anniversary was marked by the official opening of the upgraded cheddar facilities by Mairi Gougeon MSP, Scotlands Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs.

She hailed the investment as a real boost to the local economy, adding that it strengthened partnerships with Scottish farmers and suppliers while sending a clear signal of confidence in the future of Scotlands dairy sector.

Sustainability is also at the heart of the programme. A new anaerobic digestion plant at the site will supply bio-methane to the national gas grid, producing enough energy to heat more than 2,600 average homes every year  equivalent to powering the whole of Lockerbie.

Bas Padberg, managing director of Arla Foods UK, said the expansion was strengthening the backbone of British dairy by boosting capacity, innovation and skilled jobs.

He added: The UK food sector has a vital role in public health, and were committed to delivering nutritious, affordable dairy for more people.

Arthur Fearnall, an Arla Foods UK board director and farmer, said the expansion showed the co-operatives commitment both to its members and to Lockerbies cheese-making tradition.

He said the focus remained on building a stronger site and securing the best possible milk price for all Arla farmer owners.

With more than 144m committed, Arlas investment cements Lockerbies role as a cornerstone of Scottish and UK dairy  combining half a century of heritage with a future built on innovation, sustainability and growth.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya speaks during an exclusive interview with Xinhua ahead of her visit to China for the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women in Kotte, Sri Lanka, Oct. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Yue)

COLOMBO, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- China has demonstrated strong commitment and global leadership in advancing women's rights and gender equality through concrete actions such as hosting the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women, said Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua at the Sri Lankan parliament ahead of her visit to China for the summit in Beijing, Amarasuriya said the event will boost confidence in the global cause of women's development.

"Beijing hosted an extremely important summit on women's development and on women and gender 30 years ago. What was discussed then holds true even now," she said, deeming it "really significant" that Beijing once again hosts a summit focused on women's development after three decades.

"It's really important that we remind the world of the importance of taking into consideration women's issues when it comes to development or anything else," she added.

Unequal access to economic opportunities, she said, remains a major barrier to women's progress. In some developing countries, women still face low wages, informal employment, and limited social protection, leading to the persistent undervaluation of their contributions.

"This situation impacts women's ability to participate as full citizens," she said. "To achieve genuine changes, we need to bring about structural changes that give women access to the economy, education and health systems, and ensure women's substantive participation in the decision-making process."

On China's achievements, Amarasuriya said that Chinese women today are more confident, independent and active in public life. "With that comes then higher levels of freedom as well," she said, describing this as China's unique contribution to global women's empowerment.

She noted that China's political and economic systems allow it to address systemic inequalities and reduce marginalization. "China has made real advances in empowering women economically. It continues to support women and is also willing to take global leadership on these issues," she said.

Amarasuriya said Sri Lanka and China enjoy broad prospects for cooperation in advancing women's empowerment and gender equality.

"There are strong female leaders in China, and Sri Lanka has a historic number of women in parliament this year," she said. "On issues like education and health, which directly affect women's and children's wellbeing, there's a lot of scope for our collaboration."

She also thanked China for its assistance in providing school uniform fabric to Sri Lanka, which is a "tremendous gift" from the Chinese people. "We deeply appreciate it," she said.

Looking ahead to the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women, Amarasuriya said she is full of expectations.

"It will be my first opportunity to take part in a global summit centered on women," she said, adding that meeting and sharing experiences with female leaders from around the world will be deeply meaningful.

"I believe this summit will be very useful for us as a reflection of the last 30 years and how we need to move forward," she said. "We hope to send a clear message through this meeting that women still need to be counted, and women still need to be prioritized in our political and development agendas." 

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya speaks during an exclusive interview with Xinhua ahead of her visit to China for the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women in Kotte, Sri Lanka, Oct. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Yue)
NEW DELHI, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Four young people belonging to the same village died in a road accident in India's northern state of Haryana early on Sunday when their car rammed into a road-roller, local police confirmed.

The accident occurred on the Katra-Jammu Expressway when the young people were returning home from Haryana's Jind district. Road-laying work was in progress at the spot where the accident happened, said the police.

While one person died on the spot, three passed away while being taken to a local hospital.

According to the police, the ill-fated car collided with the road roller at a very high speed. 
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.
NEW DELHI, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has demanded that the federal government ground the private airline Air India's entire Boeing 787 fleet for electrical checks, following recurring electrical glitches and maintenance concerns in the said aircraft.

The Federation wrote a letter to India's Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu, expressing concerns in the aftermath of two major incidents within a span of one week involving Air India's AI-117 and AI-154 aircraft.

Earlier this month, an un-commanded deployment of Ram Air Turbine (RAT) on Air India flight AI-117 was reported at Birmingham. Following the incident, India's civil aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), asked the private airline Air India to reinspect the RAT on planes with replaced power conditioning modules.

Simultaneously, the DGCA also sought a "comprehensive report" from the U.S. aircraft maker Boeing on the preventive measures to be implemented with respect to the un-commanded RAT deployment incident, said media reports.

Speaking to Xinhua over the phone, FIP president R.S. Randhawa said that repeated technical problems, particularly electrical glitches, besides other safety concerns, were reported in the said aircraft fleet. He confirmed the FIP's demand for grounding Air India's Boeing 787 fleet for electrical checks.

Referring to the June 12 air crash involving AI-171 aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, in India's western state of Gujarat, the FIP chief said that the way the Aircraft Investigation Bureau was conducting the inquiry was "dissatisfactory."

Demanding a judicial probe into the air crash killing over 260 people, Randhawa said that comprehensive electrical checks on the entire fleet of Boeing 787 were required urgently in order to ensure air travel safety. 
Midway Blitz - Chicago Federal Troop Deployment

The Trump administration launched Operation Midway Blitz, which is focused on individuals in the country without legal status who also have criminal records or pending charges. Raids followed a federal visit to an ICE facility in nearby Broadview, Illinois. As of October 8, 2025, Operation Midway Blitz is ongoing in the Chicago area, marked by escalating legal battles and intense clashes between federal agents and protesters. Federal officials claim to have made over 1,000 arrests since the operation began in early September, targeting individuals in the country without authorization.

The operation in Chicago would be inherently different than that in DC, where troops are on Title 32 orders, meaning they report to the governor or in DC's case, the Secretary of the Army. While on Title 32 orders, troops are not subject to the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars them from engaging in law enforcement activities. Chicago would instead be more similar to what occurred in Los Angeles over the summer, when Trump federalized National Guard troops on Title 10 orders, which are prohibited from engaging in law enforcement by the Posse Comitatus Act.

President Donald Trump on 15 October 2025 "If we didn't have to fight all of these radical-left governors, we could have had Chicago taken care of as an example. They had, in a short period of time, 4,000 murders in Chicago. And we have to listen to this man stand up and say that we're bad people. And the people of Chicago are walking around with MAGA hats. You have women, beautiful Black women walking around with MAGA hats, "Please let the president in. And we don't care how he does it." They're not interested in National Guard or Army Navy, bring them in Marines, bring in the Marines. They just want the crime to stop. And more so because of the success that we had in D.C. I think if we didn't have that success, nobody would even believe it."

President Donald Trump on 08 October 2025 called for the arrest of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, accusing them of failing to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during operations in the sanctuary city. "Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers! Governor Pritzker also!"

The demands follow Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago to address violent crime and immigration enforcement, a move opposed by local leaders who filed a lawsuit claiming it violates state sovereignty. Protests have erupted near ICE sites amid rising tensions between federal authorities and city officials.

Governor JB Pritzker responded "I will not back down. Trump is now calling for the arrest of elected representatives checking his power. What else is left on the path to full-blown authoritarianism?" Mayor Brandon Johnson responded "This is not the first time Trump has tried to have a Black man unjustly arrested. Im not going anywhere."

Mehdi Hasan observed "If the US media thinks this is normal or has any precedent in modern politics or should be covered in a normal or both sides way, then the US media is complicit in open fascism and the death of American democracy. Its that simple."

Pritzker, one of the most vocal Trump critics, called out the presidents plan to deploy National Guard troops to the Democratic cities of Chicago and Portland, accusing him of suffering dementia in a scathing statement. This is a man whos suffering dementia, Pritzker, who is considered a strong contender on the 2028 Democratic race for president, said in a telephone interview with The Chicago Tribune. This is a man who has something stuck in his head. He cant get it out of his head. He doesnt read. He doesnt know anything thats up to date. Its just something in the recesses of his brain that is effectuating to have him call out these cities. He said Let me be clear, Donald Trump is using our service members as political props and as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nations cities.

POTUS exited the residence at 11 am October 5, 2025. Asked about Chicago and Gov. Pritzker, Trump said: "Number one, he's wrong. Number two, I really believe he's afraid for his life. Somehow, when you can have 40 or 50 people killed over the last couple of months, hundreds of people wounded. There's no place like that in the world. Hundreds of people wounded, 50, 55 people shot and killed. And Pritzker gets up and says what a wonderful place it is. They need help. Washington DC is now a safe place. You're not going to get mugged or hit, you're not going to get raped, you're not going to get anything. Washington, DC went from a hell hole to a safe place.... We got no crime. It took 12 days to solve the problem, 12 days. And we're going to do that in Chicago.... That's a bunch of paid insurrectionists. We do have a lot of paid people in Chicago too. I believe the politicians are under threat, because there's no way somebody can say that things are wonderful in Chicago."

There is no publicly available logo for Operation Midway Blitz because it was a short-term, multi-agency operation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in September 2025 to target criminal illegal immigrants in Illinois, not a long-term program with a distinct visual identity. The operation was announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) but was not a separate entity requiring its own logo.

The name Midway Blitz almost certainly derives from a combination of two evocative historical and conceptual references. Midway in a Chicago context carries WWII resonance, but also functions as a geographic signifier  something distinctly Chicagoan, tied to the citys southwest industrial and working-class identity. The Battle of Midway (June 1942) was a decisive World War II naval battle in which U.S. forces stopped and destroyed much of Japans carrier fleet. Midway thus symbolizes a turning point, a counteroffensive, or a decisive strike that changes momentum. Using Midway in a modern operation name evokes a theme of strategic reversal or victory achieved through planning, intelligence, and precision rather than brute force. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) is located on the southwest side of the city. It was originally called Chicago Municipal Airport (opened in 1927), but in 1949 it was renamed Midway Airport to honor the Battle of Midway. Adding Blitz  meaning lightning-fast or overwhelming action  gives the phrase a sense of urgency, intensity, and offensive movement. Midway Blitz together suggests: A fast, decisive counteroffensive operation intended to turn the tide, inspired by the Battle of Midways historic reversal and executed with blitz-like speed and intensity.

In the first six months of 2025, Chicago saw a 33% reduction in homicides and a 38% reduction in shootings. Overall, violent crime was down 21.4% in 2025 compared to the previous year. According to data from the Chicago Police Department, in 2025, Chicago recorded the fewest homicides in June, July, and August since 1965. This summer saw 123 homicides, with 278 total homicides through August 31, 2025. Through the first half of 2025, the CPD recorded 188 homicides and 665 shootings, which mark declines of 32% and 39%, respectively. City data shows significant declines in other categories of violent crimes including carjackings (down 51%), robberies (down 32%), aggravated assaults (down 18%) and aggravated batteries (down 9%). In the first half of 2025 (January-June), Chicago's homicide rate was 33% lower than it was for the same period in 2024. That decline was about twice the average decrease of 17% seen in the 30 large cities in CCJ's study sample Crime in Chicago: What You Need to Know - Council on Criminal Justice.

Trump repeatedly singled out Chicago as "next," calling it a "mess" and claiming residents are "screaming" for federal intervention. No formal request had been made to Illinois officials. Trump said on Truth Social: "Chicago is the worst and most dangerous city in the World, by far". On September 30, 2025, Trump told military leaders: "I told [Defense Secretary] Pete [Hegseth] we should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military, National Guard, but military, because we're going into Chicago very soon. That's a big city with an incompetent governor. Stupid governor. Stupid".

Governor JB Pritzker on September 29, 2025, said the Department of Homeland Security is seeking the deployment of 100 military troops to Illinois "for the protection of ICE personnel and facilities." The Illinois National Guard obtained a memo that DHS sent to the Defense Department which sought to request 100 military personnel for Illinois. Pritzker likened the memo to one sent by the Defense Department to Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, which called 200 members of the Oregon National Guard into federal service for a 60-day deployment. Vice President JD Vance told reporters Wednesday, September 3, there are "no immediate plans" to deploy to Chicago, while Trump said Tuesday the administration was "going in" without specifying a timetable, muddying the waters on if and when a potential deployment would occur. Military officials were sketching out a plan that could deploy a few thousand National Guard members. The use of active-duty forces had also been discussed. When pressed on August 25, Trump hedged, saying he may or may not send in federal troops to Chicago. "I didn't get a request from the governor," Trump said.

On September 8, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security announced Operation Midway Blitz in honor of Katie Abraham who was killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run car wreck caused by an illegal alien in Illinois. This ICE operation targets criminal illegal aliens who flocked to Chicago and Illinois. The surge, dubbed Operation Midway Blitz, would target undocumented people in Chicago and throughout Illinois. The city received no notice of the operation, Mayor Brandon Johnson said. On September 28, 2025, Customs and Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement troops with automatic weapons and full combat gear patrolled high-visibility tourist areas in Downtown Chicago. US Border Patrol agents wearing tactical gear and carrying long guns made arrests in downtown Chicago and the River North neighborhood on Sunday, September 29. Governor Pritzker said: "This is not making anybody saferit's a show of intimidation" On Chicago's first full day of 'Operation Midway Blitz'.

It was the first time immigration agents had been seen operating in downtown Chicago since the federal immigration crackdown began earlier this month under Operation Midway Blitz. Governor JB Pritzker said about 200 ICE agents and 100 vehicles were positioned in and around the city, including outside courthouses where immigrants show up voluntarily for hearings ICE in Chicago amid ongoing "Operation Midway Blitz" activity. Federal officials said those arrested include "dangerous criminal illegal aliens" with prior convictions or pending charges for crimes ranging from sexual assault of a child to armed robbery and domestic violence. ICE arrested at least 13 people in Chicago in the initial days of Operation Midway Blitz ICE arrests 'worst of the worst'.

El Grito Chicago, a popular Mexican Independence Day festival scheduled for mid-September 2025 in Grant Park, was called off due to the threat of a large-scale immigration enforcement operation in Chicago What To Know About ICE's Operation Midway Blitz In Chicago. The first full day of "Operation Midway Blitz" played out with sporadic reports of arrests and rising tension in Chicago's Latino community as hundreds of federal agents moved inand many residents hunkered down. Details were scarce as videos surfaced of masked federal agents taking people into custody. Federal agents detained at least three U.S. citizens amid President Trump's aggressive deportation campaign in Chicago, according to lawyers mounting a court challenge. The National Immigrant Justice Center and the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois argued that ICE arrested 27 people without warrants or probable cause and in violation of an existing consent decree. The filing describes how one person getting ready for work in Elgin allegedly "saw red lasers all over the kitchen and the front door" before an explosion suddenly rang out, signaling the start of a raid.

Governor JB Pritzker immediately decried the president's promise to deploy troops as an authoritarian ploy. Pritzker said: "The president of the United States is not sending troops into Republican cities or into Republican states. He's made a list of people that are his political opponents, and he's calling us domestic enemies". Pritzker went so far as to say the 25th Amendment should be invoked to remove Trump from office, stating: "Not only has dementia set in, but he's copying tactics of Vladimir Putin, sending troops into cities, thinking that that's some sort of proving ground for war, or that, indeed, there's some sort of internal war going on in the United States". Pritzker accused Trump of a "nefarious plan to bring military into cities so that ultimately, in the 2026 election, people would be normalized to the idea of militarization during the next election so that he can affect the outcome of that election".

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said: "We have received credible reports that we have days, not weeks, before our city sees some type of militarized activity by the federal government". Mayor Johnson stated: "This is about politics, money and power. The president is using his militarized force the exact way he intendedto advance his political goals. He wants to militarize our cities, whether that's through ICE or through the National Guard or the United States Army or armed forces. He wants to provoke conflict so that he can use this as a pretext to send even more federal agents into our city". Mayor Brandon Johnson directed police against collaborating with National Guard troops if they are deployed to the city.

Mayor Johnson signed an executive order reinforcing Chicago's sanctuary policies, barring city police from collaborating with federal immigration agents. Johnson said: "We will not have our police officers who are working hard every single day to drive down crime deputized to do traffic stops and checkpoints for the president." The order also requires Chicago officers to wear uniforms and not wear masks to "clearly distinguish them from federal agents".

Both Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Governor Pritzker said a memo was not enough to spark a legal challenge, "but I know that there are actions in waiting and a lawsuit potentially," the governor said. Raoul said his office was "prepared" to file a suit should troops be deployed. Raoul said Illinois would file a lawsuit against the Trump administration "if the evidence follows, the pattern follows what we've seen in Oregon". Pritzker said: "What we can do when it comes to troops being sent into Chicago and to the state of Illinois is immediately go to court"o.

On September 6, Trump threatened "Apocalypse Now"-style action against Chicago, writing "I love the smell of deportations in the morning" amid an AI-generated picture of himself as Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore in front of a burning Chicago skyline with helicopters and that "Chicago [is] about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR". Governor Pritzker responded on social media: "The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal. Donald Trump isn't a strongman, he's a scared man. Illinois won't be intimidated by a wannabe dictator".

A few hundred people gathered Downtown across from Grant Park Tuesday evening, September 10, to protest Trump's ramped-up deportation campaign in Chicago. Demonstrators held signs reading "ICE out of Chi" and "Hands off Chicago." Led by speakers rallying the crowd, they chanted, "Hey Chicago, what do you know, crime is at an all-time low". Students from Chicago public and charter schools walked out of class Tuesday, September 17, and went downtown to protest ICE and "Operation Midway Blitz" outside Trump Tower ICE in Chicago amid ongoing "Operation Midway Blitz" activity.

Pritzker urged Chicagoans to record any interactions with ICE agents on their phones, and "narrate what you see, put it on social media. With one voice, we are telling this unwarranted and unconstitutional occupation by ICE and potentially by military troops to get out of Chicago. You are not helping us". Immigration advocates and organizers urged neighbors to record and report ICE arrests, so advocates can denounce if agents make unlawful arrests.

Deployments began in Los Angeles in June 2025 and expanded to Washington, D.C. in August 2025, before presidential authorizations were issued to expand to Memphis, Tennessee and Portland, Oregon in September 2025; plans were underway for Chicago, Illinois and potentially other cities like New York, Baltimore, San Francisco, and Oakland. Trump had argued that it is essential to combat crime in Los Angeles, DC and other cities. Despite widespread criticism and legal challenges, he has defended his decision, saying some troublemakers have to be handled by soldiers. Trump said on Wednesday: "Frankly, they were born to be criminals. And they're tough and mean, and they'll cut your throat, and they won't even think about it the next day. They won't even remember that they did it. And we're not going to have those people".

ICE agents conducted a fast-rope operation from Black Hawk helicopters during a raid in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood on 01 October 2025. The raids were part of a multi-agency operation called "Operation Midway Blitz," which targeted suspected members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with support from the FBI and U.S. Border Patrol, targeted individuals with criminal records or alleged gang ties. Federal agents used flashbang grenades to breach an apartment building and deployed several helicopters and drones. Witnesses reported agents rapping from a Black Hawk helicopter onto the rooftop of a residential building.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that 37 people without legal immigration status were arrested, including two "confirmed Tren de Aragua members". Eyewitness accounts: Multiple witnesses, including a neighbor and a resident who was briefly detained, described chaotic scenes. Accounts include agents dragging residents from their apartments, including children, and separating them from their mothers. The operation was widely condemned by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who said such tactics do not make the city safer. Chicago alderpersons also spoke out against the tactics.

Critics said the deployment constitutes the formation of a "police state", the sidelining of state authorities, and overreach. Others say it is over-policing that could have an adverse impact on relations between communities and local law enforcement. "This is an active military takeover of the capital," protesters who assembled outside Congress in DC wrote in an open letter. "It is a textbook indicator of backsliding democracy and intensifying authoritarianism... This might come off as alarmist, but in the last 100 years of history, the pattern is clear and we are witnessing it in real time".

The Posse Comitatus Act prohibits the military from engaging in domestic law enforcement without permission from Congress. U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer ruled that the troop deployment in Los Angeles violates that act, although the ruling only applies to California. Deployments in states run by Republicans, however, may be more legally sound, say experts. "If the governor wants to invite troops from other states init may or may not be pointlessbut legally speaking it's not necessarily problematic, as long as they're respecting the Posse Comitatus Act". Unlike Washington D.C. (which has unique federal control) or states with Republican governors willing to cooperate, Illinois has a Democratic governor who has vocally and legally opposed the deployment, creating a fundamentally different dynamic than in other cities where troops have been deployed.

On 06 October 2025, the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago filed a lawsuit to block the Trump administration's deployment of federalized National Guard troops to the city. A federal judge is scheduled to hear arguments on Thursday, October 9, on the state's request for a temporary restraining order. Federal deployment is already underway, as the Pentagon ordered the federalization of up to 300 Illinois National Guard personnel on October 4. President Trump authorized the federalization to protect federal personnel and property at sites of "violent demonstrations". Demonstrations escalated outside the Broadview ICE Processing Center, where protesters have tried to block federal vehicles. Federal agents have used tear gas and pepper balls, and several arrests have been made. In response, the Broadview mayor imposed restrictions on protest hours.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order on October 6 creating "ICE Free Zones" on all city-owned properties. This prohibits federal immigration agents from using city property for civil immigration enforcement without a warrant. On October 8, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois and other plaintiffs filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration. It alleges "indiscriminate" force against peaceful protesters and journalists at the Broadview ICE facility.

The situation remained in flux, with Trump continuing to threaten deployment while state and local officials prepare legal and political resistance. Unlike Los Angeles and Washington D.C., where troops were deployed despite opposition, Chicago represents a standoff where the deployment has been threatened but not yet executed, while aggressive immigration enforcement operations proceed.

FBI Director Kash Patel: "When I was there today with Todd, we learned that the Chicago city streets have 110,000 gang membersthat's right, you heard me right! They had 1,200 shootings this year alone, 360 homicides."

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Portland

POTUS exited the residence at 11 am October 5, 2025. He took questions on Israel-Gaza deal, the shutdown, Portland and the drug war. "Asked if he'll follow the judge's order in Portland: "We're going to look at that. It was amazing. Portland is burning to the ground. It's insurrectionist all over the place. It's Antifa. And yet, the politicians who are petrified, look, the politicians are afraid for their lives. That's the only reason that they say like this, nothing happening, and you've seen it, the place is burning down, and they pretend like there's nothing happening. So we'll take a look at the order. We haven't seen the order today....

"I wasn't served well if they put judges like that. I wasn't served well by the people that picked judges. I can tell you things like that are just too bad. I appointed the judge and he goes like that, so I wasn't served well. Obviously, I don't know the judge, but if he made that kind of a decision. Portland is burning to the ground. You have agitators, insurrectionists. All you have to do is look at that. Look at the television. Turn on your television, burning to the ground, the governor, the mayor, the politicians are petrified for their lives of the words the government. That judge ought to be ashamed of himself."

Eksewere, Trump said "Portland is burning to the ground. You have agitators, insurrectionists. All you have to do is look at that."

Portland has a long history as a progressive city and a hub for hippie subculture, a reputation that began in the 1960s. Many aging hippies continue to fight for the rights and freedoms they championed in their youth. They participate in activism through voting, supporting progressive causes with their finances, and upholding their values. Events often draw multi-generational audiences, bridging the gap between original counterculture movements and their modern-day iterations.

"Portland aging hippies" refers to the original counterculture participants from the 1960s and 1970s, now in their elderly years, who remain connected to Portland's historical hippie culture, particularly the psychedelic scene that took root in the city. This legacy continues through figures like Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters, who were associated with the city, and a community that still values aspects of the hippie movement, such as communal living and a non-conformist spirit.

The hippie subculture began influencing Portland after the countercultural scene in San Francisco, leading to the establishment of psychedelic hubs like the Crystal Ballroom. Figures associated with Ken Kesey, like Ken Babbs, were central to this movement and have a lasting connection to Portland, with their psychedelic bus famously drawing crowds in the city years after its cross-country trip.

The original ideals of communal living, rejection of societal norms, and acceptance of others continue in modern forms, such as evolved communes and various expressions of bohemian lifestyle. The city's historical ties to the hippie movement have left a lasting cultural imprint, evident in communities and individuals who maintain a connection to this influential period.

Portlandia was a sketch comedy series that aired on IFC from 2011 to 2018, created by and starring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein. The show was a gentle yet incisive satire of Portland, Oregon's progressive, artisanal, and aggressively quirky culture. What made Portlandia special was its affectionate tone - it never felt mean-spirited despite skewering everything from feminist bookstore owners to obsessive picklers to people who needed to know the entire provenance of their chicken dinner. The show understood that the hipster culture it was mocking was also genuinely trying to make the world better, even if the execution was sometimes absurd.

The chemistry between Armisen and Brownstein was the show's secret weapon. Armisen, a former Saturday Night Live cast member, brought his gift for physical comedy and character work, while Brownstein - best known as the guitarist for the riot grrrl band Sleater-Kinney - proved to be a revelation as a comedic performer. Together they created dozens of recurring characters that became cultural touchstones: the overly cautious diners obsessed with their chicken's life story, the militant feminist bookstore owners Toni and Candace, the tech-averse record store employees, and perhaps most memorably, the couple who believed "the dream of the 1990s is alive in Portland."

What elevated Portlandia beyond simple sketch comedy was its understanding that Portland's eccentricities were symptoms of larger cultural shifts. The show captured a particular moment in American culture when urban millennials were embracing localism, artisanal production, and alternative lifestyles - sometimes to comical extremes. A sketch about people needing to "put a bird on it" to make something artistic wasn't just about Portland; it was about the mass production of authenticity itself. The show's genius was recognizing that earnestness and absurdity could coexist, and that the people trying hardest to be different often ended up the most alike. By its final season, Portlandia had become less a regional satire and more a mirror held up to a certain type of educated, progressive, and deeply self-serious American culture that existed far beyond Portland's city limits.

"At the request of Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, I am directing Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists. I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" A tweet from Donald J. Trump dated September 27, 2025, announced the deployment of troops to Portland and ICE facilities.

This announcement followed a previous designation of Antifa as a "major terrorist organization" by the Trump administration. The order came days after a shooting at an ICE facility in Dallas and amid ongoing protests at an ICE facility in Portland, which the administration characterized as being "under siege". Local leaders in Portland, including Governor Tina Kotek, criticized the deployment, stating that the city was not "war-ravaged" and did not require federal troops.

Recent protests in Portland, Oregon, primarily centered around the federal government's decision to send troops to the city to address demonstrations near Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities. Demonstrations have been ongoing, particularly in the vicinity of the ICE building in South Portland, protesting immigration policies and the presence of federal agents. While recent protests have been described as more muted and concentrated around the ICE facility, they draw comparisons to the widespread George Floyd protests in 2020, which also saw federal intervention and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement.

In early June 2025 protests begin targeting the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Southwest Portland following federal immigration arrests in the city. From June 8 to\ June 13, 2025 Portland police initially cleared a barricade set up by protesters at the ICE building, but then Police Chief Bob Day states officers will no longer actively clear barricades or engage in activities perceived as supporting ICE transports. On 01 September 2025 a large protest culminates in a march to the ICE building, where federal officers deploy chemical agents and pepperballs as some protesters bring a makeshift guillotine.

On September 5, 2025 President Trump stated he is considering federal intervention in Portland due to the protests, describing the city as "war-ravaged". Oregon Governor Tina Kotek condemns these threats as "absurd, unlawful and un-American". On September 8, 2025 the U.S. Attorney's Office announces that 26 individuals have been charged with federal offenses related to activities at the ICE building since June.

On September 22, 2025 President Trump signed an executive order designating Antifa as a "major terrorist organization". and On September 25, 2025 Trump reiterates threats of sending additional federal law enforcement to Portland, describing protesters as "professional agitators and anarchists".

As of 28 September 2025, local media reported that despite Trump's order, the situation at the Portland ICE facility remains largely consistent with previous weeks, featuring small, mostly peaceful protests with occasional minor clashes or arrests. Portland residents, along with local and state officials, strongly rejected and criticized President Trump's description of the city as "war-ravaged." The portrayal was widely seen as inaccurate, inflammatory, and serving a political agenda rather than reflecting the reality of the city. Local news outlets like The Oregonian and The Stranger, often reflecting local sentiment, challenged the "war-ravaged" narrative by providing on-the-ground reports that characterized the protests at the ICE facility as relatively contained and involving smaller numbers of participants, rather than widespread chaos.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Fox "One of the things I've been dealing with all day here in Portland is a bunch of pansies that are elected into political office who won't make a decision to keep their citizens safe." State and local leaders  but only a few protesters  greeted Noem as she visited Portland and the ICE office that had been the site of recurring protests since June.

"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. ... These leaders in these local cities along with Pritzker and Johnson ignore what's going on or sir they're helping Antifa cover it up. We have arrested dozens of individuals that are Antifa members or affiliated with them and I want to thank our attorney general for prosecuting them and making sure they never see the light of day again. They have been so bold in making sure we're bringing those individuals to justice.

"One of the individuals we arrested recently in Portland was the girlfriend of one of the founders of Antifa. And we are hoping that as we go after her, interview her, and prosecute her, we will get more and more information about the network and how we can root them out and eliminate them from the existence of American society. I want to thank the journalists here today for telling their stories and for being able and willing to go to the streets and to cover what's happening here in America. Many times the legacy media has looked the other way, refused to tell the stories.

After meeting with the Portland mayor, Noem said that if the mayor did not meet some of her demands for more security at the ICE facility we were going to send four times the amount of federal officers to the city. On Jesse Watters Live 07 October 2025, she said " this mayor is going to wait until somebody gets violently hurt or killed, she said. Hes going to have blood on his hands because he sat around and thought too long, because he was too scared of the political ramifications of making a big decision to keep his city safe. Antifa-affiliated individuals are outside this building right now shouting death to my law enforcement officers while the mayor drives home and probably has a fancy dinner tonight and goes to sleep in his cushy bed. Its just not acceptable."

During a visit 08 October 2025 to what the Trump administration deems a war ridden Portland, Noem, who has been dubbed as ICE Barbie over her lavish cosplay photo ops, toured an ICE facility along MAGA influencer, who continuously praised her over her crackdown on immigration. She met with local law enforcement officials, including Portland Police Chief Bob Day, Oregon State Police Superintendent Casey Codding and Multnomah County Sheriff Nicole Morrisey ODonnell. As he praised Noem, MAGA influencer Benny Johnson posted a video on social media from the roof of the facility, saying they were staring down what he called an army of antifa. Despite his claims, only two small groups of protesters could be seen in the video, including a man in a chicken costume, an increasing trend among protesters to signal the viral acronym TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out).

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said 08 October 2025 This is not a factual need on the ground in Oregon, to deploy any of the military in the National Guard, whether theyre from California or Texas or Oregon. This is a fundamental issue for our democracy  about what the control and the authority of the president is, and what the court says it is. The rule of law has to hold. ... This is a very unusual situation. I dont think weve seen this anytime in our nations history, where federal agents are disregarding local law and are attacking people on the streets who are lawfully protesting. What were seeing from the Trump administration is an abuse of power in how theyre dealing with lawful protests outside their facilities.... ."

While precise, real-time numbers can be difficult to ascertain, reports suggest that the recent protests in Portland, particularly around the ICE facility, have generally involved smaller numbers of participants compared to the larger demonstrations seen in 2020. The Stranger reported on September 28, 2025, that protests at the ICE facility "rarely exceeded a couple dozen people" who were largely peaceful, contrasting them with federal officers who allegedly made numerous attacks on protesters. The Guardian noted on September 27, 2025, that there were only "four protesters on the sidewalk near the ICE field office Trump claimed was 'under siege'" during a visit to downtown Portland.

Media coverage of President Trump's decision to send troops to Portland in September 2025 was largely split along political lines, with contrasting portrayals by conservative and liberal outlets. Conservative Media generally supported the decision, echoing the administration's stance that federal intervention was necessary to address lawlessness and protect federal facilities from "domestic terrorists" like Antifa, often describing Portland as "war-ravaged".

Liberal Media: Critiqued the deployment as an overreach of federal power and a political tactic, questioning the necessity of military intervention in what they described as a city not experiencing widespread "war-like" conditions. Many outlets, particularly those critical of the decision, highlighted Trump's authorization of "Full Force, if necessary," raising concerns about potential escalation and the use of military against civilians.

Oregon's Governor Tina Kotek and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson strongly condemned the deployment, stating that the city did not require or desire federal troops and that such actions could escalate tensions rather than resolve them. They argued that the portrayal of Portland as "war-ravaged" was inaccurate and served a political narrative.

Oregon on 28 September 2025 sued to block President Donald Trumps order to deploy US troops to Portland, a day after the directive was issued. The move mirrors earlier deployments to Los Angeles and Washington, DC, opposed by local Democratic leaders, highlighting tensions over federal intervention in cities. The suit filed by Oregon and Portland authorities accused Trump of overreach, saying the move "was motivated by his desire to normalise the use of military troops for ordinary domestic law enforcement activity", particularly in jurisdictions run by his political opponents. Oregon authorities said there was no need for a National Guard deployment to Portland as  contrary to Trump's claims  the protests there against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have been small-scale and peaceful.

The suit said the protests typically involve less than 30 people and have not required arrests since mid-June. "But (Trump's) heavyhanded deployment of troops threatens to escalate tensions and stokes new unrest," the suit said. Protesters in Portland and other cities had intermittently blocked entrances to ICE facilities in recent weeks, prompting some clashes as agents try to clear the area. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson called the deployment "unwanted, unneeded and un-American".

The appointment of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of War and his emphasis on a "warrior ethos" for the military were frequently mentioned, adding a layer to the discussions around the use of force domestically. Kristi Noem's involvement as Secretary of Homeland Security and her request for the troops were noted, often in conjunction with her known hardline stances on immigration and border security. Her past actions, such as deploying the National Guard to the US-Mexico border, were also referenced in the context of her support for Trump's policies.

The deployment of troops domestically, particularly in situations like the Trump administration's actions in Portland, sparked significant legal and constitutional debates, primarily centering on the Posse Comitatus Act and the Insurrection Act.

The Posse Comitatus Act, enacted in 1878, is a federal law that generally prohibits the use of federal military forces (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force) for domestic law enforcement purposes, aiming to maintain the separation of military and civilian authority. Critics argued that deploying federal troops to intervene in civilian protests and enforce local laws, as seen in Los Angeles and proposed for Portland, directly violated the spirit and letter of this act, transforming the military into a domestic police force.

The Trump Administration contended that troops were primarily deployed to protect federal property and personnel, arguing this fell outside the scope of "domestic law enforcement" and thus did not violate the Posse Comitatus Act. However, a federal judge ruled in the Los Angeles case that the deployment did indeed violate the Act, finding that troops were engaged in core law enforcement activities.

The Insurrection Act, an exception to Posse Comitatus. is an amalgamation of laws passed between 1792 and 1871. It provides a statutory exception to the Posse Comitatus Act, allowing the President to deploy federal troops to suppress insurrections, domestic violence, or conspiracies that obstruct constitutional rights or federal laws, even without a state's request in certain circumstances.

While the Insurrection Act offers a legal avenue for domestic troop deployment, debates focused on whether the conditions in Portland (or other cities) truly met the high threshold of "insurrection" or "domestic violence" necessary to invoke the act, especially when local authorities opposed the deployment. Legal experts and state officials often argued that the situation did not warrant such extreme measures and that local law enforcement had not "completely broken down".

Notably, the Trump administration in some instances did not explicitly invoke the Insurrection Act, instead citing 10 U.S.C.  12406 (which allows the President to call up the National Guard in certain situations related to rebellion) or a claimed inherent constitutional power to protect federal interests. This strategic avoidance of the Insurrection Act, which is more widely understood and potentially controversial, was also a point of legal discussion and scrutiny.

The legal debates also involved the Tenth Amendment, which reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states, raising questions about federal overreach when deploying troops without state consent. The President's authority to federalize the National Guard, particularly without gubernatorial consent, was another area of contention, with legal interpretations of 10 U.S.C.  12406 being particularly debated.

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Operation Southern Spear - Venezuela Operations - 2025

US President Donald Trump on 29 November 2025 warned against flying over Venezuela, in a brief social media message that signaled the latest escalation against the Latin American country. "To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. The US president did not elaborate. But his message follows a warning by the US aviation regulator to major airlines of a "potentially hazardous situation" when flying over Venezuela due to a "worsened security situation and heightened military activity in or around" the country.

Trump hinted 27 November 2025 at more direct action against Venezuela. He said his campaign had hampered the drug trade by sea, and well be starting to stop them by land also, adding: the land is easier, but thats going to start very soon.

US President Donald Trump confirmed on 15 October 2025 that he had authorized CIA operations on Venezuelan soil. The decision would allow intelligence operatives to carry out lethal operations against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whose government Trump accused of running narco-terrorist cartels and flooding the US with cocaine and fentanyl. The authorization specifically granted the CIA the power to carry out sabotage, cyberwarfare, and targeted lethal actions against regime infrastructure and leadership figures, operating either unilaterally or in coordination with broader military efforts. Administration officials, including CIA Director John Ratcliffe, justified the move as a necessary step to dismantle what they labeled a "narcoterrorist" state run by the Cartel de los Soles.

While the President opted for covert action as the primary mechanism for regime changeavoiding an immediate full-scale ground invasionthis decision was framed by an aggressive overt military campaign that had already begun weeks earlier. The military pressure intensified significantly in November 2025 with the formal commencement of "Operation Southern Spear." On November 13, 2025, the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group arrived in the Caribbean to support the operation, representing the largest U.S. military projection in the region since the invasion of Panama in 1989. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the deployment was intended to cut off the financial lifelines of the Maduro regime by physically interdicting drug routes in both the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific. This naval blockade effectively served as the anvil to the CIA's hammer, squeezing the Venezuelan government from the outside while covert operatives worked to destabilize it from within.

Despite the aggressive kinetic actions, the strategy also included a diplomatic off-ramp. On November 19, 2025, reports surfaced that the White House had reopened back-channel negotiations with Caracas. These discussions reportedly involved high-level intermediaries and centered on a proposal where Maduro would agree to step down following a transition period in exchange for security guarantees. This diplomatic track suggested that the lethal covert action and military posturing were largely designed as leverage to force a negotiated surrender rather than to commit the United States to a protracted conventional war in South America.

Opting not to strike would at this point boost Maduros standing and make it much harder to dislodge him in the future. It certainly will strengthen his hand, James Story, who served as U.S. ambassador to Venezuela and head of the Venezuelan Affairs Unit at the U.S. embassy in Colombia during the first Trump and Biden administrations, told NatSec Daily. He will have been seen as staring down the U.S. government and winning. Maduro is likely to be emboldened while the opposition will be demoralized and fractured, he added. It was clear the U.S. president was hesitant to use military force against Venezuela at this moment. Axios reported that Trump wanted to speak directly with Maduro, prompting some analysts to speculate Trump may ultimately cut a deal with Venezuela President Gustavo Petro backed a proposal for Venezuelas Nicolas Maduro to hand power to a transitional authority that would organise new elections while receiving guarantees against prosecution. Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio told Bloomberg such assurances could enable a smooth handover as Washington escalated pressure after designating the Cartel de los Soles a terrorist group effective Nov. 24 which could justify US military action. Reports of CIA covert operations inside Venezuela deepened concern as Maduro warned the US to abandon its criminal ambitions while Trump said he would probably talk to Maduro yet refused to rule out force.

US-Venezuela tensions approached a breaking point with back-channel communications between Washington and Caracas virtually silent, according to two sources familiar with US Venezuela policy speaking with POLITICO National Security Daily - November 20, 2025. Maduro's attempts at peaceful resolution appeared futile as diplomatic options narrowed. Trump effectively set a deadline by designating the Cartel de los Soles (criminal networks linked to Venezuela's military) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization effective 24 November 2025. Venezuela made no offer meeting US demands for Maduro's immediate departure. The New York Times had reported Trump rejected a proposal for Maduro to step down in 2-3 years, but sources said this offer was made months ago and any deal keeping Maduro in power remained unacceptable.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated Trump "is always willing to hear people out" but military options remain available. Though US strikes aren't guaranteed, the ongoing military buildup increased pressure for decisive action. "The administration needs to find a win, because you can't use this amount of force and then go home without an outcome," said Frank Mora, former US ambassador to the OAS. "Time is running out."

US President Donald Trump said 17 November 2025 he was open to speaking with Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro and would not rule out deploying US troops, while also saying he'd be "OK" with launching anti-drug strikes inside Mexico  remarks that heightened tensions amid the major US military buildup in the region. "At a certain period of time, I'll be talking to him," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked if he would speak to Maduro, while adding that the Venezuelan president "has not been good to the United States". Asked if he would rule out US troops on the ground in Venezuela, Trump replied: "No I don't rule out that, I don't rule out anything." He added "We just have to take care of Venezuela. They dumped hundreds of thousands of people into our country from prisons."

"Operation Southern Spear" is a new U.S. military mission announced on 13 November 2025, by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The operation's stated purpose is to "remove narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere" and secure the U.S. homeland from illicit drug trafficking. It is being led by U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) and a new, dedicated task force, Joint Task Force Southern Spear. Secretary Hegseth stated the mission was "ordered" by President Donald Trump.

The US Senate rejected a resolution to block President Donald Trump from attacking Venezuela without congressional authorization on 06 November 2025. A majority was needed for approval, but only 49 senators backed the resolution, and 51 voted against. The resolution stated that "Congress has the sole power to declare war." "Congress has not declared war upon, nor enacted a specific statutory authorization for use of military force against, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, nor any transnational criminal organizations," the resolution noted.

The last reported location [as of 04 November 2025] of the USS Gerald R. Ford was off the coast of Morocco, near the Strait of Gibraltar. The aircraft carrier was ordered to head to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility in the Caribbean to support counter-narcotics efforts, and after transiting the Strait of Gibraltar, some reports claim it had remained in a position just west of Morocco since 04 November 2025. Howard Altman reported in Thear Zone : "the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has not moved significantly from a position just west of Morocco in North Africa, the Navy confirmed" 06 November 2025.

The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is used by the military primarily as a maritime domain awareness (MDA) tool for monitoring vessel movements and ensuring security. While mandatory for large commercial and passenger ships, many smaller vessels (including some military, fishing, and recreational boats) are not required to carry AIS, or may switch it off for security or operational reasons, making them "invisible" to the system. The Ford strike group activated AIS during transit of the Strait of Gibraltar, but had been sailing without AIS transmissions dince departing Croatia. The "holding" off Morocco is an artifact of AIS being switched back off, not the actual location of the strike group.

Sources told CNN on 06 November 2025 that Trump officials told lawmakers on 05 November 2025 that the US was not currently planning to launch strikes inside Venezuela and does NOT have a legal justification that would support attacks against any land targets right now. CNN's Zachary Cohen reported "Lawmakers were told during the classified session that the opinion produced by DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel to justify strikes against suspected drug boats, first reported by CNN last month, does not permit strikes inside Venezuela itself or any other territories, per four sources.... The Trump admin is seeking a separate legal opinion from DOJ that would provide a justification for launching strikes against land targets without needing to ask Congress to authorize military force, a US official said."

The Miami Herald newspaper reported 01 November 2025, citing sources familiar with the matter, that the United States may launch air strikes against targets in Venezuela in the coming hours or days. At the same time, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called this report fake. The United States is deploying a troop contingent to the Caribbean, which, according to preliminary data, could number approximately 16,000 troops, US media reported, citing Pentagon data.

"The Trump administration has identified targets in Venezuela, including military installations used for drug smuggling. If President Trump decides to launch airstrikes, these targets would send a clear signal to Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro that it's time for him to go," the Wall Street Journal reported 31 October 2025. The White House was said to have identified ports, maritime facilities and airports as possible targets.

But on 01 November 2025 Trump denied he was considering strikes inside Venezuela, appearing to contradict his own comments from last week and amid intensifying expectations that Washington may soon expand drug-trafficking-related operations. When asked by reporters on Air Force One if media reports that he was considering strikes within Venezuela were true, Trump said: No. At that time, the American force was clearly insufficient to conduct a full-fledged military operation to overthrow the Venezuelan government. Venezuela had a fairly large and well-armed army by regional standards, equipped with modern aircraft and air defense systems. Furthermore, this Latin American country had a massive Bolivarian militia, which was essentially a people's militia.

According to an exclusive report by Sasha Ingber on Substack, a U.S. source has revealed new details about the Trump administration's deliberations on Venezuela. The administration reportedly believed that deposing President Nicolas Maduro would both reduce drug trafficking into the U.S. and, by enabling the lifting of sanctions, "open up the largest economy in South America." The Trump administration discussed the possibility of a negotiated stepping down of Nicolas Maduro as Venezuelan president while maintaining his personal security guarantees, The Atlantic reported, citing sources involved in contacts with Caracas officials. According to their data, the Venezuelan leader is considering the option of "comfortable exile" if the United States removes the reward for his arrest, grants amnesty, and helps negotiate admission to a third country. "If there's enough pressure and enough sweet terms, anything can be discussed with Maduro," said a source who spoke with officials from both sides. Proponents of this scenario believe that a managed transition of power would avoid bloodshed and preserve the unity of Venezuela's political elite.

If President Trump authorizes an operation, the source stated, "the plan right now is for targeted special operations missions like Grenada," referencing Operation Urgent Fury in 1983. Furthermore, the report claimed the administration wanted to capture a drug boat, after having already destroyed at least 15. The source expressed concern that officials are "looking for intelligence to support a policy decision that has already been decided," comparing the situation to the "2003 run up to Iraq."

The New York Times reported that the US administration has developed a number of options for action in Venezuela, but Donald Trump has not yet decided on how to proceed or whether to proceed at all. According to officials, the president is reluctant to approve operations that could put US troops at risk or end in failure.

According to The New York Times, three scenarios for military intervention in Venezuela:

The first option involves airstrikes against military targets , some of which are allegedly linked to drug trafficking, in order to deprive the Venezuelan army of support for Maduro. US air forces could strike key military targets in Venezuela. Through this, it was planned to destroy Maduro's confidence in security and force him to flee. Sources in Washington believed Madurot's insecurity may prompt him to leave the country or agree to negotiations. The U.S. had allegedly been mapping infrastructure targets (government, civilian, and criminal) tied to drug trafficking. A special operations command vessel, operating under commercial cover, left Ponce, Puerto Rico. This vessel is said to be capable of launching 150 operators (Delta Force or Seal Team Six) along with helicopters from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. However, some analysts are concerned that such an action could cause public reaction and further unite the population around Maduro. Critics of this approach warn that it could backfire, rallying supporters around the embattled leader. The second approach entails the US deploying a special forces unit, the CAG or NSWDG, "Delta" troops or the famous SEAL Team 6 unit, to forcibly capture or eliminate Maduro. Under this option, the Trump administration would attempt to circumvent prohibitions on assassinating foreign leaders by claiming that Maduro is, first and foremost, the head of a narco-terrorist group. This is a continuation of the arguments the US uses to justify airstrikes on vessels it claims are involved in drug smuggling. A third option involves a far more complex plan: sending military forces to seize airfields and at least some of Venezuela's oil fields and infrastructure. The third scenario involves a large-scale military operation - American paratroopers taking control of Venezuela's airfields and oil fields. Through this, the US aims to establish control over the country's economic resources and logistical routes. However, the NYT writes that this option is the most dangerous for the US military and could lead to significant losses, especially if implemented in urban environments like Caracas.

Trump aides asked the Justice Department for additional guidance that could provide legal justification for any military action beyond the current campaign to destroy drug-smuggling vessels without providing evidence. Such guidance could include legal justification for targeting Maduro without requiring congressional authorization for the use of military force, let alone a declaration of war. While the guidance was still being drafted, some administration officials expected it to identify Maduro and his senior security officials as key figures in the Cartel of the Suns, which was designated a terrorist organization in the United States. The Justice Department was expected to argue that this designation makes Maduro a legitimate target, despite long-standing U.S. legal prohibitions on assassinating national leaders.

Donald Trump was reportd by the Times to be in no hurry to make decisions that put American soldiers at risk. Therefore, the plans include the use of drones and long-range weapons. According to sources, these options could be implemented through the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, which could arrive in the Caribbean Sea in mid-November with more than 75 military aircraft and about 5,000 military personnel. According to the newspaper, Trump was delaying a final decision until this air carrier reached the Venezuelan coast. The president suppodedy had not yet made a clear decision on military actions, as he did not desire an operation with a high probability of failure. However, his advisors emphasized the need to take decisive action against Maduro's regime.

The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States CELAC at its 2014 summit in Havana formally declared the region a Zone of Peace, a foundational agreement committing its 33 member nations to peaceful conflict resolution and the eradication of foreign military bases. This declaration is a cornerstone of the regions contemporary geopolitical identity, representing a collective effort to overcome a long history of foreign interventions and to consolidate its sovereignty. In a significant shift from its historical alignment with Washington, Colombias Foreign Ministry, under the administration of President Gustavo Petro, reaffirmed its commitment to the principles of the Zone of Peace.

CELAC convened an emergency virtual meeting of foreign ministers on September 1, 2025, in response to major U.S. military/naval deployments in the southern Caribbean near Venezuela. Rosa Villavicencio, Foreign Minister of Colombia  which was holding the pro-tem presidency of CELAC at the time  speaking for CELAC in its emergency meeting, stated: There is a need to keep Latin America as a land of peace, free from any intervention and in strict adherence to United Nations declarations and to the preservation of peace and sovereignty.... We reject the logic of intervention, we reaffirm the Charter of the United Nations, we demand that all legitimate concerns be addressed through diplomatic and multilateral channels, and we offer our platforms to facilitate Latin American and Caribbean solutions to the challenges of our common home.

The decision by many European and Latin American leaders to skip the 4th EU-CELAC Summit in Santa Marta, Colombia (scheduled for November 9-10, 2025) was influenced by concerns about the stance of Donald Trump and US policy in the region. Key leaders who were confirmed to be absent included Ursula von der Leyen [President of the European Commission], Friedrich Merz [Chancellor of Germany], Emmanuel Macron [President of France], Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy, Claudia Sheinbaum [President of Mexico], Javier Milei [President of Argentina] along with leaders from countries such as Chile and Peru were reported to be absent.

Multiple outlets (Bloomberg, Financial Times, Euronews) report that European officials were wary of upsetting Trump due to his recent actions: sanctions against Colombian President Gustavo Petro, authorizing U.S. military operations in the Caribbean, and public accusations of drug-trafficking ties.

In the Santa Marta Declaration [the final joint statement] issued at the IV CELACEU Summit, Leaders reaffirmed their adherence to the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, in particular the sovereign equality of states and respect for territorial integrity and political independence, and reiterated their opposition to the threat or use of force and to any action not in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations. The document makes criticisms (though not naming by country) of recent military-actions in the Caribbean, concerns over narco-trafficking operations, and the legitimacy of electoral processes in certain states.

Brazil reinforced its northeastern border with 10,000 troops due to regional instability, particularly concerns about the situation with Venezuela and the ongoing border dispute with Guyana. Separately, Argentina has also increased its border security presence with Brazil in response to the fallout from a large-scale operation against organized crime in Rio de Janeiro, aimed at preventing the movement of criminals into its territory. Brazil continues to implement long-term border security strategies, including the use of the Integrated Border Monitoring System (SISFRON). The Caribbean Sea once again became a stumbling block in US-UK relations. London halted intelligence sharing with Washington amid the attacks on Venezuelan boats. The British, who had territories in the region, were trying to distance themselves from US President Donald Trump's policies, comments American political scientist Malek Dudakov.

"Intelligence cooperation between the two countries has already declined significantly in recent times. [The UK's foreign intelligence agency] MI6 isn't providing the Americans with all the information it has on the Ukrainian trail. Meanwhile, the White House is threatening to dismantle the Five Eyes organization, which unites the intelligence services of the US and Anglosphere countries. And it's accusing Britain of having ties to China."  the expert notes in his post on the Telegram channel 12 November 2025.

In the same Caribbean, the Chinese recently purchased an abandoned American base on the islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Dudakov points out. The US feared that Chinese intelligence services will monitor them from the British colony. The Chinese are building a second port and an airfield on the islands.

Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs said 06 November 2025 "We are now witnessing something incredible happening in the Caribbean that would have been unthinkable just 10 years ago. Russian warships arrived in the waters of Venezuela not to enter the port, but to declare their geopolitical intentions. It's not just about the demonstration of military equipment or naval maneuvers - we are witnessing a fundamental restructuring of forces in the hemisphere, which the United States took for granted," said Sachs. It is not apparent whereof Sach spoke as there were no recent reports of Russian warships in the region. In July 2024, three Russian naval vessels, including the frigate Admiral Gorshkov and the oil tanker Akademik Pashin, visited the port of La Guaira, Venezuela, as part of military cooperation exercises and as a demonstration of Russian naval power in the Western Hemisphere. This followed a previous stop in Havana, Cuba, and included drills in the Atlantic Ocean. The Chinese naval hospital ship CNS Silk Road Ark, deployed on the Harmony 2025 mission in early September 2025, called at Nicaragua's Port of Corinto for a five-day technical stop.

On 12 November 2025, the Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Russia and Venezuela entered into force after both chambers of the Russian Parliament urged the international community to condemn the provocative actions of the United States against Venezuela. On 27 October 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the law ratifying the agreement, which has also been ratified by President Maduro. The document expands bilateral cooperation in areas related to energy, mining, transportation, communications, security, and the fight against terrorism and extremism. Russian Affairs Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on 11 November 2025 denied reports that Venezuela had requested military assistance from Moscow. No, we have not received any request, he said, adding that Russia is prepared to fully meet the mutually enshrined obligations in the agreement with our Venezuelan friends.

The Western Hemisphere was a primary arena for U.S.-China strategic competition. Recent analysis indicates China continues to expand its economic and political influence in Latin America through trade, infrastructure projects, and legal agreements. In response, some U.S. strategists are advocating for a "continental fortress" approach, focusing on consolidating U.S. influence and security in the Western Hemisphere as a foundation for projecting power globally, particularly to counter China. The U.S.-Russia relationship is widely described as adversarial, with significant friction over the established international order. A key area of tension is arms control; Russia has suspended its participation in the New START treaty (though both sides are still observing its limits), and there has been discussion from both nations about resuming nuclear testing, which challenges long-standing norms.

The phrase "Paper Tiger" (a translation of the Chinese zhilaohu) has a long history in geopolitics. It was famously used by Mao Zedong to describe the United States, arguing it was an opponent that appeared powerful but was actually ineffectual. The term has been used by various figures sinceincluding recently by both President Trump and Vladimir Putin to describe each other's countries. The U.S. maintains a robust, though unofficial, defense relationship governed by the Taiwan Relations Act. This includes significant Foreign Military Sales (totaling over $28 billion between 2015-2025) and training to help Taiwan counter "gray zone" tactics and maintain its self-defense. This policy is often referred to as "strategic ambiguity."

The Monroe Doctrine declared in 1823 warned European powers to stay out of the Western Hemisphere. In late October 2025, Maduro reportedly sought expanded military cooperation with Russia, China and Iran to counter the escalation between the U.S. and Venezuela. On 31 Octobr3 2025 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia stated: "We support the leadership of Venezuela in defending its national sovereignty, taking into account the dynamics of the international regional situation. We stand ready to respond appropriately to the requests of our partners in light of emerging threats."

Radical scenarios cannot be ruled out, in which the situation could develop as if it were the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. If, for example, in response to the delivery of American systems to Ukraine, Russia could decides to deploy similar systems in Venezuela. If Washington declined to take action, it will be interpreted as a lack of resolve and fear of Caracas' allies, primarily Moscow.

The US's refusal to carry out its threats would be perceived internationally as a sign of weakness. This is why, observers noted, the situation around Caracas had reached a stage where any move by the US administration is interpreted as strategically significant. Phil Ganson, a senior analyst at the non-governmental International Crisis Group and a longtime Venezuelan resident, emphasized, it will be a "triumph for Maduro" if the US turns back the USS Ford striek group. "After that, he could forever say: 'I fought back against the United States, I fought back against the empire, and the empire retreated,'" Ganson emphasized.

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Wag the Dog

The movie "Wag the Dog" is a 1997 political satire film directed by Barry Levinson. A fake war against Albania is swiftly fabricated to makes sure the American public forgets about sexual allegations against the President, and is also given the chance to admire the Presidents resolve during a national security crisis.

The movie stars Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro and tells the story of a spin doctor and a Hollywood producer who fabricate a fake war with Albania to distract the American public from a presidential sex scandal just before an election. The film's title comes from the expression "the tail wagging the dog," meaning a small or unimportant part controlling the whole - in this case, a manufactured media spectacle driving real political outcomes.

The movie explores media manipulation, the construction of reality through television and news coverage, and how public perception can be manufactured. It shows how Hollywood-style production techniques could theoretically be used to create convincing false narratives for political purposes. The film was particularly notable for its timing - it was released in December 1997, just weeks before the Monica Lewinsky scandal broke in January 1998, leading to eerie comparisons between the film's plot and real events, especially when the U.S. launched missile strikes against Sudan and Afghanistan in August 1998 during the height of the scandal. The term "wag the dog" has since entered popular political discourse as shorthand for when a leader might use military action or create international incidents to distract from domestic problems.

Days before re-election, the President is caught in a sex scandal with a minor. Spin doctor Conrad Brean (De Niro) and Hollywood producer Stanley Motss (Hoffman) have less than two weeks to bury the story. Their solution: fabricate a war with Albania that exists only on television screens. They successfully manipulate the media cycle, create a fake hero, stage memorials, and manufacture patriotic fervor - all through pure media production. The "war" never happens except as a television event, yet it dominates public consciousness and saves the presidency. Video Production: In 1997, they filmed a fake refugee fleeing in a studio with a green screen. Today, this would be exponentially easier and more convincing with AI video generation, deepfakes, and real-time CGI that can create photorealistic war footage indistinguishable from reality.

Social Media Amplification: The film relied on traditional news networks. In 2025, the operation would weaponize TikTok, X, Instagram, and YouTube with coordinated bot networks, influencer campaigns, and algorithmic manipulation to make #AlbaniaWar trend organically within hours.

Manufactured Grassroots: They created a folk song and yellow ribbon campaign. Modern equivalents would be viral challenges, AI-generated patriotic anthems, coordinated hashtag movements, and seemingly authentic user-generated content - all astroturfed.

The Backstory: They invented a hero named "Old Shoe" complete with false history. Today's version would include fabricated social media profiles with years of backdated posts, AI-generated childhood photos, fake school records inserted into databases, and manufactured "friends" posting memories.

News Manipulation: They fed stories to compliant media. Now they'd exploit the fragmented media ecosystem - planting stories across partisan outlets, using deep-faked "leaked footage," and creating information cascades where each outlet cites another, building false legitimacy.

Credibility Laundering: Anonymous intelligence "leaks," doctored satellite imagery, fake expert analysis from AI-generated think tank reports, and coordinated statements from purchased bot accounts posing as foreign witnesses.

The 2025 Difference: What required a Hollywood studio in 1997 could now be executed from a laptop. The barrier isn't technical capability - it's the fragmented, skeptical information environment where everything is simultaneously believable and questionable, making consensus reality harder to establish but also making fabricated realities easier to sustain within echo chambers.

Eleftheria Thanouli noted " Wag the Dog could be regarded as a limit case in contemporary American cinema for the ways in which it confronts us with a standard set of quandaries that emerge every time we seek to define the boundaries between cinema and reality and we strive to understand how people, either as artists or viewers, are expected to handle them.... Ever since the time of Aristotle and Plato, the thoughts regarding the role of art have centred on its aspired relation to physical reality. Whether art should imitate the real world or whether it should creatively add to it, is the core dilemma in the theory of all art forms. Unlike painting, poetry or music, however, cinema seemed to boast a unique bond to reality, a bond that would stir even more divisive views regarding its purported destiny. The technical capacity of the moving images to record real life so faithfully was a mixed blessing for the new medium to the extent that it immediately triggered antithetical approaches both in filmmaking practices and in theoretical writings."

"The realist tradition in film theory has located cinemas essence in its technical ability to record real life more accurately than any other medium in cultural history.... In the quest of the cinematic essence, the anti-realist camp brought attention to other functions of the medium, refuting the realists claims about the desired connection of film with reality.... where the conditions of reproduction serve in some way to mould the object.7 In this line of thought, cinema could only become an art provided that it relieved itself from its reproductive ability and focused on its formative potential....

" With the advent of digital technology and the consequent changes in cinemas recording capacities, contemporary film theory was forced to review all the questions that classical theory had seemed to tackle....

"Wag the Dog was loosely based on the novel American Hero written by Larry Beinhart in 1993.20 In his book, Beinhart combined real and fictional elements in order to present the story of an American president who stages a war in order to get re-elected. The name of that president was George H. W. Bush and the war was called Operation Desert Storm, also known as the Gulf War. From within a fictional framework, Beinhart put forward his own theory that the Gulf War was merely another communication scheme devised by Lee Atwater..."

Thomas L. Friedman, the New York Times columnist, made the "Wag the Dog" comparison in an article published in July 2020 Friedman: Trump is starting a wag-the-dog war at home. Friedman wrote that while some presidents "wag the dog" by starting a war abroad when they get into trouble before an election, Donald Trump seemed ready to "wag the dog by starting a war at home." He was referring to Trump's threats to send federal forces into U.S. cities where local mayors hadn't invited them Friedman: Trump is starting a wag-the-dog war at home.

Friedman also compared Trump's approach to that of Syrian President Bashar Assad in 2011, suggesting that Trump wanted to transform peaceful protests into conflicts with "radicals" so he could play the "law-and-order president" Friedman: Trump is starting a wag-the-dog war at home.

Commentary discussing this comparison was from 2020, related to Trump's first term and the protests that occurred during that period. The more reent news about Trump's "war on cities" involved his deployments of National Guard troops to cities like Portland, Chicago, and others in 2025, which sparked similar concerns about federal overreach.

The 2025 critics made arguments very similar to the "Wag the Dog" thesis  that Trump was manufacturing or exaggerating crises for political purposes  but they were not initially using that specific movie reference.

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Beijing, China, Oct. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- One hundred years ago today, on October 10, 1925, beneath the Gate of Divine Prowess of the Forbidden City, a crowd gathered in front of a newly hung plaque bearing five bold characters: Gu Gong Bo Wu Yuan, or The Palace Museum. This moment heralded a profound transformation. The royal palace of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties opened its doors to the public as the Palace Museum.



The Forbidden City was reborn in a new form. Over the past century, generations of Palace Museum staff have persevered through adversity, passing down the torch of cultural heritage. They have safeguarded the nation's treasures, preserving the heritage of Chinese civilization for future generations and guarding a pearl of world heritage. Their efforts have inscribed a unique chapter of splendor and confidence onto the grand scroll of human civilization.



On the occasion of the Palace Museum's centenary, we present Letters from the Palace Museum. These letters trace the correspondence of those who have served the museum across different eras: from the appointment letters of early experts to the scholarly debates of masters after the founding of the People's Republic of China; from the hardships of relocating cultural relics during war time to the resilience of those who stayed behind after victory; from the longing across the Taiwan Straits to the hopeful exchanges between directors of the Palace Museums on both sides of the Straits... Each letter brings us back to historic moments, bearing witness to how generations of guardians, with devotion and deep affection, have paved an extraordinary path to the inheritance of civilization.



At the heart of Beijing's Central Axis, the 720,000-square-meter Forbidden City stands like a colossal sundial, casting majestic shadows over its over 600-year history. This palace has witnessed both glory and turmoil: the Three Great Halls echoed with imperial authority, its four gates weathered bloody storms, and its 9,000 rooms harbored countless stories.



By the 1920s, as China stood at a crossroads, the Forbidden City faced its own destiny. On October 10, 1925, a new plaque was unveiled at the Gate of Divine Prowess, marking the founding of the Palace Museum. After five centuries of dynastic shifts, the vermilion walls and jade carvings now opened to the public, laying a new foundation for this ancient palace.



The rebirth of the Forbidden City was not merely a social transformation but an evolution of civilization. It raised public awareness to protect cultural roots and shape national destiny, positioning the Palace Museum as a guardian of heritage and a pioneer of culture.



Delving into the past, letters and documents revive the names of trailblazers. In the early days, figures like Li Yuying, Zhuang Yunkuan, Yi Peiji, and Ma Heng worked tirelessly to inventory artifacts, establish systems, and build the framework for China's modern museums. In 1929, Luo Jialun, former president of Tsinghua University, wrote back to Yi Peiji, then president of the Palace Museum, "If I can contribute to academic endeavors, I shall devote my limited knowledge to the cause." His words reflected a commitment to nurturing this "sprout of modernity."



Yet, invasion soon threatened everything. Just six years after its founding, the September 18 Incident erupted. By January 1933, the Shanhaiguan Pass had fallen, sparking the evacuation of 13,427 crates and 64 parcels of palace treasures. Over a decade, these artifacts journeyed south and west, traversing thousands of miles amid war. The museum also curated selections for international exhibitions in London and Moscow, pioneering global cultural exchange.



These guardians shouldered the duty of preserving cultural heritage. They braved bandits, treacherous routes, and personal loss. Li Naiji and his colleagues fought off thieves; Na Zhiliang learned of his father's death only after the crisis had passed. Such resilience defined their mission. Meanwhile, Zhang Tingji and his team protected the Palace Museum in Beijing during enemy occupation. After victory in 1945, he reported, "Aside from metal items, all artifacts in the Forbidden City remain intact." This was a triumph of courage and duty.



In late 1948, Zhuang Shangyan, Na Zhiliang, and Wu Yuzhang escorted artifacts to the island of Taiwan, an uncertain journey. For nearly 40 years, cross-Straits ties were severed, but cultural bonds endured. In 1985, Fu Zhenlun wrote to his former colleagues, "If brothers could return together, it would be my greatest joy." Seventeen years later, Beijing Palace Museum Director Zheng Xinmiao visited the island of Taiwan, breaking barriers and fostering dialogue. His poetic exchange with former Taipei Palace Museum Director Qin Xiaoyi became legend.



After the turbulence, the Palace Museum entered a new chapter. Its collections have expanded significantly. In recent decades, its collection has grown from 1.8 million to over 1.95 million items, bolstering conservation, research, and dissemination. Experts have dedicated themselves to cataloging and mentoring, restorers have blended Eastern and Western techniques to revive relics, and cultural innovators have reimagined traditions for modern audiences.



Today, the Palace Museum walks a path shared with the people. "May the Palace Museum be not merely a historical relic of China's past, but a living institution for the world for thousands of years to come." This vision expressed by Li Yuying, one of the founding figures of the Palace Museum, has now become a reality.



Today, the Palace Museum has not only been revitalized but has also gained immense popularity. By embracing technology and innovation, this ancient heritage has become a bridge connecting the past with the present, and China with the world. Through the guardianship and transmission by generations, the Chinese civilization continues to thrive and endure.



Letter from Luo Jialun to Yi Peiji, 1929



Yi Peiji (1880-1937) was one of the founders of the Palace Museum. He was assigned to take over the Palace Museum in 1928. In March 1929, he became its first director, contributing significantly to its development and the standardization of its operations.



During Yi Peiji's tenure, he established three key departments: Antiquities, Library, and Archives. He also formed specialized committees for bronzes, ceramics, calligraphy works and paintings, books, documents, and other areas, and recruited renowned experts and scholars to work at the museum. These committees met several times a week, gradually reviewing and authenticating a large number of cultural relics. Among the appointed committee members were figures such as Wang Ti, Fu Siping, and Luo Jialun.



Luo Jialun (1897-1969), an educator and a historian, served as the first president of Tsinghua University in 1928.



The following is an excerpt from Luo Jialun's reply upon receiving the appointment letter from the Palace Museum. In it, he expressed a scholar's humility, pledging to dedicate his knowledge and efforts to the role and live up to the trust placed in him. Luo wrote, "I wish to assure you that should there be any way I can contribute on academic matters, I would be honored to devote my limited knowledge to the task."



Letters from Xu Senyu to his brothers, written between 1939-41



Xu Senyu (1881-1971), courtesy name Hongbao, participated in the early establishment of the Palace Museum and served as the Keeper of the Antiquities Department in July 1934. After the outbreak of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-45), he took part in the southward evacuation of the Palace Museum's artifacts.



In 1938, as he approached 60, Xu Senyu was responsible for transporting artifacts along the western route. The journey was arduous and fraught with hardship. While in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, he suffered a severe hip injury from a fall on rugged mountain paths. This required over five months of treatment before he could walk haltingly with a cane. In a March 1938 letter to Yuan Tongli, deputy director of the National Peiping Library, Xu expressed his unwavering commitment to safeguarding the artifacts from the museum's collection: "Though I am nearing 60, with one foot in the grave, I seek neither power nor position. My sole wish is that not a single national treasure be lost under my watch." In February 1939, Xu Senyu traveled from Yunnan Province to Anshun, Guizhou Province, to oversee the Palace Museum's artifacts. During his stay in Anshun, he wrote several letters to Xu Shouzhi, his eldest brother, and Xu Lujun, his third younger brother, describing the local environment, climate, and daily life, and reflecting the austere and challenging realities of guarding these cultural treasures.



Letter from Zhang Tingji to Ma Heng, 1945



Zhang Tingji (1895-1958) served as secretary of the Palace Museum in August 1934 and was appointed head of the General Affairs Department in March 1935. After the fall of Beijing, Zhang remained in the city at the request of Ma Heng, the museum's director, leading a small team of staff who persevered under extremely difficult conditions for eight years.



Ma Heng (1881-1955) became acting director of the Palace Museum in July 1933 and was appointed director in May 1934, a position he held until 1952. After the full outbreak of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, Ma oversaw the westward evacuation of the museum's artifacts. Following the war, he directed the museum's restoration and the return of the artifacts to Beijing.



During the Japanese occupation of Beijing from 1937 to 1945, the Palace Museum faced threats from both inside and outside and endured numerous crises. Zhang Tingji and his team shouldered immense responsibilities under the puppet regime, striving to maintain the museum's operations and protect its artifacts and architecture. In the autumn of 1938, Ma wrote to Zhang, acknowledging his perseverance. On October 10, 1945, the ceremony for the surrender of Japanese forces in the Beijing area was held. On November 8, Zhang Tingji compiled and submitted an eight-year work report on the Palace Museum's operations to Ma Heng.



In the report, Zhang wrote that "all cultural relics in the Palace Museum and the Forbidden City have fortunately remained undamaged."



Despite the challenges, the museum not only sustained its operations during those eight years but also achieved significant results, laying an essential foundation for its orderly development in the years to come.



Letter from Fu Zhenlun to his friends at the Taipei Palace Museum, 1985



Fu Zhenlun (1906-99) worked at the Palace Museum from 1934 to 1940, primarily overseeing artifact conservation, research, and exhibition planning. He participated in the 1935 International Exhibition of Chinese Art in London, marking the first-time artifacts from the Palace Museum - and indeed from China - were exhibited overseas.



Fu developed close friendships with colleagues Zhuang Shangyan, Wu Yuzhang, and Na Zhiliang during their years together at the Palace Museum. Shen Ruoxia was the wife of Zhuang Shangyan (1899-1980).



At the end of 1948 and early 1949, Zhuang, Wu (also known as Shuangqiu), and Na (also known as Xinru) escorted cultural relics to the island of Taiwan and later worked at the Taipei Palace Museum.



In 1985, on the 60th anniversary of the Palace Museum and at a time when postal service across the Taiwan Straits was still suspended, Fu published an open letter in the magazine Zhongguo Jianshe (lit: China Construction) addressed to Shen Ruoxia, as well as Wu and Na. The letter recalled the camaraderie of former colleagues, reflecting the subtle melancholy shared by Palace Museum veterans separated across the Straits. Fu also expressed delight at the changes in the Chinese mainland and his sincere hope for a future reunion.



In this letter, Fu wrote, "The Palace Museum has flourished, now with over a thousand staff members and standing among the world's great museums... Over the past 30 years, the museum has acquired countless newly unearthed treasures, frequently participated in international exhibitions and showcased the brilliance of Chinese culture... Many academic societies have been established, reserving positions for scholars from Taiwan, warmly awaiting their return."



A handwritten poem by Qin Xiaoyi Photo: Courtesy of the Palace Museum

Zheng Xinmiao and Qin Xiaoyi exchange letters and poems across the Taiwan Straits, 2003



Zheng, born in 1947, served as director of the Palace Museum in Beijing from September 2002 to January 2012. He actively promoted cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation between the two palace museums, achieving the first mutual visits by their directors. In 2009, these efforts broke the ice, marking a new chapter in collaboration.



Qin Xiaoyi (1921-2007) was director of the Taipei Palace Museum from January 1983 to April 2000. After cross-Straits contact resumed in the 1980s, Qin worked tirelessly to foster interaction and achieved significant breakthroughs.



At the turn of 2002 and 2003, Zheng became the first sitting Beijing Palace Museum director to visit the island of Taiwan, laying a strong foundation for future exchanges. During this visit, Zheng and Qin formed a deep friendship, which they continued through correspondence, exchanging books and poetry. Their verses expressed heartfelt hopes for enhanced collaboration and the ultimate reunification of the motherland.



In a poem reflecting on the southward relocation of Palace Museum treasures, Zheng wrote,"Sudden partings bring endless sorrow; silently, affection lingers. May these treasures be preserved forever, the legacy of civilization endured. Our blood binds us as Chinese - how can a sea divide our hearts? The cause of unity is deeply rooted." Qin responded in verse: "When will the sun and moon shine bright again? First, our rivers and mountains must be embroidered anew."



Letter from Wang Xudong to Beijing students, 2020



Wang Xudong, born in February 1967, is the current director of the Palace Museum.



On November 27, 2020, the Beijing Municipal Education Commission, in collaboration with the Palace Museum and the National Centre for the Performing Arts, launched the "Letters Across Time: Dialogues with the Palace Museum" exchange program. Over the course of a month, the Palace Museum received 5,530 letters from students at 603 schools across all 16 districts of Beijing. These letters touched on topics such as ancient architecture, artifacts, calligraphy, painting, and cultural relic restoration, showcasing the students' deep interest in the museum.



This particular letter was Wang's reply to students from the Experimental High School Attached to Beijing Normal University. These students had brought their classroom into the Palace Museum, conducting research-based learning programs and writing letters simulating conversations with historical figures, cultural relics, and artisans. In his response, Wang once again invited the students to explore the Palace Museum and expressed his heartfelt expectations for them.



He wrote, "You have engaged with the Palace Museum's artifacts and architecture from a fresh perspective, experiencing its boundless cultural charm. As a treasure trove of China's 5,000-year civilization and a hub of our outstanding traditional culture, the Palace Museum is committed to building a safe, academic, digital, and dynamic space. With a focus on protection, we aim to unearth its diverse cultural value and responsibly pass it on... I hope you draw strength from its culture, find inspiration for creativity, and build confidence in our cultural heritage."



Source: Global Times:

Company: Global Times

Contact Person: Anna Li

Email: editor@globaltimes.com.cn

Website: https://globaltimes.cn

City: Beijing





Disclaimer: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies (including product offerings, regulatory plans and business plans) and may change without notice. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
Beijing, China, Oct. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the early morning, a slight chill lingers on the playground, but sound of reading already echoes through the school buildings. Children hold books, reciting The Analects of Confucius in unison. On the classroom walls, posters featuring etiquette, poetry, and musical instruments are neatly aligned alongside Chinese characters written on the blackboard. Outside the building, a statue of Confucius stands in quiet contemplation.



This is the Standard Spoken and Written Chinese Language Primary School in Yimamu township, Wushi county, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region - a rural school that has pursued the mission of "connecting through language, culture, and hearts" since the day it was founded.



"Based on my own experience, I deeply understand that language is an essential tool for enhancing ethnic unity and fostering a strong sense of the Chinese nation as one community," Kurban Niyaz, the principal of the school, told the Global Times.



Guided by this conviction, Kurban has established the school 22 years ago. Over the past years, thousands of students have graduated with outstanding academic performance. Among them is the first student from Wushi county to be admitted into Tsinghua University. Kurban himself has been honored with titles including Reform Pioneer and Models for Ethnic Unity and Progress.



The Volume V of the book Xi Jinping: The Governance of China includes the article "Unite the Chinese Nation as One Community," which states: "Shaped by 5,000 years of time-honored Chinese civilization, our great country and nation have always inspired the most profound and enduring emotional attachment from all the Chinese people."



Xi emphasized: "we should strengthen education on Chinese history and culture among children and young people, popularize standard spoken and written Chinese, and promote the nationwide use of standard text-books, to help our people forge a sense of national identity from an early age."



Kurban often says, "a drop of water can only gain everlasting life when it joins the sea; a nation can only achieve sustainable development when it integrates into the larger family of the motherland. I want to be a promoter of fine traditional Chinese culture and a practitioner of ethnic unity and progress." He has been living out this promise through his concrete actions.



Kurban founded a school



In 2003, the school founded by Kurban began its first day with the sound of children crying.



Inside the classroom, the children were overwhelmed by the unfamiliar environment and teachers speaking a language they did not understand. One child began to cry, then a second, and soon the sound of weeping spread throughout the room. "Some children ran out through the door, while others climbed out the windows. Within five minutes, only four people were left in the school - myself, my younger brother, and two teachers," Kurban recalled in an interview with the Global Times.



Starting the next day, Kurban went door to door, persuading parents and offering a bold promise: "If there's no improvement within two weeks, I'll refund your tuition - and even compensate you out of my own pocket." It was this pledge that convinced some students to return to the classroom.



At the time, Wushi county was a national-level poverty-stricken county, and 99.5 percent of the residents in Yimamu township were Uygurs, most of whom could not speak the standard spoken and written Chinese language.



To overcome this challenge, Kurban and the teachers brought everyday household items into the classroom and used gestures to teach vocabulary word by word. If students wanted water or needed to use the restroom, the teachers would require them to express it in Putonghua.



After just two weeks, the children were already able to say phrases like "Hello, teacher" and "I want to drink water" clearly, and classroom order began to take shape.



In this way, the school, which started from nothing, managed to survive. To teach the first batch of students well, Kurban and the teachers tried every possible method, gradually developing a lively and flexible teaching style that helped the children quickly adapt to learning. As the students progressed, courses such as Chinese classics recitation, etiquette training, and traditional instrumental music were gradually added to the curriculum.



To make the Three Character Classic more engaging, the school distributed a pair of clappers to each student, encouraging them to chant the text in rhythm. The "click click" sound of the clappers became a new melody on campus. The children found it fun and often continued playing at home, naturally memorizing the content by heart.



When the results of the primary-to-secondary school entrance exam for the first graduating class were released, Kurban and the teachers huddled around a computer in the office, too nervous to look at the scores - closing and reopening the webpage repeatedly.



Yet the outcome exceeded all expectations: Even the students who usually performed the worst scored well above the admission threshold. All 32 students received their results, and many were successfully admitted into "Neichuban" - the secondary school classes in inland cities.



This time, the ones in tears were no longer the children - it was Kurban and the teachers.



'I chose the right path'



As a child, Kurban lived near a base of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. He often watched the spirited young members of the Corps, who had come from all over the country, and regarded them as role models. This not only inspired his determination to master the standard spoken and written Chinese language, but also planted in him the seeds of ethnic unity.



In 1982, Kurban became the first university student from Yimamu township. He studied Chinese language and literature at Xinjiang University. After graduation, he worked as a teacher. During the wave of entrepreneurship in the 1990s, he went into business and traveled to many parts of China.



In 2003, he returned to his hometown, determined to invest all his savings into founding a primary school. "As someone who personally benefited from learning the standard spoken and written Chinese language, I hope children in southern Xinjiang can also learn it and gain access to the richness of traditional Chinese culture, so they can see a broader world and live fulfilling lives. That was the original intention behind founding this school," Kurban said.



Kurban admitted that in the past, southern Xinjiang was relatively closed and underdeveloped. Especially in the early years of the school, social instability, the undercurrents of extremism, and sporadic violent terrorist incidents created an extremely challenging environment. "Many people couldn't accept or understand what I was doing. Some cursed at me, some physically attacked me. People even set fire to our school and tore down its walls," he recalled, still shaken by the thorny path he once walked.



But time has proven that he made the right choice. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to language education, issuing a series of key instructions on promoting the standard spoken and written Chinese language and carrying forward traditional Chinese linguistic culture. These efforts have charted the course for the high-quality development of language education in the new era.



Kurban's students have become the vanguard of mastering the standard spoken and written Chinese language, and the most direct beneficiaries of this educational model.



Among the first graduating class was the first-ever student from Wushi county admitted to Tsinghua University. Since then, over a thousand students have graduated from the school, with most being accepted into "Neichuban." Many of these children are now shining in places across Aksu Prefecture and throughout the country. Some have become civil servants, while some others, like Kurban himself, have entered the education sector.



Kurban's school has continued to grow and develop, gradually becoming a model within the education system of Xinjiang. It has now moved into a new campus, equipped with rooms for classical studies, musical instruments, and reading. Children can sing Peking Opera, play the guzheng and erhu, and paint in the traditional Chinese style - all while integrating traditional culture into their daily curriculum. "Even those who used to curse at me now want to send their own children to my school," Kurban said with a smile.



Across Xinjiang, as the standard spoken and written Chinese language becomes more widely taught, ethnic minority children are now speaking Putonghua as fluently as their peers in major cities. Many have even become "little interpreters and language tutors" for their parents. "I often come across short videos online of children from Xinjiang confidently and fluently expressing themselves in Putonghua, proudly introducing their hometowns - and I feel incredibly proud," Kurban said.



'Let everyone speak out loud'



President Xi, who led a central delegation to Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for activities marking the autonomous region's 70th founding anniversary, listened to work reports from the Communist Party of China (CPC) Xinjiang regional committee and the regional government on September 24, according to the Xinhua News Agency.



Xi emphasized the full, faithful and comprehensive implementation of the Party's guidelines for governing Xinjiang in the new era. Focusing on the overarching goal of ensuring social stability and enduring prosperity, Xinjiang should uphold the principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability in its work and attach the same importance to development and security. The region should foster a strong sense of the Chinese nation as one community and promote the building of the community.



Over the years, Kurban has received numerous honors. He said these honors are not just a form of recognition, but also a weighty responsibility.



As a deputy to the National People's Congress, Kurban has actively offered proposals on promoting the standard spoken and written Chinese language and integrating fine traditional Chinese culture into campus education. Several of his suggestions have been adopted and implemented.



He intends to continue fulfilling his duties in this field and hopes to expand the reach of language education, enabling more people to learn and master the national language.



Lately, Kurban has been exploring new frontiers. He has extended his experience into adult education, advocating for the concept of "speaking it out loud." He has developed a reading and writing workbook titled Introduction to the "800 Most Common Chinese Characters," which features QR codes that allow users to follow along with recordings. This tool aims to help young and middle-aged workers, as well as herders and farmers, acquire basic language skills in a short time, turning language proficiency into employability and social integration.



Looking back on his journey, Kurban believes that in the effort to promote the standard spoken and written Chinese language in Xinjiang, he has been a participant, a witness, and above all, a practitioner. "I've always believed that what I'm doing is right," he said. "If a person can get one thing right in their lifetime, then that's a life well lived."



Source: Global Times:

Company: Global Times

Contact Person: Anna Li

Email: editor@globaltimes.com.cn

Website: https://globaltimes.cn

City: Beijing





Disclaimer: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies (including product offerings, regulatory plans and business plans) and may change without notice. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
Beijing, China, Oct. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the golden embrace of the autumn season, visitors to the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Northwest China's Qinghai Province, are met with the unfolding panorama of a transformed scene that stands as a testament to renewal.



Situated in the Sanjiangyuan region, Yushu often referred to as the "Three-river-source area." The three rivers involved in the local area refer to the Yangtze, Yellow as well as Lancang, or Mekong rivers. Yushu is perched at an average altitude of some 4,200 meters, hence the locals speak of "ascending to Yushu" when traveling to the prefecture.



As the car rolls into the urban heart of the local area, the Yushu Earthquake Memorial Hall comes into view. Outside the venue, a major road is named the avenue of "Gan'en," or "Gratitude" in Chinese. Beside it, a stone monument bears the inscription of "New era, New Yushu, New life."



Stepping inside the museum, visitors would encounter a chalkboard that was originally used at tent schools. Such tent schools were set up for local students after the earthquake that struck the region in 2010. Upon the chalkboard, the writing on it is clearly visible, reading: "I love this land with a deep and abiding passion."



Soon after the earthquake, then Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping came to Yushu. He encouraged all sectors of society, saying that out of this earthquake will come great change. With people's unwavering determination, the full support of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and the support of people nationwide, we will rebuild our homes with our own hands. A new "Yushu" is certain to rise again.



Hopes fulfilled



Farther down the Gratitude Avenue is Yushu's Hongqi (Red Flag) Primary School. On June 1, 2010, Xi visited the school among the ruins caused by the earthquake, where children were sketching their visions of the new school and new Yushu on white paper. Looking at the drawings, he pleasantly signed his name on them.



In the new era, the blueprinted Hongqi Primary School that were once depicted in children's drawings now stands as the reality. Within in it, people can find new facilities such as multimedia classroom where local students are sharing class with students in Beijing via remote learning platform.



Fifteen years after the earthquake, Beijing alone has cumulatively invested 270 million yuan ($38 million) in aiding Yushu's education. Now, the consolidation rate of the local's nine-year compulsory education has increased to 97.05 percent, and the coverage rate of Yushu's multimedia classrooms has reached 99.2 percent. This is the reason why the local would say: "With ecological relocation and compulsory education, even the little shepherds have all entered the classrooms!"



In 2018, 600 impoverished herder and farmer households from eight townships across the Sanjiangyuan region were relocated to the Yirige Community, so cherished that it is locally dubbed the "Community of Happiness." Thanks to the local's post-disaster reconstruction and targeted poverty alleviation efforts, all six of Yushu's deeply impoverished counties and 104 of its deeply impoverished villages are now heading to prosperity.



China's poverty alleviation efforts and achievements have been seamlessly transitioned into a drive for rural revitalization. Such efforts have made examples like the "Community of Happiness" appeared to not be a singular case, but a common one.



Turning around the mountain, there is another "happy" village that is called the Ganda village. In pursuit of sustainable local development, the cooperative in the village spearheaded the conversion of sheep pens into a supermarket, which generated an income of 330,000 yuan in its first year. The supermarket offers affordable, high-quality products such as potato starch noodles and more. Such items that meet the daily needs of local farmers and herders while also gaining popularity among urban residents.



Paths to prosperity



Coexisting with the headwaters of the three rivers, the people of Yushu are unlocking the potential of their local ecology while steadfastly practicing its protection. At the Longbao Nature Reserve, Song Rende, known as the "Yak Doctor," is busy for works.



Song is 59 years old. He holds a doctorate in animal husbandry, and has shared his expertise with over 8,300 local herders in Yushu.



He is not alone in his mission. His wife and their daughter have all been following Song's lead to dedicate themselves day after day to safeguarding the local's ecology.



Song said that so far, the vegetation coverage in Yushu now exceeds 67.4 percent, the yak fattening cycle has been shortened by over three years, and the average profit per yak has increased by 1,228 yuan.



"Reducing herd sizes, increasing incomes, and makes the business thrive - it all hinges on green development and empowerment through technology!" said Song.



The seat of Yushu city's local government is Jiegu Town, also known as Gyegu in the Tibetan language. It means "distribution center." True to its name, it attracts not only local residents, but also new Yushu citizens like Sun Weijuan. Every summer, she brings crystals from her hometown of Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, to sell here. And each winter, she takes local Yushu specialties back with her.



Today's Yushu is modern and inclusive. With a population of over 110,000, the city is now a home to more than 50 cafes. Under the local policies to support cultural and tourism, young people are increasingly embracing entrepreneurship in Yushu. The rise of coffee shops and innovative local foods, such as pizza topped with Ginseng fruit were seamlessly weaved into the traditional lifestyle.



Beyond new lifestyles, local folk museums are attracting visitors while showcasing the Yushu people's deep confidence in their cultural heritage. Yushu's three local bridges of the "Bridge of Happiness," "Bridge of Life," and "Bridge of advancement" are all witnessing the area's remarkable renewal. Beneath them, river continues moving. Behold, a "new Yushu" stands resilient, its brightest days are yet to come.



Source: Global Times:

Company: Global Times

Contact Person: Anna Li

Email: editor@globaltimes.com.cn

Website: https://globaltimes.cn

City: Beijing





Disclaimer: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies (including product offerings, regulatory plans and business plans) and may change without notice. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
While immune checkpoint inhibitors (anti-PD-1 +/- anti-CTLA-4) are approved as first line treatment for microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), many patients either dont respond or develop resistance leading to disease progression, leaving limited treatment options.

Results from this Phase 2 study of NOUS-209 in combination with pembrolizumab in MSI-H mCRC patients refractory to anti-PD-1 therapy demonstrate clinical activity including objective responses and strong disease control in this difficult-to-treat patient population.

NOUS-209 further induced robust immune activation in the majority of patients. Retreatment at 6 months induced a strong, durable and polytopic T cell immune response correlating with clinical response.

NOUS-209 monotherapy is also being developed for cancer interception in Lynch Syndrome (LS) carriers, with a registration-enabling Phase 2/3 study in preparation following positive Type B and C FDA meetings.

BASEL, Switzerland  13 October 2025  Nouscom, a clinical-stage biotech company developing next-generation neoantigen-targeted off-the-shelf and personalized cancer immunotherapies, today announced positive results from a completed Phase 2 trial evaluating NOUS-209 in combination with pembrolizumab for patients with microsatellite instability high (MSI-H) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who are refractory to anti-PD-1 therapy. Results from this Phase 2 trial will be presented in a poster session at the upcoming European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Annual Meeting, taking place in Berlin, Germany, from 17 to 21 October 2025.

Study Highlights:

NOUS-209 is an off-the-shelf viral vector-based immunotherapy targeting frameshift peptides specifically expressed on deficient mismatch repair (dMMR)/MSI-H tumors, thereby harnessing the power of the immune system to recognize and eliminate MSI-H cancer cells.

Anti-PD-1 therapy is the approved first-line standard of care in dMMR/MSI-H mCRC, but resistance or relapse can develop, requiring the development of new treatment options.

In this Phase 2 trial, NOUS-209 combined with pembrolizumab was administered to 20 evaluable patients with dMMR/MSI-H mCRC who had progressed on prior anti-PD-1 treatment (77% had received prior single agent anti-PD-1 therapy, 23% received combination therapy with anti-CTLA-4). The median number of prior lines was 2 (1-7).

The primary endpoint was Objective Response Rate (ORR); secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS) and safety, with immunogenicity as an exploratory endpoint.

Key Results:

ORR was 15% (3 partial responses), with a disease control rate (DCR) of 70% (11 stable disease, 6 progressive disease).

Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 6.4 months.

Safety profile remained favorable, with no emerging findings.

Robust immune activation was detected in 80% of patients.

Seven patients (32%) were retreated with NOUS-209 at 6 months; among those, 86% remained in stable disease and 14% had a partial response, with the latter demonstrating induction of a strong, durable and polytopic T cell immune response with a desired effector memory phenotype and correlating with clinical response.

There remains a high unmet need for effective therapies that can overcome anti-PD-1 resistance and provide durable disease control. These data are promising in this difficult-to-treat patient population given the modest clinical benefit of approved options in the same setting, said Javier Ros, MD PhD, from Vall d'Hebron University Hospital.

These clinical data are very encouraging. NOUS-209 combined with pembrolizumab has demonstrated meaningful disease control and immune activation in patients who have exhausted anti-PD-1 therapy, said Dr. Sven Gogov, Chief Medical Officer of Nouscom.

We are excited by the overall positive clinical dataset emerging from the completed clinical trials of NOUS-209, not only in MSI-H mCRC patients but also the Phase 1b/2 results in Lynch Syndrome carriers that were presented earlier this year at AACR. These results support our commitment to advancing NOUS-209 into a registration-enabling study for cancer interception in Lynch Syndrome carriers, said Dr. Marina Udier, Chief Executive Officer of Nouscom.

Details of the abstract and presentation at ESMO:

Nous-209 immunotherapy with pembrolizumab for microsatellite instability high (MSI-H) metastatic colorectal cancer, refractory to anti-PD-1: Phase II trial results

Poster Number: 802P Session: Colorectal Cancer Poster Session Session Time/ Place: Sunday October 19 / 12:00-12:45 (CEST) / Hall 25



The abstract is available on the ESMO website, here.

-----

About MSI-H mCRC Refractory to anti-PD-1 Therapy

Microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is a biologically distinct subtype of colorectal cancer characterized by mismatch repair deficiency. While anti-PD-1 +/- anti-CTLA4 therapies are approved in the first line treatment setting in this population, over 50% of patients do not respond to initial therapy and many responding patients eventually develop resistance and progress, leaving limited treatment options. There remains a high unmet need for effective therapies that can overcome resistance and provide durable disease control in these patients.

About Lynch Syndrome

Lynch Syndrome (LS) is a common inherited condition that significantly increases a persons risk of developing cancer over their lifetime, especially colorectal cancer (CRC) (up to 50% risk, compared to 2% for general population), endometrial cancer (up to 50% risk, compared to 1-2% for general population) and urothelial cancer (up to 25% risk, compared to 1-2% for general population)1,2,3,4. LS also elevates the risk of developing other cancers including gastric, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic. LS is caused by inherited mutations in specific genes responsible for repairing DNA, leading to the buildup of harmful genetic errors that can accumulate, triggering development of tumors. Currently, managing LS is limited to frequent screenings - such as colonoscopy to try to catch cancer early, but which will not prevent cancer incidence5 - or elective surgery, which is invasive, expensive and negatively impacts quality of life. As a pioneering approach to cancer interception, Nouscoms investigational immunotherapy, NOUS-209, is designed to train the immune system to recognize and stop cancer before it develops.

About Cancer Interception

Cancer interception is an innovative approach that aims to stop cancer in its earliest stages, before tumors fully develop and spread. Unlike traditional therapies that target established cancers, interception strategies harness advancements in immuno-oncology that are able to train the immune system to recognize and eliminate precancerous and cancerous cells. This approach is particularly crucial for those with high-risk genetic conditions such as LS who are predisposed to developing microsatellite instability (MSI) -associated cancers.

About NOUS-209

NOUS-209 is an investigational off-the-shelf cancer immunotherapy that targets tumors with mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) and high microsatellite instability (MSI-H). These tumors produce unique markers known as frameshift peptide (FSP) neoantigens, which are unique to cancerous cells and absent in healthy cells. NOUS-209 is comprised of two proprietary viral vectors able to deliver 209 shared FSP neoantigens and train the immune system to recognize and attack cancerous and pre-cancerous cells before tumors can develop.

Phase 1b/2 data (NCT0507886656) demonstrated the safety of NOUS-209 and its ability to stimulate potent immune responses in LS carriers7, supporting its advancement into a potentially registration-enabling Phase 2/3 trial in cancer interception. It is also being studied in a randomized Phase 2 study in combination with pembrolizumab for the first line treatment of advanced dMMR and/or MSI-H mCRC. Data published from the successfully completed Phase 1b trial were published in Science Translational Medicine8.

About Nouscom

Nouscom is a clinical-stage biotech company pioneering next-generation neoantigen-targeted immunotherapies to treat cancer at all stages, from early cancer interception to late-stage metastatic disease. Its proprietary viral vector platform enables broad and durable immune activation by delivering optimized neoantigens that train the immune system to recognize and fight cancer. Nouscoms lead program, NOUS-209, is an off-the-shelf immunotherapy in advanced clinical development for cancer interception in LS and the treatment of MSI-mCRC. The companys clinical stage portfolio also includes NOUS-PEV, a personalized neoantigen immunotherapy, with published data from a successfully completed Phase 1b trial9.

For more information on Nouscom, please visit the companys website at www.nouscom.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

References

Dominguez-Valentin et al., Genetics in Medicine, 2020. Dominguez-Valentin et al., The Lancet, 2023. Strafford, Reviews in Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2012. Richters et al., World Journal of Urology, 2020. Ahadova et al., International Journal of Cancer, 2020. The clinical trial NCT05078866 was led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, in collaboration with the Cancer Prevention Clinical Trials Network and sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (grant # UG1CA242609). Abstract is available on the AACR website, here. DAlise et al., Science Translational Medicine, 2022. DAlise et al., Clin Cancer Research, 2024.

Contacts

Nouscom

Rick Davis, COO

info@nouscom.com

+41 61 201 1835

MEDiSTRAVA

Sylvie Berrebi, Sandi Greenwood, Mark Swallow

nouscom@medistrava.com

+44 (0)203 928 6900

# # #
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy has advised the public to be cautious of false information circulating online regarding the alleged launch of a government investment platform.

In a press release issued on Saturday, the ministry urged the public not to be misled by an article published on a website titled "Brunei Darussalam Government Launches Government Bond Platform," dated Oct. 6, 2025.

The ministry clarified that the information is false, warning that cheating by impersonation is a punishable offence under Section 419 of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine.

The ministry further reminded that disseminating false information likely to cause public alarm is a criminal offense in Brunei under Section 34 of the Public Order Act, punishable by a fine of 3,000 Brunei dollars (2,318 U.S. dollars), three years' imprisonment, or both. 
SENDING A MESSAGE

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

The day after Christmas in 1998, President Clinton devoted his weekly radio address to one priority: drunken driving. Invoking the image of unopened Christmas presents for a child killed by an intoxicated driver, Clinton called passing a national standard of .08 for blood alcohol content "the most effective action we can take to make our roads safer."In the address, Clinton recounted his meeting with Brenda Frazier, a Maryland woman whose 9-year-old daughter had been killed by a drunk driver with a blood alcohol content of exactly .08. At the time, only 16 states used .08 as their standard. To provide an incentive, Clinton announced that states would receive federal transportation money when they lowered their limit.Two years later, things weren't going quite according to plan. Despite the incentives, 30 states still hadn't bitten on .08. So Congress took things a step further. Any state that didn't pass a .08 law would face the ultimate punishment: a reduction in the amount of its federal highway funds if the law was not passed by October 1, 2003.Now that deadline is approaching, and 14 states still have their limit set at .10 (and two states--Massachusetts and Rhode Island--have .08 laws that do not comply with federal standards). Disgusted with federal heavy-handedness but ultimately unwilling to forsake millions in much-needed highway dollars, those states have exercised a time- honored power: waiting until the last minute. "There is an understanding that most states will do this, but for some not any sooner than they have to," says Jeanne Mejure, who analyzes drunk driving laws for the National Conference of State Legislatures.In almost all of those states, legislators are fairly sure that .08 will be passed this year. But many of them are resentful. "The biggest reason I'm opposed is simply because Congress said you have to pass it," says Stewart Iverson, the Iowa Senate's majority leader. "If states want .08, that's fine. If Congress says you have to have it, they've overstepped their bounds."In Iowa, legislators harbor additional resentment because a bill proposed last year that applied three tiers of graduated penalties based on BAC was first approved by the federal government, and then quickly rejected as not strict enough to qualify for the highway money. This year, a House-passed version with a provision that allows offenders to continue driving to work was also questionable for approval but seems to have qualified. "We cannot, in the legislature of a sovereign state, make a decision until we get a non-elected federal bureaucrat to agree with what the bill says," laments Iowa state Representative Todd Taylor. "Blackmailing by the feds has taken away representative government."From the perspective of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the cries of blackmail are just a smokescreen for the real reason that legislators are opposed: campaign contributions from the alcohol and restaurant industries. As Wendy Hamilton, MADD's national president, points out, states had two years to adopt .08 when the federal government was offering monetary incentives instead of sanctions, and they didn't pass it then either. "Their excuse has been that it's states' rights," Hamilton says. "What we've heard in the corridors is that it's the alcohol industry."Of course, if states really don't want to pass .08, they can simply forgo the money. But the cost is fairly steep. In 2004, states will lose 2 percent of their highway money. That amount will increase by 2 percent per year until it reaches the maximum of 8 percent in 2007. For even a small state such as Iowa, that would amount to nearly $5 million in 2004 and almost $19 million in 2007. For New York, which passed the law this year, it would have meant $12 million next year and $49 million in 2007.A few years ago, when states were flush with cash, it may have been politically and economically feasible. Now, however, in the era of multibillion-dollar budget deficits, states say they don't have a choice. "We have a responsibility to build our highways, too," says Iverson. "That becomes the fine line."In fact, states already are losing out on highway money tied to a variety of other drunk-driving measures. Congress also has dictated that states must pass laws banning open containers and revoking driver's licenses for repeat DUI offenders. But the penalties for failure to implement these standards are different than those for .08. Instead of permanently losing money, states that don't comply have a portion of their highway construction money transferred to a fund to be used only for highway safety. Currently, 13 states have not passed open container laws; 18 have not passed license revocation.By declining federal funds on those issues--and waiting until the last minute on .08--states argue that they are sending a message to Congress that they won't be pushed around. "We've been a state that's waited about to the deadline every time," says Brad Hutto, a South Carolina state senator. "You're starting to see a backlash now. If they go any further, you'll start to see a bigger backlash."The mini-rebellion over .08 follows a tradition established in the 1970s and '80s when the feds required that states adopt the 55 miles- per-hour speed limit and raise the drinking age to 21 or face the withdrawal of federal highway money. To mitigate the impact of 55 m.p.h. speed limits without losing federal money, several states set their fines as low as $5.South Dakota was angry enough about the drinking-age issue that the state sued then-Transportation Secretary Elizabeth Dole, claiming that the congressional mandate was unconstitutional. In 1987, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the federal government, saying that it was constitutional for Congress to punish states by withholding money, as long as the funds withheld were related to the laws that states were required to pass. Since then, Congress has routinely doled out money with strings attached, on issues ranging from the Clean Air Act to the No Child Left Behind education reform law.Advocates of .08 argue that waiting until the last minute to pass the bill is destructive, risking lives and costing states incentive money they would have received for passing it earlier. "What is the federal government going to do with the message?" says Loretta Weinberg, a New Jersey assemblywoman who has proposed .08 legislation for several years, with no results. "Why do we continue tilting at windmills?"In a few instances, however, states have ended up getting their way. After 73 conservative freshmen U.S. House members were elected as part of the 1994 Republican revolution, Congress repealed the national maximum speed limit of 55 m.p.h. and the law requiring motorcycle helmets. South Carolina's Hutto hopes that the .08 law will eventually be repealed as well.While many legislators cite congressional tactics as the main reason that they are opposed to .08 laws, others have another beef--they believe it's ineffective policy. "I think it's much ado about nothing," Hutto says. "I don't think you'll see any drop in the statistics going from .10 to .08--that's just not where the problem lies."At first, the case for passing .08 seemed clear-cut. In 1998, when Clinton proposed the national standard, alcohol was involved in nearly 40 percent of fatal accidents and studies had determined that passing a .08 law would save 500 lives per year. In addition, medical evidence demonstrated that aspects of alcohol impairment such as decreased reaction time and coordination set in before .10. Furthermore, every other industrialized nation used a standard of .08 or lower. In 1999, however, as Congress was considering implementing sanctions, the U.S. General Accounting Office was asked to evaluate the evidence on .08. The final report blasted previous beliefs about .08. The GAO noted that most studies made no effort to distinguish the effect of .08 laws from other laws, such as license revocation, that may have been passed at the same time. The study cast doubt on any effectiveness of .08 laws on their own, saying they would only work in combination with other measures. Specifically, the report noted that "the conclusion that 500 to 600 fewer fatal crashes would occur annually if all states had .08 BAC laws is unfounded."The report gave new life to opponents of the .08 law, including the liquor and restaurant industries. They charge that .08 laws would target social drinkers, making criminals out of innocent partygoers, burden law enforcement and depress sales. Advocates for .08 doubt that the law will have much of an effect on the restaurant industry. "I don't know anybody who stays home to cook because they're worried about having an extra glass of wine," Weinberg says. And from MADD's perspective, the social drinking argument is "foolish." On an empty stomach, a 170-pound man needs to drink five drinks in two hours to get to .08 and a 120-pound woman three drinks. ".08 isn't social drinking," says Hamilton of MADD. "That's slamming them down."Some legislators acknowledge that despite questions about effectiveness, there are still benefits to passing the bill. In Rhode Island, the legislature passed a .08 bill last year, but because offenders were given civil and not criminal penalties, it did not pass federal muster. This year, the legislature is expected to pass the stricter bill. "I don't believe in it, but it doesn't hurt anything either," says state Representative Peter Palumbo. "If it brings some type of peace to those who have lost a loved one, it's worth passing as far as I'm concerned."
CAPE TOWN, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- South Africa on Sunday called for calm and restraint amid ongoing protests and political turmoil in Madagascar.

In a statement, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) expressed deep concern over the situation in the island country.

"We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life and the destruction of property that has occurred," it said. "South Africa calls for calm and restraint from all actors and urges them to do everything necessary to avoid any further action that may escalate tensions or worsen the humanitarian situation."

According to media reports, protests erupted in Madagascar in September, initially triggered by widespread power outages and water shortages. The demonstrations have since escalated, taking on a political dimension with calls for government reform and leadership change.

DIRCO urged all parties to respect democratic principles and the constitutional order. "It is imperative that any disputes be resolved peacefully through inclusive dialogue, cooperation, and established legal mechanisms," it said, adding that "in accordance with the Lome Declaration, South Africa does not support unconstitutional changes of government."

The department also reaffirmed South Africa's commitment to supporting a peaceful resolution based on democracy, the rule of law, and sustainable development, adding that "regional conflict resolution mechanisms remain at the disposal of the people of Madagascar to facilitate dialogue and a peaceful way forward." 
CAIRO, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday said Egypt's water security is an "existential issue" and rejected any unilateral measures on the Nile River, the presidency said in a statement.

In a recorded speech for the opening of Cairo Water Week, Sisi said the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), built by Ethiopia upstream, must be governed by a legally binding agreement to ensure fair use of the river's water.

"Egypt clearly and firmly rejects any unilateral measures on the Nile that ignore international norms, threaten the peoples of the basin, and undermine justice and stability," Sisi said.

He added that development "is not the privilege of a single country but a shared responsibility among all peoples of the river," calling for cooperation rather than unilateral action.

Egypt and Sudan, both downstream countries, have repeatedly voiced concern over their water shares since Ethiopia began building the GERD. Years of talks among the three nations have yet to yield a binding deal on filling and operating the dam. 
HMDs latest device is an in-betweener, or a hybrid as the maker puts it  not quite a smartphone but smarter than a traditional featurephone. The HMD Touch 4G is basically a reincarnation of the Nokia Asha series, giving users some smart features through cloud-hosted browser apps. HMD Touch 4G is exclusive to the Indian market for now and runs a custom lightweight real-time operating system (RTOS) called RTOS Touch.

HMD Touch 4G comes in Cyan and Dark Blue colors. Pricing is set at INR 3,999 ($45) with the device now available from HMD India and ready to ship.

Realme's latest product is the 15 Pro Game of Thrones Limited Edition. The phone features a generous retail package and several design elements inspired by HBOs Game of Thrones and features a unique heat-sensitive back panel that changes color when heated up. The Realme 15 Pro Game of Thrones Limited Edition is priced at INR 44,999 ($510) for the 12GB/512GB option and only 5,000 units will be sold globally.

The vivo V60e also went official with a 200MP primary camera, an 8MP ultrawide shooter, and a 50MP selfie camera. The phone has a 6,500mAh battery, a MediaTek Dimensity 7360-Turbo, and a 6.77-inch FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display. The phone is available from October 10, priced at INR 29,999 ($340) for the base 8GB/128GB variant.



Realme 15 Pro Game of Thrones Limited Edition goes official Only 5,000 units of the Realme 15 Pro Game of Thrones Edition will be sold worldwide.



JEDEC, or the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council, announced the UFS 5.0 storage standard. It will soon enter production, focusing on enhancing AI performance. The UFS 5.0 almost doubles the sequential performance, offering a bandwidth of 10.8 GB/s. For context, the UFS 4.0 and 4.1 standards offer up to 5.8 GB/s bandwidth. There's no timeframe yet on when we'll see UFS 5.0 in devices.

We got some camera details on the upcoming OnePlus 15 and Realme GT 8 Pro. The OnePlus 15 is allegedly going to have a 1/1.5" type sensor for its main camera, specifically the Sony Lytia LYT-700. Its periscope telephoto camera will be using the 1/2.76" type Samsung ISOCELL JN5 sensor. The OnePlus 15 may sport the 50 MP Samsung ISOCELL JN5 sensor for its ultrawide camera.

The Realme GT 8 Pro is said to sport the same main camera as the OnePlus 15, with the same 1/1.5" type Sony Lytia LYT-700 sensor. Its periscope telephoto camera will have 200 MP resolution and the 1/1.56" type Samsung ISOCELL HP5 sensor.



Huawei Mate 80 series to sport a redesigned rear camera layout The Mate 80 series is expected to include the Mate 80, Mate 80 Pro, and Mate 80 Pro+.



Check out our review of the 1.03kg Honor MagicBook Art 14 2025!



Motorola Edge 70 listed ahead of launch It will feature a much larger battery capacity than the Galaxy S25 Edge and iPhone Air.


The Xiaomi 17 series is all the buzz lately, and even rumors about the Xiaomi 17 Ultra started surfacing, even though the handset is expected to launch in early 2026. A leak from earlier this week, for example, suggests a slightly upgraded camera setup.

Now, the handset has reportedly received approval from a Chinese regulatory body to use a direct satellite connection. According to the listing, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra will support Tiantong-1 and Beidou connectivity for satellite calls and messages. The listing also reveals UWB support, which is a new feature for Xiaomi's flagship phones.

There's a caveat here, though. The approval contains a model number 25128PNA1C, which is different from the one spotted earlier in September. This could mean that the device is a China-only variant with satellite connection support, or that it will come in two versions.

It's too early to tell, so stay tuned for more Xiaomi 17 Ultra leaks in the following weeks and months.

Via
Speaker Frank Blas Jr. says he wants documents from the Office of the Governor showing how they justified to the federal government the use of $104 million in American Rescue Plan funds for new hospital infrastructure in Mangilao, before deciding on whether to call an emergency session over the stalled spending.

But Bureau of Budget and Management Research Director Lester Carlson said documentation justifying the use is publicly available, posted online, and has already been laid out by Adelup.

The $104 million funding tied up in a legal battle will expire if unspent by Dec. 31, 2026.

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero last week called on Blas to convene an emergency session to resolve the deadlock over the funds, meant to install power, water, and sewer for the Mangilao hospital project.

Attorney General Douglas Moylan is suing to freeze ARP spending on the new hospital, and has promised not to sign off on any utility installation contracts for the alleged illegal project and associated land acquisitions.

Adelup asserts the project is following the law. The governor wants senators to pass her Bill 2, which would allow utility installation contracts to sidestep a legally mandated review by the AG.

Blas on Friday said the discussion on whether to call an emergency session is ongoing among lawmakers.

But he said hes still waiting on documents that Adelup sent to the U.S Department of the Treasury to justify the use of the money on the hospital.

The speaker said he asked Leon Guerrero for the records during a previous meeting.

I would like to have the information that I had asked the governor to provide to us, to review it and go over my with my colleagues before we can make the decision as to how were going to move forward, he said.

Blas said he still does not believe that the legislative branch should get involved in the ongoing litigation between the AG and the governor.

But he said its not impossible that a majority of lawmakers decides to move forward with the governors Bill 2.

Im not gonna discount anything that could happen, he said. The action is contingent on the information.

Delay tactics

But BBMRs Carlson pointed to delay tactics ahead of a gubernatorial election year. He said justification for the use of the funds was already clearly laid out.

Blas has confirmed a bid for Adelup in 2026, along with Vice Speaker Tony Ada and Sen. Joe San Agustin.

Carlson said Adelup had specifically lobbied the Treasury to use COVID-era ARP money for a hospital. The federal agency updated its guidance in 2022 to reflect that hospitals were allowable, he said.

He said the Treasury didnt review and approve every single project that tapped into the billions of dollars in ARP funds provided to states and territories.

But Adelup had all the documentation ready, in light of potential audits on usage of the over $600 million in ARP money Guam got.

Are we supposed to submit it to them? No. Are we supposed to have it in case somebody asks for it from the Treasury? Hell yes, and we do, he said.

He said if anyone wanted that documentation, its a request that can be easily satisfied.

The specific inter-agency agreement used to obligate the $104 million for the Mangilao hospital project was already posted online on the Guam Economic Development Authoritys website, Carlson added.

He said a working group could be established, for Adelup to provide the Office of the Attorney General documentation needed.

But Moylan was adamant that he wanted a letter directly from the U.S. Treasury, before approving any contract, Carlson said.

The AG has said he wants to see the federal governments approval of funds for the facility, and has said that the governor has rejected his invitation to meet on the issue.

Loss of funding

Carlson said if lawmakers dont take any action, or the courts dont resolve the lawsuit over the hospital project quickly, there is nothing Adelup can do to prevent the loss of the $104 million.

I dont believe that we have any choice. Come Dec. 31 2026, whatever we didnt spend, were going to have to wire it back, he said. Nobody wants to do anything. So how can I spend the money?

Carlson noted that there will be a substantial lead time to get the money spent, even if the contract moves forward. It will take time to secure the contracts for power, water, and sewer in Mangilao, to clear permitting, and then get work moving, he said.

He said if contracts arent secured by the early part of next year, I think the writing is already on the wall. Were not going to be able to do it.

Asked about the potential loss of the funds, Blas pointed to the governors statements from years past.

The governor said that the Legislature had no business in dealing with the money, remember that? Blas said.

Adelup only wanted lawmakers to get involved now that there is a mess with the funds.

You told me not to deal with it, I had no business with this. Now you want me to bring into the business, the speaker said. I want to see what that business is.
A final subdivision plan for homes around $600,000 each off Wusstig Road, and variances for a 50,000 square feet data center, both in Dededo, received approval from the Guam Land Use Commission and Guam Hybrid Land Use Commission on Thursday.

Commissioners gave their approval without any opposition.

Company Pipefish LLC plans to build its new data center about 1,300 feet from the entrance to Two Lovers Point, according to project representative Marvin Aguilar, senior planner with TG Engineers.

With a Hybrid Land Use Commission empaneled for the data center, the project is worth upwards of $3 million.

Pipefish LLC will build on a roughly 10-acre property zoned M-1 for light industrial use, Aguilar told the commission.

Data centers are allowable in M-1 zones, he said.

But the company needs variances to build a water tower and perimeter fence higher than what zoning laws will allow.

The new data center requires an 8-foot high fence, and 45-foot high water tank, according to Aguilar.

Regulations cap fence heights at 6 feet, and water tanks at 30 feet.

According to Aguilar, the 45-foot tank is needed to get the 50,000-sq.ft. data center in line with requirements from the Guam Fire Department.

The tank is needed to meet water pressure and eight-hour refill requirements for the facilitys fire suppression system, he said.

As for the perimeter fence, the higher-than-usual fencing is meant to keep people out of the center, which will contain critical data infrastructure.

If Guams going to start becoming an information hub, its important to protect this and other data asset facilities from the potential of physical breaching, Aguilar told the commission.

Commissioners voted without opposition to grant the water tank and fencing variances.

$600K a house off Wusstig Road

Meanwhile, developer WSS Pacific Development is ready to get a 20-unit Dededo subdivision to market, after a seven-year delay.

The project is located off Wusstig Road, Pacific Daily News files show.

Project representative Jae Ji told the Guam Land Use Commission that the project got approved for a tentative subdivision plan way back in 2018.

Since then, weve been through permitting processes that took acouple years and we hit COVID. We had some bad civil contractors. We had typhoon, Ji said.

We had a bunch of other stuff happened. But we finally got all the infrastructure installed. Roads are in, power, water, sewers all in and all 20 subdivision subdivided lots are ready to go, he said. Its taken seven years to get here. Hopefully other people wont have the same issues.

Homes will cost around $600,000 each, project representative Karen Pan told the commission.

The final subdivision will be complete with sidewalks, utilities, and street lights, according to the Department of Land Management.
The Office of the Governor and the Guam Memorial Hospital Authority will provide an update on the ongoing partnership between Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California and GMH during a press conference on Monday.

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio and interim GMH Administrator Dr. Joleen Aguon will share more about the partnership and the progress made following a Guam delegation's visit to Keck Medicine.

Earlier this year, GMH and Keck Medicine entered into a cooperative agreement focused on advancing Guams health care capacity through education, clinical collaboration, and workforce development.

The press conference will also outline the next steps in this transformative collaboration, according to a release from GMH.

Adelup and GMH will share insights from the visit and reaffirm the partnerships role in strengthening Guams health care system and supporting the development of a new hospital facility.

This partnership continues to open doors for Guams healthcare professionals. Through collaboration with Keck Medicines leading experts, we are investing in our people, our hospital, and the future of quality care for our island community," Aguon said in a statement.

Leon Guerrero in a statement said the partnership with Keck Medicine marks a defining step in "our mission to build a stronger, smarter healthcare system for Guam."

The governor said they're maximizing every partnership with federal partners, academic institutions, and private health care organizations to strengthen the island's workforce, expand access, and modernize facilities.

"Together, were investing in our local professionals, boosting confidence in our medical services, and laying the groundwork for Guam to emerge as a Pacific leader in healthcare innovation and delivery," Leon Guerrero said.

Tenorio in a statement said every family on Guam knows someone who has had to wait months for a specialist, or travel off-island for care that should be available here.

"Those challenges take a financial and emotional toll, and our administration is committed to addressing this issue. At the same time, were building the foundation for a new Public Health Laboratory that will open by next summer. These efforts, taken together, are transforming how we deliver care across our island. Were tackling our geographic barriers with innovation and compassion, ensuring that our people can receive world-class care without ever leaving home, he said.

The press conference will also provide an opportunity for the media and public to learn more about how this partnership supports clinical training, telehealth expansion, and healthcare innovation at GMH.
Yona resident Devin San Nicolas, 25, said its exciting that the Department of Public Health and Social Services is coming to the villages to help residents in need of health care.

He brought his partner to explore prenatal services and have a physical examination during a Public Health outreach event at the Yona Community Center on Saturday.

The event was also the debut of Public Healths new mobile clinic, which was pitched during the last fiscal year.

San Nicolas said the event was an opportunity for people who are struggling to get the help they need to feel better and healthier.

Its the best opportunity to see the people who give help and support, especially the mobile health clinic, San Nicolas said. Its wonderful and exciting to even come out to see if we are OK and healthy and strong. Were not as big as the other places, but its a start.

The expectant father also initially wanted himself and his partner to be immunized but was told the clinics priority was minors under 18 and manamko.

Even so, he thought the event was perfect and was grateful for DPHSS and Mayor BJ Terlaje for the chance to see what services are avaiable.

I came out to enjoy it and see what theyre providing for us, San Nicolas said. People go through ups and downs when getting better, and it gets crazy. I have ADHD, so I wanted to see the [resources] to maintain my condition to keep my family and [my partners] family happy.

The mobile health clinic has two exam areas for counseling and for administering medical services, such as pap smears, specimen collection for STDs or womens health, vaccine and immunization shots, or physicals for children and adults.

Administrator for Public Healths Bureau of Family Health and Nursing Services Margarita B. Gay said the only thing the mobile health clinic doesnt have is a bathroom. If urine testing is needed a bathroom would need to be available, she said.

The clinic is maintained by operational staff, there to make sure the vehicle is ready to be deployed, has all it needs, is fully stocked, brought to whatever location, and then our medical team takes over from there, according to Jon Lujan, DPHSS emergency preparedness coordinator.

However, the operators are not authorized to provide medical services, so the clinic always needs to have a doctor or nurse present.

Gay said the community can schedule a day to have the clinic through Chief Public Health Officer Catherine Angcao. Public Health employees likewise need to request approval before using the mobile clinic for any outreach or response services.

Struggling

Lujan and Gay added that Saturday was the first of many village outreach efforts. Future dates and locations are to be determined, but residents can expect to see the mobile clinic present at each event.

We want to bring ourselves out because clients are struggling with transportation. Now, we cant say we dont have room. We have a doctor and staff to follow through with our patients, Gay said.

Yona resident Julie Rose Castro, 30, said the outreach event and mobile clinic are more convenient for residents without transportation and who live far away from the Public Healths clinic locations like the one in Inalahan.

Everybody will get the help they need, Castro said. The south clinic is far from Yona, all the way down in Inarajan. I miss when it was in Mangilao, because it was a lot closer. Its great they put something together that can go out there and give help to places.

Castro arrived at the Yona Community Center looking for prenatal care and immunizations for her five children. She said there is a shortage of obstetricians in Guam, and Todu Guam, one of the partners present at Saturdays event, was able to schedule her an appointment for the following Monday.

Its awesome [and] really convenient, especially for families that have a lot of kids like I do or no car, Castro said.

Gay said the mobile clinic is an improvement from previous efforts, when DPHSS had to setup our cars and tables in the backyard of one of the houses with immunizations, WIC, and have nurse practitioners do family counseling and physicals.
Guam Boonie Stompers is inviting the public to journey and explore Fadian Cove on Saturday, Oct. 18. We meet at 9 a.m. outside of the entrance to the Gloria Nelson Building (GWA and GPA) along Route 15 in Mangilao.

Fadian Cove lies on the eastern coastline of Lot 5412. The Guam Legislature recently passed Bill 7-38, which would direct the CHamoru Land Trust Commission to allow excavation for coral and conceivably establish homestead lots on Lot 5412.

Our hike will take participants to explore the cliffs, forests, and coastline of this unique portion of our islands heritage that will be destroyed with the implementation of this recently passed bill.

We are intending to offer a choice of a medium hike to the overlook of the coastline and a difficulty hike to Fadian Cove. For details of the hike, go to Guam Boonie Stomperss page on Facebook.

Bill 7-38 just has too many issues that have not been addressed by the Legislature.

First, if the legislations purpose is to create homestead lots, then why were there no drawings of the proposed lots that would then be the justification for grading and thus would establish the amount and specific location for coral to be removed?

Instead, the bill stated coral removal from the entire lot. There was not even a property map for Lot 5412 in the legislative committee report.

Second, there was no testimony from agencies responsible for protecting our natural and cultural resources such as the Department of Agriculture, Department of Parks and Recreation, Bureau of Statistics and Plans, and the Guam Environmental Agency.

Rather interesting that only those who testified at the legislative public hearing were those who would directly benefit or happened to work for the Legislature. Was the public invited?

Third, Bill 7-38 does not address the current residents of Lot 5412. Opposition to this bill was clearly expressed in written testimony by two residents. They will suffer being immediately adjacent to a noisy, dirty, and unhealthy quarry.

Perhaps CLTC may even evict this community in favor of the quarry. This legislation ignores the families who are supposed to be the primary beneficiaries of CLTC

Fourth, the Gloria B. Nelson Building and the Fadian Hatchery are both located adjacent to Lot 5412 and risk being damaged by quarry operations. There was no testimony from or regarding this.

We should be concerned regarding the inability of the CHamoru Land Trust Commission to perform the tasks assigned in this bill. Has the CLTC ever managed a quarrying operation and for the establishment of homestead lots? Perhaps CLTC should start with the recent quarry at the Yigo raceway.

Witness the lack of action by the CLTC in response to the legislative direction last year to restore the Yigo raceway.

CLTC has an appropriation of $9 million to the CLTC Land Trust and Infrastructure Fund from Public Law 37-125 enacted on Aug. 30, 2024 to provide funding needed for existing CLTC lands for the people. According to the minutes of the June 2025 CLTC meeting, the CLTC is still negotiating with the Department of Land Management for use of the funds.

The purported goal of providing homestead residential lots on Lot 5412 will be years away, if not decades. Then the lots will be bare coral subject to the intense glare and heat from the hostile environment, hardly a fitting location to raise a family or to raise crops.

Where on our island is there a bare coral basin that has become a residential neighborhood or even a farm?

The real goal of Bill 7-38 is to mine the coral and forget the families and our heritage.
This photo taken on Oct. 11, 2025 shows a fare gate bearing a logo indicating support of contactless payments with major international bank cards at a metro station in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province.(Guangzhou Metro/Handout via Xinhua)

GUANGZHOU, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- The metro system in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, began accepting contactless payments with major international bank cards of Mastercard, American Express, Visa and JCB, on Sunday.

The service allows passengers to tap their overseas-issued cards, as well as domestically issued Mastercard and American Express cards with contactless payment and RMB transaction capabilities, on designated fare gates for quick access at all stations. This eliminates the need to purchase tickets or download apps in advance, according to the subway operator, Guangzhou Metro.

The upgrade aims to enhance the travel experience for foreign visitors, especially attendees of the 138th Canton Fair, which is scheduled to begin on Oct. 15 in the city.

Following an earlier integration of UnionPay, the latest system enhancement means Guangzhou Metro now supports all five major card networks: UnionPay, Mastercard, Visa, JCB and American Express.

The simplified payment option is part of measures aimed at making travel easier for foreign nationals, as China continues to expand its visa-free policy to welcome more international visitors.

According to the National Immigration Administration, foreign nationals made a total of 38.05 million trips to or from China in the first six months of 2025, up 30.2 percent year on year. Of these trips, 13.64 million were visa-free entries, an increase of 53.9 percent from the same period last year. 

This photo taken on Oct. 11, 2025 shows a banner promoting contactless payments with major international bank cards beside fare gates at a metro station in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province.(Guangzhou Metro/Handout via Xinhua)




Haiti - FLASH : HOPE/HELP Law between optimism and concern in the Haitian textile sector





The Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity Through Partnership for Encouragement (HOPE) laws and the extension of the Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) law expired at the end of September 2025, without being renewed. These laws, approved by the U.S. Congress in 2005 and 2010, allow Haiti to export clothing to the U.S. market duty-free, representing 90% of Haitian exports.



These benefits extend directly to the Dominican Republic, where textile mills in Barahona, Bonao, Guerra, and Santiago produce fabrics and yarns that are then sent to Haiti for the production of garments for export.



In 2018, the textile manufacturing sector in Haiti employed 62,000 people. Today, that number has dropped to 26,000 due to security concerns that have forced the closure of at least 15 factories.



Dominican businessman Fernando Capellan, president of the Industrial Development Company (CODEVI), located in the Ouanaminthe/Dajabon mixed free trade zone, where some 18,000 of the country's remaining 26,000 Haitians work, manufacturing clothing for major brands such as Hanes, Calvin Klein, and GAP. He confirmed the expiration of the Hope/HELP Act, which has been in effect for 20 years, and expressed optimism that it will be renewed within the next 90 days. "I am always optimistic, sometimes cautiously optimistic, but I am confident that Haiti's friends in Congress and the Trump administration will work hard to extend the legislation for another 10 years."



Capellan stated that "the White House supports the renewal of the law, as this program impacts not only the United States, but also its supply chain."



James Monazard, Haiti's Minister of Trade and Industry, stated that "the situation in this sector remains alarming [...] textile industry leaders are still waiting for a signal from the U.S. Congress regarding the renewal of the HOPE/HELP Act." He warned on a radio station of the capital that if this law is not renewed, this situation could lead to the closure of many companies in the subcontracting sector, one of the pillars of the Haitian economy.



Finally, Monazard noted that disagreements between Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress have prevented the approval of the federal budget, thus delaying any decision regarding the HOPE/HELP Act. The Trump administration is expected to decide on this renewal before December 19, 2025.



"The future of Haiti's outsourcing sector largely depends on this renewal. We are optimistic, but time is running out," the minister concluded.



SL/ HaitiLibre


















Tesla is deviating from its goal of producing at least 5000 humanoid Optimus Bot by 2025. This was reported by the US tech magazine The Information on Tuesday. Design changes and technical problems are apparently thwarting the ambitious goal.

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Tesla originally planned to produce at least 5000 Optimus robots by 2025. As recently as March, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said at an employee meeting that he wanted to build this number of humanoid robots. However, this increase from a few dozen Optimus Bot in 2024 to at least 5000 in the current year is too ambitious, so the company has currently lowered the production target to 2000, reports The Information.

Problems with the hands

However, this target now also appears to be jeopardized. The robot's hands, the most technically demanding part of the design, have caused issues and led to delays. Design changes, particularly to the hands but also to the forearms, were intended to improve the construction of the third version of the Optimus Bot. The current version is 2.5, which means that thousands of robots can no longer be produced this year. The hands are currently being reworked, and further design improvements are being made, for example, to the forearms, reports The Information. It is unclear what the current status is there.

However, the delays are not only due to the demanding design of the hands. The departure of Milan Kovac, former head of the engineering department for robots at Tesla, in June also left a gap. Since then, the hardware design has been in the hands of Konstantin Laskaris, while Ashok Elluswamy is responsible for the software.

According to The Information, Tesla employees are now privately questioning whether it even makes sense to build complex humanoid robots for use in production. The technical hurdles and the effort involved are high. For example, training the robots is time-consuming. Special videos often have to be created first for the training of skills. Tesla is currently using its employees for this. In the future, Tesla hopes to be able to use freely available videos on the internet to train its humanoid robots to perform every conceivable task.

Currently, the Optimus bots' tasks are still rather simple: at Tesla, for example, they sort batteries. They also carry out inspections in the factories.

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(olb)

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 1995 comedy Hackers was savaged by critics: 33 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and 46 points on Metacritic. But what do critics know? Over the years, the film developed into a cult film because everything was just right: British director Ian Softley had put together a congenial soundtrack featuring The Prodigy, Underworld, Leftfield, and Massive Attack, the who's who of the techno and triphop scene at the time. In combination with a light-footed teenage story about a young hacker group, the film captured the attitude to life at the time when the internet was just learning to work.

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The 23-year-old lead actor Jonny Lee Millerwho made his big appearance a year later as Sick Boy in Trainspottingand the then 20-year-old Angelina Jolie were not only sizzling in front of the camera but also behind it. The two married a year later. Matthew Lillard shone as the lovable freak. Some may remember his face from the 1999 Wing Commander film, in which he played the pilot "Maniac."

The chemistry is right (from left to right): Nikon (Laurence Mason), Dade (Jonny Lee Miller), Kate (Angelina Jolie) and Cereal (Matthew Lillard) practise their creative use of the technical toys of the 90s. (Image: United Artists / Suftley)

A real feel-good movie for all nerds, which our colleague Nico Ernst already congratulated on its 30th birthday in a commentary. To mark the anniversary, the film has been re-released on Ultra HD Disc (UHD) in Germany. For real fans, there is also a British import UHD that plays the fantastic soundtrack in Dolby Atmos for the first time.

In this review, we look back at the production and take a close look at the different versions of the film in streaming, on Blu-ray Disc and the two UHDs. We explore the question of why Hackers became a style-defining work of the 90s despite initial criticism and what makes it so fascinating today, in the age of ubiquitous digitalization.

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.
Antti Hakkanen , Finlands Minister of Defence, said the countrys involvement reflects its full participation in NATOs defence activities.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed on Friday that Finland will send F/A-18 Hornet fighter aircraft and staff officers to the multinational training event. The exercise will run from 13 to 24 October 2025.

Finland will take part in NATOs annual nuclear deterrence exercise 'Steadfast Noon' for the first time since joining the alliance.

Nuclear deterrence is part of NATOs everyday work, Hakkanen said. Finland participates in NATOs nuclear planning and policy-making, and therefore it is natural that we also join NATOs annual nuclear exercise.

Steadfast Noon is part of NATOs regular training calendar. It does not involve any live nuclear weapons. The aim of the exercise is to test and maintain the operational readiness of NATOs nuclear deterrence capabilities.

NATOs nuclear policy combines nuclear, conventional and missile defence capabilities, and includes space and cyber defence. According to NATO, the objective of its nuclear forces is to prevent conflict through deterrence and to ensure collective defence.

Finlands defence is ultimately supported by the military power of the entire Alliance, including its nuclear deterrence, Hakkanen said. Nuclear exercises ensure the credibility, effectiveness, safety and security of NATOs nuclear deterrent. This also increases security in Finland.

Finland formally joined NATO in April 2023. This year marks the countrys first direct contribution to a NATO nuclear readiness exercise.

Finland is not a nuclear-armed state and does not host nuclear weapons. Its participation in Steadfast Noon focuses on operational support and command functions. The Ministry of Defence did not disclose the number of aircraft or personnel involved.

The location of the exercise has not been officially announced, but previous iterations have taken place in various Western European member states. In 2024, the exercise was hosted by Italy and involved aircraft from over a dozen member countries.

Steadfast Noon typically includes dual-capable aircraft and conventional support elements. Participating forces simulate the handling and deployment of nuclear weapons in a strictly non-operational environment. The objective is to improve coordination and decision-making in crisis situations.

Hakkanen is Finlands representative in NATOs Nuclear Planning Group, which oversees the alliances nuclear policy and planning. Membership in the group allows Finland to take part in high-level discussions on nuclear strategy and deterrence posture.

The Ministry of Defence said Finlands participation helps strengthen the credibility of NATOs collective defence commitments and supports Finlands integration into alliance structures.

The Finnish Defence Forces have operated American-made F/A-18 Hornet aircraft since the late 1990s. The fleet is set to be replaced by F-35 fighters beginning in 2026. Until then, Hornets continue to serve as the main combat aircraft for national defence and NATO operations.

HT
The list of names withheld by Israel includes Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat , two political figures widely viewed in the Palestinian territories as national leaders. Barghouti, a senior Fatah figure, is serving five life sentences in Israel after being convicted of orchestrating deadly attacks in the early 2000s.

Hamas is demanding the inclusion of several prominent Palestinian prisoners in a planned exchange with Israel, warning that their continued exclusion could derail the first phase of a US-brokered ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

Saadat, the secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), is serving a 30-year sentence for leading what Israel designates as a terrorist organisation.

The exclusion was confirmed after the Israeli Ministry of Justice released the names of 250 prisoners scheduled for release. None of the high-profile detainees requested by Hamas appeared on the list.

Under the current terms of the ceasefire, Israel has agreed to release 250 prisoners with life sentences and another 1,700 Palestinians from Gaza held during the war. Hamas is expected to release 20 living Israeli captives and the bodies of 26 others.

The ceasefire, negotiated by US President Donald Trump and supported by key regional actors including Egypt and Qatar, came into effect on Friday. Israeli troops have withdrawn from parts of Gaza under the agreements yellow line, allowing displaced residents to begin returning to devastated areas.

A senior Hamas official said the current prisoner list is unacceptable and accused Israel of failing to meet commitments. He warned that the absence of major figures such as Barghouti and Saadat contradicts the spirit of the agreement.

The resistance demands that all its people be recognised in this deal. Leaving out the leadership is an insult to our people, he said.

Barghouti remains the most popular Palestinian political figure according to multiple opinion polls. From his cell, he has continued to advocate for national unity and a two-state solution. Many Palestinians see him as the only leader capable of bridging the divisions between Fatah and Hamas.

The US envoy to the region, Steve Witkoff, is reported to have raised the issue with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israeli sources have confirmed the discussion but denied any change in policy. Israeli officials maintain that Barghoutis release is a red line due to the gravity of his convictions.

The inclusion of Barghouti would undermine our security and the justice system, said one Israeli official.

Hamas is also demanding the release of former prisoners who were freed in previous deals but later rearrested after 7 October 2023. These individuals were not included in the announced 250 and are being counted separately by Israeli authorities.

They are not new detainees. They were already part of an earlier agreement. Their continued detention violates past deals, a Hamas spokesperson said.

Among them are several figures from the 2011 Gilad Shalit exchange. Hamas argues that reneging on past releases weakens trust and jeopardises future negotiations.

The Israeli Prison Service confirmed that some of the prisoners identified by Hamas were previously released and later re-detained. It has not confirmed whether any will be included in the upcoming swap.

The current impasse is unfolding against the backdrop of renewed mobilisation in Gaza. Hamas has deployed thousands of fighters in areas vacated by Israeli troops and named five new governors, all with military backgrounds. Local sources say the group is seeking to prevent internal instability and reassert control over weapon caches looted during the war.

Armed clashes broke out over the weekend between Hamas and the Dughmush clan in Gaza City. Two Hamas fighters, including the son of a senior military commander, were killed. Hamas responded by encircling a Dughmush compound, killing one and abducting 30 others, according to local reports.

A Gaza-based human rights official said the risk of internal violence remains high.

Hamas is facing multiple threats, external and internal. Its priority is to show control, but that can lead to confrontation with armed families and rivals, he said.

The prisoner issue has added another layer of complexity. Negotiators had expected the first phase of exchanges to begin within 72 hours of the ceasefires activation. As of Saturday evening, no captives had been transferred.

Israel has reportedly begun moving selected Palestinian prisoners to holding facilities in preparation. Families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza gathered in Tel Aviv to demand action. Many carried signs crediting Trump with forcing Netanyahu into the deal.

At a rally in Tel Aviv, Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka Trump addressed crowds. Kushner described the deal as the result of relentless effort and praised Witkoffs role. Ivanka said the release of hostages would be a triumph of courage and humanity.

Netanyahu received a mixed response. Boos were heard when Witkoff credited the prime minister with helping finalise the agreement. Families of the captives have accused Netanyahu of delaying the deal for political reasons.

The deals next steps remain uncertain. Israel has made clear it will not release Barghouti or Saadat. Hamas has linked their inclusion to the broader success of the ceasefire and has warned of delays if its conditions are not met.

US officials have so far avoided commenting on the names but continue to push for implementation. Trump is expected to visit the region this week, with stops in Jerusalem and Sharm el-Sheikh for a formal signing ceremony.

Meanwhile, Palestinians in Gaza continue to return to destroyed cities with no guarantees of shelter or safety. Aid agencies say thousands of tonnes of food, medicine, and equipment are ready at border crossings, pending clearance.

HT
The road, known as the Saatsen boot, connects the Estonian villages of Lutepaa and Sesniki. A section of the road crosses approximately 800 metres through Russian territory before re-entering Estonia. It was closed on Friday evening following an unusual presence of Russian military personnel near the route.

Estonian authorities closed a short stretch of road on the southeastern border with Russia after groups of armed Russian soldiers were observed on Russian soil close to the route.

Estonia's Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) confirmed the decision to shut the road. Video released by the agency showed at least seven armed soldiers in camouflage standing on the Russian side of the border. Estonian officials reported more than ten soldiers were present in the area throughout the day.

Kunter Pedosk, head of operations for the PPA's southern prefecture, said in a statement that the movement of Russian units in Saatsen had increased noticeably. "Russian border guards patrol Saatsen boot regularly, as it is part of their territory. Today there has been more movement than usual," he said.

Authorities stated that the road closure aimed to prevent possible incidents or provocations. According to Estonian public broadcaster ERR, the shutdown is expected to remain in place until at least Tuesday. During this time, local residents must take alternative routes that add several kilometres to their journeys.

No formal communication from Russia has been received regarding the soldiers presence. Local media Postimees reported that the nature and purpose of the Russian military unit remain unclear. The group was not wearing identifiable national insignia, though their uniforms featured military camouflage.

Meelis Saarepuu, a regional commander of the Estonian border guard, told Delfi media outlet that movement through the area was no longer safe. "That is Russian territory, and the conduct of their authorities is unpredictable," he said.

The road has long been a unique feature of the EstoniaRussia border. While it lies mostly in Estonia, it crosses a sliver of Russian territory. Under a long-standing arrangement, Estonian citizens are allowed to travel the route without stopping while passing through the Russian-controlled stretch. Known as the Saatsen boot due to the shape it forms on the map, the area has previously seen joint patrols and border management without reported conflict.

According to ERR, a bypass route avoiding Russian territory has been under discussion for years but remains at the planning stage.

Two official checkpoints, Koidula and Luhamaa, near the affected area, remain operational for freight and personal traffic. Goods flow through these points towards Riga and Western Europe.

The Estonian Interior Ministry and border agency confirmed that the overall threat level had not changed, though they described the situation on the ground as tense.

HT
This photo taken on Oct. 11, 2025 shows the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge under the starry sky in southwest China's Guizhou Province. The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, soaring 625 meters above the Beipan River in Guizhou's mountainous terrain, is the world's tallest bridge.

With a main span of 1,420 meters, the project has become the world's longest-span steel truss girder suspension bridge in mountainous terrain, according to Guizhou provincial authorities. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

This photo taken on Oct. 11, 2025 shows the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge under the starry sky in southwest China's Guizhou Province. The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, soaring 625 meters above the Beipan River in Guizhou's mountainous terrain, is the world's tallest bridge.

With a main span of 1,420 meters, the project has become the world's longest-span steel truss girder suspension bridge in mountainous terrain, according to Guizhou provincial authorities. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

This photo taken on Oct. 11, 2025 shows a light show held at the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in southwest China's Guizhou Province. The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, soaring 625 meters above the Beipan River in Guizhou's mountainous terrain, is the world's tallest bridge.

With a main span of 1,420 meters, the project has become the world's longest-span steel truss girder suspension bridge in mountainous terrain, according to Guizhou provincial authorities. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

This photo taken on Oct. 12, 2025 shows the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge under the starry sky in southwest China's Guizhou Province. The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, soaring 625 meters above the Beipan River in Guizhou's mountainous terrain, is the world's tallest bridge.

With a main span of 1,420 meters, the project has become the world's longest-span steel truss girder suspension bridge in mountainous terrain, according to Guizhou provincial authorities. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)
TOKYO, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has issued a message to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Public opinion believes that the message, to some extent, reflects Ishiba's personal characteristics and has certain significance, but the absence or insufficiency of some key expressions highlights the country's deficiency in summarizing and understanding its history.

With approximately 6,000 words in Japanese, the message released on Friday delved into five themes: the pre-war constitution, government structure, parliament, media, and information gathering and analysis, arguing that all of them bear responsibility for Japan's path to war.

In light of the current situation in Japan's society, Ishiba said that politics must never pander to public opinion or pursue popularity-seeking policies that would harm the national interest, while warning against narrow-minded nationalism and xenophobia.

The country must not prioritize emotional and sentimental judgments over calm and rational ones, the prime minister said, adding that what matters most are the courage and integrity to squarely face the past.

Japanese media pointed out that compared with past formal cabinet-endorsed statements released by his predecessors on the 50th, 60th and 70th anniversary milestones, Ishiba's views presented new perspectives. However, the message was released in a personal capacity, without the formal approval of the entire cabinet, and failed to explicitly mention the "responsibility for aggression" towards neighboring Asian countries. Ishiba simply stated in response to a reporter's question that the historical views he upholds from the predecessor cabinets include the "feelings of remorse and apology."

Ishiba is considered a moderate conservative within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), with a more progressive understanding of history than the party's hardline conservatives. Local media generally believe that Ishiba's remarks reflected his balanced approach under pressure from within the LDP.

Since taking office last year, Ishiba has planned to issue a prime minister's statement approved by the cabinet as per tradition on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the war's end. However, LDP conservative members strongly opposed it, arguing that the 70th anniversary statement by then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had made it clear that "future generations should not be predestined to apologize," and worried that Ishiba would overturn this tone. The newly elected LDP president, Sanae Takaichi, also said there was no need to issue an 80th anniversary statement.

Meiji University professor Akira Yamada believes Ishiba's reflections mainly remained on domestic Japanese politics and lacked a perspective on neighboring Asian countries. Although Ishiba used the phrase "remorse," the content of the message was almost exclusively focused on analyzing how the political parties failed to check the influence of the military.

Professor Mie Oba of Kanagawa University said that this message provided a common-sense explanation of the situation in pre-war Japan. "The fact that the prime minister has to repeatedly recount these facts, which should have been shared in education in the first place, reflects Japan's serious shortcomings in summarizing history." 
ABIDJAN, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Clashes broke out on Saturday morning in Abidjan, the economic capital of Cote d'Ivoire, between security forces and opposition supporters attempting to hold a protest despite a formal ban issued by the prefect.

In Cocody, a commune in the east of Abidjan, several people tried to gather in small groups near the Saint Jean church. However, they were quickly dispersed by security forces using tear gas after brief altercations.

This attempted gathering was initiated by a coalition of major opposition parties comprising the African People's Party of Cote d'Ivoire (PPA-CI) of former President Laurent Gbagbo and the Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire (PDCI) of Tidjane Thiam. They had planned a march to protest the removal of their leaders from the electoral list, a decision that prevented them from being candidates in the Oct. 25 presidential election.

"As of 11:30 a.m. (local time), 237 people have been arrested, among them women and young people," said Interior and Security Minister Vagondo Diomande during a press conference in Abidjan. He lamented that "some completely irresponsible young people were sent into the streets to erect barricades."

The minister, however, emphasized that the rest of the national territory remained calm. "Security forces have been deployed to allow all citizens to go about their business and for national life to continue its normal course," he said, praising the professionalism of the units involved.

Diomande said this protest was held in violation of Article 138 of the Constitution, which strictly regulates public gatherings. "Those caught participating in an unauthorized demonstration will face the law," he warned.

As the electoral campaign for the presidential election began on Friday, the minister praised "the sense of responsibility of the majority of young people," and called on all citizens to preserve the image of a stable Cote d'Ivoire.

Five candidates, including incumbent President Alassane Ouattara, who chose the city of Daloa in west-central Ivory Coast to launch his campaign, are in the running for this election. 
TEHRAN, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that Tehran is ready for a "fair and balanced" negotiation with Washington.

In a televised interview with state-run IRIB TV, Araghchi elaborated on Iran's position on resuming talks with the United States over its nuclear issue and the removal of sanctions.

Araghchi said if the United States presented a plan capable of safeguarding Iran's interests, Tehran would definitely consider it.

"Our stance towards the United States has always been clear," he said. "If they are ready to negotiate on an equal footing to safeguard common interests, on the basis of mutual respect ... and be prepared for a fair and balanced negotiation, we will also be ready for such a negotiation."

He said Iran's nuclear issue would be the only topic of negotiation with the West, noting that "this is our fixed position."

Araghchi said Iran would not give up on its right to enrich uranium on its soil, reaffirming that its enriched uranium would be used solely for peaceful purposes.

On the resumption of talks between Iran and the three European countries of France, Britain and Germany, collectively known as the E3, he said, "At present, no ground exists for negotiation with Europeans."

In 2015, Iran signed a nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, with six major countries -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States, accepting restrictions on its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief.

The United States, however, withdrew from the deal in 2018 and reinstated sanctions, prompting Tehran to scale back some of its commitments. 
ISLAMABAD, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- A polio vaccination campaign is set to kick off from Monday in 159 districts of Pakistan to protect children from paralytic polio, the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) said on Sunday.

During the week-long drive, more than 45.4 million children under the age of five will be administered oral polio vaccine drops, the NEOC said, adding that children will also receive vitamin A supplements to help boost their immunity.

Over 400,000 health workers will go door-to-door to ensure that every eligible child receives the vaccine during the campaign, it said.

Stressing the importance of the polio drops, the NEOC urged parents to ensure that all children under five years of age are vaccinated against polio and that routine immunization courses for children up to 15 months are completed on time.

The polio eradication campaign is part of Pakistan's ongoing efforts to eliminate the crippling disease and protect every child from lifelong disability. 
MOSCOW, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Russia remains ready for a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine, but European countries and the government in Kiev have shown reluctance to do so, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian media Sunday.

"Russia has continued to state that we are ready for a peaceful settlement. And we also hear that Trump, after all, has been consistently talking about the need to sit down at the negotiating table. From this, we conclude that he still maintains his political will," Peskov told the Russia-1 TV channel.

However, Peskov said the Europeans and Kiev are showing no willingness to move in that direction.

Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov also said Sunday that Europe's "belligerent stance" toward Russia is difficult to overcome, even with U.S. efforts.

Ushakov said the agreements reached between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska serve as a "guiding star" for both countries in pursuing a settlement in Ukraine and the foundation for a possible resolution. 
GAZA, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army has dismantled humanitarian aid distribution centers in the Gaza Strip operated by a U.S.-backed organization following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Palestinian sources said on Sunday.

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the move targeted facilities run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an American non-governmental group set up in May with U.S. funding and under Israeli military supervision to deliver aid in Gaza.

The foundation was created as an alternative to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and other international organizations amid Israeli accusations that Hamas diverted aid for military purposes. Four main centers were established in central and southern Gaza, surrounded by barbed wire and guarded by armed personnel, the sources said.

The centers had drawn public anger among Palestinians, who described them as unsafe following repeated incidents during aid distributions. Hamas's media office said more than 2,500 people were killed and over 18,000 injured in crowding and shooting incidents since the foundation's launch. The figures could not be independently verified.

The sources said the dismantling took place overnight without prior notice, including at sites near the Israeli Netzarim checkpoint.

The Israeli military and government have not commented, though Israel's Army Radio reported that "the American distribution center project ended without an official announcement."

The move comes as international mediators push to restore aid flows to Gaza after two years of war that left most of the enclave's 2.3 million people dependent on assistance.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on Friday following three days of talks in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh mediated by Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, and the United States. 
This photo taken on Sept. 9, 2025 shows a Chinese babax searching for food on a branch in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province. Fujian, a province boasting rich biodiversity, locates in the channel where migrant birds move between east Asia and Australasia. Every year, large numbers of migrant birds reproduce, winter and rest during migration here. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

This photo taken on Sept. 24, 2025 shows migrant birds flying over a wetland in Xiawu Village, Changle of southeast China's Fujian Province. Fujian, a province boasting rich biodiversity, locates in the channel where migrant birds move between east Asia and Australasia. Every year, large numbers of migrant birds reproduce, winter and rest during migration here. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

This photo taken on April 22, 2025 shows a ferruginous flycatcher resting on a branch at a park in Fuzhou of southeast China's Fujian Province. Fujian, a province boasting rich biodiversity, locates in the channel where migrant birds move between east Asia and Australasia. Every year, large numbers of migrant birds reproduce, winter and rest during migration here. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

This photo taken on Oct. 7, 2025 shows a siberian stonechat resting on a pole in Kongyuan Village, Fuzhou of southeast China's Fujian Province. Fujian, a province boasting rich biodiversity, locates in the channel where migrant birds move between east Asia and Australasia. Every year, large numbers of migrant birds reproduce, winter and rest during migration here. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

This photo taken on Sept. 9, 2025 shows a buff-breasted sandpiper (3rd L) and waterbirds flying over the sky in a field in southeast China's Fujian Province. Fujian, a province boasting rich biodiversity, locates in the channel where migrant birds move between east Asia and Australasia. Every year, large numbers of migrant birds reproduce, winter and rest during migration here. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

This photo taken on Oct. 4, 2025 shows an ibis searching for food at a wetland in Fuzhou of southeast China's Fujian Province. Fujian, a province boasting rich biodiversity, locates in the channel where migrant birds move between east Asia and Australasia. Every year, large numbers of migrant birds reproduce, winter and rest during migration here. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

This photo taken on April 17, 2025 shows a narcissus flycatcher searching for food at a scenic spot in Fuzhou of southeast China's Fujian Province. Fujian, a province boasting rich biodiversity, locates in the channel where migrant birds move between east Asia and Australasia. Every year, large numbers of migrant birds reproduce, winter and rest during migration here. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)
JERUSALEM, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel is ready to receive hostages "immediately," amid reports that Hamas may release them later in the day under certain conditions.

Netanyahu's office said the prime minister had spoken with Gal Hirsch, Israel's coordinator for hostages and missing persons, about preparations for their return. An Israeli official told Kan public broadcaster that the army expects the hostages to arrive before Monday morning.

"The IDF has completed its preparations for the release of the hostages and assesses that all of them will be released before Trump's arrival," the official said.

Media reports suggested that Hamas has told mediators it is prepared to release all 20 living hostages as early as Sunday, ahead of a Monday deadline under the ceasefire agreement, if Israel frees at least two of seven high-profile Palestinian prisoners previously removed from the release list. It is unclear whether Israel will accept the condition.

Under the ceasefire deal, Hamas will release 20 living and 28 deceased hostages held in Gaza since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023. In exchange, Israel will free roughly 2,000 Palestinian detainees and allow increased humanitarian aid into the enclave, devastated by Israeli strikes. 
Guests attend the opening ceremony of the 7th Taihe Forum in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 11, 2025. The 7th Taihe Forum, organized by the Palace Museum and the Forbidden City Cultural Heritage Conservation Foundation, was held in Beijing on Saturday.

The Taihe Forum, initiated by the Palace Museum in 2016, serves as an international collaborative platform dedicated to promoting exchange and cooperation in cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Wang Xudong, curator of the Palace Museum, addresses the opening ceremony of the 7th Taihe Forum in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 11, 2025. The 7th Taihe Forum, organized by the Palace Museum and the Forbidden City Cultural Heritage Conservation Foundation, was held in Beijing on Saturday.

The Taihe Forum, initiated by the Palace Museum in 2016, serves as an international collaborative platform dedicated to promoting exchange and cooperation in cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

This photo shows the opening ceremony of the 7th Taihe Forum in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 11, 2025. The 7th Taihe Forum, organized by the Palace Museum and the Forbidden City Cultural Heritage Conservation Foundation, was held in Beijing on Saturday.

The Taihe Forum, initiated by the Palace Museum in 2016, serves as an international collaborative platform dedicated to promoting exchange and cooperation in cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Chase F. Robinson, director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art in the United States, addresses the opening ceremony of the 7th Taihe Forum in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 11, 2025. The 7th Taihe Forum, organized by the Palace Museum and the Forbidden City Cultural Heritage Conservation Foundation, was held in Beijing on Saturday.

The Taihe Forum, initiated by the Palace Museum in 2016, serves as an international collaborative platform dedicated to promoting exchange and cooperation in cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

This photo shows the cultural and creative products of the Palace Museum at the site of the opening ceremony of the 7th Taihe Forum in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 11, 2025. The 7th Taihe Forum, organized by the Palace Museum and the Forbidden City Cultural Heritage Conservation Foundation, was held in Beijing on Saturday.

The Taihe Forum, initiated by the Palace Museum in 2016, serves as an international collaborative platform dedicated to promoting exchange and cooperation in cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

This photo shows the opening ceremony of the 7th Taihe Forum in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 11, 2025. The 7th Taihe Forum, organized by the Palace Museum and the Forbidden City Cultural Heritage Conservation Foundation, was held in Beijing on Saturday.

The Taihe Forum, initiated by the Palace Museum in 2016, serves as an international collaborative platform dedicated to promoting exchange and cooperation in cultural heritage. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)
TEHRAN, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Sunday strongly condemned Israel's frequent military "aggressions" against Lebanon.

In a statement, he pointed in particular to Israel's drone strikes early Saturday on six heavy equipment yards in Al-Msaylih village in southern Lebanon, in which one person was killed and seven others injured.

In its Saturday airstrikes, Israel targeted the machinery and equipment used in debris removal and reconstruction operations in the residential areas damaged in its previous attacks, Baghaei said, adding that through its repeated attacks, Israel was constantly violating Lebanon's national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Israel's "frequent violations of the ceasefire agreement (with Hezbollah) and military aggressions against Lebanon's territorial integrity and sovereignty constitute flagrant violations of the United Nations Charter and international law," he said.

Baghaei called on the international community to take serious actions to rein in Israel's "lawbreaking and warmongering" against Lebanon and other countries in the West Asia region. 
A girl tries on Chinese traditional attire during celebrations marking China's traditional Mid-Autumn Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria, Oct. 11, 2025. (Photo by Marian Draganov/Xinhua)

SOFIA, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of residents and visitors in the Bulgarian capital took part on Saturday in celebrations marking China's traditional Mid-Autumn Festival, featuring cultural performances, workshops, and exhibitions that promoted cultural exchange between the two countries.

The event, organized under the auspices of the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria, was held at the Toplocentrala Center for Contemporary Arts in Sofia's South Park, one of the city's most popular venues.

Starting in the afternoon, visitors were introduced to a wide range of Chinese cultural traditions, from a tea ceremony and tastings of Chinese delicacies to workshops where participants crafted handmade souvenirs.

Traditional Hanfu costumes were also showcased. Many guests donned the elegant attire.

The festivities culminated in the evening with live performances by finalists of the National Songwriting and Singing Competition, "Ancient Rhymes in a New Voice - Eternal Classics."

The concert featured songs inspired by poems from China's Tang and Song dynasties, combining classical literature with contemporary music.

Addressing the audience, Chinese Ambassador to Bulgaria Dai Qingli said the Mid-Autumn Festival represented more than family reunions.

"It is also a symbol of striving for a better life and expressing good wishes to loved ones and friends," she said. "Through poetry and music, we hope to continue writing a new chapter in cultural exchange and friendship between China and Bulgaria."

Many attendees expressed their enthusiasm for the event. Dimitar Stoimenov, who recently visited China, said he was impressed by the country's culture and achievements and came to learn more.

Mila, who attended with her 10-year-old daughter Sofia, said they joined the festival after being invited by her son's Chinese language school.

"We found the tea ceremony very interesting," she said. Her daughter added, "I want to write my name in Chinese characters."

University student Joanna, who tried on traditional Hanfu clothing, said she "felt great in Chinese clothes." 

People wearing Chinese traditional attire pose for a group photo during celebrations marking China's traditional Mid-Autumn Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria, Oct. 11, 2025. (Photo by Marian Draganov/Xinhua)

People participate in workshops marking China's traditional Mid-Autumn Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria, Oct. 11, 2025. (Photo by Marian Draganov/Xinhua)
Rachel Yaoudam (4th R) poses for a group photo with members of her organization during an agricultural training session in a field in Ngaoundere, Adamawa Region, Cameroon, on Oct. 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Kepseu)

by Arison Tamfu, Wang Ze

YAOUNDE, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- In a quiet village in northern Cameroon, a group of women gather around baskets of sweet potatoes, peeling, drying, and grinding them into enriched baking flour.

It is a rare scene in the country's northern regions, where more than 80 percent of people depend on agriculture, yet years of conflict between government forces and Boko Haram militants, coupled with worsening humanitarian crises, have left the sector struggling to recover. For women and girls, the toll has been particularly severe.

Among those determined to help them rebuild is Rachel Yaoudam, who two years ago founded Sahel Solidaire'24, a non-governmental organization that supports and empowers women in disadvantaged communities and conflict zones in Cameroon.

"Helping women to transform sweet potatoes into flour is part of my project. I want to see every woman and girl happy," said the 34-year-old woman who supervised the potato transformation process in Ngaoundere, the main town of the mountainous Adamawa region.

Born and raised in Moskota, a small village in the country's Far North bordering Nigeria -- a region often targeted by Boko Haram -- Yaoudam knows hardship firsthand. She was once kidnapped by armed men and later released after a ransom was paid.

Growing up in a male-dominated society where many believed a woman's place was at home, she faced immense challenges.

"We used to take long walks to fetch water. We had limited access to basic needs, and the constant struggle to survive in a place often forgotten by the rest of the world," recalled the mother of two.

Education, she said, felt like her only hope.

"My father, a teacher, never let us forget that. He would tell us, 'Go to school, learn, read, and one day you will change the story of our family and our village,'" she said.

Taking her father's advice to heart, Yaoudam pursued her studies abroad and later worked with several international organizations, including the Economic Community of West African States. Today, she is an international actress, teacher, and passionate advocate for women's empowerment.

The organization she founded now stands at the forefront of efforts to promote social and economic equality for Cameroonian women, particularly those in the Far North, where Yaoudam has witnessed with her bare eyes the hardships and inequalities they endure.

"We provide support for agro-pastoral projects, legal rights awareness on gender based violence, income-generating cooperatives, scholarships for children, and mentoring in sewing and information and communications technology for women, and advocate for women's rights and promote women in peacebuilding," Yaoudam said.

Yet beyond its programs, what members value most is the organization's role as a safe space -- a place of comfort, solidarity, and personal growth for the women it serves.

"One key factor is that women feel supported by fellow women," Yaoudam said.

What began as a small initiative to tackle gender inequality and empower women has grown into a symbol of resilience and renewal. "More than 25,000 women and men have been directly impacted, and more than 200 children have received scholarships in just two years," she said proudly.

As the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women opens in Beijing, China, on Oct. 13, Yaoudam said she hopes the gathering will shine a spotlight on advancing gender equality and empowering women across Africa. 

Rachel Yaoudam (C, striped shirt) speaks during a training session with members of her organization in Ngaoundere, Adamawa Region, Cameroon, on Oct. 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Kepseu)
A protester waves flags near the London Eye in London, Britain, Oct. 11, 2025. Tens of thousands people took to the street here on Saturday in support of Palestine. (Xinhua/Li Ying)

A boy in support of Palestine calls slogans in London, Britain, Oct. 11, 2025. Tens of thousands people took to the street here on Saturday in support of Palestine. (Xinhua/Li Ying)

Flags held by protesters are pictured near the Big Ben in London, Britain, Oct. 11, 2025. Tens of thousands people took to the street here on Saturday in support of Palestine. (Xinhua/Li Ying)

Protesters in support of Palestine are pictured in London, Britain, Oct. 11, 2025. Tens of thousands people took to the street here on Saturday in support of Palestine. (Xinhua/Li Ying)

A man in support of Palestine is pictured in London, Britain, Oct. 11, 2025. Tens of thousands of people took to the street here on Saturday in support of Palestine. (Xinhua/Li Ying)

A placard held by a protester is pictured near the Big Ben in London, Britain, Oct. 11, 2025. Tens of thousands of people took to the street here on Saturday in support of Palestine. (Xinhua/Li Ying)

Protesters set off colored smoke near the Big Ben in London, Britain, Oct. 11, 2025. Tens of thousands of people took to the street here on Saturday in support of Palestine. (Xinhua/Li Ying)

A placard held by a protester is pictured near the Big Ben in London, Britain, Oct. 11, 2025. Tens of thousands of people took to the street here on Saturday in support of Palestine. (Xinhua/Li Ying)

A protester sets off colored smoke near the Big Ben in London, Britain, Oct. 11, 2025. Tens of thousands of people took to the street here on Saturday in support of Palestine. (Xinhua/Li Ying)

Protesters hold placards and wave flags in London, Britain, Oct. 11, 2025. Tens of thousands of people took to the street here on Saturday in support of Palestine. (Xinhua/Li Ying)
Digital technology is transforming industries worldwide. On a "job hunt," an Italian student visits Binjiang District of Hangzhou to discover how innovation is driving change at this thriving tech hub in eastern China.
Florida volunteer firefighters put out a smoky fire in a shed on Thursday to demonstrate fire safety to schoolchildren. Firefighters walked around in full gear demonstrating how the airpacks work and letting the children know what they looked so they wouldn't be scared in an emergency. Firefighters served up hot dogs and hamburgers before the live burn demonstration. Firefighters admitted they do look a little like Darth Vader when they are in their gear. State Police Fire Marshals introduced their accelerant-sniffing dogs. The dogs get treats and pets when they sniff out a fuel. The older students were there for the fire demonstration. Although the students knew there would be a live burn, they were still surprised by the smoke. Younger students got to put out their own 'fire.' PreviousNext

Abbott Memorial Students Learn Fire Safety Through Burn Demonstration



Children were told to cover their faces as the smoke blew in their direction. Firefighters wanted the demonstration to be as real as possible. FLORIDA, Mass.  Students from Abbott Memorial School received an up-close lesson in fire safety Thursday during a field trip to the fire station, where they met with local firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and State Police for a live, hands-on demonstration.

The Volunteer Fire Department has hosted the program for some years now. Current adult volunteer firefighters noted they attended the program themselves when they were in school, estimating the tradition has been running for over 35 years.

"We have been doing this for years  and it has been pretty much the same thing," said Fire Chief Michael Gleason. "One year we didn't burn the structure, and the kids were disappointed, so that has become a staple  but it gives us a good working relationship with all of the kids. They typically only see a firefighter, EMT, or police officer in a bad situation. Here, they get to see us in a good situation."

The educational visit was structured in a few sessions, beginning with the younger grades in the morning. This group walked to the station and toured State Police cruisers, Northern Berkshire EMS ambulances, and various fire apparatus, with first responders providing information about their roles.

"Like we will have the ambulance. Each kid will go in the ambulance, and then they will have a chat about the ambulance, what it's like to be in an ambulance," Gleason said. "And the State Police have their cruisers, and they will tell the kids what they do. We pretty much will talk to them about whatever they want to talk about."

Then each child was given the chance to use a real fire hose to practice extinguishing a blaze. The target was a specially built wooden house featuring hinged wooden flames in each window that the students had to successfully knock down using the stream of water.

In the afternoon, a separate group of older students walked to the station, where the safety education transitioned into a cookout.

"Of course, we talk about stop, drop and roll, the cause of fires, no stuff on the kitchen stove, all that educational stuff," Gleason said. "Then we will have lunch. Then the next group will come."

Firefighters served up hot dogs, hamburgers, and fries, while others walked around in the garage fully geared up, giving students a realistic view of how they look and operate during an emergency response.

"We want them to see us in a good light so they aren't afraid of us when they see us walking around with an airpack on because we look and sound like Darth Vader," Gleason said. "Now they know this is just an airpack. If we do come to their house during an emergency, they know not to hide because we are here to help."

Students were then brought outside, and the State Police fire marshals introduced their specialized fire dogs. These canines are trained to sniff out accelerants to determine the cause of a fire. The police used an eyedropper to place tiny scent samples throughout the group. Once the dogs successfully picked up the scent, they were rewarded with a well-deserved treat and plenty of pets from the appreciative students.

Students were then told about the "Fire Tetrahedron." Students learned that four essential elements fuel, heat, oxygen, and a chemical chain reaction  are all necessary for a fire to start and continue. Removing any single element will extinguish the fire.

During this presentation, firefighters snuck into an improvised shed with a torch and set it on fire. Thick smoke billowed out toward the students. At that moment, the familiar fire truck sirens blared, signaling a mock emergency. The very firefighters who had been serving lunch flew out of their truck, disengaged the hose, and immediately started attacking the fire.

Once the fire was under control, first responders provided crucial educational information on how to prevent fires and what to do if one breaks out.

"We really talk about how to escape a burning building, we really push having a meeting place, and we talk about how to call 911," Gleason said. " But this gives them a good working relationship with us. We are here having fun, not putting their house out."




iciHaiti - Back to school : Already more than a billion dollars in aid paid to poor parents





On Friday, October 10, 2025, the Government, through an initiative coordinated by the Economic and Social Assistance Fund (FAES), continued implementing the Multisectoral Emergency Program with the aim of alleviating the economic burden of the return to school for thousands of eligible parents, particularly the most vulnerable.



As part of this effort, on October 10, 2025, the Government provided direct financial assistance to 21,549 parents through the MonCash (Digicel) and Natcash (Natcom) platforms. The average amount received per beneficiary was 15,342 Gourdes.



The total amount disbursed as of Friday, October 10, amounts to just over 332 million Gourdes (332,161,860.00), marking an important milestone in the implementation of the Government's cash transfer program.



Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime praised the work accomplished by the FAES and the government teams mobilized to ensure the transparency and efficiency of the process. He reiterated that this program is part of the vision of a socially responsible state, committed to protecting parents, children, and vulnerable households throughout the country.



"Supporting parents is an investment in the future of our children and in the future of Haiti."



Total number of registered beneficiaries : 115,186

Number of beneficiaries already paid : 72,798

Total amount paid : 1 billion 116 million 866,916 gourdes

Implementation rate : 63%



The Government invites all beneficiaries to show patience and cooperation throughout the process and reiterates its commitment to continue paying the remaining balance (37% of beneficiaries) as soon as possible. Partner institutions continue to submit daily technical and financial reports to the FAES to ensure rigorous and transparent accountability.



IH/ S/ iciHaiti